[TL;DR: Google Ads copy earns the click by matching search intent, stating a clear benefit, and creating separation from competitors. This guide covers exactly how to write Responsive Search Ad headlines and descriptions for Australian SMEs -- what to put where, how many to write, and what most businesses get wrong.]

How to Write Google Ads That Actually Get Clicks (For Adelaide Businesses)

Most guidance on this topic recycles the same advice: be specific, include a call to action, test your ads. That is not wrong, but it skips the part that actually determines results -- understanding the format you are writing for and how Google decides what to show.

Understanding the RSA Format Before You Write a Word

Since 2022, Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) have been the primary Google Search ad format. You do not write a single fixed ad. You provide up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, and Google's machine learning assembles different combinations to find what performs best in each auction.

This changes how you should write. Each headline needs to work as a standalone statement. Each description needs to stand alone. You cannot write a headline that depends on another headline appearing alongside it, because Google may not show them together.

A typical RSA shows 2-3 headlines and 1-2 descriptions per auction. The character limits are:

• Headlines: 30 characters each (including spaces)
• Descriptions: 90 characters each

What Goes in Headlines vs Descriptions

Headlines and descriptions serve different roles.

The most common mistake: writing descriptions as a second headline. A description that says "Adelaide's Leading Google Ads Agency" wastes 90 characters. You have room to say something the headline did not -- a specific proof point, an objection handled, a clear instruction.

Writing Headlines That Earn the Click

With 30 characters per headline, you are writing Twitter-length copy under pressure. Build your full set of 15 across four categories.

These directly mirror what someone is searching for. If someone types "Google Ads management Adelaide," your first headline should reflect that phrase. Google rewards ads that match the query with a better Quality Score and a lower cost per click.

Examples:

• "Google Ads Management Adelaide" (30 characters)


• "Adelaide Google Ads Agency"


• "Google Ads for Small Business"

What does the customer get? Not what you do -- what they experience. The shift from "we manage Google Ads" to "more leads from Google" is the shift from feature to benefit. Benefit headlines outperform feature headlines in almost every service category.

Examples:

• "More Leads, Less Wasted Spend"


• "Leads Tracked Back to Revenue"


• "Google Ads That Pay for Themselves"


• "Stop Paying for Clicks That Don't Convert"

This is where you create separation from every other agency bidding on the same keyword. Specific claims beat vague claims every time. "Award-winning agency" tells the reader nothing. "No lock-in contracts" tells them exactly what they will not have to risk.

Examples:

• "No Lock-In Contracts. Ever."


• "From $1,500/Month. No Lock-In."


• "Google Premier Partner Agency"


• "Leads Generated Across 12 Industries"

CTA headlines tell the reader what to do next. They perform best in the third headline position. Write them as a direct instruction with an ease or time signal.

Examples:

• "Get a Free Ads Audit Today"


• "Book a Strategy Call -- Free"


• "Request a Quote in 60 Seconds"

Writing Descriptions That Do the Selling

You have 90 characters per description. Most businesses use fewer than 60 and leave the rest empty. That is a missed opportunity to address the concerns that stop people from clicking.

State what you do, who for, what makes it different, and the price signal. Every element earns its place.

Example: "Google Ads management for Adelaide SMEs with full revenue tracking. No lock-in. From $1,500/month."

For a Google Ads agency, the hesitation is usually: how do I know it will work, or what if I get locked into a contract with no results? Name the fear and answer it directly.

Example: "Every client gets transparent reporting and full account access. You own your data and your campaigns."

Specificity signals relevance. A building company seeing "construction" in the description is more likely to click than seeing generic agency language. Name the industries or outcomes you have delivered.

Example: "We've generated leads for Adelaide businesses in construction, healthcare, legal, and retail services."

Make the next step feel low-risk. "Free" in a description (not a headline) is a strong driver of clicks in service categories and does not trigger disapprovals in standard industries.

Example: "Get a free Google Ads account review -- no commitment. See exactly what's working and what's costing you."

The Ad Strength Trap

Google Ads assigns every RSA an Ad Strength rating: Poor, Average, Good, or Excellent. Many advertisers spend time chasing Excellent. This is often wasted effort.

Ad Strength measures how many of Google's format recommendations you have followed -- diverse headlines, long descriptions, keyword inclusion. It does not measure how many leads your ad generates. Research consistently shows that ads rated "Good" outperform "Excellent" ads in real-world performance when the copy is more targeted and specific.

Use Ad Strength as a checklist. Fill all 15 headline slots. Fill all 4 description slots. Use different lengths and angles. Then evaluate performance on actual clicks and conversions, not the rating label.

Why Most Google Ads Copy Gets Ignored

The most common pattern in underperforming ads is copy that is entirely about the advertiser.

"Adelaide's Premier Digital Marketing Agency | Award-Winning Service | Call Us Today"

Every element is self-referential. No benefit is stated. No specific claim is made. Nothing speaks to what the person searching is actually trying to solve.

The person typing "Google Ads management Adelaide" is not thinking about which agency has the best awards. They are thinking: will this actually get me more leads, will I waste money on someone who does not understand my business, and can I afford it?

Strong Google Ads copy answers those questions before the person clicks. The click itself is just the beginning -- but getting the lead from the click is a separate problem. If the ad promises something the landing page does not deliver, you will pay for clicks that produce no enquiries. That gap between ad and landing page is where most Google Ads budgets quietly disappear. The Post-Click Gap guide covers that problem in detail.

Pinning: When to Use It and When to Leave It Alone

RSAs let you pin specific headlines or descriptions to always appear in a particular position. Pinning removes Google's ability to test combinations, which reduces performance. There are two situations where pinning is justified.

For most Adelaide SMEs in standard service categories, avoid pinning. Write 15 strong headlines across the four categories above, let Google find the best combinations, and measure what converts.

How Ad Copy Connects to Quality Score

Your ad copy directly affects Quality Score, which determines how much you pay per click. The three components of Quality Score are expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience. Ad copy influences the first two.

An ad that closely matches the search query and clearly states a benefit will have a higher expected CTR than a generic competitor ad. That higher CTR feeds a better Quality Score, which reduces your cost per click for the same ad position. Writing specific, intent-matched headlines is not just about earning clicks -- it is about paying less for each one. The full breakdown is in the Google Ads Quality Score guide.

Testing Ad Copy That Actually Tells You Something

Once your RSA is live, Google tests combinations automatically and prioritises what earns the most clicks. That is useful, but it is not a substitute for deliberate testing.

Run at least two RSAs per ad group with meaningfully different angles -- not just different wording of the same message. For example:

• Ad A: Lead with price transparency and no lock-in
• Ad B: Lead with the outcome (more leads, tracked revenue)

What to Do If Your Ads Are Not Getting Clicks

If your current ads are running and not generating consistent leads, the issue is usually one of three things: the headlines are too generic, the descriptions do not address a real concern, or the ad does not match what the landing page delivers.

The third issue is the most expensive. An ad can generate plenty of clicks and still produce no leads if the page it sends traffic to does not continue the promise made in the headline. If you are getting clicks but not conversions, Why You're Getting Clicks But Not Leads: The Confidence Gap explains what is likely happening.

If you are not getting enough clicks at all, start with the headlines. Review every headline against the four categories above. If all 15 of your headlines are in category 1 (intent match), you have no benefit, no differentiation, and no call to action -- and Google has almost nothing to work with.

If you want an expert to review your current Google Ads copy and identify exactly where leads are being lost, Dream Outcome offers a free account audit for Adelaide businesses.

FAQ

How many headlines should I write for a Google Ads RSA?

Write all 15. Google allows up to 15 headlines and performs best when given more combinations to test. Writing only 6 or 8 forces Google to reuse the same options repeatedly, which limits learning and often reduces click-through rate over time. Cover all four categories: intent match, benefit, differentiator, and call to action.

Does including keywords in Google Ads headlines matter?

Yes, but not because of keyword density. Including your target keyword in at least one headline signals relevance to both Google's algorithm and the person searching. When someone types a phrase and sees it reflected in the ad headline, the ad looks directly relevant to their search. That relevance improves expected click-through rate and feeds a better Quality Score, which lowers your cost per click.

What is a good click-through rate for Google Ads in Australia?

The average Google Ads CTR across industries in Australia sits around 2-5% on search campaigns. For competitive service categories in Adelaide -- legal, dental, construction, professional services -- a well-managed account should achieve 5-10% on branded terms and 3-6% on non-branded terms. Anything below 2% on search is a signal that either the copy is not matching intent or the campaign is targeting keywords that are too broad.

Should I mention pricing in Google Ads copy?

Yes, where the price is appropriate for your target customer. Mentioning a starting price ("From $1,500/month") pre-qualifies clicks. People who cannot afford your service will not click, which saves you money. People who can afford it click knowing the approximate investment, which often increases the conversion rate because expectations are set before they arrive on your site. Transparency on price is a competitive advantage when competitors avoid mentioning theirs.

Can I use the same ad copy as a competitor?

No, and not just for ethical reasons. Copy that reads like every other agency in your market will not earn the click. People scanning Google results look for something that speaks directly to their situation. If your headlines are indistinguishable from three other ads on the page, there is no reason to choose yours. Differentiation in the ad is not optional -- it is the mechanism by which one ad wins the click and others do not.