Let’s be real: creating ad text for better click-through rates or new campaigns can be a pain, even if it’s just a handful of characters.

The pressure is on, and messing up isn’t an option. You’re juggling a ton of information, crafting the perfect value proposition, and then trying to cram it all into a ridiculously small character limit.

Luckily, you can use some shortcuts: tried-and-true formulas from those who’ve been there, done that. The best part? Master these seven Google Ads (previously Google AdWords) headline formulas, and you’ll never have to start from scratch again. Think your text ads can outshine the competition on the search results page? Get a free Google Ads performance grade and find out today!

Google Ads Headline Formula #1: Keep It Stupid Simple

Picasso supposedly said, “Good artists copy; great artists steal.” Whether Whether or not he said it or not doesn’t matter.

The point is to avoid direct copying and instead “regurgitate” information like a bird feeding its young. (Okay, that analogy was a bit much, especially if you’re eating. Sorry!)

When you’re starting with Google Ad copy, keep it simple and to the point. This makes it easier to understand – especially for searches at the end of the buying process, where urgency and purchase intent are high.

A prime example of this comes from Johnathan Dane at Klientboost:

It’s super straightforward and action-oriented: Keyword + benefit. Your ad text hinges on the search term, which depends on where the searcher is in their buying journey.

And that leads us to the next critical piece: congruency. People want to see consistency between the ad they clicked and the landing page they land on.

You know the drill: matching visitor expectations + ad text + landing page = better message match = lower costs per click and acquisition.

Larry already demonstrated this. Marketing Experiments also proved that a simple alignment between the Google Ads headline copy and landing page resulted in 2.5 times more leads.

There’s a slight hiccup with this method now due to the expanded headline.

Mark Irvine suggests revisiting and revising these new second headlines to ensure you’re not just repeating existing content (the new format can hurt your click-through rate if you’re not careful).

Mark provides an example contrasting the old format (which resembles the familiar formula) with a revised version:

Here’s the updated version, re-emphasizing the core benefit or value proposition:

This updated ad saw a significant 400% CTR boost. Not bad at all.

Google Ads Headline Formula #2: Go Hyperlocal

What’s the common thread between plastic surgeons, lawyers, and pest control companies?

They all rely on local customers. (And they’re all part of our second formula.)

These businesses battle for clicks against well-funded competitors.

When ants invade, you’ve been wronged, or you’re battling under-eye bags and dreaming of being on the Real Housewives of Orange County (maybe that’s just me?), what do you do? You search: “[keyword] + [location]”.

This formula builds on the straightforward approach we just discussed, with a twist. No need to overcomplicate things.

We can adapt this formula by combining (1) location, (2) keyword, and (3) value proposition (in the extended headline). The Rodeo Dr. ad gets bonus points for using social proof in the text below the headline.

Let’s look at another example in a completely different industry.

“Pest Control San Bernardino,” “Pest Control Temecula” – swap out the location and repeat as needed.

Notice those impressive click-through rates in the last example. They’re crucial for lowering costs (and tend to be higher for localized keywords due to strong intent and effective execution). Larry delved into this topic in excellent Moz piece: “One last crucial point (and another reason to ditch your underperforming campaigns): low CTRs often lead to low conversion rates – true for both organic and paid search.”

This holds particularly true for highly competitive, location-dependent businesses, like law firms.

You know… for those who eventually make it onto those Housewives shows and need a good divorce attorney (speaking of which, I once photobombed an episode of the Real Housewives of Los Angeles. Don’t ask. California is a strange place. Time to update my IMDb page).

This final example uses a similar formula but with a much stronger value proposition, resulting in an incredibly high click-through rate.

Google Ads Headline Formula #3: Pose a Question

Ah, millennials. They’re an interesting bunch, always chasing their passions and reviving questionable 90s fashion trends.

It’s hard not to smile at their ironic eyewear as they make your almond milk Peppermint Mocha (no whip, of course).

Turns out, they also have some funny speaking habits, like saying “like,” “dude,” and ending sentences with that upward inflection that makes everything sound like a question.

It might not work so well in person, but in Google Ads, it’s a different story.

Marketing Experiments tested the impact of statements versus questions on click-through rates:

They pitted three statement ads against a single question ad. Guess which one came out on top?

The ad copy in this example is decent but not exceptional.

“Web content” – while vital – isn’t always seen as inherently valuable. Sure, churning out blog post after blog post is time-consuming and challenging for those who spend their mornings slogging away, but there’s not much urgency behind “content.” It’s more effective to highlight the end result or outcome that web content delivers.

If possible, focus on addressing mistakes or threats people might encounter or preventing impending doom. Why? Because negative headlines can outperform positive ones by 60%.

Here’s where power words like “last minute” come in, tapping into a stronger purchase motivation:

(On a side note, maybe don’t wait until the last minute for a proposal.)

Another take on the question formula is weaving in storytelling. This CrazyEgg example nails it:

The ad text is almost like BuzzFeed-esque– in a good way. It creates a narrative and a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more.

Speaking of wanting more, that attention-grabbing number in the headline brings us to our next formula.

Google Ads Headline Formula #4: The “Too Specific to Be Fake” Number

We all know listicles work.

It starts innocently – all fun and games – until you’ve lost three hours to Buzzfeeding, and you’re late picking up your kid from school (hypothetically, of course).

In one Google Ads experiment, a headline featuring a number outperformed its numberless counterpart by a whopping 217% in CTR and a 23% improvement in conversions.

One theory suggests that numbers represent simplicity to our brains (something we’re drawn to in our increasingly complex world).

But the number itself matters.

If you have a spare 30 minutes or find yourself facing another one of your kid’s friend’s birthday parties this weekend, check out this insightful excellent in-depth article from Siege Media.

Interestingly, Ross Hudgens admits to lowering the headline number because he thought people wouldn’t believe it.

In Secrets of Great Salespeople, Jeremy Raymond writes: “Research showed that when a battery boasted a life of ‘up to two hours,’ customers expected an average of 89 minutes; when framed as ‘up to 125 minutes,’ expectations jumped to 106 minutes.”

In other words, people don’t always buy into large, rounded numbers. They might assume the actual figure is just rounded up.

Odd numbers have also been shown to outperform even ones by 20%, according to an Outbrain study.

Used effectively, numbers can also enhance storytelling. Beyond highlighting discounts or great deals, they can convey vast quantities (so many that checking other websites seems pointless). Take this Trivago ad:

They’ve managed to cram a keyword, location, and two numbers into one headline.

“687 hotels” assures you’ll find what you need, while the oddly specific “$64” feels so random that it must be true.

The ad text also cleverly emphasizes its value proposition (“Never Pay Full Price on Hotels”), which brings us to our next formula…

Google Ads Headline Formula #5: The Objection Overcomer

Cialdini’s pain of loss revealed that the fear of loss is a stronger motivator than the promise of gain in Influence.

We project these feelings when shopping online, feeling worried or anxious about potential losses.

This creates risk. Signing up might lead to spam. Buying that toupee might not give me Clooney-level handsomeness (a man can dream, right?).

That’s where the best testimonials overcome objections comes in. It involves posing questions that uncover potential roadblocks preventing someone from taking action (before revealing the positive outcome that makes them glad they did).

Objection-overcoming headlines simplify things. They’re zen.

For instance, what might stop small business owners from using popular email marketing services platforms?

Technology barriers are a big one. Constant Contact expertly addresses this, emphasizing that their program doesn’t require advanced tech skills.

You’ve got your direct keyword phrase in the main headline, followed by “No [Objection]” in the extended headline, reassuring potential customers that their concerns are no big deal. The same formula applies here:

You can also switch things up by putting “No [Objection]” first (if space allows).

Sticking with the zen theme, “No-Stress” almost always works when describing something complex or anxiety-inducing:

As always, promising a simple solution to a costly (negative) problem practically guarantees your ad stands out.

For example, tell people what they don’t need or shouldn’t be doing (but probably are).

Don’t just take my word for it. Look at the experts:

Google Ads Headline Formula #6: Offer Incentives

Modern marketing isn’t quite like the marketing of old anymore.

Back in its theoretical prime, marketing involved product features, customer support, and packaging design, in addition to the PR and distribution that advertisers know well.

Today, marketing in most companies boils down to:

• Step 1: Offer a discount.
• Step 2: Run ads.

Visit any mall, and you’ll be bombarded by salespeople eager to explain how the latest discount applies to the sale price, which then increases by a certain percentage if you spend within a specific range.

Consumers are left bewildered, unable to keep up. All they know is that they’re getting a deal.

And that’s the point.

Incentives check almost all the persuasion boxes.

They create a sense of urgency and scarcity, prey on our fear of missing out, and use concrete numbers.

Even Google tells you to use discounts and promos in your ads.

Studies show that combining numbers (like “40%”) and overcoming objections (like “Free Shipping”) can be a winning formula:

So, you hit them with the keyword, then follow up with the incentive (or [“Keyword”] – [“Incentive”]). It’s the one-two punch we’ve seen repeatedly, and KAYAK executes it perfectly:

Want to see just how prevalent this formula is? Look at this search results page where THREE consecutive ads use the extended headline to highlight customer savings.

How can you stand out on this crowded results page?

Macy’s can take a page from Trivago’s book (the earlier ad) and emphasize the sheer quantity of Chukka Boots they offer – something Clarks and Nisolo probably can’t match.

Want to take it up another notch?

Add some scarcity. Peep at ConversionXL says points out two types of scarcity:

1. Quantity-related
2. Time-related

The first refers to the limited availability of whatever the user searched for, while the second relates to a specific date or time when the incentive expires. For. Ev. Er.

Google Ads Headline Formula #7: The Competitive Bid

The social commerce market has skyrocketed in the past decade, going from practically nonexistent to like $15 billion in a few short years.

The stakes are high.

There’s also a strange, almost incestuous history among the top players competing for lucrative enterprise clients.

Bazaarvoice – a major industry name – once acquired PowerReviews (another big player), only for the Department of Justice to claim antitrust and force them to sell to another competitor.

It’s safe to say the competition is fierce.

So, how do consumers decide? They might start with generic searches to get the lay of the land. But when they use branded searches, they’re getting serious about making a purchase.

Google’s Customer Journey to Online Purchase tool provides insight into this behavior:

What better place to capture a potential customer than on a competitor’s branded search?

While Bazaarvoice attempts to make its case, they’re flanked and outmaneuvered by PowerReviews and TurnTo Networks, both using the “Why Choose [Our Brand]” formula in their headlines.

However, PowerReviews takes the lead with a stronger value proposition in the extended headline.

Another variation on this theme, besides “Why Choose ____?”, is “Alternative to ____”.

Here are some ways to improve or test the original ad:

1. Emphasize the price difference by highlighting the oddly specific “$99/mo starting price” (referencing the numbers formula #4).
2. Incorporate “No Startup Fees,” “$0 Startup Fees,” or something similar (based on overcoming objections in formula #5).
3. Include a limited-time special discount or incentive specifically for those considering HubSpot (based on incentives in formula #6).

To Wrap It Up

You’d think writing a Google Ads headline would be a breeze – it’s just a few words, a handful of characters. But somehow, it can eat up your entire afternoon.

Crafting the perfect headline is tough because there’s so much to consider: the user’s search intent, their purchase motivation, and ensuring your ad aligns with your landing pages.

Fortunately, you can streamline the process with the right approach.

These common Google Ads headline formulas are yours to adapt, tweak, and reuse, saving you time and boosting performance (and your bottom line).

For even more inspiration, explore our impressive collection of 88 headline examples – they’re guaranteed click magnets.