Most small business Google ads get written in about five minutes. Someone types the business name, a line like "Quality service you can trust", fills in the fifteen headline boxes with whatever comes to mind, and hits save.
Then the ad runs for a year.
That's a waste, because the ad is the only part of your marketing the customer sees at the exact moment they're ready to buy. They've typed a problem into Google. You get about two lines to say "yes, we fix that, and here's why you should ring us".
Start with what the person typed
Google's own advice is to work the words people search for into your headlines, so your ad matches the search. This is the easiest win and most people skip it.
If someone searches "heat pump installation Christchurch", the first thing they want to see is those words. Not your company name. Not "Your comfort is our priority".
So take your main keyword and put it into at least one headline almost word for word. Google bolds the words that match the search, which makes your ad stand out on a crowded page.
Then give them a reason to pick you
Plenty of ads on that page will say "heat pump installation Christchurch". The click goes to the one that gives a reason. A good reason is something specific and checkable:
A price or a way to get one: "Fixed Price, Quoted in 24 Hrs"
Speed: "Installed Within 2 Weeks"
A low-risk first step: "Free Home Visit and Quote"
Something that makes them feel safe: "5-Year Workmanship Warranty"
These are the same things that make a good offer, so if you've already worked out what you promise customers, you have your headlines. The ad is just your best promise squeezed into 30 characters. (The full guide to Google and Meta ads shows where the ad fits in the bigger picture.)
Vague words are the ones to cut. "Quality", "trusted", "professional" and "affordable" are in everyone's ad, so they tell the reader nothing.
How the fifteen headline boxes work
Google's responsive search ads let you add up to 15 headlines (30 characters each) and 4 descriptions (90 characters each). Google then mixes and matches them, showing up to three headlines and two descriptions at a time, and learns which combinations get clicks.
Two things follow from that.
Every headline has to make sense on its own. Google might put any two or three side by side. A headline that says "Which is why we also offer" will end up in a strange spot. Write each one as a full thought.
Fill the boxes with different ideas, not the same idea reworded. "Fast Heat Pump Install" and "Quick Heat Pump Install" count as one idea. Aim for something like this, built for a Christchurch installer:
Keyword: "Heat Pump Install Christchurch" (30 characters)
Price: "Fixed Price, Quoted in 24 Hrs" (29)
Speed: "Installed Within 2 Weeks" (24)
Low-risk step: "Free Home Visit and Quote" (25)
Trust: "Licensed, Local Installers" (26)
Safety: "5-Year Workmanship Warranty" (27)
Action: "Book Your Free Quote Today" (26)
And a description that adds what the headlines couldn't fit: "Free home visit, fixed price in writing, and a 5-year workmanship warranty. Call today." (87 characters)
That's one keyword headline, a few reasons, and one clear next step. It reads like a person wrote it.
Don't pin everything in place
You can pin a headline so it always shows in the first spot. It's tempting, because you want your keyword up top. But Google warns that pinned headlines limit the combinations it can test. Pin one if you must (a legal line, say), but leave the rest free.
The "Ad Strength" meter in Google Ads will push you to add more headlines. Treat it as a nudge, not a grade. Google suggests having at least two ads per ad group rated "Good" or "Excellent", and a second ad with a different angle is a better use of your time than polishing the score of the first.
Check it against the benchmark, then test one thing
WordStream's 2026 numbers put the typical search ad click-through rate at about 6.6% across industries, and 6.5% for home and home improvement. That means roughly 6 or 7 people click per 100 who see the ad. Treat it as a rough guide, because your area and service will move it.
If you're well under it, the ad (or the keywords it shows for) needs work. If you're at or above it but nobody calls, the problem is probably the page the click lands on, which is a different fix.
When you do change the ad, change one idea at a time. Swap out your weakest headline for a new angle. Leave it two to four weeks. Look at which headlines Google marks as best performing in the asset report, and write more like those.
Your move this week
Open your main Google ad and read it out loud as if you were the customer. Does it say what they searched for? Does it give one real reason to pick you over the next ad? If the answer to either is no, rewrite three headlines using the list above.
