Writing Google Ads copy: responsive search ads (RSA) in 2026, with limits, policies and a checklist

The key figures at a glance

In Chinese, Japanese and Korean each character counts twice. Google gives the limits for sitelink descriptions and snippet values not in its help centre but in the Google Ads API reference.

How Google assembles the ad

For every impression Google picks at least one headline and one description in varying order and learns which combination works for which query. Headline 1 and description 1 usually appear; headline 2, headline 3 and description 2 are not guaranteed. Google can also show matching words in bold, shorten text with an ellipsis, place headline text at the start of a description and serve unused headlines and descriptions as links (Enhanced Flexibility). That leads to the most important rule: every headline must make sense on its own and in any order.

Writing headlines, descriptions and paths

• Many, varied headlines: use as many of the 15 headlines and 4 descriptions as possible, without repeating words, phrases or ideas.
• The whole keyword in one headline: only then does it count for Ad Strength. If it is longer than 30 characters, it belongs in a description.
• Spread the roles: product, benefit, offer, trust (delivery, returns), brand and a concrete call to action.
• Stay specific: Google rejects overly generic text, vague promotions, lists and calls to action like “click here”.
• Real offers only: whatever the ad promises must be easy to find on the landing page.

Paths: the display URL consists of the domain of the final URL and up to two paths, for example example.com/espresso/beans. The paths do not have to match the real URL but should announce what awaits on the landing page. Google does not always show them.

Pinning: only when you must

Content pinned to headline 1, headline 2 or description 1 always shows; for headline 3 or description 2 that is not guaranteed. Every pinned position reduces the possible combinations. Google advises most advertisers against it, and Ad Strength can drop. Pin only what has to sit in a fixed place, such as a mandatory notice, and then two or three clearly different versions per position. If every position is pinned, unpinned assets no longer show at all.

Reading Ad Strength correctly

Ad Strength has five levels: Incomplete, Poor, Average, Good and Excellent. It mainly measures how well the text matches the ad group's keywords, how many distinct combinations are possible and whether there are enough sitelinks; it does not rate the landing page or the offer. According to Google it is not used for Ad Rank, Quality Score or the auction. Based on Google's own data from August 2025, advertisers who improve from Poor to Excellent see about 15 percent more conversions on average. Google recommends at least two responsive search ads per ad group rated Good or Excellent.

Sitelinks, callouts and structured snippets

Assets cost nothing in themselves; you pay for clicks as usual. They can be set at account, campaign or ad group level. Google can show dynamic versions alongside or instead of yours; you pause or remove the ones you do not want.

• Sitelinks: link text up to 25 characters, two description lines of up to 35 characters each, which are set only together. At least two are needed to show; Google recommends six or more with descriptions. No duplicate link text, destinations on the domain of the final URL, no attention grabbers such as exclamation marks or arrow symbols.
• Callouts: up to 25 characters, up to 10 visible. Short and specific: “Free shipping” rather than “We have free shipping”. A callout at ad group level hides the callouts from higher levels for that group.
• Structured snippets: a header from a fixed list, for shops for example Brands, Models, Styles or Types, and 3 to 10 values of up to 25 characters each. Header and values must match; according to Google, a mismatch is the most common reason for disapproval.

Editorial policies: what Google rejects

The editorial requirements apply to ad text and assets. Before suspending an account for such violations, Google warns at least seven days in advance.

Exclamation marks: the current policy does not explicitly ban a single one, but it does ban repeated and purposeless punctuation. For sitelinks, however, Google names exclamation marks explicitly, and older versions of the rules excluded them from headlines. The safe approach: none in headlines and assets, at most one in a description.

Superlatives: there is no separate section on them. The misrepresentation policy, however, bans inaccurate claims, offers that are hard to find on the landing page and inconsistencies between ad and landing page. Only write “No. 1” or “lowest price” if the landing page backs it up with a source and a date.

Trademarks in ad text

The trademark policy applies when a trademark owner has complained and the trademark appears in the ad text; Google does not restrict trademarks used as keywords. Resellers may still name a restricted trademark if the landing page mainly sells those products, replacement parts or compatible products with prices and a way to buy; the same applies to informational sites. Use by direct competitors and any misleading use are not allowed.

Text customization and AI Max

What used to be called automatically created assets has been called text customization since May 2025 and is part of AI Max for Search campaigns. With it, Google generates additional headlines and descriptions from your domain, landing page, existing ads and keywords, partly with generative AI, and serves them only when they are predicted to perform better than your own. The “Added by” column shows what comes from Google; you can remove individual assets permanently. If you turn text customization off in the campaign settings, Final URL expansion ends too. Google has announced that campaigns using text customization will be upgraded to AI Max automatically from September 2026.

You set brand requirements with text guidelines, still a beta according to Google's help centre (as of October 2026): up to 25 term exclusions and 40 messaging restrictions per campaign. Term exclusions only apply in their own language.

Example: an ad for a coffee shop

The example is made up: Sample Roasters does not exist, and every offer would have to be true on the real landing page. No callout repeats the ad text, and nothing is pinned.

Checklist before publishing

The ecomDNAI SEA Ad Generator writes search ads from your website URL and target keywords, with headlines up to 30 and descriptions up to 90 characters, in several variations and languages, and exports them as CSV for Google Ads Editor or pushes them into a connected account. Existing accounts are analysed by the SEA Optimizer, which includes an ad copy doctor. Whether an offer is true is still yours to check.