Write an effective ad for Smart campaigns

Google Ads Smart campaigns | Tips for writing great ads

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How do you decide what makes a good ad for your business? Here are 3 questions that you should always ask yourself before you create your Smart campaigns.

Below, we’ll provide examples and answers from a fictional bicycle shop in California called Betty’s Beach Bikes. We’ve also prepared a worksheet that you can download and print. Feel free to use it to write a practice ad for your own business.

Download the ad-writing worksheet

Question 1: What do I have to offer?

List the products and services you want to promote.

Ask yourself Possible answers
What does my business offer?

Bicycle for sale

Bicycle for rent

What are my key selling points?

End-of summer discounts

Affordable, stylish bicycles

Large selection

What makes me stand out from other businesses?

Low prices

Friendly, helpful customer services

Bicycle trade-in program

Question 2: What do I want to accomplish?

Identify your main advertising goals and what you'd like to accomplish with your ads.

Ask yourself Possible answers

What action would I like my customers to take?

Visit website

Visit store

Make bike rental reservation online

When should my customers take action?

End of August (for a limited-time offer or discount)

Year-round

How do I want customers to feel about my offerings?

Affordable

Family-friendly

Question 3: Who are my customers?

Describe your customers, breaking them into different groups if you have different customer types with unique goals and needs.

Ask yourself Possible answers
Who are my customers?

Locals

Families

Large groups

What are my customers' needs or values?

Fun activity

Good value

Memorable

What are my customers' circumstances?

Want to shop online or in person

In need of quick reservations

Very basic knowledge about choosing the right bicycle

Put it all together

After you’ve answered questions about your products, goals, and customers, you can create your text ads. Below you’ll find sample headlines and descriptions from our fictional bicycle store, Betty’s Beach Bikes. Betty’s headlines and descriptions not only meet all of the guidelines set in About text ads in Smart campaigns, but they can also be used in any combination.

Text ad components Examples
Headlines (3-15 headlines with fewer than 30 characters each)
  • 15% Off All Bikes in August
  • 20% off in-store visits
  • 20% Off Rentals for 3 or More
  • Affordable Stylish Bikes
  • Betty's Bike Rentals
  • Betty’s Beach Bikes
  • Betty’s Beach Bikes Sale Now On
  • Bikes
  • Buy a Bike at Betty’s
  • Save in Person
Descriptions (2-4 descriptions with fewer than 90 characters each)
  • Low prices and huge selection. Free and fast delivery. Order online today!
  • Our friendly staff will help you find the perfect bike. Visit our store today!
  • Shop our sale for big savings on bikes and rentals!
  • Stylish bikes. Make your experience memorable. Reserve online in minutes!

After you enter headlines and descriptions, Google Ads assembles the text into multiple ad combinations in a way that avoids redundancy. In any given ad, a maximum of 3 headlines and 2 descriptions will be selected to show in different combinations and orders. Over time, Google Ads will test the most promising ad combinations, and learn which combinations are the most relevant for different queries.

Below are some possible combinations of headlines and descriptions that may be shown to customers searching for Betty’s business or services.

Ad • example.com

Bikes - Betty’s Beach Bikes Sale Now On

Low prices and huge selection. Free and fast delivery. Order online today!

Ad • example.com

Betty's Bike Rentals - 20% Off Rentals for 3 or More

Shop our sale for big savings on bikes and rentals!

Ad • example.com

Save in Person - 20% off in-store visits

Shop our sale for big savings on bikes and rentals!

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