The short answer: responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines of 30 characters each, and Google shows up to 3 at a time. Write different ones: your service, your area and a reason to pick you. Pin as little as possible, because pinning cuts the combinations Google can test.
This is episode 8 of SEM in 60 seconds, our series of one Google Ads fix per episode for sole traders and small businesses. The full series sits in our Google Ads basics overview.
What are the limits?
| Part | Limit |
|---|---|
| Headlines | Up to 15, at least 3, 30 characters each |
| Descriptions | Up to 4, 90 characters each |
| Display paths | 2, 15 characters each |
| Shown at once | Up to 3 headlines, and headlines 2 and 3 aren’t guaranteed |
How do you write 15 different headlines?
Google mixes and matches your headlines, so each one has to work on its own. Write them in groups:
- Service: what you do, in the words people search.
- Area: where you work.
- Reason to pick you: speed, price, reviews, guarantees.
- Next step: what to do now.
- Brand: your business name.
A made up set for a Dublin plumber, with character counts:
| Headline | Characters | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler Repair Dublin | 20 | Service |
| Emergency Plumber Dublin | 24 | Service |
| Serving Dublin 7 and 9 | 22 | Area |
| Same Day Call Outs | 18 | Reason to pick you |
| Fixed Price Quotes | 18 | Reason to pick you |
| Local Family Run Business | 25 | Reason to pick you |
| Call Now for a Free Quote | 25 | Next step |
| Murphy Plumbing | 15 | Brand |
Only use claims you can stand over. Anything you promise in a headline, like a price or a call out time, has to be true on your site too.
Should you pin headlines?
Google says pinning reduces the number of headlines or descriptions that can be shown, and limits its ability to test combinations. It doesn’t recommend pinning for most advertisers, and says it can affect ad strength.
If something has to appear in every ad, like a required line of legal text, pin it. Otherwise, leave Google room to test.
What does ad strength mean?
Ad strength rates your ad from Incomplete to Poor, Average, Good and Excellent. Google says it doesn’t directly affect whether your ad can show. It’s a guide to how much variety you’ve given Google to work with. Aim for Good or Excellent.
Since 2024, an ad can show with a single headline, and a headline can also appear at the start of a description. Another reason for every headline to make sense alone.
What are the common mistakes?
- 15 headlines that say the same thing. Variety is what Google tests.
- Stuffing the keyword into every headline. 2 or 3 is plenty.
- Pinning everything. You end up with one fixed ad.
Your headlines work a lot like title tags in search. Our SEO episode on title tags uses the same pattern: what, where, who.
Read the transcript
“Responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines. Use them. Each headline gets 30 characters, and Google shows up to 3 at a time. Write different ones: your service, your area, a reason to pick you. Pinning a headline cuts the combinations Google can test. Google doesn’t recommend pinning for most advertisers. Aim for an ad strength of Good or Excellent. That’s the first 8 fixes. Save them, share them, and follow for more.”
Want a hand?
That’s the first 8 fixes. Want us to check your ads against all of them? See how we run Google Ads for small businesses.
Rather we did it for you? Book a free 20 minute call.
Sources
- About responsive search ads, Google Ads Help. Checked 28 October 2026.
- About ad strength and pinning, Google Ads Help. Checked 28 October 2026.
- Changes to how responsive search ads show, Google Ads Help. Checked 28 October 2026.
Previous episode: landing pages. Back to the series overview.