Your Ultimate Guide of Google Ads Headline Examples
I had a client named James who provided software consulting services for medium and large companies that ran on Microsoft Office.
And while our traffic was 3X higher than his, they were a 7-figure business with only 1,000 monthly unique visitors on their site .
That was incredible to me.
I didn’t understand how they were able to make so much money from such a small amount of monthly visitors.
But what was James doing that worked so well?
High-converting Google ads headlines…
You see, paid ads can be “intimidating” to your business' pocket. I know.
You don’t want to risk flushing your hard-earned ad budget down the drain if the ads don’t pay off.
That said, one of the greatest things about being in business is learning why some companies are successful while others fall short.
But today, you’ll learn:
- 10 Google ads headline examples you can model to, ultimately, get more potential clients and customers to click.
- How with simple Google ads headlines you can actually generate leads and traffic on your first try (following, of course, all laws of sales funnel physics).
- And the key elements of the Google ads headline examples that make them convert so well.
Ready to find out the “why” behind other companies’ success and model what has worked with their Google ads headlines?
Let’s do what James did and start with…
Google Ad Headline Example #1: Squarespace
What Is It?
Squarespace is a private American company that provides software as a service for website building and hosting.
They allow users to use pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop elements to create and customize their web pages.
In 2017, they generated $300M in revenue.
And one of the secrets to their success is that they entered a crowded market but went niche.
Why Does It Work?
This Google Ad headline example is clear because they’re stating who they are: an all-in-one website builder.
They’re also clearly explaining what potential eCommerce customers or clients could do with their service: creating a full website or an online store. And also, they include the types of websites they can build.
Also, something very powerful about this Google Ad example is that they include one of their features (24/7 support) and social proof (award-winning templates).
Google Ad Headline Example #2: Rite Aid
What Is It?
Rite Aid is a very popular drugstore chain in the United States that I’m sure we all know about and needs no further introduction.
Why Does It Work?
This Google Ad headline example includes its most desirable deal in the headline: a 50% off discount.
It also highlights 2 of the most persuasive words “SAVE” and “FREE” by offering their no-cost shipping.
And on top of that, they have a great use of social proof in the form of stars review.
You see, showing discounts can make you earn 121% more in revenue. And it’s exactly what happened in this case study:
Before…
After…
And this is because people, businesses, and everyday consumers love to save money.
There is a direct relationship between lower price points and higher conversion rates (more sales volume in general).
So in this Google Ad, the discount was done in a smart, win-win way because it offers the reader value (in the form of saving money).
Google Ad Headline Example #3: Clinique of Plastic Surgery & Laser Institute
What Is It?
Clinique of Plastic Surgery & Laser Institute is a clinic that offers non-invasive technologies, sophisticated surgical techniques, and customized blend procedures to revitalize their clients’ appearance.
Why Does It Work?
The phone number in the ad is an implied call to action that can make prospects take action faster. And this actually reduces friction.
Because people don’t have to wonder how to contact the clinique. The phone number is right there and they can call right away.
Also, for prospects’ peace of mind, they include the number of years of working experience and the fact that they have registered nurses on staff.
That information can be handy for any prospect having second doubts about the company.
Because let’s face it, if a prospect doesn’t really know this clinic, then they’ll probably not want to have any type of procedure there. So showcasing their years in business is a great tactic.
They also include some of the features they offer like computer imaging and non-invasive technologies. And this provides a bit of more information to the reader.
Google Ad Headline Example #4: Canva
What Is It?
Canva is a friendly free graphic design software with paid content upgrades. They are a graphic design platform that allows users to create basically any type of design.
Social media graphics, presentations, posters, flyers, any other visual content—Canva can do it all.
Users can choose from different professional designed templates and customize the designs by drag and dropping and uploading their own photos.
Why Does It Work?
This Google Ad example speaks to a wide audience.
Because “everyone” is obviously more inclusive than saying “Design for Expert Designers.”
So “everyone” is more likely to be interpreted as freelancers, expert designers, people with no design experience at all, or pretty much anyone looking for a simple-to-use tool to create designs.
They have a great use of social proof by including the number of companies that are using their service.
And they also appeal to the prospect’s emotions by saying “100% Happiness Guarantee.”
This is especially important since customers need to trust you before they buy—and guarantees or refund policies can grow your sales significantly.
Finally, they advertise their free 30-day trial for users who aren’t fully convinced on becoming paying customers yet.
And one thing I learned from analyzing 313 conversion rate case studies is that free trials work to widen your funnel at a key point of friction (your pricing), significantly increasing conversion rates.
In fact, including “free trial” in your copy can actually lift your sales by 160%.
Google Ad Headline Example #5: Monday
What Is It?
Monday is a project management tool that enables organizations to manage tasks, projects, and teamwork.
You can do planning, tracking, and deliver your team’s work through this tool.
Why Does It Work?
Monday’s Google Ad headline mirrors the end goal of their target audience: to work better.
It’s emotional because they’re basically selling people what they really want on an emotional or "buried deep" psychological level.
Also, they briefly highlight the benefit of using their tool which is to run projects and workflows smoothly.
There’s also a clear CTA to start their free trial and social proof for prospects who are on the fence.
Google Ad Headline Example #6: We Buy Any Car
What Is It?
We Buy Any Car is a leading used car buyer and a family-owned business in operation since 1951.
They basically eliminate the stress associated with trading in your car. And if you are selling your car on your own, they take out the hassle of buying and placing ads, handling phone calls and emails. etc.
Why Does It Work?
One of the Laws of Sales Funnel Physics plays a major role in this Google Ad example.
Can you guess which one it is?
The Law of Clarity.
This law says that before people become interested and decide to buy your product or service, they must first understand what it is you’re selling.
And this Google Ad headline example is not only clear but it also communicates the pricing range that they buy cars from.
They’re being upfront.
And generally, pricing becomes a point of friction in any sales funnel because prospects are forced to wonder how much something would really cost them.
So this company is actually telling their site visitors that they’ll buy the car from them which mirrors the prospect’s end goal (selling their car).
And also, the Law of Confidence says that people care a lot about whether or not your product actually does what it claims.
This means that people are risk-averse. They desire proof in order to minimize perceived risk before buying—in the form of testimonials, case studies, etc.
And this Google Ad example displays their over 150,000 happy car selling customers to calm prospects’ fear of making a deal with them.
Google Ad Headline Example #7: Nike
What Is It?
Well, we all know Nike, right?
Let’s just skip to the next section...
Why Does It Work?
This Google Ads headline example uses the word “Official” to let their prospects know that they are, in fact, the real Nike.
This adds credibility because when reading the word “Official”, users automatically know they’ve found the real company and not someone trying to scam them.
In research by WordStream, they analyzed 612 Google Ads.
Only 28% of the branded ads and 6% of the non-branded ads were using the word “Official” on their headlines.
So having the word “Official” on an ad is a form of social proof.
Because a trust badge doesn't have to be some third party "certified" seal.
It can be a simple stock icon or a statement that reassures or shows credibility, like the word "Official" here.
Google Ad Headline Example #8: PayPal
What Is It?
PayPal is a company that processes online payments and money transfers and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods like checks and money orders.
Why Does It Work?
See how they used the “Official” word on their headline like Nike did?
This is very common for big-name companies who are looking to be seen as “certified” or credible.
They highlight how easy, fast, and secure their sign-up process is. And they advertise that there are no hidden fees when you sign up.
Also, their CTA button is to get started.
You see, word choice can convert or kill sales on any of your landing pages.
And your CTA copy, especially at the point of sale, can have an outsized impact on sales if the wrong words are used.
In this case study, there was actually a 31% lift in sales after tweaking the call-to-action copy on a payment page.
Before…
After…
This Google Ad lacks social proof but come on, who doesn’t know or trust PayPal and Elon Musk?
Google Ad Headline Example #9: Ann Taylor
What Is It?
Ann Taylor is an American group of specialty apparel retail chain stores for women.
Why Does It Work?
Ann Taylor’s Google Ad Headline example includes scarcity.
And urgency’s cousin, scarcity, is another way to get your prospects clicking your CTA or ad.
Because if people read “3 hours left to save” they’ll probably feel the pressure of having to act as soon as possible before the deal is gone.
In fact, scarcity can translate to 24.5% revenue uplift (just as it happened to this case study from our Proven Sales Conversion Pack.
Before…
After…
So if you’re looking to increase your website traffic with your Google Ads, introduce scarcity in your copy.
Because this makes people pay more attention in evaluating an offer, especially the closer to the expiration date they are (this is also why you see sales spike in the days immediately prior to the offer expiring).
People naturally have a fear of missing out (FOMO).
Google Ad Headline Example #10: SEMrush
What Is It?
SEMrush is an online visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform.
They’re an all-in-one marketing toolkit for eCommerce, enterprises, or agencies used by more than 6 million marketers.
Why Does It Work?
This Google Ad Headline example is very clear.
It says what SEMrush does which is analyzing competitors’ ads and budget.
It’s written so anyone reading the ad understands their value proposition.
In fact, writing clear, concise copy that gets your message across in as few words as possible is one of the copywriting techniques to convert we use at AutoGrow.
And research by Wordstream shows that the average reading level of the copy of best-performing ads is geared at a 14-year-old.
So when looking to generate traffic through your ads, aim to write in a crystal clear way like SEMrush did here.
Conclusion
Whether you create a retargeting ad strategy or a sales funnel strategy, you need to see what works for others so you can model success. Because of that saying “copy what works.”
When it comes to spending your ad budget, you don’t want to go crazy with it. You want to use it wisely.
And for that end, I put together this guide of Google Ads headline examples—so it can serve as an inspiration for you and so you can model what’s proven to work.
And to recap, the most important points that your Google Ads copy must include are:
- Powerful words like “free” and “save”.
- Clear call to action that entices people to click.
- Social proof in the form of testimonials, trust badges, or security seals to calm prospects’ fear of buying.
- Scarcity and urgency to make prospects act fast.
- Clear explanation of what the product or service is or does.
When you put all of those elements together, you’ll get a magnificent Google Ad headline that’ll attract traffic like a moth to the flame.
However, if you’re too busy running your business and you can’t take care of your ads copy, AutoGrow is the solution.
We can write, design, set up, launch, and optimize your ads campaigns without you having to lift a finger. All you have to do is place your order in our Marketplace and we’ll deliver the final product.
Now tell me something about
t your ads. Is there a specific tactic that you follow when writing your ads copy? Which Google Ads headline examples do you think are worth sharing?
Let me know in the comments below.
Keep AutoGrowin’, stay focused.
