How to write paid search ads that outperform your competitors

How often do you review your PPC ad copy? Not just analyzing the performance of each asset within the ad platform, but also reviewing your ads in the context of how they appear next to competitor ads?

Are you using the exact same messaging as your competitors? Does your offer stand out from theirs? Which ads are bland and generic, and which provide concrete calls to action and compelling selling points?

Let’s walk through several tips for writing paid search copy that stands out in search results and converts customers for your brand.

1. Think about how assets will appear together, not just individually

When you’re writing Responsive Search Ads, it’s easy to fall into the trap of simply filling in all 15 headline options and all four descriptions. 

However, if each headline essentially says the same thing with slightly different wording, your ad copy will appear bland and repetitive in the SERP when two or three headlines are shown together.

For instance, if this example ad showed the following, it would be less helpful:

• “Project Management Software – Project Management Solution – Project Management”

Instead, it says:

• “Project Management Software – Trusted by 3 Million Users”

If you want to test multiple headlines with slightly different wording, pin them to the same position so the ad platform can rotate between them, but not show both at the same time. Zoho appears to be doing this by using both “Preferred by 3 Million Users” and “Trusted by 3 Million Users” as options.

Dig deeper: The anatomy of compelling search ad copy

2. Don’t obsess over ad strength

The visibility of the ad strength rating looms over every Google Ads account. Don’t let chasing an Excellent score consume your focus.

Focus more on making sure each headline and description speaks accurately to your benefit points than on including the maximum number of each. Pinning may negatively impact ad strength, but as discussed above, it can help make your messaging cleaner.

3. Use AI as a partner, but don’t blindly outsource all your copy to AI

Google and Microsoft make ad writing easy, generating text for all your ad assets with a single click. Your LLM of choice can also spin out halfway acceptable copy with the right prompt.

These tools can provide a helpful starting point, but they shouldn’t be the final result you use without careful review. Don’t skip the human touch when reviewing the copy you get back.

Problems can range from copy that doesn’t reflect your brand voice to flat-out inaccuracies. In industries such as finance and healthcare, where legal guidelines matter, AI-generated copy may not be compliance-friendly.

Dig deeper: How to write high-performing Google Ads copy with generative AI

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4. Include value propositions, and back them up

It’s not enough to claim that you’re the “Best Local Contractor” in your area. Think of concrete ways to reinforce superlative statements like this.

For instance, “Voted Best Local Contractor by [News Outlet]” provides a tangible source for the claim. Mention awards or rankings from organizations your prospective customers are likely to recognize.

Incorporating numbers, where possible, also helps bring credibility to your messaging claims.

• Years in business. If you’ve been around a long time, stating this positions you well against newer players in the market.
• Number of customers served.
• Number of locations for physical businesses.
• Number of connectors for a software product.
• Number of active users.
• Number of trips booked.
• Number of properties managed.

One word of caution: If you include numbers that are likely to change over time, such as how many customers you serve, revisit them periodically and update them for accuracy. Ranges are fine, too, for example, “Over 500 Locations.”

5. Highlight ease of effort

In today’s busy culture, saving time and hassle can be one of your biggest selling points. Think about where the product or service you’re promoting can reduce effort for your target audience.

• Open an account in 10 minutes.
• Complete your application online.
• Schedule a same-day appointment.
• Conduct your consultation remotely.
• Repairs done while you wait.

Make sure you can back up what you promise here, and consider whether current customer reviews reflect the experience your claims describe.

Dig deeper: How to assemble captivating Google Ads copy

6. Offer a ‘free’ hook

Just like free samples at Trader Joe’s, mentions of “free” in ad copy immediately draw a user’s attention. What can you offer as a free entry point for potential customers?

• Free demo.
• Free trial.
• Bonus for new customers.
• Free college application.
• Free quote.
• Free content, such as ebooks, whitepapers, or webinars.

Whether it’s a trial of a software product or a free visit to your home to assess what’s needed for pest control, this type of offer can be what convinces prospects to fill out a form and enter your sales funnel.

For instance, Strayer University highlights, “Pass 3 Bachelor’s Courses, Earn 1 Tuition Free.” In an age of skyrocketing college costs, that’s an attractive reason to click and learn more.

7. Turn off automated assets

If you’re not careful with your account settings, Google and Microsoft can automatically generate assets, from ad copy to sitelinks, without your review. That can create concerns for compliance and for overall messaging accuracy.

Make sure you turn off this option at the account level to avoid issues with unwanted copy or unexpected links to irrelevant pages.

Dig deeper: When to trust Google Ads AI and when you shouldn’t

8. Highlight pricing where it makes sense for your brand

When people are comparison shopping, they usually want quick visibility into cost. Of course, providing pricing may be more or less straightforward depending on your business, and price isn’t always a primary selling point for every brand.

If you’re in an industry where showing a cost is simple, including it in your ad copy can help. When your pricing is competitive, mentioning it helps you stand out.

If your pricing is higher than most competitors, showing that cost may help filter out people you don’t want clicking your ads. For example, lower-priced competitors may cater to small businesses, while your company serves enterprise-level organizations that need more robust solutions. 

If you offer multiple price tiers or clearly defined costs for different services, consider using price assets to highlight them. For example, you might break out cost by number of users for a SaaS product.

9. Mention locations in regional campaigns

If your business serves a particular region, mention locations in your ad copy to create a local connection.

For example, if you just opened a new store in Buckwheat County, including “Now Open in Buckwheat County” can help appeal to users in that area. Your ad will likely stand out against national brands running generic messaging.

You can set up ad groups based on regional keywords and tweak your headlines to reference those locations. Also consider using location insertion to dynamically include regions in your copy.

Dig deeper: Localization in Google Ads: How to structure multi-market campaigns

10. Review and revise your ad copy

Now that we’ve covered ways to improve your paid search copy, take a moment to review your current ads.

• Where can you better think through how assets combine?
• What value propositions aren’t you mentioning yet?
• How can you tailor your wording more directly to customers’ concerns, such as by highlighting pricing or regions?

Start creating new copy variants and testing them to improve your PPC performance.

Your ad doesn’t compete in isolation — it competes in the SERP

Paid search success isn’t about filling every field or chasing an Excellent ad strength score. It’s about how your messaging appears next to competitors in the SERP.

Review your ads in context. Look at how assets combine. Strengthen value propositions, highlight what makes you different, and test new variations.

If your ad sounds like everyone else’s, it won’t stand out. Make sure it does.