Responsive Search Ads (RSA) are the only text-ad format in Google Ads today. Google retired Expanded Text Ads (ETA) in June 2022. So if you advertise on Google, you're writing RSA ads — whether you want to or not.
The problem is that most RSA ads only reach an Ad Strength of "Poor" or "Average." And that feeds straight into performance — Google shows ads with a better Ad Strength more often and more cheaply. An "Excellent" ad gets more space at a lower cost. A "Poor" ad pays more for less.
We wrote this article as a practical cheat sheet you can come back to every time you write new ads. In it you'll find the structure, the rules, concrete examples and a template. And because theory without an example is useless, we'll show everything on a fictional e-shop — the online flower shop Rosemary.
The short version for those who don't have time to read the whole thing
- An RSA ad needs 15 unique headlines and 4 descriptions for an Ad Strength of "Excellent." Each headline has to make sense on its own — Google combines them at random.
- Write for the customer, not for Google. The headline "Flowers Delivered Within 2 Hours" sells more than "Online Flower Shop Prague — Buy Bouquets Online."
- Diversify your angles: benefits, urgency, social proof, price advantage, emotion, CTA. Don't have 15 headlines that say the same thing in different words.
- Pin at most 2–3 headlines. Pinning limits AI testing. Pin only what MUST be in every combination (brand, legal requirements).
- Test and rotate. Replace assets labeled "Low" with new ones. Goal: all assets "Best" or "Good." Refresh every 4–6 weeks.
How RSA ads work
An RSA ad isn't a single ad — it's a set of building blocks from which Google assembles combinations. You provide up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Google then tests different combinations and shows the one it predicts will perform best for a given query and user.
That means:
- Each headline has to make sense on its own and in combination with any other
- You don't have to write a "complete story" in a single headline — Google assembles the story from several pieces
- The more varied your headlines, the more combinations Google can test
What Google evaluates in Ad Strength
Ad Strength is a score from "Poor" to "Excellent." Google calculates it based on:
- Number of headlines and descriptions — you need 15 headlines and 4 descriptions for "Excellent"
- Uniqueness — each headline must be different (not just a variation on a single message)
- Keywords — at least some headlines should contain keywords from the ad group
- Variety — different angles, benefits, CTAs
Template: 15 headlines in 6 categories
Here's the structure we recommend. Split your 15 headlines across 6 categories — each one speaks to the customer from a different angle:
Category | Number of headlines | What it addresses |
Brand + keyword | 2–3 | Who you are, what you do |
Benefits | 3–4 | What the customer gets |
Social proof | 2 | Why they should trust you |
Urgency / promotion | 2 | Why buy now |
Price advantage | 2 | Why it's a good deal |
CTA (call to action) | 2 | What the customer should do |
And 4 descriptions:
1. Main benefit + CTA
2. How it works / what the customer gets
3. Social proof / trust
4. Urgency / special offer
Example: The Rosemary online flower shop
Rosemary is a fictional online flower shop. Behind it is a woman from the Jeseníky mountains who loved flowers so much her whole life that she spent practically everything she earned on them. One day it occurred to her that she could turn this passion into a business. She started an e-shop selling fresh bouquets with delivery across Czechia. She ties every bouquet by hand from local, seasonal flowers.
Here's an example of a complete RSA ad for Rosemary:
15 headlines
Brand + keyword (3):
1. Rosemary — Fresh Bouquets Online
2. Rosemary Online Flower Shop
3. Bouquets from the Jeseníky, Delivered Nationwide
Benefits (4):
4. Hand-Tied from Local Flowers
5. Delivery Within 24 Hours Across Czechia
6. Every Bouquet Is One of a Kind
7. Seasonal Flowers Straight from the Growers
Social proof (2):
8. Over 2,000 Happy Customers
9. Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google
Urgency / promotion (2):
10. Order by 2 PM — Delivered Tomorrow
11. Free Shipping This Week
Price advantage (2):
12. Bouquets from 490 CZK, Delivery Included
13. Free Shipping over 800 CZK
CTA (2):
14. Choose Your Bouquet — Takes 2 Minutes
15. Order a Bouquet for Someone You Love
4 descriptions
1. Main benefit + CTA: Fresh, hand-tied bouquets from local flowers, delivered within 24 hours across Czechia. Every bouquet is one of a kind. Order online — it takes 2 minutes.
2. How it works: You choose a bouquet, write a message, and we tie it by hand from fresh seasonal flowers. We deliver it straight to the recipient's door — complete with your personal card.
3. Social proof: Over 2,000 customers trust us. Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google. We've been delivering flowers since 2023, when our founder turned a lifelong passion into a business.
4. Urgency: Orders received by 2 PM are delivered the next business day. Free shipping this week. Surprise someone you care about.
Why these headlines work
- Every headline makes sense on its own. "Delivery within 24 hours across Czechia" is complete information.
- No two say the same thing. "Hand-tied from local flowers" and "Seasonal flowers straight from the growers" are different benefits, not variations on one.
- A mix of angles. Emotion (a bouquet for someone you love), practicality (delivery within 24h), trust (4.9 on Google), price (from 490 CZK).
- The brand story. "Bouquets from the Jeseníky" and "our founder turned a lifelong passion into a business" set Rosemary apart from a chain florist.
5 rules for RSA ads that work
1. Don't pin everything
Pinning tells Google: "Always show this headline in position 1/2/3." It's useful for the brand or legal requirements, but every pin limits the number of combinations Google tests. Pin at most 2–3 headlines. Leave the rest unpinned.
2. Write for the customer, not the search engine
"Online Flower Shop Prague — Buy Bouquets Online Cheap" is written for keywords. "Fresh bouquets delivered tomorrow — hand-tied from local flowers" is written for a human. Google is smart enough to match a relevant ad even without you cramming every keyword into the headline.
3. Use all 30 characters
A headline has a 30-character limit. Most advertisers write 15–20 characters and waste the space. "Flowers" is 7 characters. "Fresh bouquets delivered tomorrow" is 33 — you'd have to trim it, but it's a far stronger message.
4. Test and rotate your assets
Google labels each headline "Best," "Good," or "Low." Replace headlines labeled "Low" with new ones — don't flog a dead horse. Refresh your creatives every 4–6 weeks, even when they work — audiences stop responding over time.
5. Use AI to generate variants
In 2026, AI tools can propose dozens of headline variants in minutes. But — and this is important — treat the AI output as a starting point, not the final copy. Go through the suggestions, adjust them to your brand's tone, and add the human element. AI writes the right words, but you'll write Rosemary's personal story from the Jeseníky better yourself.
At LK Media we combine AI suggestions with human editing. AI generates 30 variants, we pick the 15 best and adjust them to the client's brand voice. The result: an Ad Strength of "Excellent" practically every time.
Conclusion
RSA ads aren't about writing 15 random headlines. They're about writing 15 well-considered headlines, each of which speaks to the customer from a different angle — with a benefit, a price, urgency, trust or emotion. Do it right, and Google will assemble them into combinations that sell.
Use the template from this article. Start with the 6 categories, fill 2–3 headlines into each, add 4 descriptions. Then watch what works and what doesn't.
Want help with RSA ads for your e-shop? Write to info@lkmedia.cz — we'll put together a set of headlines and descriptions tailored to your brand.
Frequently asked questions about Google Ads
How many headlines do I need for an "Excellent" Ad Strength?
15 unique headlines and 4 descriptions. That's the maximum Google allows, and also what it rates as "Excellent." Fewer than 10 headlines usually leads to "Average" or "Good." What matters is uniqueness — 15 variants of the same message don't count.
Should I pin headlines?
Pin at most 2–3 — typically the brand name in position 1 and your strongest benefit in position 2. Leave the rest unpinned. Every pin limits the number of combinations Google tests, and so reduces potential performance. Exception: regulated industries, where specific information must appear in every version of the ad.
How often should I change my headlines?
Check your assets every 2 weeks. Replace headlines labeled "Low" with new ones. Refresh even the ones that work every 4–6 weeks — audiences stop responding to them. When refreshing, don't change everything at once — swap 3–5 headlines and let the system learn.
Can AI write RSA ads for me?
Yes, and in 2026 Google does it itself (AI Max, Text Customization). AI tools can propose dozens of headline variants in minutes. But treat it as a starting point — go through the suggestions, adjust them to your brand's tone, and add the human element. AI will write "Fresh flowers delivered," but the story about the founder from the Jeseníky mountains is something you add.
What matters more — Ad Strength or the ad's actual performance?
Actual performance. Ad Strength is guidance from Google, but it isn't a performance metric. An ad with "Good" can have a better CTR and conversion rate than one with "Excellent." Track both — Ad Strength for asset completeness, CTR and conversions for real impact. If an ad converts brilliantly even with "Good," don't change it just for the sake of the score.
