Responsive Search Ads, Pinning and Assets in 2026

#01How should you write the headlines?

Write headlines in groups so any combination reads well:

Only claim what you can show on the landing page. Google's policies and your own legal team both care.

#02When should you pin?

Pin when something must always appear, such as a legal disclaimer or regulated wording. Pin two or three options to the same slot rather than one, so Google still has choices. Google says pinned text in Headline 1, Headline 2 or Description 1 keeps its position when the ad serves.

#03How does AI Max change this?

AI Max text customisation writes extra headlines and descriptions from your site and existing ads. Final URL expansion can send the click to a different page. Google's AI Max FAQ says that with both on, pinned assets are not respected, and pinning is also not respected when URL inclusions are set. If you must pin, turn off final URL expansion and URL inclusions for that campaign.

Use text guidelines (term exclusions and messaging restrictions) to stop generated text using words or claims you can't use.

#04Which assets should you add?

• Sitelinks to pricing, case studies, integrations and demo pages.
• Callouts for short proof points.
• Structured snippets for lists such as integrations or industries.
• Image and business name/logo assets where eligible.

Our view: ad copy testing works better with big, distinct ideas than with word swaps. See Claude for ad copy testing for a workflow.

#05How do you write an RSA, step by step?

1. Pick the landing page first. The ad must continue into that page's message.
2. List the searcher's intent for the ad group's keywords in one sentence.
3. Write 15 headlines in groups (keyword, benefit, proof, offer, brand), each able to stand alone.
4. Write 4 descriptions, each doing a different job: benefit, proof, offer, objection handled.
5. Set paths that reflect the page, such as /invoice-approval.
6. Pin only what you must.
7. Add assets: sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, image and business logo where eligible.
8. Check Ad Strength and the asset report after two weeks of data.

#06How do you read asset performance?

Open the ad's Assets view. Google shows how often each headline and description served and, with enough data, a performance label. Use it like this:

Ad Strength measures relevance, quantity and diversity of assets. It's a guide to completeness, not a performance score, so improve it with distinct assets rather than chasing the label.

#07When should a second RSA exist?

Google recommends at least two RSAs per ad group rated Good or Excellent. Make the second ad test a different angle, for example a proof-led ad versus an offer-led ad, or send it to a different landing page. Then compare conversions per impression, not just CTR.

#08What edge cases come up?

• Keyword insertion. Inserting the keyword into a headline can create awkward combinations with close variants. Use default text and test it.
• Regulated claims. Pin legal wording and keep claims consistent with the landing page.
• Countdowns and prices. Use price and promotion assets rather than writing prices into headlines you'll forget to update.
• AI Max text customisation. Generated assets appear in the asset report as automatically created. Review them, remove ones you don't want, and use text guidelines to block terms.

#09Practitioner hacks for ad copy

• Mine search terms for headlines. The exact words customers type often beat marketing language.
• Write the objection into a description. "No setup fees" or "Works with your accounting system" answers a worry before the click.
• Match the landing page headline to one of the ad headlines, so the click feels continuous.
• Change one idea at a time when testing a second RSA, so you can tell what made the difference.
• Retire assets slowly. Replace two or three low-serving assets per review rather than rewriting the whole ad.

#10Questions to ask in an ad review

1. Do the headlines cover keyword, benefit, proof, offer and brand?
2. Which pins exist and why?
3. Does every ad group have at least two RSAs rated Good or Excellent?
4. Are sitelinks, callouts and structured snippets set at the right level?

#11A 30-minute audit for this lesson

1. Export all RSAs with Ad Strength and asset counts.
2. Flag ad groups with fewer than two RSAs.
3. Flag near-duplicate headlines.
4. List pins and the reason for each.
5. Check assets at account, campaign and ad group level.
6. Pick three ad groups for rewrites.

#12Key terms

#13Common scenarios and fixes

Ad Strength is Poor in every ad group. Diagnosis: Headlines repeat the same keyword in slightly different words. Fix: Rewrite using the five headline groups and add distinct descriptions.

A legal disclaimer sometimes doesn't show. Diagnosis: It isn't pinned, or the campaign uses AI Max settings that ignore pins. Fix: Pin it, and check whether text customisation plus final URL expansion, or URL inclusions, are on.

CTR rose but conversions fell after a rewrite. Diagnosis: The new ads promise something the landing page doesn't deliver. Fix: Align the headline and the page, or change the page.

#14Worked example: Ledgerline's ad rewrite

Ledgerline is a fictional accounts-payable software company. Details and numbers are illustrative.

Ledgerline's main ad had 6 headlines, all variations of "AP Automation Software", and a pinned headline 1. The team wrote 14 headlines in the five groups above, pinned two brand headlines to position 1 instead of one, and added a text guideline excluding "free" because it only offers paid plans.

Walkthrough: rewriting one ad group

The invoice approval ad group had one RSA with 8 headlines, four of which were variations of "AP Automation Software".

1. Kept two category headlines and wrote new ones: three benefits (faster approvals, fewer duplicate payments, approvals from mobile), two proof points (certifications, integrations), two offers (demo, free trial) and one brand headline.
2. Wrote four descriptions, each with a different job.
3. Pinned nothing; there was no regulated wording.
4. Wrote a second RSA pointing to the integrations page, led by proof.
5. After four weeks, the asset view showed the "approvals from mobile" headline served most; the team made it the theme of the next landing page test.

#15Try it yourself

1. Pick your highest-spend ad group and list its headlines.
2. Group them by job. Which groups are missing?
3. Replace any near-duplicates with new ideas.
4. Remove pins you can't justify.
5. Check whether a second RSA exists and tests a different angle.

#16Quick quiz

1. How many headlines and descriptions can an RSA have?

Answer: Up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions.

2. What does Ad Strength measure?

Answer: The relevance, quantity and diversity of your assets; it isn't a performance score.

3. How many RSAs does Google recommend per ad group?

Answer: At least two rated Good or Excellent.

#17What should you check before the next lesson?

• Count headlines and descriptions in each main ad group.
• Remove pins that are not legally or commercially required.
• Check which campaigns use AI Max final URL expansion if you rely on pins.
• Add sitelinks and callouts to every Search campaign.

Next: AI Max for Search: settings and controls. Or return to the Google Ads for Marketers track.

#18Common questions

How many headlines and descriptions can a responsive search ad have? Up to 15 headlines of 30 characters and 4 descriptions of 90 characters, plus two display path fields of 15 characters each.

Does pinning still work with AI Max? Not always. Google says pinned assets aren't used when both text customisation and final URL expansion are on and a better URL is chosen, or when URL inclusions are set.

Is Ad Strength a ranking factor? Ad Strength is a guide to how well your ad follows best practice. It is not the same as Ad Rank.