Navigating Google Ads isn’t a straightforward task given the number of features, tactics and strategies that are available. Regardless of budget and size, the difference between a thriving campaign and one that wastes ad spend boils down to strategy – especially in how the ads are crafted.
In this article, we explore 12 standout Google Ads examples, highlighting why they are winning examples and why these strategies lead to success.
Here’s a recap of the 12 best Google Ads examples:
- Clearly highlight solutions
- Offer peace of mind
- Use social-proof
- Consider search intent
- Competitor bidding
- Special offers
- Countdown function
- Pinned headlines
- Videos in Performance Max campaigns
- Use ad assets
- Stand out with image assets
- Vertical images in Google Shopping
1. Clearly highlight solutions
Starting with the basics, it’s crucial to highlight the solution that your product or service offers its customers. Consider the primary concerns, worries and challenges of your target audience. Your ads should aim to address these directly, providing clear and compelling answers.
The following Google search ad examples are simple but effectively highlight solutions, calling out things like “exceptional support”, “breathable mesh” and “posture-perfect desk chair” in ad copy. These are the solutions to potential pain points of office workers, such as bad back and poor posture.
Why this strategy works
This strategy works because it targets the searcher’s immediate needs and offers a direct solution for their problem. When users see that your brand promises to resolve their specific pain points, they are more likely to visit your website. Once there, it’s down to the website and offering to convert this initial interest into action.
Start by mapping out all concerns that your target audience might have, what motivates them to search for your product or service, and then draw on your brand and USPs to answer them.
2. Offer peace of mind
Offering peace of mind can significantly influence a customer’s decision to purchase. Whether it’s through a money-back guarantee, free product returns, or a free trial period, removing the perceived risk from a transaction is a powerful motivator, especially under current economic pressures.
In one paid search Ads example, Loop Earplugs highlight their ‘100-Day Free Returns’ policy. This is a generous offer compared to the more typical 14 to 30-day return policies and it greatly reduces the buyer's risk.
Similarly, DataFeedWatch offers a free 15-day trial of their feed optimization tool, allowing customers to test the service before committing financially. Those who find the tool beneficial can then decide to purchase a subscription.
Why this strategy works
This Google Ads strategy works because it reduces perceived risk and provides users with reassurance, which can significantly boost conversion rate. Providing a safety net not only increases customer satisfaction but also differentiates your brand from competitors by adding extra value.
After the purchase, maintaining high product or service quality is crucial to ensure that customers remain satisfied and are less likely to use the return option or end the trial.
3. Use social-proof
Social proof is a really powerful tool in marketing, where purchase decisions are heavily influenced by the opinions and actions of others. Brands must actively earn and showcase social proof to build trust and credibility, which is especially important given how expansive social media is and the amount of information available online.
Social proof can take numerous forms, including:
- Product reviews
- Testimonials
- Influencers partnerships
- Associations and trust seals
- Community engagement
- Spotlight best sellers
Product ratings – as seen in these Shopping ads for matcha powder – are a great way to highlight social proof in Shopping and Search ads:
Mindful Chef use social proof in ad copy, calling-out that they are the ‘UK’s Highest Rated Recipe Box’, which is a powerful google ads copy example:
Why this strategy works
This strategy works because it reassures potential customers that you are reliable and respected by others. Demonstrating your trustworthiness through visible customer satisfaction, endorsements, and accreditations in Google Ads can significantly influence buying behavior. If you have good social proof, shout it from the rooftops!
4. Consider search intent
Consider search intent when selecting keywords and structuring campaigns, ensuring the messaging and customer journey matches the intent of the searcher. This is a fundamental rule when running Google Ads campaigns, i.e. bid on traffic with high intent if your objective is to generate conversions, and avoid overly broad and generic terms if you are limited by budget. These are just two common ways search intent gets factored into PPC.
However, search intent can also be used to your advantage and make for a compelling ad that grabs attention.
Plumbing company PM247 does a fantastic job at matching ad copy with search intent. When searching for ‘plumber near me’, the ad copy emphasizes their same day service, which could be of interest to those with urgent plumbing needs.
Similarly, Interflora promote their same day flower delivery service to those that search for ‘fast flower delivery’, offering searchers the fastest possible option.
Why this strategy works
Tailoring your Google Ads strategy based on search intent works because it provides a really relevant and almost personalized experience for consumers. Adopt this strategy by thinking about exactly what a user wants when searching for keywords, such as fast flower delivery or local plumbers, and then answering that in the best possible way.
5. Competitor bidding
The jury is out on how effective competitor bidding actually is, with arguments both for and against it. This also differs from one industry to the next – some industries are super competitive and it’s the done thing, others not so much.
Dog food brand Tuggs adopt a cheeky but clever approach to competitor bidding by not only bidding on their competitor’s brand name, Butternut Box, but also referencing them directly in their ad copy with the headline ‘Cheaper than Butternut Box’. This clever tactic targets consumers who are price-sensitive and searching for alternatives.
Why this strategy works
While competitor bidding should be approached with caution to avoid antagonizing competitors or turning off potential customers, it can be a powerful strategy when used thoughtfully.
It positions your brand alongside well-known competitors in search results, increasing your visibility. Moreover, it allows you to highlight your USPs, such as better pricing, directly against those competitors, effectively using their brand recognition to enhance your own appeal.
6. Special offers
Special offers are the oldest trick in the book, renowned for their effectiveness in boosting sales and revenue. Whether it’s an introductory offer, seasonal discount, a shipping deal or price reduction, prominently featuring these offers in your ads can significantly attract clicks and drive conversions.
For instance, in Google Shopping, special offers help products stand out among similar or even the same listings (as seen in the Google Shopping example below). Products with discounted prices are displayed with the original price crossed out and the new price highlighted in green, instantly drawing attention and appealing to bargain-seeking shoppers.
Other Google Ads examples that highlight special offers include this Google Discover ad that leads with ‘50% Off Flowers’:
This Google search ad example from Bloom & Wild also features a discount in the headline, along with the added offer ‘Free Next Day Delivery’, and a Valentine’s Day promotion extension:
Why this strategy works
Special offers tap into the consumer’s desire to save money while getting more value, making them a powerful tool for driving sales. They are effective not only for attracting new customers but also for encouraging repeat business and increasing the average order value.
By clearly communicating these offers in your ads, you can motivate immediate action and foster a sense of urgency, leading to higher conversion rates and customer engagement.
7. Countdown function
Building on the effectiveness of special offers, another impactful feature in Google Ads is the countdown timer. This search ad function allows advertisers to set an end date, which will trigger an automatic countdown in the ad copy, showing the remaining days and hours left before the countdown ends.
For instance, it’s possible to create headlines such as ‘Sale Ends in 3 Days’ or ‘5 Hours Left for 10% Off’ – the countdown in these headlines will automatically update.
Furniture brand Loaf demonstrates this perfectly during their winter sale, using the countdown timer to show how long consumers have left to get the 15% discount:
When we checked back the next day, the ad copy had updated to ‘8 hours left’:
Why this strategy works
The countdown timer works especially well when used in conjunction with special offers. This urgency it creates can boost conversion rate as customers feel compelled to take advantage of the deal while they still can. The dynamic nature of the countdown keeps the ad content fresh and engaging as well.
To use this function, start a headline with a curly bracket { and choose ‘Countdown’ from the dropdown list. From there, set the end date and write the accompanying ad copy:
8. Pinned headlines
Google Ads encourages advertisers not to pin headlines and descriptions to allow the algorithm more flexibility in testing different ad copy combinations. This approach helps optimize ads by identifying and displaying the best-performing combinations over time. Excessive pinning of headlines can negatively impact ad strength, and while this may be a vanity metric, it’s still an indication of ad performance.
However, there are circumstances where pinning headlines is essential to maintain ad relevance and quality. A common best practice is to pin certain headlines in position 1 to enhance keyword relevance, while allowing other headlines to rotate automatically.
An effective Google Ads example of pinning headlines is from Supermarket brand Ocado, pinning headline 1 and headline 2 so that one long headline. It could be considered a bit of a hack since headlines are limited to 30 characters, so combining them in this way provides a more seamless headline with 60 characters to play with:
As a side note, it’s also one of the best Google Ads description examples around because of the use of numbers and symbols in the ad copy (25%, 1st, £60, +), something that’s been proven to boost CTR.
Why this strategy works
This Google Ads strategy is effective because it allows advertisers to regain control over their ads. Instead of relying on Google’s algorithm to determine the best headline combinations, which too often result in repetitive or even contradictory information, pinning headlines eliminates this uncertainty.
By securing key headlines in place, advertisers can ensure that their most important messages are consistently communicated, enhancing the ad's relevance and coherence.
9. Videos in Performance Max campaigns
Performance Max campaigns are Google’s answer to advertising with AI. Using machine learning, PMax are conversion-focused and able to show across multiple Google channels, including Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps.
These campaigns work by using all assets provided by an advertiser, which range from images and videos to headlines and product feeds, and dynamically adapting them into various ad placements. The key thing to takeaway here is the importance of asset quality.
In particular, using high quality video assets is especially impactful in PMax campaigns, reaching potential customers on channels such as YouTube, which is outside of the traditional Search and Shopping channels.
Examples below include Cotswold Company, MoneyBox and Moon Pig, who use engaging video ads on YouTube to complement their other PPC efforts. These video ads are accompanied with product feeds and lead gen forms, making them action-focused:
Why this strategy works
Using video content in Performance Max campaigns taps into the high engagement potential of Pmax, offering versatility and rich storytelling. It’s great for setting yourself apart from competitors who either don’t supply videos, or who may rely on image slideshows and auto generated video content, which may not be as up to scratch.
Videos can reach audiences at various stages of the buyer's journey, providing opportunities to nurture them more effectively. By engaging users through visually compelling ads across multiple platforms, videos in PMax can enrich the overall quality of your campaign and lead to better results.
10. Use ad assets
Don’t underestimate the impact that ad assets, formally ad extensions, have on your Google Ads campaigns. Including as many as possible is the best practice and each type of asset should be carefully considered and optimized for your business.
Ad assets are designed to enrich your ads by providing additional details about your brand or products. From promotion extensions that highlight special offers to sitelinks that guide users to specific pages, callouts that emphasize USPs, structured snippets that list product details, to phone call extensions and directions to your store Each asset serves a strategic purpose and they collectively work to enhance the ad's quality and the overall user experience.
An excellent example of ad assets in action is seen in MoneySuperMarket’s Google search ad – anyone asking ‘what do Google ads look like’, the answer should be this. They effectively use sitelinks that draw attention to various types of home insurance, along with callouts that highlight their service USPs. Price extensions are also being used, adding an extra touch. These ads are not only informative but also visually dominant, taking up lots of space.
Why this strategy works
Ad assets are super effective and worthy of a spot on this rundown of Google Ads examples for several reasons. First they provide additional details about your brand and products, which helps users make informed decisions.
They also enrich the ad with various clickable options, which significantly improves user engagement and CTR. Finally, assets increase the physical size of your ads, helping them to stand out from the competition.
11. Stand out with image assets
Image assets have been on the rise ever since Google started to show them alongside text ads, providing advertisers with a way to visually improve their ads using eye-catching imagery. They lend themselves well to ecommerce, given they can showcase products and even show products in action with lifestyle photography.
Raw dog food brand Bella+Duke stole the show with their Google Search ad featuring not one, but five image assets underneath the ads headline. The fact that the images all feature cute pictures of dogs is also a massive plus and a surefire way to capture the attention of dog lovers looking for pet food:
Compared to the Butternut Box ad that sits below Bella+Duke’s, it offers searchers with a totally different experience, making it one of the best Google Ads image examples we’ve seen.
Why this strategy works
The effectiveness of using high-quality, visually appealing images in ads cannot be overstated. Whether professionally shot or user-generated, beautiful imagery makes ads more eye-catching, helping products to stand out and be seen in their best light.
For users, this provides a visually refreshing experience that not only draws their attention but also enhances their interaction with the ad.
This strategy is particularly effective in capturing and retaining user interest, leading to higher engagement and potentially increased conversions.
12. Vertical images in Google Shopping
On the theme of images, vertical product images in Google Shopping ads have recently started appearing. Compared to square product images, they take up more of the screen and they can therefore show products in greater detail.
The following Google Ads examples show product listings with portrait images, and they look great – it helps that in this case trousers fit well with vertical images.
However, even for ceramic mugs, vertical images work well and show the products in their best light:
Why this strategy works
Vertical images belong on this list of the most effective Google Ads examples because, as with most strategies in this article, it enhances the ad, boosts customer experience and can therefore generate better PPC results.
Implementing vertical images in Google Shopping is straightforward, as Google automatically crops the product images from your feed. However ,this automatic adjustment underscores the importance of image preparation.
Ensure that your products are centrally positioned with a simple, unobtrusive background. This positioning helps Google to optimize the crop effectively, ensuring that your products stand out attractively against competitors’ offerings.
Final word: stand out from the crowd
Google Ads is more than just a tool for appearing in search results – it’s a powerful way to connect with potential customers who are actively looking for what you offer. The trick is to understand your audience's needs and craft messages that not only capture attention but also drive action.
In this article, we’ve explored 12 Google Ads examples that demonstrate strategic ways to make your ads more effective, from showcasing compelling social proof to optimizing with high-impact visual assets.
And as with all things Google Ads, continue to refine your approach through testing, testing and more testing. By doing so, you can create an ad experience that not only stands out but also delivers tangible results in a competitive landscape.