Google Ads Copy Checklist | AI Business Accelerator

Pre-Writing → Prompts → Post-Writing Verification

Free resource from aibusinessaccelerator.au

Work through all three parts before your ad goes live.

Part 1: Pre-Writing Checklist

Complete these before opening ChatGPT or Claude.

Know Your Target Search Terms

Write down 3–5 exact search terms your customers use
Check if each term is specific enough (e.g. “plumber Parramatta” not just “plumber”)
Note which terms are highest-intent (ready to buy vs. browsing)

Know Your Differentiators

List 3–5 things that are genuinely different about your business
Include at least one that’s concrete and verifiable (e.g. “same-day service,” “15 years experience,” “price match guarantee”)
Avoid vague claims: “high quality,” “professional,” “experienced” — these appear in every ad

Know Your Customer’s Objections

Write down the top 2–3 reasons a potential customer might hesitate before booking
Examples: price uncertainty, “will they actually show up,” “are they licensed/insured,” “too far away”
Your descriptions should pre-empt at least one of these

Know Your Landing Page

Identify the exact URL where ad traffic will land
Confirm the landing page has a phone number, booking option, or contact form above the fold
Verify the landing page copy matches the ad’s promise (if the ad says “free quote,” the page should offer one)

Part 2: The Three AI Prompts

Prompt A — 15 Headlines (Paste into ChatGPT or Claude)

I run a [business type] in [city]. I'm writing Google Search Ads 
for [specific service].

Write 15 RSA headline options. Include:
- 5 keyword-focused headlines (echo search terms like "[service] [city]")
- 5 benefit-focused headlines (lead with the customer outcome)
- 5 CTA headlines (action-oriented — "Book Online," "Call for Free Quote")

CRITICAL: Every headline must be 30 characters or under (including spaces).
Count every character. Flag any that exceed 30 characters.

My key selling points: [list 3–5 differentiators]

Format: numbered list with character count in brackets after each headline.

After running: Spot-check 3–5 headlines with a character counter (free at charactercounttool.com or similar). AI occasionally miscounts.

Prompt B — 4 Descriptions

Write 4 RSA description options for a [business type] in [city] 
advertising [specific service].

My key differentiators: [list from your pre-writing]
Customer objections to address: [list from your pre-writing]

Each description must:
- Be under 90 characters (including spaces) — count carefully
- Address one objection OR reinforce one differentiator  
- End with a micro-CTA if space allows ("Book online," "Call today")

Format: numbered list with character count in brackets after each.

Prompt C — Differentiation Audit (Optional but Recommended)

I run a [business type] in [city]. When I search my target keywords, 
competitor ads typically say: [describe what you see — the common phrases, 
generic claims].

Write 5 alternative headlines that are distinct from these. 
Focus on: [your real differentiators].

Under 30 characters each. Character counts in brackets.

Part 3: Post-Writing Verification Checklist

Complete before going live.

Character Count Verification

Every headline is 30 characters or under — verified with a counter tool
Every description is 90 characters or under — verified with a counter tool
No truncation will occur (“…” appears when limits are exceeded)

Content Accuracy

Every claim in the ad is true and verifiable
If you say “same-day service,” you can actually deliver same-day service
If you say “free quote,” the quote is actually free
Price ranges (if mentioned) are accurate to current pricing
No superlatives you can’t back up (“best,” “#1,” “fastest”) — Google restricts these without proof

Compliance

Ad does not make claims that are regulated in your industry (e.g. specific financial, medical, or legal claims)
If your industry has advertising rules (financial services, health, real estate), check Google’s policy for that category
No trademarked terms you don’t have rights to use

Landing Page Match

The landing page headline matches or echoes the ad’s main promise
Contact method (phone, form, booking link) is visible without scrolling
Page loads quickly on mobile (test on your phone before going live)
The page URL you’re sending traffic to is correct in the ad

Campaign Settings (Separate from Copy — Check Once)

Targeting set to the correct geographic area (city, radius, or state)
Search network only selected (not display — different audience, different copy needed)
Daily budget is set and you understand what it means per click
Conversion tracking is set up (phone call or form submission) — without this, you can’t tell what’s working

Quick Reference: Character Limits

Element	Limit	Notes
Headline	30 chars	Spaces count. Punctuation counts.
Description	90 chars	Spaces count.
Display URL path	15 chars each (2 fields)	These are the path segments after your domain
Final URL	No limit	The actual landing page URL

Free character counter tools:

charactercounttool.com
lettercount.com
wordcounter.net (characters including spaces tab)

Troubleshooting Common Problems

“My ad got disapproved” Check Google’s ad policies for your industry. Common reasons: trademark violations, unsupported superlatives, health or financial claims, destination mismatch (ad promises something the landing page doesn’t deliver).

“My ad is showing but no one is clicking” Review headlines — are they generic? Does your ad look identical to competitors? Run Prompt C (differentiation audit) to find a distinct angle.

“Clicks are coming but no enquiries” The landing page is the likely issue — not the ad copy. Check: does the page load fast on mobile? Is the contact option obvious? Does the page match what the ad promised?

“My cost per click is high” Copy quality affects Ad Rank, which affects cost. More specific, relevant copy typically earns better Quality Scores, which lowers your cost per click over time. Specificity pays.

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