Let’s stop guessing and start getting bookings
Look, if you’ve ever opened up your Google Ads account and felt like you were staring at the cockpit of a 747, you’re not alone. It’s a mess of buttons, graphs, and weird terms that don’t seem to have anything to do with making money.
But there’s one thing in there you can’t ignore: Responsive Search Ads.
Google basically forced everyone onto these a while back. In the old days, you’d write a couple of ads, see which one worked better, and bin the loser. Now, Google wants you to give them a bunch of headlines and descriptions, and they’ll use their 'brain' to mix and match them for every person who searches for you.
Sounds great, right? Less work for you, more money for Google.
Except, if you do it wrong, your ads end up looking like a word salad. I’ve seen ads for local tradies that literally say 'We Are The Best Plumbers - Best Plumbers In Brisbane - Call Our Plumbers'. It’s redundant, it’s boring, and it’s a massive waste of your hard-earned cash.
If you want to stop wasting money on ads that don't work, you need to understand how to feed the machine the right stuff.
Here’s how we do it for our clients at Local Marketing Group.
What the heck is a 'Responsive' ad anyway?
Think of a Responsive Search Ad (RSA) like a Lego set.
You provide up to 15 different headlines and 4 descriptions. When someone in Paddington or Chermside searches for what you do, Google grabs a few of those pieces and snaps them together to create an ad on the fly.
Google claims this is better because it shows the 'right message to the right person'. My honest take? It’s mostly about making Google’s job easier, but if you play the game right, it actually works quite well.
The goal isn't to be a poet. The goal is to make the phone ring.
Why most ads look like rubbish
Most business owners make the same mistake. They fill all 15 headline slots with variations of the same thing.
1. Best Electrician Brisbane 2. Brisbane’s Best Electrician 3. Local Electrician Brisbane 4. Top Rated Electrician
If Google picks three of those to show at once, your ad looks like a broken record. You’ve wasted valuable space that could have been used to tell the customer why they should actually pick up the phone and call you instead of the bloke down the road.
The Secret Sauce: Variety
To make this work, you need to stop thinking about one ad and start thinking about 'building blocks'. You need four types of headlines in your mix:
1. The Keyword Headlines
These are the ones that prove you have what they’re looking for. If they search for 'emergency roof repair', your headline should probably say 'Emergency Roof Repair'. It’s not creative, but it works because it’s exactly what they want.2. The 'Why You?' Headlines
This is where you brag a bit. Are you family-owned? Do you have 20 years of experience? Do you offer a 5-year warranty? Put it in. This gives people a reason to choose you over the big national franchises.3. The Problem Solvers
People aren't searching for a plumber because they like plumbers. They’re searching because their toilet is overflowing at 10 PM on a Tuesday. Headlines like 'Fixed Today or It’s Free' or 'No Call Out Fee' speak directly to their stress.4. The Call to Action
Tell them what to do. 'Call Now for a Quote' or 'Book Online in 60 Seconds'. Don’t assume they know the next step. People are busy and distracted; give them a shove in the right direction.Don't let Google burn your cash
Google loves to tell you that your 'Ad Strength' is 'Poor'. They’ll badger you with notifications saying you need more keywords or more headlines.
Honestly? Take that 'Ad Strength' score with a grain of salt. Google’s goal is to get people to click. Our goal is to get you more sales. Sometimes an ad with a 'Poor' score actually converts better because it’s specific and honest, rather than just stuffed with every keyword under the sun.
If you’re worried about your budget going down the drain, focus on the quality of your message, not just ticking Google’s boxes.
"Google’s 'Ad Strength' score is a bit like a personal trainer who only cares how many reps you do, not whether you’re actually getting stronger—just because the bar is green doesn't mean the ad will make you money."
— Daniel Cooper, Growth Marketing Lead
The 'Pinning' Trick (Use with Caution)
Google gives you a 'pin' icon next to your headlines. This tells Google: 'I don't care what your computer thinks, this headline MUST show up in position 1'.
If you pin everything, you’re basically turning off the 'responsive' part of the ad. Google hates this and might show your ad less.
But, if you have a specific offer or a brand name you absolutely want people to see first, pinning can be a lifesaver. Just don't overdo it. Pin one or two things and let the machine handle the rest.
Descriptions: The Forgotten Child
People obsess over headlines and then get lazy with the descriptions. That’s the two longer blocks of text below the headlines.
You get 90 characters here. Use them.
Don’t just repeat your headlines. Use this space to address the 'Yeah, but...' in the customer's head. - 'Yeah, but will they show up on time?' (Mention your punctuality guarantee). - 'Yeah, but will it be expensive?' (Mention your transparent pricing).
If you’re doing B2B marketing, this is where you mention that you understand their industry or offer GST-compliant invoicing. It’s the small details that turn a click into a lead.
How long until you see results?
This isn't a microwave dinner. You can’t set it and expect a feast in 30 seconds.
Usually, it takes about 2 to 4 weeks for Google to test all the different combinations of your headlines and figure out which ones actually get people to click and call.
During this time, you might see your costs jump around a bit. Don’t panic. If you’ve written good, honest headlines that reflect what you actually do, the machine will eventually find the winning combo.
What should you do first?
If you’re sitting there thinking, 'Right, I need to fix my ads,' here is your Sunday afternoon plan:
1. Open your Google Ads account. Go to your best-performing campaign. 2. Look at your ads. Are they all saying the same thing? If you have 10 headlines that all mention 'Brisbane Plumber', delete 7 of them. 3. Add some personality. Write a headline about your specific service area, your best warranty, or why your customers love you. 4. Check your phone number. It sounds stupid, but make sure your 'Call Extension' is set up so people can click to call directly from the ad without even visiting your site.
What’s a complete waste of money?
Paying for clicks that go to a broken website.
I don't care how good your ads are. If someone clicks your ad on their phone and your website takes 10 seconds to load or looks like it was built in 1998, they’re going to hit the 'back' button immediately.
You just paid $5 or $10 for that click, and it went nowhere.
Before you spend another cent on fancy responsive ads, make sure your website works on phones and loads fast. If it doesn't, you’re just lighting money on fire.
My Honest Take
Google Ads isn't magic. It’s just a way to get your name in front of people who are already looking for you.
Responsive Search Ads are a tool. Like a hammer, they can build a house or smash your thumb. If you feed the tool good information—real reasons why people should hire you—it’ll work. If you feed it generic rubbish, it’ll give you generic results (and a hefty bill).
If this all sounds like a bit much and you’d rather be out on the tools or running your business, that’s what we’re here for. We do this every day for businesses across Brisbane, and we’re pretty bloody good at it.
We won’t bore you with 'algorithm' talk. We’ll just tell you how many people called you this week compared to last week.
If you want a hand sorting out your ads so they actually make you money, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We’ll have a chat and see if we can help you get more bookings without the headache.