How do we write Ad Grants ads that people click?
By Jose Gomez, Jr., CEA, MVTAAdapted from Chapter 7 of The Nonprofit Ad Grant Handbook · Checked against Google's rules November 3, 2026Write each responsive search ad as a set of pieces that each make sense on their own. Fill 10 to 15 distinct headlines and all 4 descriptions, put the keyword in two or three headlines, give the other headlines different jobs, and make every claim true of the ad group's page. Run two or three ads in each ad group.
How responsive search ads work
Responsive search ads are the standard text ad in Google Ads today. You don't write one ad. You write a set of headlines and descriptions, and Google assembles them into an ad for each search, trying different combinations and learning which ones get clicked.
Google doesn't show headlines in the order you write them, and it doesn't always show them together. Google shows up to three headlines and up to two descriptions at a time, and sometimes fewer, depending on the screen and the space. So every piece has to work on its own, and next to any other piece.
| Element | How many | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 3 to 15 | Up to 30 characters each |
| Descriptions | 2 to 4 | Up to 90 characters each |
| Display path | 2 fields | Up to 15 characters each |
Ad Grants policy requires at least two ads in each ad group, and Google Ads allows up to three enabled responsive search ads per ad group.
Two or three is the right number. Give the second ad a different angle as well as different wording.
The rules for writing pieces
Google recommends filling 10 to 15 distinct headlines and all 4 descriptions, putting the keyword in two or three headlines, and aiming for an Ad Strength of Good or Excellent.
Ad Strength is based mainly on how many distinct, relevant pieces you've written. A Poor rating usually means the ad has too few pieces or too many that say the same thing.
No headline needs a partner. Every headline must make sense alone.
"Because Every Child" fails. "Mentors for Kids in [City]" works.
Vary what the headlines do. Mix the keyword, the benefit, the proof, the call to action, the practical details and your name.
Every claim must be true of this ad group's page. If the ad says "Sign Up in 2 Minutes," the form on the page had better take two minutes. Use proof only if it's true and means something to the reader. A claim you can't back up is worse than no claim at all, both for the reader and under Google's policies.
Borrow the searcher's words. Some of our best headlines come straight from the search terms report. When we see the exact words people type, we put those words, or close to them, into a headline. Searchers recognize their own phrasing.
One ad, built from scratch
An illustration from the handbook. The river conservancy is a composite, not a real organization.
The handbook writes a complete ad for a river conservancy's river cleanups ad group. The page explains the Saturday cleanups, with dates, what to bring, and a sign-up form. It starts by listing what a searcher would want to know, such as when it is, what they need to bring and how to sign up. Then each headline answers one of those, and a few repeat the keyword.
Three headlines carry the keyword: "River Cleanup Volunteers," "Volunteer at a River Cleanup" and "Join a Saturday River Cleanup." The others do different jobs. "No Experience Needed" and "Gloves and Bags Provided" remove a barrier. "Sign Up in 2 Minutes" is a call to action. "Local Nonprofit Since 1994" is proof.
Each of the four combinations the handbook reads through makes sense, says what the volunteer gets, and ends with something to do. Use that as the test for the whole set. If you can't find a combination that reads badly, the ad is ready.
Headlines by goal
You don't have to invent every headline from nothing. Take a pattern, fill it with something true and specific about your organization, then check the length.
| Goal | Headline patterns |
|---|---|
| Donate | Donate to [Cause] Today · Your Gift Helps [Who] · Tax-Deductible Donation |
| Volunteer | Volunteer in [City] This Week · Flexible Volunteer Shifts · No Experience Needed |
| Get help | Free [Service] in [City] · Get Help Today · Confidential and Free |
| Attend | [Event] on [Date] · Family-Friendly [Event Type] |
| Learn | Free [Topic] Guide · Learn How You Can Help |
A specific figure, such as "$25 Feeds a Family for a Week," often does better than a general promise, as long as you can show where the figure comes from.
Checking your own ads
Most grant clicks come from phones, and on a phone the ad often shows fewer pieces. Before you finish an ad, look at the mobile preview Google Ads shows while you edit it, and ask whether the shortest version still makes someone want to tap.
Once an ad has run for a while, look at how each headline and description is doing in the ad's asset details. Give each piece a few weeks and enough impressions before judging it. Replace the weakest pieces with new ideas, and keep the ones that do well.
Two mistakes to look for: only three headlines, which leaves Google almost nothing to choose from, and fifteen headlines that say the same thing, which isn't variety. Each headline should do a different job.
Section 7.2 of the handbook builds a complete ad with all fifteen headlines and four descriptions, and section 7.3 gives the headline patterns for every goal.
Questions
Should we pin headlines?
Pin only what must always show, such as legally required wording or, occasionally, your organization's name. Pinning takes away Google's ability to test. If you pin, pin two or three alternatives to the same position, so Google still has a choice.
What if our work is hard to say in 30 characters?
Write headlines about what the person gets, in plain words, such as "Support for Families" or "Free and Confidential." Leave the full program description to the page. The headline's only job is to tell the right person they've found the right place.
Can Google write ad text for us?
Automatically created assets and AI Max can generate or rewrite text, and we've found them switched on in grant accounts where nobody remembered choosing them. If they're on, read what Google has generated in the ad's details and remove anything inaccurate. You can switch them off in the campaign settings.
See something wrong or out of date? Tell us
Jose Gomez, Jr., CEA, MVTAJose Gomez, Jr., CEA, MVTA, is the CEO of 3nity. He founded the company in 2001 to serve the people who serve people, after working as Internet Director at a media network. He built a career website that was acquired by Salem Communications in 2004, and created the 3nity Web Presence Platform. Through Nonprofit Marketing Center, a division of 3nity, he and his team help churches and nonprofits of every kind bring resources and awareness to their missions, including by helping them get the most from the Google Ad Grant.