Common Problems with RSAs

1. Generic Copy

• Most RSAs suffer from boring, generic copy due to the requirement of providing 15 headlines and multiple descriptions.
• Advertisers often neglect differentiation, emotion, and originality.
• This results in low engagement, leading to a lower click-through rate (CTR) and a higher cost per acquisition (CPA).

2. Incorrect Ad Copy

• Due to Google’s automated mixing of headlines and descriptions, messages can become jumbled or out of order.
• Mismatched or incorrect messaging can confuse users, leading to lower conversion rates and user dissatisfaction.
• Google often prioritizes misleading yet high-performing ads, further exacerbating the issue.

3. Lack of Testing & Data Insights

• Many advertisers lack the search volume necessary to properly test all possible headline and description combinations.
• This results in unclear insights, making it harder to determine what actually works.
• Inefficiency increases as RSAs randomly mix and match elements without clear performance indicators.

5 Tactical Solutions to Improve RSA Performance

1. Know Your Audience

• Ads should directly address user pain points and needs.
• Go beyond just listing products, services, or keywords—develop empathy for the searcher.
• Ask key questions:
  • Why does the user need this product/service?
  • What are their challenges and pain points?
  • What stage of their buying journey are they in?

2. Use Ad Customizers

• Implement dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) and countdown timers to make RSAs more engaging and relevant.
• These elements allow real-time ad updates, making ads feel more personalized and urgent.

3. Be Bold & Aggressive

• Clearly highlight why your brand is better than competitors.
• Use strong, assertive language to communicate unique value propositions (UVPs).
• While you can’t demean competitors, confidently showcase your strengths, customer satisfaction, and success stories.

4. Test Variants in Google Ads

• Utilize Google’s Ad Variations tool to test specific elements like:
  • Different final URLs
  • Pinned headlines
  • Unique value propositions
• Controlled testing allows advertisers to confirm or reject hypotheses (e.g., whether a pinned headline performs better).

5. Leverage Notes & Labels

• Use Google Ads labels for improved data analysis and reporting.
• Examples:
  • Label ads with “Statistics” to track performance of fact-driven messaging.
  • Compare labeled ads vs. non-labeled ads to measure their effectiveness.
• Filtering by labels in reporting enables deeper insights into ad performance at multiple levels (ad, keyword, ad group, or campaign).