Ad Copy: Google and Facebook Examples

Updated September 19, 2026· 8 min read

Ad copy is the written text inside a paid advertisement. On Google Search, that text is assembled from responsive search ad headlines, descriptions, and display paths. See also Google Ads Help. On Meta Feed, it is the primary text, headline, description, and call-to-action button documented in the Facebook Feed ads guide and Meta’s text best-practices.

This page is the platform-execution guide for those two containers. For the channel-neutral craft of briefs, proof, message hierarchy, QA, landing-page continuity, and test design, use Ad Copywriting.

Why search copy and Feed copy are different jobs

A Google Search ad appears after someone typed a query. The copy has to confirm that the result matches that job and tell the person what happens next. Relevance to the query, expected click-through rate, and landing page experience are quality signals Google uses at auction time. See Ad Rank and Quality Score.

A Meta Feed ad appears in a stream the person did not request. The first lines have to name the audience, the offer, and the action before the unit is scrolled past. Meta then ranks eligible ads using bid, estimated action rates, and ad quality, not keyword match types. See how Meta’s ad auction works.

Google responsive search ads: fields and official limits

Google Ads currently creates Search text ads as responsive search ads. After you enter headlines and descriptions, Google Ads tests combinations and can show assets in different orders. Assets should make sense on their own and in combination.

Google’s responsive search ad documentation and Search campaign specs list these text limits:

Field	Official limit	Quantity
Headline	30 characters	3 to 15 (minimum 3)
Description	90 characters	2 to 4 (minimum 2)
Display path	15 characters each	Up to 2 optional paths
Final URL	2,048 characters	The landing page URL

Double-width characters in Korean, Japanese, or Chinese count as two characters. Google may shorten text, often with an ellipsis, when space is tight or when assets such as a call button take room.

How Google uses the copy

• A served ad can show up to three headlines in the traditional headline position, plus description lines. Headlines can also appear at the start of a description or as link-based assets when Google predicts that layout will perform better.
• Headline 1 and Description 1 usually appear. Headline 2, Headline 3, and Description 2 are not guaranteed.
• If a line must appear in every ad, such as a legal disclaimer, pin it to Headline position 1, Headline position 2, or Description position 1. Pinning one asset to a slot blocks other assets from that slot and reduces combinations. Google does not recommend pinning for most advertisers.
• Include at least one of the ad group’s keywords in headlines when the keyword fits a 30-character field. If it does not fit, put it in a 90-character description.

Paid search programs that need more than copy mechanics can start with Anderson Collaborative paid search.

Illustrative Google RSA draft

These lines are a teaching draft for a local HVAC advertiser, not a live client ad. Each headline is within 30 characters. Each description is within 90.

• Headline: Same-Day HVAC Repair
• Headline: Licensed Local Technicians
• Headline: Book a Diagnostic Visit
• Headline: Repair, Replace, or Tune-Up
• Description: Need a repair today? Licensed techs diagnose the issue and explain options first.
• Description: See current appointment windows and what is included before you book.
• Path: HVAC / Repair
• Call to action in copy: Book a visit

Meta Feed ads: fields and official length guidance

Meta Feed copy is written into named fields, then truncated by placement and device. Meta publishes recommendations, not a single hard character cap for every placement.

For Facebook Feed image ads, the Ads Guide recommends:

• Primary text: 50 to 150 characters
• Headline: 27 characters

Meta’s creative best practices for text also says that for most placements the recommended lengths are 125 characters of primary text, 40 characters of headline, and 25 characters of description, and that text may be truncated further. Keep the offer, proof, and action in the first lines. Do not put a load-bearing promise only in the description field on Feed, where that field may not show.

You can enter multiple primary text, headline, and description options. Meta can then choose among those options during delivery. Placement asset customization lets you shorten Stories copy or change Instagram wording without inventing a second campaign. Call-to-action buttons are selected from the options Meta exposes for the objective, such as Shop Now, Learn More, or Get Quote. Available buttons vary by objective and industry. See Meta Ads.

If Advantage+ text generation or text improvements are on, Meta may create or adjust wording. Review every option the same way you review human drafts.

Illustrative Meta Feed draft

Again, a teaching draft, not a live client ad. The first sentence carries the offer inside Meta’s 125-character planning length.

• Primary text: Same-day HVAC diagnostics in Dallas. A licensed tech explains the repair before work starts. Book a visit.
• Headline: Book HVAC Diagnostics
• Description: Licensed local techs
• Call to action: Get Quote

Google vs Meta ad copy comparison

Element	Google responsive search ad	Meta Feed ad
Audience context	Person already searched	Person scrolling a social feed
Main text fields	Headlines, descriptions, paths	Primary text, headline, description, CTA button
Official length	Hard 30 / 90 / 15 character fields	Placement recommendations; truncation varies
How text is combined	Google tests combinations and order	You write fields; Meta may test multiple options
Relevance job	Match the query and landing page	Interrupt, then earn one action
Testing	Asset combinations and pins	Creative, copy options, and placements

Using AI on these platforms

Google Ads can suggest or customize RSA text. Meta can generate up to five primary text and headline variations from your inputs. Both still require a human check for accuracy, offer truth, policy, and landing-page match. Generated lines that swap adjectives without changing the promise are not a test.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ad copy?

Ad copy is the written text in a paid advertisement. On Google Search it is assembled from responsive search ad headlines, descriptions, and display paths. On Meta Feed it is the primary text, headline, description, and call-to-action label.

How long can Google responsive search ad copy be?

Google documents up to 15 headlines of 30 characters and 4 descriptions of 90 characters, plus two 15-character path fields. You must enter at least 3 headlines and 2 descriptions. Double-width characters count as two characters.

How long should Meta Feed ad copy be?

Meta’s Ads Guide recommends 50 to 150 characters of primary text and a 27-character headline for Facebook Feed image ads. A separate Help Center page recommends 125, 40, and 25 characters for primary text, headline, and description on most placements. These are truncation guides, not hard field caps.

How do Google and Meta ad copy differ?

Google Search copy has to make sense next to a query the person already typed. Meta Feed copy has to earn attention in a social stream, then point to one action. Field names, length guidance, and how the platforms combine text are different.

Video: How To Write Winning Ads Using ChatGPT in 2024 (Facebook & Google Ads) by Brendan Gillen on YouTube.