Home Free toolsGoogle Ads copy checker

Plan and budgetFree · no sign-upInstant

Write and check your Google Ads copy

A responsive search ad takes up to 15 headlines of 30 characters and 4 descriptions of 90, and Google mixes them. Type yours to see live character counts, a preview of the ad as a searcher sees it, and checks for the things that lift results: enough headlines, the search words in them, a number or price, a clear next step, and nothing Google's rules would refuse.

Live character counts
A preview of the ad
Checks that lift results

1Fill in a few boxes
2See your result straight away
3Unlock the full report, free

The search you bid on

Your website

Headlines (up to 15, 30 characters each)

27/30

21/30

18/30

22/30

Descriptions (90 characters each)

86/90

90/90

0/90

Display path 1

Display path 2

82Ad copy

Our check: Good

5 headlines, 2 descriptions

What are the character limits for Google Ads?

Every limit counts letters, spaces and punctuation alike, so "Book Today" is 10 characters. Characters in Chinese, Japanese and Korean count double.

Google needs at least 3 headlines and 2 descriptions to run a responsive search ad, but leaves room for many more. The display path is optional and sits after your domain in the address shown on the ad; it does not have to be a real page on your site.

Responsive search ad limits
Part	Characters each	How many	Shown at once
Headline	30	3 to 15	Up to 3
Description	90	2 to 4	Up to 2
Display path	15	0 to 2	Both, after your domain

Google's published limits for responsive search ads in 2026; the checker counts against the same numbers.

How do you write Google Ads headlines that get clicks?

Write each headline so it makes sense on its own and next to any other, because Google decides the order. A headline that only works after another, such as "And Same-Day Repairs", reads badly when it appears first.

Give the headlines different jobs: some with the search words, some with the offer or price, some with proof and some with the next step. Ten or more genuinely different headlines give Google enough to work with; ten versions of one idea do not.

Put the search, or something close to it, in two or three headlines.
Give a number: a price, a time, a rating or years in business.
Name the town or area if you serve one.
Say what to do next: book, call, get a quote.
Answer the doubt that stops people clicking, such as the price or the wait.
Use the descriptions for detail the headlines cannot fit.

How does this Google Ads copy checker score an ad?

It runs up to nine checks. Two of them, the character limits and the number of headlines, count double, because an ad that breaks the limits cannot run and one with few headlines gives Google little to test.

A pass earns full marks, a warning half and a fail none. The total becomes a score out of 100: 90 and over is Excellent, 75 to 89 Good, 50 to 74 Average and below 50 Poor, the same labels Google uses for its own Ad strength.

The checks and how they count
Check	Full marks	Half marks	No marks	Weight
Within Google's limits	Every line within 30 or 90 characters	Not used	Any line over	20
Enough headlines	10 or more	3 to 9	Fewer than 3	20
Enough descriptions	4	2 or 3	Fewer than 2	10
Every headline different	No repeats	Not used	A repeat	10
The search in the headlines	2 or more headlines	1 headline	None	10
A number, price or proof	A digit, £ or %	None found	Not used	10
A call to action	A word such as book, call or get	None found	Not used	10
Google's style rules	No shouting capitals or exclamation marks	Either found	Not used	10
Display path	Both parts within 15 characters	Not used	A part over 15	10

The checker's own rules. The search and display path checks run only when you fill them in. Arithmetic, not Google's Ad strength.

Why does Google Ads refuse ad copy?

Most refusals come from Google's editorial rules rather than from what you sell. They are about style: punctuation, capitals, spacing and symbols used to grab attention.

A refused ad stops showing until it is fixed, so it pays to check copy before it goes in. The checker catches the commonest style problems; Google's own review covers the rest, including claims and the page the ad sends people to.

Words in capitals for emphasis, such as FREE; abbreviations such as UK or VAT are fine.
An exclamation mark in a headline, or more than one in the descriptions.
Repeated punctuation, symbols used as decoration, and odd spacing such as F R E E.
Phone numbers in the ad text; use a call asset instead.
Claims the landing page does not support; Google checks the ad against where it leads.
A domain in the ad that does not match the site people land on.

How the tool works

Type the search you are bidding on and your page address.
Write headlines (up to 30 characters) and descriptions (up to 90).
Watch the preview and the counts as you type.
Fix what the checks flag, then copy the lines into Google Ads.

How Scale Oxford helps

Want ads that earn the click, not just the view?

We write responsive search ads from the searches your customers really type and the doubts that stop them clicking. Then we test them against each other and keep the lines that bring enquiries, not just clicks.

We write 15 different headlines per ad, each with its own job.
We check every line against Google's rules before it goes live.
We read the asset reports each month and replace the lines that lag.

Book a free call See our Google Ads service

Case study · BoConceptScale Oxford brought the cost of each online sale from Google Ads down by 43% for BoConcept. The account was counting some sales twice and missing others, so Google was bidding on the wrong numbers. We fixed the tracking before touching a single bid.↓ 43%Lower cost per sale↑ 81%Higher return on ad spend↑ 162%More revenue from Google AdsRead the case study →

Questions people ask

How long can a Google Ads headline be?

30 characters, including spaces. Descriptions take 90 characters and each part of the display path 15.

How many headlines should a responsive search ad have?

Google allows 15 and rewards variety. Ten or more different headlines, several with the search words, give Google room to find the combinations that work.

Does this tool give an "Ad strength" score?

It gives its own score from the same kinds of signal: enough headlines and descriptions, no repeats, the search words, a number and a call to action. Google's own Ad strength appears in your account.

Can I use capitals or exclamation marks?

Sparingly. Google refuses words in capitals used for emphasis and allows no exclamation mark in a headline and one per description.

How many headlines does Google show at once?

Up to three headlines and two descriptions, and often fewer on a phone. Google picks which ones, and in what order, for each search. That is why every headline must read well in any position.

Should I pin headlines in a responsive search ad?

Only when a line must always appear, such as a legal statement or your brand name. Pinning fixes a headline to one position, which cuts the combinations Google can test and usually lowers Ad strength. If you pin, pin two or three headlines to the same position so Google still has a choice.

Does Ad strength affect my ad's position or cost?

Not directly. Google says Ad strength is a guide to how well an ad follows its advice and is not used in the auction itself. Ads with more varied, relevant lines often win more clicks, and that is what improves results.

Can I put a phone number in a Google Ads headline?

No. Google refuses phone numbers in the ad text. Add a call asset instead, which shows your number as a button and lets you count calls from the ad.

Do spaces and symbols count towards the 30-character limit?

Yes. Spaces, punctuation and symbols such as £ and % each count as one character. Characters in Chinese, Japanese and Korean count as two.

How many responsive search ads should an ad group have?

One or two strong ones is usually enough; Google allows up to three switched on in an ad group. More ads split the clicks, so each takes longer to judge. Spend the effort on 15 good headlines instead.

How long should I leave ad copy before changing it?

Give a new ad two to four weeks, or a few thousand impressions, before judging it. Google's asset report then shows how each headline and description is doing. Replace the weakest lines one or two at a time, so you can tell what made the difference.