Responsive search ads: How to maximise paid search performance

Responsive search ads have been part of Google Ads since 2018, running alongside Expanded Text Ads (ETAs) for several years. But since ETAs were sunset in June 2022, responsive search ads are now the only ad format available in paid search campaigns. While this shift didn’t come as a surprise, it marked a clear move towards greater automation in Google Ads. Although responsive search ads offer flexibility and scale, many advertisers still struggle with limited performance visibility and challenges around ad copy testing. In this article, we break down how responsive search ads work, best-practice setup, their key benefits and limitations, and how brands can use RSAs alongside smart bidding to drive stronger paid search performance.  

What are responsive search ads?

Responsive search ads (RSAs) are an ad type that allows advertisers to upload up to 15 unique headlines and 4 descriptions per ad.

Google then decides which combination of headlines and descriptions to show (based on a number of factors) each time a user’s search triggers one of your ads.

Rather than manually controlling ad copy variations, responsive search ads rely on Google’s machine learning to identify which headline and description combinations are most likely to drive clicks and conversions.

 

RSAs best practice

Use a mix of keywords, USPs and CTAs

The most effective RSAs include:

Ads with a higher variety of unique headlines typically achieve stronger ad strength and better performance.  

Be careful with headline pinning

As a rule, avoid excessive pinning. Over-pinning reduces Google’s ability to optimise combinations. If pinning is essential:

• Pin critical messaging to Headline 2, allowing keyword relevance to appear naturally in Headline 1
• Pin descriptions only to Description 1
• Avoid pinning to Headline 3 or Description 2, as these are not guaranteed to show
• Pinning multiple assets to the same position gives Google more flexibility than pinning a single line.

 

Vary headline and description length

Responsive search ads adapt to screen size. To support this:

• Include short and long headlines
• Mix concise and detailed descriptions

This allows Google to fit ads into smaller placements while still showing a clear CTA.  

Refresh low-performing assets regularly

Google deprioritises headlines and descriptions with poor engagement. Reviewing RSA assets regularly and replacing underperformers is essential to maintain momentum.

The benefits of responsive search ads

Smarter optimisation at scale

When combined with smart bidding, responsive search ads improve performance at ad group level by learning which messages resonate with different audiences and search queries. This flexibility allows brands to:

• Compete in more auctions
• Match a wider range of search terms
• Reach new audiences without creating dozens of manual ads

 

Meaningful ad copy testing is still possible

Despite automation, RSAs still allow for structured testing: Here’s what’s working:

• Pin specific headlines or descriptions to test messaging
• Run multiple RSAs per ad group to compare offers (e.g. Free trial vs Book a demo)
• Pin USPs consistently to Headline 2 to ensure fair comparisons

 

More relevant messaging for different users

Two users can search the same term and see different ads because responsive search ads personalise messaging at the query level. Some users respond to emotional messaging; others prefer direct value propositions. RSAs allow both to coexist within a single ad.  

Control when it really matters

For promotions, sales, or regulatory messaging, pinning ensures critical information always appears, without sacrificing overall performance.  

Limitations

Since RSAs were introduced in 2018, the lack of performance data available at asset level has been a talking point within the industry. The only metric advertisers can see at this level is impressions.

However, it is fair to assume that the ad combinations with the most impressions will be those with the highest CTR. Google will learn over time which combinations perform the best.

Hopefully we will see Google increase the amount of performance data available once ETAs are sunset later this year.

 

What’s next?

As responsive search ads become the only available ad type, it’s important to understand how to take advantage of the flexibility that they provide as well as how to work around their limitations.

Brands that:

• Provide diverse, high-quality inputs
• Refresh creative regularly
• Align RSAs with smart bidding strategies

will be best placed to unlock sustainable performance gains.