You can write Google Ads search copy with ChatGPT or Claude, but tell it in the prompt to use only the facts you provide: your offer, proof, prices and the words customers search with. That is an instruction, not a guarantee, so you still have to check the result. The workflow: you gather the facts, give the AI a prompt with strict character limits, get a draft of headlines and descriptions, and then check length, language, claims and the match with the landing page yourself. Only then does the copy go into Google Ads.
This guide is for a business owner or marketer who runs their own Google Ads account. How the AI features built into Google Ads work (for example, when the system writes headlines itself) is covered separately (Google Ads AI features).
- 1Gather the factsOffer, proof, prices, customer wording
- 2Prompt with character limitsChatGPT / Claude
- 3Check length in a spreadsheetGoogle Sheets =LEN()
- 4Check language, claims, landing page
- 5Upload to a responsive search adGoogle Ads
What are the character limits for responsive search ads?
A responsive search ad (RSA) is a search ad format where you provide several headlines and several descriptions, and Google combines them and shows different combinations. That means every headline has to make sense on its own and fit next to any other. According to the Google Ads Help Center (checked October 22, 2026):
| Element | Number | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 3 to 15 | up to 30 characters |
| Descriptions | 2 to 4 | up to 90 characters |
| Display path | 2 fields | up to 15 characters each |
The display path is the words shown after the domain in the ad, e.g. "example.lt/air-conditioners/installation". They do not change the real page address; they only show where the person will land.
Up to three headlines and up to two descriptions are shown at a time, and part of the text may be cut short. You can pin a headline to headline position 1, 2 or 3, and a description to description position 1 or 2. Text pinned to headline position 1 or 2 and description position 1 always shows; text pinned to headline position 3 or description position 2 does not appear in every ad. Google recommends pinning only what must appear in every ad (for example, a required legal disclaimer), because pinning reduces the number of possible combinations.
Lithuanian letters with diacritics (ą, č, ę, ė, į, š, ų, ū, ž) count as one character each. Only characters of double-width languages (Korean, Japanese, Chinese) count twice.
What to prepare before you open ChatGPT or Claude
This is where you save the most time. Without this material the AI will write smooth but generic copy that would suit any competitor. Put the following into one document:
- The offer. Exactly what you sell in this ad group, to whom and where. One ad group = one service or product group.
- Proof. Warranty, years of experience, certifications, review ratings: only what you can show if a customer or Google asks.
- Prices and terms. The price or a "from" price, what it includes, timelines, delivery, payment. If the price must not appear in the ad, say so clearly.
- The landing page. The page address and its main claims. The ad must not promise anything the page does not have.
- Customer wording. How customers themselves describe the problem: phrases from the search terms report, email enquiries, calls. How to pick out such terms is covered separately (Google Ads search terms and negative keywords).
- Restrictions. What you must not write: Google Ads editorial rules (no words in ALL CAPS, no repeated exclamation marks, no phone number in the text), the rules of your industry, and trademarks you have no right to use.
Do not paste customer names, contacts or other personal data into ChatGPT or Claude: the copy does not need them. If you copy a search terms report, keep only the search term column.
A prompt that makes the AI respect character limits
Below is a prompt you can copy. Replace the parts in square brackets with your own material. The prompt asks the AI to give the character count next to each line, not because that count can be trusted, but because it makes overly long variants easier to spot. The original prompt was written for ads in Lithuanian; replace "Lithuanian" with the language your ads run in.
You are an experienced Google Ads copywriter who writes correct, natural Lithuanian. Write copy for a responsive search ad (RSA). OFFER: [service, city, who it is for] PROOF: [warranty, experience, other verifiable facts] PRICE AND TERMS: [price or 'do not mention price', timelines] LANDING PAGE: [address and its 3–5 main claims] CUSTOMER WORDING: [phrases customers search with] NOT ALLOWED: [forbidden claims, trademarks, words] Requirements: 1. 15 headlines, each NO LONGER than 30 characters including spaces. 2. 4 descriptions, each NO LONGER than 90 characters including spaces. 3. 2 display path options, each part up to 15 characters. 4. Use only facts from the material provided. Do not invent numbers, warranties, awards or superlatives (best, cheapest, No. 1). 5. Headlines must differ: 3–4 about the service using customer wording, 3–4 about benefits, 2–3 about proof, 2–3 about price or terms, 2 with a call to action. Do not start several with the same words. 6. Each headline must make sense on its own and fit next to any other. 7. No words in ALL CAPS, no exclamation marks in headlines, no phone number. 8. Lithuanian letters with diacritics, natural language, not a translation from English. Return a table: No. | Text | Character count | Based on which fact. At the end, list the claims that need my confirmation.
The "Based on which fact" column matters: it shows straight away where the AI added something of its own. General prompt-writing principles are in the guide on how to write prompts (How to write AI prompts).
Example: from offer to draft
Say a company in Šiauliai (a city in northern Lithuania) installs air conditioners. The data and result below are illustrative, made up for this example. The original example was written in Lithuanian; the headlines are shown here in English with their actual character counts.
Input. Offer: choosing and installing air conditioners for homes in Šiauliai and the surrounding district. Proof: 2-year warranty on installation work, free on-site assessment. Price: from €690 with standard installation. Timeline: installed within 5 working days of the order. Customer wording: "air conditioner installation", "air conditioner for an apartment", "how much does an air conditioner cost with installation". Not allowed: manufacturers' trademarks, the words "cheapest" and "best".
Part of the result (checked in a spreadsheet).
| Headline | Chars |
|---|---|
| Air Conditioner Installation | 28 |
| AC Installed in Šiauliai | 24 |
| From €690 With Installation | 27 |
| Free On-Site Assessment | 23 |
| Installed in 5 Working Days | 27 |
| 2-Year Warranty on Labor | 24 |
Description (89 chars): "We select and install air conditioners for homes in Šiauliai. You know the price upfront." Display path: "conditioners" / "installation".
An example of a possible mistake: the AI may suggest the headline "Best Air Conditioners in Lithuania" and mark it as "30", when it actually has 34 characters, and the company cannot prove the "best" claim and had banned it anyway. These are exactly the errors the check catches.
How to check the copy before uploading
- Character count. Language models often miscount characters because they see text not as letters but as larger chunks. Paste the headlines into column A of Google Sheets and type =LEN(A1) in the next column. Anything over 30 (headlines) or 90 (descriptions) goes back for shortening. Do not trust the count the AI gives.
- Language. Check that diacritics have not disappeared (you may see "sildymas" instead of "šildymas"), that word endings are correct, and that there are no awkward anglicisms. Read each headline out loud: if nobody talks like that, rewrite it.
- Claims. For every number, warranty or timeline ask: can I prove this today? If not, delete it. The advertiser is responsible for what the ad promises, no matter who wrote the text.
- Match with the landing page. The price, timeline and service in the ad must match the page it leads to. If the ad says "from €690" and the page has no price, the person is left unsure whether the offer is valid, and trust may drop. More in the article on matching ads and landing pages (Does your ad match the landing page? Check it with ChatGPT or Claude).
- Duplicates. Google's editorial rules do not allow unnecessary repetition of words or phrases in the same or other assets of the same ad group. If five headlines start with "Air Conditioner Installation…", keep one and rewrite the others around benefits or proof.
- Combinations. Put three headlines side by side at random. Do they read well? Are there contradictions (for example, two different prices)? Every headline must fit with any other unless you pin it.
- 1Campaigns
- 2Ads
- 3+
- 4Responsive search ad
- 5Final URL and display path
- 6Headlines (3–15) and descriptions (2–4)
- 7Save
Based on the Google Ads Help Center (checked October 23, 2026). In the Lithuanian interface the responsive search ad is called "Interaktyvusis paieškos skelbimas".
Once the copy is uploaded, Google Ads shows Ad Strength, a rating with several levels from incomplete to excellent. It helps you notice that headlines are missing or too similar, but Google states clearly that Ad Strength is not used in the auction and does not assess, for example, landing page quality. The top rating is no guarantee of results.
Some mistakes can be caught with a second AI pass. But still do not use the AI to check length: that is what the spreadsheet is for.
Review these Google Ads headlines and descriptions. Do not rewrite them, only list: 1) pairs that repeat the same words or idea; 2) claims that need proof (numbers, warranties, superlatives); 3) grammar and diacritics errors; 4) headlines that are unclear without context. Copy: [paste]
An AI variant is not yet a winner
A headline written by AI is a hypothesis, not proof. Only the ad's own data shows which one works: impressions, clicks and conversions (goal actions, such as an enquiry or a call). In the Google Ads asset report (headlines and descriptions) you will see which assets are shown more often, but do not draw conclusions after a few days or a dozen clicks. Do not pause a headline just because of a lower click-through rate (CTR, clicks divided by impressions) until there is enough data and you know conversions are tracked correctly. How to assess such data is covered in the article on analyzing Google Ads reports with AI (Google Ads report analysis with AI).
When you change copy, do not change everything at once. After replacing 2–3 headlines, wait for data to build up and only then look at what changed.
When not to use AI for ad copy
Regulated industries. Healthcare and medicines, financial services, alcohol, gambling: in Google Ads policy these are restricted content categories with extra requirements, and Lithuanian law applies in some cases too. AI does not reliably know these rules and may write a forbidden claim (for example, about a treatment outcome or guaranteed profit). Here the copy must be reviewed by a person who knows the industry requirements.
When you have no facts. If you do not know the price, timeline or advantages, the AI may add facts you never gave it, or wrong ones. Sort out the offer first, then write the ad.
When you use Google's text customization. If AI Max text customization is turned on in a campaign, Google itself generates extra headlines and descriptions from your page and existing ads. Then your manual copy is only part of what people will see: it is still worth writing well, but you also need to monitor the generated assets. How this works and where to turn it off is covered in the article on Google Ads AI features (Google Ads AI features).
When there are many ads and they change often. If you have hundreds of products or services and prices change every week, copying text by hand is not worth it. In that case a technical integration through the Google Ads API or Google Ads scripts is worth considering, but that is a separate project, not a chat with ChatGPT.
Sources
Google Ads: About responsive search ads: number and length of headlines and descriptions, display path, pinning, double-width characters (checked October 22, 2026).
Google Ads: About Ad Strength: Ad Strength is not used in the auction and does not guarantee results.
Google Ads: Editorial requirements: capitalization, punctuation, repetition, phone numbers in text.
Google Ads policies: restricted content categories (healthcare, finance, alcohol, gambling).
Google Ads: About text customization in Search campaigns: extra headline and description variants generated by Google.
Google Ads scripts: what scripts are for automation.