Google Ads

Description

Also called ad description, description line

The longer supporting line in a search ad, capped at ninety characters, with several supplied per ad.

Quick facts: Description

Category
Google Ads
Also called
ad description, description line
Level
Beginner
Affects
Click-through rate, lead quality, ad relevance
Where to see it
Google Ads (ad editor, asset details), the ad copy character counter
In this article4
  1. How a description works
  2. Why descriptions matter
  3. Common mistakes with descriptions
  4. How to act on it

How a description works

A description is the block of ad text that sits under the headlines. In Google Ads it is limited to ninety characters including spaces, and you supply several per responsive search ad rather than writing one final version. Google then chooses which to show, usually one or two, and the choice varies with the search, the device and the space available.

Unlike a headline, a description is not guaranteed screen time at all. On a crowded results page, on a small screen, or in certain layouts, a second description may not appear and the text may be cut. Anything that has to be read must therefore sit near the front of the line, not saved for the end.

Why descriptions matter

The headline earns attention; the description earns the click from people who are nearly persuaded and have one thing left to check. That is usually a practical question: do you cover my area, do you handle my situation, how quickly can you start, what does it cost to find out. Answering it in the ad converts a browser into a visitor.

It is also the cheapest place to filter out the wrong people. A description that names a minimum project size, a service area or a qualification you require will lose you some clicks, and those are clicks you were paying for and would never have converted. On a small budget, which is the normal situation for businesses advertising in Nepal, that filtering is often worth more than the extra traffic.

Common mistakes with descriptions

The most common is restating the headline in longer words. If the description adds no new information, the reader gets nothing for the second glance and the ad has used its space to repeat itself.

The second is saving the point for the end. Because the line can be trimmed and the second description may never run, a description that builds to its conclusion often loses the conclusion.

The third is filling ninety characters with adjectives. Professional, reliable, affordable and customer-focused are claims every competitor is also making, so they read as noise. A single concrete fact does more work than a full line of praise.

How to act on it

Write each description to answer one objection, and write it front to back: the answer first, the supporting detail after. Give each one a different objection so the pool covers a range of readers rather than one.

Include a plain instruction somewhere in the set — book a call, request a quote, check availability — phrased as an action rather than a slogan, and make sure the page behind the click lets the reader do exactly that. Check the length with the ad copy character counter before saving, since the limit is refused rather than trimmed. Then read the asset ratings once enough traffic has passed and replace the weakest lines instead of rewriting all of them.

Do and do not

Do

  • Answer the objection the headline had no room for
  • Put the point first in case it is trimmed
  • Include one plain instruction for the next step

Do not

  • Rely on a second description being shown
  • Restate the headline in longer words
  • Fill the line with adjectives every competitor uses

Questions people ask about this

How long can a Google Ads description be?

Ninety characters including spaces and punctuation. The limit is enforced when you save, so a longer line is refused rather than shortened. Even within the limit the text can be visually trimmed on smaller screens, which is why the important part of the sentence belongs at the beginning rather than the end.

Will both of my descriptions always appear?

No. Google decides how much of the ad to show based on the search, the device and the layout, and a second description often does not run. Write each one so it works alone. If a piece of information is essential to the offer, it should not depend on a line that may never be displayed.

What is the difference between this and a meta description?

An ad description is paid text you write for a Google Ads ad, with a fixed character limit and an approval process. A meta description is an unpaid suggestion in your page's HTML that search engines may use, rewrite or ignore in organic listings. They serve similar persuasive purposes but you control only one of them.

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