Most RSAs get stuck on "Good." Not because the founder didn't write enough headlines — they usually wrote all 15. The problem is they wrote 15 headlines that say the same thing. Google's algorithm isn't counting your slots; it's checking for variety. Give it repetition, and it can't optimise. CTR flatlines.
What Ad Strength actually measures
Ad Strength signals how many meaningful combinations Google can build from your headlines and descriptions. It has five levels: Incomplete, Poor, Average, Good, Excellent.
Each RSA shows 2–3 headlines and 1–2 descriptions at a time. Google tests combinations in real time to find what works best for each search query. If your 15 headlines are all variations of "buy shoes online cheap," there's nothing to test — and that's exactly what the score reflects.
Google's own data shows RSAs at Excellent strength get roughly 6% higher CTR than Poor-strength ads. Not a massive jump on its own, but on a campaign spending ฿30,000/month, that's real volume you're leaving behind.
Headlines that kill your Ad Strength
Here's a real pattern that gets RSAs stuck at Average:
❌ Low variety (all say "cheap shoes"):
- Sneakers at unbeatable prices
- Affordable sneakers online
- Buy cheap sneakers today
- Quality sneakers, low price
- Best deals on sneakers
Google reads semantic meaning, not just string matching. It knows these are the same claim dressed differently.
✅ High variety (different buying reasons):
- 100+ sneaker styles, updated weekly
- Free shipping, arrives in 2 days
- 30-day returns, no questions asked
- Unisex designs for any occasion
- Prices from ฿490
Each headline covers a distinct angle: selection depth, delivery speed, return risk, versatility, price entry point. Now Google has combinations worth testing.
Descriptions: add new information, not more emphasis
You get 90 characters per description. Google shows 2 per ad. The mistake founders make is using descriptions to restate headline points in longer form.
❌ Weak: "High quality sneakers at affordable prices. Fast shipping. Shop online now."
Nothing new here. No reason to click that isn't already in the headline.
✅ Strong: "200+ SKUs updated weekly — find styles that are sold out everywhere else."
Or: "Order today. Not happy? Return free within 30 days. No reason needed."
Or: "Over 15,000 customers, rated 4.8 stars on Google."
Good descriptions answer a different question than the headlines do. If headlines handle what you sell and what it costs, let descriptions handle why someone should believe you — guarantees, review counts, specifics your competitor's ad skips.
How to read the Asset Details panel
Google tells you exactly which headlines are underperforming — most founders just don't know the feature exists.
Go to Ads Manager → click into an RSA → select "View asset details."
Google labels each headline as one of three ratings:
- Best — driving clicks, don't touch it
- Good — acceptable contribution, leave it
- Low — pull it and rewrite with a different angle
If several of your headlines land on "Low," that's the reason Ad Strength won't climb. Google tested those combinations, the click rate was poor, and it's telling you the angle doesn't resonate. The fix isn't adding more headlines in the same vein — it's writing one that covers a genuinely different buying reason.
The trap: over-pinning
Google lets you pin headlines to Position 1, 2, or 3 so they always appear — useful for brand names, legal copy, or time-sensitive promos. But pin every position and you strip away the flexibility the algorithm needs to work.
Over-pinned RSAs almost always land at Good, not Excellent. You can verify this quickly: if Ad Strength dropped right after you added pins without changing any headlines, unpinning Positions 2 and 3 will usually bring it back up within a day or two.
Quick reference
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Stuck at Average or Good | Add headlines covering different angles: price, shipping, guarantee, selection, social proof |
| Multiple headlines rated Low | Delete near-duplicates; rewrite each with a distinct buying reason |
| Ad Strength dropped after pinning | Remove pins from Positions 2–3; keep Position 1 only if required |
| Descriptions restate headlines | Add a trust signal: review count, return policy, or a specific guarantee |
What to do next
Open Ads Manager and find any RSA sitting below Excellent. Click into "View asset details" and look for headlines rated Low. Those are your rewrite targets — swap each one for an angle that isn't already covered in the set. The whole process takes about 20 minutes, and you should see Ad Strength respond within 24–48 hours.
If you're generating a Google Search blueprint in AdBlueprint, check how many distinct angles the suggested headlines cover. The system aims for coverage across price, benefit, and trust signals — use that as your baseline, then layer in specifics only your brand can own.
