ad-google

name	ad-google
title	Google Ads Production Spec
description	What to produce for a Google Ads creative — Search RSA, Performance Max, and Display. Encodes the exact slots (headlines, descriptions, paths, long headline, long description), character limits, pinning rules, asset ratios, and policy constraints so copy fits before it's pasted into Google Ads Editor. Use whenever the task is producing Google Ads ad copy or assets. Strictly platform-specific — does not cover bidding, keywords selection, audience setup, or attribution.
license	Apache-2.0
compatibility	Octomind launch agents. Platform-specific to Google Ads.
domains	launch
rules	["content(google ads)","content(google ad)","content(adwords)","match(\\bgoogle\\s+ads?\\b)","match(\\bRSA\\b)","match(\\bresponsive\\s+search\\s+ads?\\b)","match(\\bperformance\\s+max\\b)","match(\\bpmax\\b)","match(\\bgoogle\\s+display\\b)","semantic(write google ads copy)","semantic(produce a responsive search ad)","semantic(headlines for performance max)"]

Overview

This skill defines exactly what to produce for a Google Ads creative. It is platform-spec only: the slots Google exposes, the limits they enforce, and the assets they expect. It does not cover keyword strategy, bidding, audience signals, or conversion tracking — those are separate concerns.

Use this skill whenever the deliverable is the actual ad copy or asset set that will be pasted into Google Ads Editor or uploaded to a Performance Max asset group.

Instructions

Campaign Types Covered

Type	What You Produce
Search (RSA)	Headlines × 15, descriptions × 4, paths × 2, sitelinks (optional), callouts
Performance Max	Headlines, long headlines, descriptions, long descriptions, business name, images, logos, videos
Display	Responsive display assets — headlines, long headline, descriptions, images, logo, video

Out of scope for this skill: keyword lists, negative keywords, bid strategy, audience signals, conversion goals.

Responsive Search Ads (RSA) — Slots

Slot	Count	Hard Limit	Notes
Headline	up to 15	30 chars each	Google picks 3 to show per impression
Description	up to 4	90 chars each	Google picks 2 to show per impression
Path	2	15 chars each	Display URL only — does not affect destination
Final URL	1	URL	The actual landing page
Sitelink	0–6	Headline 25, description 35×2	Optional extension
Callout	0–10	25 chars each	Optional extension
Structured snippet	0–2	25 chars per value	Optional extension

RSA Production Rules

• Produce at least 8 headlines and 3 descriptions. Fewer reduces the ad strength signal.
• Pin only when policy or brand requires it. Pinning H1 forces it to position 1 every impression, which kills Google's optimisation surface.
• Include the primary keyword in at least 3 headlines. Search intent match drives quality score.
• Vary headline angles: benefit, feature, social proof, urgency, question. Repeating the same angle across all 15 wastes slots.
• Descriptions complement headlines — do not restate the same benefit twice.
• Display path is brand surface only. Use it to reinforce the click target (/pricing, /demo, /free-trial).
• Final URL must contain the offer named in the ad. No bait-and-switch.

Performance Max — Slots

Asset Group Slot	Count Range	Limit	Notes
Headline	3–15	30 chars	Same as RSA headlines
Long headline	1–5	90 chars	Used in display/video placements
Description	1–5	90 chars	Standard description
Long description	1	90 chars	Used in some display formats
Business name	1	25 chars	Brand surface across placements
Image — landscape	up to 20	1.91:1	1200×628 recommended
Image — square	up to 20	1:1	1200×1200 recommended
Image — portrait	up to 20	4:5	960×1200 recommended (≥3 portraits lifts mobile placement significantly)
Logo — square	up to 5	1:1	1200×1200, min 128×128
Logo — landscape	up to 5	4:1	1200×300 (optional)
Video	0–5 per aspect ratio (15 total max)	16:9, 9:16, or 1:1	10s minimum, YouTube-hosted. ≥1 9:16 vertical (10-60s) required for Shorts placement
CTA	1	≤10 char custom override OR enum	Custom CTA now exposed in Editor 2.12+
Sitelink	2+	Standard sitelink limits	Required for full eligibility
Callout	2+	25 chars	Required for full eligibility

Demand Gen — Slots (Replaced Discovery Ads in 2024)

Demand Gen serves across YouTube (In-Stream, In-Feed, Shorts), Discover, Gmail, and Maps. The biggest pitfall is reusing PMax/RSA copy — Demand Gen has DIFFERENT char limits.

Slot	Count	Limit	Notes
Headline	up to 5	40 chars	NOT 30 — most common reuse error
Long headline (video ads only)	up to 5	90 chars
Description	up to 5	90 chars
Business name	1	25 chars
CTA	1	Enum OR ≤10 char custom	Demand Gen exposes CTA explicitly
Image 1.91:1	up to 20	1200×628
Image 1:1	up to 20	1200×1200
Image 4:5	up to 20	960×1200
Image 9:16 (NEW for Shorts)	up to 20	1080×1920
Logo	up to 5	1:1, min 128×128
Video	1-5 per aspect ratio	16:9 / 1:1 / 9:16	5s min (10s+ for in-stream), MP4
Carousel	2-10 cards	Ratios must match across cards
Product feed	optional	Merchant Center linkage	For commerce
Sitelinks (video ads)	up to 4	Standard sitelink limits

Demand Gen CTA enum (subject to vertical eligibility): Apply Now, Book Now, Contact Us, Download, Get Quote, Learn More, Order Now, Shop Now, Sign Up, Subscribe, Visit Site, Watch Now.

Demand Gen vs PMax vs Search RSA — When to Use Which

Campaign	When
Search RSA	High-intent, branded, bottom funnel. Quality-score driven
Performance Max	Conversion goal + creative assets + all-surface reach. Best for eCom with feed
Demand Gen	Demand creation, visual story, YouTube/Discover/Gmail surfaces, top/mid funnel
Display	Remarketing or cheap reach only — not a primary spend channel in 2026

Display — Responsive Display Slots

Slot	Count Range	Limit
Headline	up to 5	30 chars
Long headline	1	90 chars
Description	up to 5	90 chars
Business name	1	25 chars
Image — landscape	1–15	1.91:1, 1200×628
Image — square	1–15	1:1, 1200×1200
Logo — square	1	1:1
Logo — landscape	0–5	4:1
Video	0–5	YouTube-hosted, 30s max recommended

CTA Behavior

Google does not expose a CTA button field for RSA — the CTA lives in the headline/description copy. For Performance Max and Display, an auto-generated CTA appears based on the ad copy and conversion action; the agent does not set it directly. So:

• Write the CTA INSIDE a headline or description ("Start free trial", "Get the demo", "See pricing")
• Do not waste a slot on a generic CTA-only line like "Click here" — every slot must contain product/value
• For PMax/Display, ensure at least one headline contains the conversion verb you want the auto-CTA aligned to

Policy Constraints (Common Disapprovals + 2025-2026 Updates)

• Trademark in headline without authorisation — auto-disapproval
• Superlatives without verifiable claim ("#1", "best", "cheapest") — manual review trigger
• Exclamation points: max 1 per ad total across headlines and descriptions
• ALL CAPS words: not allowed except for acronyms (CRM, SEO, API). LLM enforcement now catches evasion ("B-E-S-T")
• Punctuation: no repeated punctuation ("Save!! Now!!"), no symbols replacing letters ("S@ve")
• Restricted categories (healthcare, finance, gambling, alcohol, dating) — additional certification required
• Personal pronouns in display URL paths look spammy: /you-need-this will flag

2025-2026 Policy Updates:

• Asset-level disapprovals (April 2026, PMax + Demand Gen) — Google now disapproves individual assets, not the whole group. Submit 8-10 assets per slot as buffer.
• AI-generated content disclosure (March 2026) — Any AI-generated creative element (image, video, voice) must carry "AI Generated" label. Deepfake-style human likeness banned outright.
• LLM semantic review — Text assets parsed by LLM, not regex. False-positive trigger categories: healthcare imagery (15-25%), before/after (20-30%), superlatives (10-15%), testimonials (15-20%), financial charts (10-20%).
• Predictive enforcement — Google flags ads before they violate based on account history + vertical. New accounts in regulated verticals see pre-emptive limited serving.
• Hidden-fees rule (auto retail Oct 2025, spillover expected) — All-in pricing required in vehicle ads; subscription/SaaS likely next.

Output Format

# Google Ads — [Product] [Campaign Name]

## Campaign Type
[Search RSA / Performance Max / Display]

## Final URL
[Landing page URL]

## Headlines ([N]/15)
1. [Headline] — [chars/30]
2. [Headline] — [chars/30]
...

## Descriptions ([N]/4)
1. [Description] — [chars/90]
2. [Description] — [chars/90]
...

## Paths (RSA only)
- Path 1: [path] — [chars/15]
- Path 2: [path] — [chars/15]

## Pinning Map (only if required)
| Position | Pinned Headlines | Reason |
|----------|------------------|--------|
| H1 | #1, #3 | Brand name required |

## PMax / Display Additions
- Long headline: [copy] — [chars/90]
- Long description: [copy] — [chars/90]
- Business name: [name] — [chars/25]

## Visual Asset Specs (PMax / Display)
- Landscape 1.91:1 — [scenario brief]
- Square 1:1 — [scenario brief]
- Portrait 4:5 — [scenario brief, mobile lift]
- Logo square 1:1 — [supplied]
- Video 16:9 — [hook timing + scene plan if produced]

## Extensions
- Sitelinks: [list with link text + URL]
- Callouts: [list of 25-char callouts]

## Pre-Submit Checklist
- [ ] At least 8 headlines, 3 descriptions
- [ ] Primary keyword in 3+ headlines
- [ ] No ALL CAPS, no repeated punctuation, ≤1 "!"
- [ ] No unauthorised trademark
- [ ] Final URL matches the ad's promise
- [ ] Pinning only where strictly required

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Keyword research → out of scope
• Audience or signal selection → out of scope
• Bid strategy or budget setup → out of scope