ads-copy

name	ads-copy
description	Generate and A/B test Google Ads copy. Use when asked to write ad copy, headlines, descriptions, create ad variants, test ad messaging, improve CTR, or generate RSA (Responsive Search Ad) components. Trigger on "ad copy", "write ads", "headlines", "descriptions", "RSA", "responsive search ad", "ad text", "ad creative", "improve CTR", "ad A/B test", "ad variants", "write me an ad", or when the user wants to improve click-through rate on existing ads.
argument-hint	<ad group name, keyword theme, or 'write new ads'>

Setup

Read and follow ../shared/preamble.md — it handles MCP detection, token, and account selection. If config is already cached, this is instant.

Ad Copy Generator + A/B Tester

Write Google Ads RSA copy and run structured A/B tests to find winning messaging.

Reference Documents

Before generating any copy, read these reference documents for expert-level context:

• references/rsa-best-practices.md — Character limits, headline formulas, pinning strategy, A/B methodology, common mistakes
• Read from ads skill: ../ads/references/industry-benchmarks.md — Industry-specific CTR benchmarks to beat
• Read from ads skill: ../ads/references/quality-score-framework.md — How ad copy impacts Quality Score components

These contain the specific formulas, character counts, and patterns that separate amateur ad copy from expert-level RSAs.

Business Context — Read First, Ask Once

Every ad copy decision depends on understanding the business. Business context is stored in {data_dir}/business-context.json.

On every invocation:

1. Read {data_dir}/business-context.json. If it exists and has content, use it — skip to the next section.
2. If missing or empty, follow the full intake procedure in ../ads-audit/references/business-context.md (website crawl, data bootstrapping, JSON schema). That document is the single source of truth for gathering business context.
3. If the user volunteers new info (new service, changed positioning, seasonal update), merge it into the existing file.

How business context shapes copy

Field	Copy application
services	Determines headline categories and description angles
locations	Geo-specific headlines get higher quality scores and CTR
brand_voice	Tone, forbidden words, preferred language
differentiators	These ARE the value prop headlines — the reason someone picks you
competitors	Sharpens positioning (without naming them in ads)
seasonality	When to push urgency copy vs. evergreen
social_proof	Trust signal headlines and descriptions
offers_or_promotions	Time-sensitive copy angles, CTA variations
landing_pages	Copy must match the page or conversions drop

Persona-Informed Copy

Cross-reference {data_dir}/personas/{accountId}.json (created by /ads-audit) and {data_dir}/business-context.json to ground every piece of copy in real customer data.

How personas shape copy decisions

Persona Field	Copy Application
search_terms	Use these exact words and phrases in headlines — they're the language real customers use
pain_points	Lead descriptions with the pain point, then present the solution. Pain > features for click-through
decision_trigger	This IS your CTA angle. If the trigger is "seeing reviews mentioned", put the review count in a headline
primary_goal	Match H1 to this goal. The first headline should answer "will this page help me do X?"
demographics	Adjust register: corporate buyer gets different language than homeowner. Technical user gets specs, consumer gets benefits

Persona-to-headline mapping

For each ad group, identify which persona(s) it serves:

1. Look at the ad group's keywords and match to persona search_terms
2. Write H1 using the persona's primary_goal language
3. Write value prop headlines using the persona's pain_points (solution framing)
4. Write CTA using the persona's decision_trigger

If an ad group serves multiple personas (common in broad campaigns), create separate ad variants — one optimized per persona — and A/B test which performs better.

Ad Strength vs Actual Performance

Google's ad strength score optimizes for Google's internal ad diversity goals, not your conversion rate. Treat it as a secondary signal, never a primary optimization target.

The hierarchy (most to least important)

1. Conversion rate — does the ad produce customers?
2. CTR — does the ad get clicks from the right people?
3. CPA — what does each conversion cost?
4. Ad strength — does Google think there's enough variety?

Specific rules

Situation	Action
"Excellent" ad strength, CTR < 2%	Ad strength is misleading. The headlines are varied but not compelling. Rewrite for relevance over diversity
"Good" ad strength, CTR > 5%	Do not touch this ad to chase "Excellent". The ad is working. Ad strength is a vanity metric here
"Poor" ad strength, CTR > industry avg	Add more headline/description variety to satisfy Google's diversity requirement, but don't change the winning headlines
"Poor" ad strength, CTR < industry avg	Both signals agree — the ad needs a rewrite. Start with headline relevance to keywords
Ad strength drops after headline edit	If CTR improved, ignore the ad strength drop. If CTR also dropped, revert

When ad strength IS useful

• Ensuring you have 8+ distinct headlines (not minor variations of the same message)
• Ensuring at least 1 headline per category (service, value prop, trust, CTA)
• Flagging when all descriptions say the same thing in different words
• Catching missing keyword insertion opportunities

Competitive Differentiation

Read {data_dir}/business-context.json competitors and differentiators fields. If empty, infer competitors from auction overlap (high impression share keywords where rank-lost IS is elevated suggest active competitors).

Rules for competitive copy

Rule	Rationale
NEVER name competitors in ad copy	Policy violation risk with Google Ads. Also sends brand awareness to competitors. Even "Better than [Competitor]" is dangerous
NEVER use "best" or "#1" without qualification	Google requires substantiation for superlative claims. "Best-Rated on Google" is OK if verifiable. "Best Plumber" is not
DO use specific features competitors lack	"Same-Day Service" beats "Better Service". Specificity implies superiority without claiming it
DO use pricing advantage if real	"Flat-Rate Pricing" or "From $99" differentiates against competitors with opaque pricing
DO use trust signals aggressively	"25+ Years", "4.9★ Google Rating", "500+ 5-Star Reviews" — these are verifiable and powerful
DO use location specificity	"Seattle's Own [Service]" or "Locally Owned Since 1998" differentiates against national chains
DO use speed/convenience	"Same-Day", "24/7", "Book Online in 60 Seconds" — operational advantages competitors may not match
DO use guarantees	"Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Free Re-Service", "No Fix, No Fee" — risk reversal converts

Differentiation angle selection

Based on the competitive landscape, choose the strongest angle:

Business Situation	Best Differentiation Angle	Example Headline
Competing against national chains	Local ownership, personal service, community ties	"Family-Owned Since 2005"
Competing against cheaper alternatives	Quality, guarantees, reviews, expertise	"Licensed & Insured Pros"
Competing against premium alternatives	Value, transparent pricing, same quality for less	"Premium Service, Fair Prices"
Unique service offering	The specific feature itself	"Same-Day Emergency Visits"
Crowded market, no clear advantage	Speed, convenience, or customer experience	"Book Online — Arrive in 1hr"

Workflow

1. Understand the brief

Detect or ask:

• What product/service is this ad for?
• Target audience or segment?
• Which campaign/ad group? (pull with mcp__adsagent__listCampaigns → mcp__adsagent__listAdGroups)
• Landing page URL?
• Any geographic targeting?

Cross-reference against the business context — if the user says "write copy for boarding" and context has boarding details, you already know the angles.

2. Research what's working

Pull data before writing — copy should be grounded in what converts, not guesses.

Current ad performance (use GAQL for multi-campaign research, see ../shared/gaql-cookbook.md):

If the user specified a single campaign/ad group, use helper tools directly. If researching across campaigns (common for brand-wide copy refresh), use GAQL:

• GAQL "Ad copy" query → existing headlines/descriptions and their metrics across all campaigns
• GAQL "Keywords with QS" query → active keywords and what's converting
• GAQL "Search terms" query → actual user queries (reveals real language and intent)
• GAQL "Impression share" query → CTR/conversion benchmarks to beat

For single-campaign work, the per-campaign helpers are simpler:

• listAds(campaignId) — existing headlines/descriptions
• getKeywords(campaignId) — active keywords
• getSearchTermReport(campaignId) — actual user queries
• getCampaignPerformance(campaignId) — CTR benchmarks

Use seasonality context. If business context shows peak months, factor that into copy urgency. During slow months, lean on evergreen value props. During peaks, lean on scarcity and timeliness.

Use keyword landscape context. For competitive terms (high CPC, many bidders), copy must differentiate harder — lead with what's unique, not what everyone says. For long-tail terms, match the specific intent closely.

If the user has a database with lead/conversion data, query it to find which keywords and messaging actually convert. The language paying customers use is the language your ads should mirror.

3. Generate RSA components

Google RSA: up to 15 headlines (30 chars max) and 4 descriptions (90 chars max). Google's AI mixes and matches them.

Always count characters. Flag any that exceed limits. A single character over = rejected by Google.

Headline & Description Formulas

See references/rsa-best-practices.md — Headline Formula Table (27 formulas across 8 categories) and Description Formula Table (5 formulas). Use those as the source of truth for all copy generation.

Headline selection rules:

• Generate 3-4 headlines per category for a total of 12-15
• Pin 1 Service+Location headline to Position 1 (highest relevance impact)
• Pin 1 CTA headline to Position 3 (Google shows H3 less often — make it count when shown)
• Leave Position 2 unpinned to let Google test Value Prop, Trust, and Differentiator headlines
• Never pin more than 3 headlines total — over-pinning reduces Google's optimization ability

Description selection rules:

• Always generate 4 descriptions (the RSA maximum)
• D1 should be the strongest all-around description (core value + location) — it shows most often
• D2 should emphasize the primary differentiator
• D3 should lead with trust/social proof
• D4 should be seasonal or offer-based (swap this out when promotions change)
• Every description must end with a CTA verb: Call, Book, Get, Schedule, Request, Visit, Contact
• Character count is STRICT: 90 chars max. Measure before finalizing. It's better to be 85 chars and punchy than 90 chars and cramped

4. Present variants

Show 2-3 variants, each with a distinct messaging angle. Name the angle so it's clear what's being tested.

VARIANT A: "[Angle Name — e.g., Trust & Experience]"
  Target persona: [persona name from {data_dir}/personas/]
  H1 [Pin 1]: [Service] in [Location]       (XX chars)
  H2: [Value prop headline]                  (XX chars)
  H3: [Trust headline]                       (XX chars)
  H4: [CTA headline]                         (XX chars)
  ... (up to 15 headlines)
  D1: [Core value + location — max 90 chars] (XX chars)
  D2: [Differentiator + CTA — max 90 chars]  (XX chars)
  D3: [Trust + proof — max 90 chars]         (XX chars)
  D4: [Urgency/offer — max 90 chars]         (XX chars)

VARIANT B: "[Different Angle — e.g., Price & Value]"
  Target persona: [persona name]
  H1 [Pin 1]: ...
  ...

Always show character counts. Always show pin positions. Always name the target persona.

Variant differentiation rules:

• Each variant must test a meaningfully different angle — not minor word swaps
• Good test: "Trust & Expertise" vs "Speed & Convenience" vs "Price & Value"
• Bad test: "Call Today" vs "Call Now" vs "Call Us" (not different enough to learn from)
• If the account has multiple personas, create one variant per persona

5. Deploy

After user approves a variant, push it live:

• New ad: mcp__adsagent__createAd — create the RSA in the target ad group (created paused)
• Update existing: mcp__adsagent__updateAdAssets — replace headlines/descriptions on a live ad
• Enable when ready: mcp__adsagent__enableAd

Always confirm before any write operation. Note the changeId returned — user can undo within 7 days (if the entity hasn't been modified since) via mcp__adsagent__undoChange.

6. A/B test (if running one)

1. Identify the variable — messaging angle, CTA style, emotional vs. practical
2. Deploy both variants as separate ads in the same ad group (both paused, enable together)
3. Minimum run: 2 weeks or 100 clicks per variant, whichever comes first
4. Success metric: CTR for awareness campaigns, conversion rate for bottom-funnel

Statistical significance rules:

• Do not call a winner with <100 clicks per variant — the data isn't reliable
• A "winner" needs at least 20% relative CTR or conversion rate difference to be meaningful
• If the difference is <20% after 200+ clicks each, the variants are functionally equivalent — pick the one with better conversion rate, or run a bolder test
• If one variant has 2x+ the conversion rate, call it immediately — don't wait for click minimums

7. Check results

After the test period, pull results:

mcp__adsagent__listAds → compare metrics for each variant

Variant	Impressions	Clicks	CTR	Conversions	Conv Rate	CPA	Winner?
A
B

Interpretation matrix:

CTR	Conv Rate	Diagnosis	Action
A higher	A higher	Clear winner	Pause B. Iterate on A's angle with fresh headlines
A higher	B higher	A attracts more clicks but B converts better	Keep B as primary. Test A's headlines on B's landing page — the click-through message may need landing page alignment. Offer /ads-landing
Similar	Similar	No meaningful difference	Need a bolder test — the variants were too similar. Change the core messaging angle, not just word choice
Both low	Both low	Neither variant works	The problem isn't A vs B — it's the overall approach. Check: keyword intent match, landing page quality, offer strength. May need /ads-audit to diagnose

After deciding a winner: pause the loser with mcp__adsagent__pauseAd, keep the winner running. Then create a new variant to test against the winner — continuous improvement, never stop testing.

Rules

1. Business context first. Read {data_dir}/business-context.json before doing anything. If it doesn't exist, build it.
2. Research before writing. Always pull current performance data. Don't write copy in a vacuum.
3. Character limits are hard. Count every headline (<=30) and description (<=90). No exceptions. When in doubt, count again.
4. Never deploy without confirmation. Show the exact copy, get a yes, then create/update.
5. Note changeIds. Every write returns one. Tell the user they can undo within 7 days (if the entity hasn't been modified since).
6. Ground copy in conversion data. If conversion data is available, use the language that converts. Customer language > marketing language.
7. Seasonal awareness. Check the business context for peak/slow months. Adjust urgency and messaging accordingly.
8. Defer to /ads for account management. This skill writes copy and deploys ads. For bid/budget/keyword work, use /ads.
9. Personas over guesses. If personas exist, every headline should trace back to a persona's language or triggers. If they don't exist, recommend /ads-audit to build them.
10. Differentiate, don't imitate. Read the competitors field and write copy that stands apart. Generic copy that could belong to any competitor is a waste of an ad slot.