Pinning is a feature that allows you to control exactly where a specific headline or description appears in your Responsive Search Ad. By default, Google’s AI can show your assets in any order. Pinning ensures that critical information, like your brand name or a required disclaimer, always shows up in the right place.
Here is your step-by-step guide to pinning assets.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Locate Your Responsive Search Ad
Sign in to your Google Ads account.
In the left-hand navigation, click Campaigns > Ads..
Find the Responsive Search Ad (RSA) you want to edit or, if creating a new one, follow the steps from the previous guide until you reach the asset entry screen.
Click the ad title or the pencil icon to edit the RSA.
Step 2: Access the Pinning Option
Scroll down to the Headlines section.
Hover your mouse over the specific headline you wish to pin.
You will see a small thumbtack icon appear next to the headline.Click this pin icon.
Step 3: Select the Pin Position
A small pop-up menu will appear, asking you where you want to pin the headline.
You can choose from the following positions for headlines:
Position 1: This is the first headline that appears in the ad, and is often the most prominent.
Position 2: This is the second headline, shown after the first.
Position 3: This is the third headline, which is not guaranteed to show in every ad.
(None): This is the default setting, which allows Google’s AI to place the headline in any position.
Click the desired position (e.g., Position 1) to lock your headline into that spot. A small number (1, 2, or 3) will now appear over the thumbtack icon next to your headline, confirming the pin.
Step 4: Save the Ad
Review the ad preview on the right to see how your pinned headline looks.
Click Save ad to apply your changes.
Our Advice on Pinning
1. Pinning Greatly Reduces Testing Power
Statistic: By providing 15 headlines, you give Google thousands of potential ad combinations to test. Pinning even just one headline can reduce the number of possible unique combinations by over 90%.
Opinion/Advise: Pinning limits the AI’s ability to find the absolute best-performing ad for every user query. Only pin a headline if it is absolutely essential for branding (e.g., your company name must be in the first position) or for compliance (e.g., a legally required disclaimer).
2. Pinning and Ad Strength
Note: Google’s Ad Strength score is based on the diversity of your assets and how much flexibility you give the AI. When you pin an asset, you will almost certainly see your Ad Strength drop from ‘Excellent’ to ‘Good’ or ‘Average’.
Advise: Do not panic if your score drops. Ad Strength is a guide, not a direct measure of performance. If you have a legitimate, strategic reason to pin (like guaranteeing a brand name shows), then the performance gain from that control may outweigh the Ad Strength loss.
3. The ‘Fake ETA’ Technique (Pinning Multiple Assets)
To regain some control while still letting Google test, you can pin multiple assets to the same position.
Example:
Pin 3 headlines (e.g., “Salesforce Development Services,” “Certified Salesforce Developers,” “Highly Experienced”) to Position 1.
Pin 3 different headlines (e.g., “Call Us Today,” “Request A Quote Now,” “Email Now”) to Position 2.
Benefit: This creates a small ‘pool’ of options for each position. The ad will always display a headline from your Position 1 pool followed by a headline from your Position 2 pool, ensuring the message is always logical, but still allows the AI to test which headline performs best in that specific position.
4. Critical Pinning Positions
If you have a message that must show up in the ad, pin it to one of these:
Headline Position 1
Headline Position 2
Description Position 1
Note: Content pinned to Headline Position 3 or Description Position 2 is not guaranteed to show, as Google sometimes shortens the ad format, especially on smaller screens. If it’s a critical message, use Position 1 or 2.
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