What do good Google Ads for security companies look like?
Fourteen compliant search ad mock-ups for fictional Canadian security firms, and two weak ads with the reasons they fail. Use them as patterns for wording, not as copy to paste.
What do good Google Ads for security companies look like?
They repeat the service the buyer searched for, add one or two facts the buyer can check, and point to proof such as a sample report, method or pricing page. They avoid absolute claims, hacking language and fear.
Every example below is a responsive search ad shown as Google might assemble it. Responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines (at least 3) and up to 4 descriptions (at least 2). Each headline can be 30 characters, each description 90, and each of the two display paths 15. Google mixes them, so every headline has to make sense on its own.
What do MDR and MSSP ads look like?
MDR buyers want to know who watches, when, and what happens after an alert. Response commitments belong in the ad only if they are in your contract.
Endpoint, identity and cloud alerts triaged by our SOC. Response times set per tier.
Monitoring in English and French. Read how an alert moves from triage to your team.
Pre-agreed hours and contacts so you are not negotiating during an incident.
How should penetration testing ads be written?
As authorized, scoped testing of systems the client owns. Google's enabling dishonest behaviour policy does not allow hacking services or spyware. It does not mention penetration testing, but an ad that reads like an offer to break into something can still be caught by automated review. If a legitimate ad is disapproved, reword it and appeal.
Our hackers get into any system. Pay us to hack websites, email and accounts.
- "Hackers for hire" and "hack websites, email and accounts" read like the hacking services Google does not allow.
- Nothing says the testing is authorized or limited to systems the client owns.
- "Get into any system" is an improbable, untestable promise.
Web app, API and network tests of systems you own. Retest of fixed findings included.
- States the service and city the buyer searched.
- "Authorized" and "systems you own" make the legitimate scope clear to buyers and reviewers.
- Sitelinks lead to a sample report and rules of engagement.
Testing of the systems in your SOC 2 scope, with findings mapped to your controls.
Configuration and access testing of your own cloud accounts, with a retest included.
What do compliance, vCISO and awareness training ads look like?
Compliance buyers usually have a deadline and an auditor. Name the framework, the deliverable and the timeline you can commit to.
We map your controls to the trust services criteria and plan fixes before audit.
A named vCISO for policy, vendor reviews and security questionnaires. Monthly hours set.
Prepare your ISMS for a 2022-edition audit. Policies, risk register and internal audit.
Short modules and simulated phishing, with completion reports for PCI DSS and ISO audits.
If a competitor could run the same headline, rewrite it.
"Trusted cybersecurity partner" fits every vendor in the market. "SOC 2 pen test with auditor-ready report" fits only the firms that do it.
What do product vendor ads look like?
Product vendors bid on categories, platforms and alternatives. The proof is usually documentation, a trial or a test method.
Find misconfigurations across accounts. Agentless setup steps published in our docs.
Add to Microsoft 365 in minutes. Detection method and test results on our site.
Passive asset inventory and risk review planned around your plant's uptime needs.
Why do absolute claims fail in security ads?
Google's unreliable claims policy does not allow claims that entice the user with an improbable result. Security buyers react the same way: one impossible promise discredits everything else in the ad.
Bulletproof protection that eliminates all cloud risk. The best CSPM, guaranteed.
- "Unhackable", "zero breaches, ever" and "eliminates all cloud risk" describe results no product can prove.
- "#1" and "the best" are rankings with no named, current, independent source.
- "Guaranteed" makes a promise the contract will not repeat.
Flags public storage, open ports and risky IAM roles across your cloud accounts.
- Describes what the product checks, not an outcome it cannot promise.
- Names a benchmark the buyer recognises.
- Offers a sample finding so the buyer can judge the output.
For the Canadian legal side of claims, see Canadian rules for security marketing claims. For a full rewrite table, see marketing security without fear.
How do you build a full responsive search ad set?
Write headlines in groups, so that whatever combination Google shows, the buyer sees the service, a proof point and a next step.
| Group | Example headlines (each ≤ 30 characters) | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Service and keyword | Web App Penetration Testing; API Security Testing | 3 to 4 |
| Audience or location | For SaaS Teams in Canada; Calgary Testing Team | 2 to 3 |
| Checkable proof | Sample Report Online; OWASP-Based Method | 3 to 4 |
| Scope and trust | Authorized, Scoped Testing; Retest Included | 2 to 3 |
| Next step | Request a Scoping Call; See Our Rules of Engagement | 2 |
- Pin sparingly. Pin the service headline to position 1 only if Google keeps pairing proof lines without it.
- Keep each description self-contained. Any two may appear together.
- Use the display paths (up to 15 characters each) to repeat the service, such as /pen-test/web-app.
- Check every line against your claim file. If you cannot show the evidence, cut the line.
Pair each ad group with a matching page from landing pages for security ads.
Frequently asked questions
Can penetration testing firms advertise on Google?
Yes. Google's policy bans hacking services and spyware but does not mention penetration testing. Describe authorized, scoped testing of systems the client owns, avoid hacking language, and appeal wrong disapprovals.
How many headlines should a security responsive search ad have?
Up to 15 are allowed and at least 3 are required. Aim for enough variety that every combination still names the service and a proof point.
Can we say unhackable or 100% protection in an ad?
Avoid it. Google does not allow claims that entice users with an improbable result, and Canadian law requires performance claims to rest on a proper test.
Should we mention certifications in ads?
Yes, if they are current and held by your team or company. Name them as facts, such as a framework or certification, not as rankings.
Can MDR ads mention response times?
Only times you commit to in your contract or service tiers, stated as commitments for that tier rather than promises of outcomes.
What sitelinks work for security ads?
Links to proof: sample reports, methodology, documentation, pricing, trust centre and service tiers.
Are these ads real?
No. Every company and ad on this page is a fictional mock-up written for this guide, and the details are invented.
Should product vendors bid on competitor names?
Alternative searches can work with a fair comparison page. Check Google's trademark rules and your counsel before using a competitor's name in ad text.
Sources & further reading
Regulations, platform policies and market data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 7, 2026.