How to write ads that stand out, find the right prospects, and are specific – through good PPC ad copy.
The term PPC refers to hyper-targeted advertising on the search engines. If you do it right you can make a bundle. If you do it wrong, well then, you might as well have ran a million dollar ad for skinny jeans during the Super Bowl.
These are my 3 quick tips for a PPC ad that will be killer. Use this as a checklist when auditing your copywriting for PPC ads:
#1. Good PPC Ads Stand Out in Click Thrus
Good ads get clicked on while bad ads get ignored. Check your CTR’s or click through rates for each and every phrase that is active in your PPC account.
Review your competitors ad copy. What are they focusing on? If it’s price, beat their price in your ad. What does their URL look like? Is it a nice clean easy on the eyes URL? Do that too. These simple changes may give you the bump you need to get more clicks. Watch what the ads do in measurable numbers in your account. Tweak and re-tweak as needed. Also, you will pay less for each ad when the CTR of your ad is good. Search engines like high CTRs and they will reward you with low cost per click or CPC.
For example:
Ad A Clicks: 2,000 | CTR: 1.2% | CPC: $0.78 | Total cost: $1,560
Ad B Clicks: 2,000 | CTR: 3.1% | CPC: $0.44 | Total cost: $880
(source of example: Search Engine Land)
Both ads sent 2,00 visitors but the second was 43% cheaper because it had a higher CTR being the better more targeted ad
#2. The Right Words = The Right Prospects
Sure it’s nice to get attention, but you don’t want to get the wrong kind of attention either. It’s the same with site visitors-you don’t just want anyone paying attention to you/visiting your site especially if you’re paying for each visitor. You only want the right sorts of visitors to come to your site. In other words, you want to ‘qualify’ your traffic.
One of the best ways to qualify your prospects is by writing information into the ad that is specifically geared towards people who are interested in what you offer. Price is a good piece of qualifying information. For example:
Luxury Couples Vacation
Couples Massage,Romantic Dinner
3-Day Trips Starting at $599!
www.loveandrest.com
By using “3-Day Trips Starting at $599!” in the ad-copy you are attracting visitors who would consider paying $599 for your package. In this way, you’re qualifying your prospects. It doesn’t guarantee qualified visitors, but it certainly encourages them to visit – and keeps out the people looking to spend less.
#3. Bad PPC Ads Are Too General
Check out this strange Amazon ad, why is it there as a result of searching “essentials of ppc” ?
The first ad is relatively specific to my search term but the second ad, huh? Doesn’t match the search term at all.
PPC ads should be specific because they bring you prospects who know they’re interested in your products/services which in turn will increase leads & sales because you’re attracting the right customers.
The importance of the PPC ad cannot be overstated. When done right, ads grab prospects and pull them over to your site. Good ads also keep visitors away from your competitors. Whenever engaging your PPC agency or consultant (or worse, your PPC software), make sure they are adequately addressing the ad copy in your PPC account. It’s one easy way to keep your business open!
BTW – If you’re new to PPC account management, we’ve all been there. It may be a good idea to get someone experienced to help you out. We’ve managed hundreds of PPC campaigns and hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay per click budget. We would love the opportunity to show you what ROI-focused PPC can do for your business. Contact us today for a proposal!