Writing Killer PPC Ads – The First Step in Strategizing
Posted on 25 August, 2009 | No Comments
Now, I may be berated for this, or you may shake your head and tut in dismay. However, I’m going to say it anyway.
When it comes to a successful PPC campaign, strategy starts with a great ad. All the number crunching, bidding, analysis and monitoring out there will mean nothing if your ads are not enticing those who see them to click through and read more. There. I said it.
So, all strategy aside, how do you write a great ad? Well, I’ve got a few tips that should get you writing scintillating ads that draw masses of qualified traffic to your site.
Step Number One – the Headline
The biggest problem with writing a clear, concise, and attention grabbing headline, when it comes to PPC, is that at best, you’ll have around fifty characters to do just that. Not the easiest thing in the world.
When you are constrained in this way, you are going to need to strip away the unimportant. For instance, if you choose the headline “Solar Water Heaters” you’re describing the product. Alternatively, something like “Save $$$ on Utilities” is a little more immediate and attention grabbing, isn’t it?
Make your headline a short version of your biggest selling point – rather than your company or product name, unless of course you have a well known brand!
Step Number Two – The Description
Again, especially if you’re using Google’s AdWords, you’re going to have limited characters to work with here.
Imagine you use the description – “Join our proven program, and make money from home. No cost involved.” Not bad, but not fantastic either! Now consider: “Thousands of people are working from home! You can too! Join Now – FREE!”
Notice how the second version taps into excitement, while the first is merely descriptive? That’s what you want – get your potential clients excited, and get them to click through – which is how you will make your money!
Use Emotive Words
When space is limited, using emotive words is going to be your ace in the hole. Proven, new, love, cash, and a whole lot of other words are “power” words, which help draw the eye, and visitors. Use them instead of boring descriptions, and you’re halfway there.
More Than One Ad
Now here’s the really awful part – if you’re planning to amp up your PPC strategies by writing killer ads, you’re going to have to write more than one. Then you’re going to have to run them all. And monitor the results you get from each of them.
Remember, just because you think your ad is fantastic, that doesn’t mean your potential clients are going to agree! Which is why, even if you change your ads, you need to go back to the drawing board, as it were, and do your testing. Your clients, and potential clients, will always tell you what they think of your ad – by their click through’s, and by your conversion rate. And if you combine a killer add with a squeeze page, and list building, you should have a campaign that will give you great results.
