One of the biggest challenges in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is writing ad copy that attracts the right visitor in a short and concise manner. Searchers don’t always read all the lines of the ad copy, so advertisers need to make sure to include the most important points in the ads that are important to the searcher, quickly read, and easily understood.
Creative or unique headlines are great, but not if they don’t appeal and bring in the target audience. There’s a balance between standing out and giving the searchers what they want. Here are some tips on coming up with the right ad copy.
Know the Product or Service
It seems obvious, but it is incredibly important for the advertiser to know the entire scope of the business they are promoting inside and out. Scratching the basic surface of what the product or service is will only generate so many ideas. Dig deep, and go beyond while also staying relevant.
Example client: Local Casino
Their basic amenities include slot machines, a poker room, and craps tables. These amenities should absolutely be highlighted in the ad copy, but that is likely just the surface.
What else do they have that other casinos might not?
- How many of those machines/rooms/tables do they have?
- What are the table minimums?
- What is their reputation as a business?
- How do they operate?
- What has this business accomplished?
Say the casino has other highlights which set it apart, such as:
- Recognized as one of the highest-rated local casinos since 2007 by a trustworthy outlet;
- Family-owned since 1984;
- The only casino in the area with a full-service restaurant; and
- Offers $50 worth of complimentary chips for first-time poker players.
Incorporate those elements into the content of the ad copy. Use them for headlines or in parts of the descriptions where they fit, and you’ll make a better and more attractive ad that will set them apart from their competitors.
It’s really hard to come up with enough headlines and descriptions by just focusing on the basics of the business. Getting into as many relevant details as possible can generate more ideas for ad copy content.
One thing to note: if you are an agency or consultant writing ads for a client, we find it helpful to get bullet points from the client about competitive advantage and differentiators that we can use in the ad copy. Then, we know that those things are approved to use. We also have our clients approve the ad copy, at least at the beginning of the relationship, just to make sure we’re positioning them correctly.
Think Like the Searcher and Know the Audience
Arguably, the most effective way to generate ideas for PPC ad copy is for the advertiser to put themselves in the customer’s shoes. Pretending they are the customer looking for their product as a “simulation” can help bring some ideas of what to put into ad copy and how to put the words together. It is also important to keep in mind what type of demographics are being targeted: age, gender, location, and so on.
When selling products, ad copy is dependent on what type of search someone is doing. If it’s a general search (example: athletic shoes), the copy should be more product-focused – what types of athletic shoes they’ll find at the site.
But if someone is searching for a specific brand (example: Brooks launch 8 running shoes), you don’t need to spend time selling the products as they already know what they want; the copy should be about why that person should come to your site and buy from you. Two different points in a searcher’s buying journey equal two different messages.
As mentioned earlier, people want to be hooked quickly. Coming up with headlines involves creating that hook with a small window of opportunity to capture. Think of quick, simple words that are effective at grabbing someone’s attention. Talk WITH the searcher, and let them know why they are getting the better end of the deal.
A good place to start is by building up relevant “hook” words and building the business information around them. Think words and terms like “easy,” “best,” “bulk,” “value,” “affordable,” “most,” “quick,” “largest,” “effective,” “satisfaction guaranteed,” and “save on,” etc.
Now, think of the target audience and objective. If they are local, plan to build around ad copy with “near me” or “closest” as hook words. For online products or services not limited to local searches, build around terms such as “buy online,” “shop,” “fast delivery,” “inquire,” and so on.
Headline Examples:
- “California’s Best Cardroom”
- “Largest Powersports Dealer”
- “Affordable Top-Brand Shoes”
- “Cheap Teacher Supplies Online”
Description Examples:
- “Play at the tables with the most action in the Bay Area at the California Grand Casino.”
- “Look no further for the best prices and brands in the industry. Visit us today!”
- “We’ve got the athletic shoes you want in stock and at great prices. Free shipping!”
- “Shop bulk classroom supplies and tools. Developed by teachers for teachers!”
Making the Most Out of Keywords
Stumped on ideas? Look back at all relevant keywords. Those words make up the spine on which ad copy is built. That is how the audience is targeted. This is more than just a best practice to identify the audience, it gives said audience what they searched for.
Creating keyword-rich ad copy does not have to be cut-and-paste generic. For example, a way to go about it is rearranging keyword(s) in different ways to create multiple headlines which present one thing in several ways.
Scenario:
Business: California Grand Casino
Keywords: “cardroom,” “poker”
Campaign Type: Search
Headline Examples:
- “Best Poker Cardroom Near Me”
- “Cardroom to Play Poker”
- “Poker at Bay’s Top Cardroom”
Description Examples:
- “Play poker at the California Grand Casino. The Bay Area’s number one cardroom. Win today!”
- “California Grand Casino is the cardroom with the most action. Play poker with a $20 buy-in.”
- “Win cash prizes playing poker at the Bay Area’s top cardroom, the California Grand Casino.”
Every advertiser is different, so picking and choosing which approaches are relevant to incorporate into PPC ad copy will vary and can vary even for each advertiser when considering the audience.
Use this as an outline for your business; once a base strategy is put in place, it will be much easier to generate ad copy ideas for PPC ads.
