Are Your Ads Focused on the Reader?

When planning your paid search campaign it is important to write your ad copy with your reader in mind. While this may sound like common sense, it is easier said than done. Businesses that can make the leap will benefit by having a higher click-through-rate (CTR) just in time for the holiday selling season.

Ad Writing Tips for Paid Search

Adjust your ads for seasonality. The holiday season is here, and it is important to make changes to your ads based on the season. This can help to create a sense of urgency with your Google marketing campaign and remind people that your product would be a perfect gift.

Pay attention to trends. Trends come and go but if you find one that works for your product, leverage it. Find out what is in vogue at the moment and if you can relate the trend to your ad, make the adjustments to your paid search campaign. It will make your product look cooler than the other guys.

Focus on the benefit. It’s easy to talk about your products features – how durable it is, what it’s made out of, what color it comes in, etc. While features are important in research, they are not compelling in ad copy. You need to tell readers what the benefit will be to them. For example, if your products are organic you could say “our organic blend is safe for your family”. By including the word “safe” you are giving a clear benefit to the reader, one that they can visualize. If you are selling blankets in multiple colors, don’t simply talk about the shades they come in, tell the reader that they will make their home cozy and warm. Selling the benefit is an excellent way to engage the reader and has proven to be an effective way to increase your CTR in a paid search campaign.

Personalize your copy. Whenever possible, use words like “you” and “your” in order to personalize your Google marketing. This subtle change will make the reader feel like you are speaking directly to them.

Sell based on need. Studies have found that consumers buy based on what they need, not just what they want. For example, you may want a sportster but need a family size SUV. The chances are – you’re buying that SUV. When writing ad copy for your paid search campaign consider how your product or service fulfills a need and adjust your copy accordingly. You can even use the word “need” in your copy. For example, “install the security system your family needs to stay safe” instead of “install a security system for protection”. The change is subtle but has been proven to increase sales.

On a regular basis, you should review your ad copy and CTR’s to see how performance is doing compared with other months. Make adjustments to your ad copy, run it for a while and check again. Continue to make small changes until you have found the winning combination that will make your paid search campaign a success.