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Write Effective PPC Ads - Keep These 6 Tips in Mind

Written by: Karen Scharf

Article Overview: Google's recent changes to AdWords make it easier for novices to get started with pay per click advertising. But if you've never created a PPC ad before, the task can seem a little intimidating.

Write Effective PPC Ads - Keep These 6 Tips in Mind

Google's recent changes to AdWords make it easier for novices to get started with pay per click advertising. But if you've never created a PPC ad before, the task can seem a little intimidating.

The first thing to remember is that the one and only goal of your PPC ad is to get the ad clicked. There's no room for branding and there's no time for selling. You can do all that on your landing page - but only if you get the browser to your landing page.

Writing effective PPC ads can be easy - even for a novice - if you keep these 6 things in mind:

Keep The Headline In Mind

Just as in all advertising, the headline is the most important component of your PPC ad. In fact, studies show that ads with powerful headlines get clicked even if the rest of the ad copy is below par. The number one tip is to include your keyword in your headline. And whenever possible, include active words and speak to your target market. Avoid exclamation points or other symbols which only take up space and may actually get your ad banned.

Keep The Benefits In Mind

Again, writing a PPC ad is not much different than writing a display ad - except of course you have much less words to work with. Emphasize the benefits to your visitors, not the features of your products. In other words, what will your customer get when he uses your product or service?

Keep Your Target Market In Mind

Display ads work best when the reader believes the ad is meant for him - and the same goes for your PPC ad. While you might not have enough space to use "Attention: Small Business Owners" you can probably fit the word "you" into your ad.

Keep The Action In Mind

You don't want to waste your precious ad space with the obvious "click here" but you can refer to what action the visitor will take on your landing page. How about "take our quiz" or "submit the application" or whatever fits your particular situation.

Keep Your Secondary Goal In Mind

The number one goal is to get a click, but what do you hope to accomplish once the clicker gets to your landing page? Do you want to capture names, or do you want to make a sale? If you want as many names as possible, offer something free in your ad. If you want as many buyers as possible, avoid the word free at all costs (no pun intended).

Keep The Competition In Mind

Before writing your ads look at current ads for your keywords. Next, do the exact opposite of what the industry norm is. Why? PPC is similar to the yellow pages with all your competitors lumped into one space, looking almost identical. Do something different so you will stand out from the crowd.

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Article Tags: internet advertising, online marketing, PPC, search engine marketing



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