Marketers know the importance of choosing the right keywords, selecting relevant audience filters and building a landing page that turns referrals into conversions. But if you're serious about PPC campaign optimization, then you also have to spend time hammering away at your campaign's ad copy.
This can be a challenge for marketers who are more comfortable with numbers and analytics than with crafting compelling ad copy — but if the text of your PPC ad isn't connecting with your audience, it won't matter how strong the rest of the ad campaign is. Here are four tips to help you create copy that boosts performance and drives better ROI from your ads.
Keep It Concise
It can be tempting to use all of the ad copy real estate you're paying for, but it's not always the best move for your PPC performance. In general, ad copy should be short, sweet and get to the point as quickly as possible.
Search Engine Land pointed out that their own PPC ad testing has seen better conversion rates from shorter headlines. Ad copy has a very limited window of opportunity to make a strong impression, so don't waste your breath on characters you don't need.
Emphasize Simplicity
Ad copy doesn't offer the space to communicate complex thoughts. Instead, you should focus on a simple message that makes customers feel like clicking (and converting) is a piece of cake. Consider how phrases like "hassle-free" or "fast and easy" can grab customer attention and convince them to click.
Polish Your Call-to-Action
A strong call-to-action needs to be clear about what it wants customers to do, and there are ad copy tips that can strengthen the impact of a CTA. Search Engine Land also noted the importance of leading with a strong verb, which is something you can test in different PPC campaigns. Swap out the leading CTA verb in different versions of the ad to see which ones drive better results.
You should also try placing the CTA in different parts of the ad copy, ranging from the headline to the end of the description.
Speak to a Small, Specific Audience
Effective PPC campaigns are targeted to a specific audience. If the audience filters are too broad, the population of people viewing your ad will be too diverse and not relevant to what your company has to offer.
The tight focus of a PPC campaign's targeting filters makes it possible to write exact copy that speaks to a particular crowd and interest group. Content Marketing Institute recommended writing ad copy that is both specific and personal — if you're targeting male baseball fans between 30 and 40 years of age, consider a throwback reference to a player who was popular when they were teenagers. Experiment with different types of ad copy that showcase authenticity and a deep understanding of the customer group.
Ad copy can get overlooked in the course of PPC campaign optimization, but rigorous and continued testing is critical for any marketer who wants to raise the bar for their campaign ROI.
