Most articles address Google Ads’ performance by covering subjects like keyword development, match types, ad extensions, conversion rate optimization, and quality scores.
This is all for good reason – the topics are important and can’t be overlooked.
But when you strip away all of the digital settings and optimizations, there’s one area that involves an entirely different skillset – writing ad copy.
But how do you teach this? Writing ads is a skill unlike anything else in digital marketing.
To help with this important task, we’ve created a list of items to remember while creating your ads.
1) Think carefully about the person you are writing to. Who are they and what do they do? Create a buyer persona so you have a distinct visualization of the person you’re trying to connect with while writing your ads.
- What is the problem are they trying to solve?
- How does your product or service make their lives better?
- What exactly is their end goal?
Tip: Utilize tools like Answer the Public to explore this thoroughly. The customer journey always starts with questions or intent. This tool will help kick-start the process for creating ad copy that truly resonates.
2) Use emotional triggers. For the most part, people buy emotionally vs. rationally. Get into the mind of your customers.
3) Promote authority, credibility, and trust. Most brands are completely unknown, so prospects need to feel comfortable before doing business.
4) Always think about, and respect the customer’s position in the customer journey (or buyer’s funnel). Write ad copy that matches their state of mind. Even calls-to-action like “Learn More” or “Purchase Today” are very different and should be applied with respect to the journey.
5) Include important keywords in your ads, but don’t repeat them. Aim to use each keyword within your ad copy a maximum of two times.
6) Day-part your ad copy. This is especially important for businesses that have different offerings throughout the day. Restaurants for example, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner ads would run at different times.
7) Write in Title Case
8) Include limited time or special offers. Add a sense of urgency through Google’s countdown option – “Just 2 days left!”
9) Match ads to landing page content. In fact, each ad that contains its own theme should go to a separate landing page that continues with the same ad copy. This will result in a higher quality score and lower cost-per-click.
10) Be specific. Adding specificity to your claims garners credibility and trust. Don’t just say you’re the best, prove it with numbers.
11) Localize your ad copy. If your business serves a certain town or area within a city, then use this in your ads if appropriate. “Voted the best pizza in Glendale!”, or over “9,000 customers served since 2010”.
12) Use simple language in the headlines. No buzzwords or acronyms. Write for a 9th grader. Simplicity drives results.
13) Showcase what makes you unique and special. Farm-fresh ingredients? Fast delivery? Outstanding service? The unique history of your company? You exist for a reason. Celebrate it.
14) Mention pricing and promotions if relevant to your brand.
15) Use all available ad extensions
16) Always remember that people are selfish. They don’t care about you, your services, or what you think makes you special. It’s always about them and never about you. Identify and cater to their exact needs through your ad copy.
17) Always experiment. Write 3 to 5 ads per ad group.
18) Change up your calls-to-action (CTA). Test different locations. Try different pricing or special offer promotions. Showcase different benefits
19) Use CTAs like “Get”, “Buy”, “Shop”, “Try”, “Learn”, “Build”, “Sign Up”, “Discover”, and “Click” tend to drive the most interest, according to a study by Wordstream. Other possible CTAs include “Call Today”, “Order”, “Browse”, and “Get a Quote”.
20) Use punctuation to drive home a point, but don’t over-punctuate. “Only 5 tables left. Book a special date for mom now!”
21) Speak directly to your customers, not above them. Use words like “you” and “your” in ad copy. A Wordstream study that looked at 335 high-performing ads, here are the words that appeared most often:
- Your
- Free
- Now
- Get
- Online
- Our
- Save
- Best
- Shipping
- You
22) Outsmart your competitors! Tools like SpyFu and SEMRush allow you to check your competitor’s best performing keywords and ad copy. Take what you see and make it even better.
23) Test ad copy with trademarks and other brand signs to establish credibility
24) Make sure your landing pages are mobile-friendly. With over half of Internet users on mobile phones, landing pages must be mobile-friendly.
25) Take advantage of call extensions. Consider using Google’s call extensions to allow mobile customers to call you from your ad. This is a huge advantage for many businesses (especially restaurants), as the customer bypasses a landing page and is sent directly to someone within your company.
26) Conversions can be set by the length of call. Location extensions are also important for customers-on-the-go, as this helps them find you through Google Maps.
27) For content structure, think about the 4 U’s, as this is a great way to remember best practices for writing effective ads.
- Unique
- Useful
- Urgent
- Ultra-Specific
In the world of Google Ads, the 4 U’s translate to the following:
Unique Selling Proposition. What makes you special over all of the other choices? How will your offering improve someone’s life?
Benefits. How will your offering improve someone’s life?
Call to Actions. What do you want to do – and why should they do it now?
Features. Don’t write diluted ad copy. Address the prospective customer’s query with relevant specifics – savings, prices, earnings, and statistics are a few.
I hope the tips above help as you sit down to write your ads. Remember to write 3 to 4 ads per ad group and always test them against each other in an ongoing effort to create your most profitable messaging.