7 Habits of Highly Effective Ad Copy

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Particularly if you’re doing so for the first time, sitting down to write ad copy for a search marketing campaign can sometimes feel a little daunting. Here are some tips – habits, if you will – for writing highly effective ad copy.

1.       Know Your Product: What is it you’re selling? It may be a product or service, but what is it that sets your product or business apart from the competition? Knowing your business or product (or your client’s business or product) inside and out will best position you to write ad copy that draws people to click and then convert.

2.       Know Your Competition: Before you start writing your ad copy, take some time to study what your competition is already doing in market. What do their ads look like on Google and Yahoo/Bing? Is all the messaging similar? Or is everyone promoting a unique feature of their product or business? Knowing the competition will help guide you as you write your ad copy.

3.       Consider Your Audience:  For whom are you writing? Are you looking to appeal to someone who is cost-conscious or to someone more concerned about amenities and service? Knowing your audience will guide you in determining what you do or do not include in your ad copy.

4.       Call-to-action: Be sure to have a call-to-action in your ad copy. Whether it’s “visit”, “call” or something equally or more compelling, it’s important to provide a reason for people to click on your ad to visit your site.

5.       Keywords: What keywords might people be using when they do searches for your product or service? Make sure those keywords are in your ad copy, either directly or through Dynamic Keyword Insertion. When people see what they’re looking for, they’re more compelled to click.

6.       Be Specific: What sets you apart from your competition? Do you offer free shipping but all your competitors charge for the same service? How much of a discount can people expect to find on your site? Be sure to include whatever exclusive features or benefits you offer.

 7.       Experiment: Keep testing new things. One of the many great things about search marketing is that you have the luxury of easily trying out new copy or formatting to see which best resonates. Take advantage of that opportunity and continually test to see what works best for you and your brand.

Cheers,

Jason

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