Every basic search ad follows the same format. You can easily see it on the ad sections of each search engine results page. In this article, we will talk about the elements of a search ad. This is a continuation of our Search Advertising article series.
Basically, every search adverts have the same format as below:
- The heading
- Two lines of advert copy — this is extremely crucial, so you have to make it enticing to customers. There will also be times when your advert copy is shown in just one line.
- The display URL
- Ad extension
It is clear that even a basic search advertisement consists of several elements. In able to get your potential customers and searchers click through your website, each element of your search advert has to work. Now, the question is, how can you make these elements work together harmoniously?
To answer that question, we have divided this article into the three main components of a successful search ad. Those three are as follows:
- Well optimized ad text (think optimizing your ad text with keywords)
- The link to your owned property (this link could lead to either of the following: your website, social media platform, your content)
- Ad extensions
Ad Text
The first component we will discuss is the ad text. This is considered as the main component of a search ad. The ad text should be straightforward and to the point. At the same time, it should also be appealing and enticing to the readers.
Because search engines limit the characters in each line, you should create a text ad that is short yet impactful. Keep in mind that there are also some restrictions on what everyone is allowed to write in an advert.
To make this clearer, here are some helpful editorial guidelines from Google Adwords:
- Heading should have a maximum of 25 characters.
- Line 1 of the ad text should have a maximum of 35 characters. Use it well.
- Line 2 also has a maximum of 35 characters.
- The Display URL has a maximum of 35 characters.
- Do not repeat any exclamation marks.
- No word may be written in capitals only; otherwise, Google Adwords will flag your ad.
- Use only words that make sense. Nonsensical words are a big no-no.
- Do not put any claims or superlatives unless these can be verified by a reliable third-party source. This means no “best,” “one and only,” “number one,” and anything as such.
- You can use product numbers
- Do not put phone numbers on your copy.
Now that we have this basic guideline, it is time to focus on how to write an effective copy. Some companies prefer to have their ad copies written by a team or a third-party source. However, for those who are still relatively new to the business, you can write an effective copy just as well.
Tips for Writing an Effective Copy
Most of the time, the advert copy is your only tool to attract attention to your PPC adverts. This means that each copy should grab attention, convey a message, and encourage the readers to take action.
This is why it is extremely important that every advert copy is effective. It is such an important skill to have, especially when it comes to search advertising.
Think of it this way. Most people who are going online to search for something usually have a specific intent already. It could be that they are looking for information, products, tools, solutions, guidance, comparisons, or anything that could help them with a specific problem.
This is where it is handy to use your keyword search. To create an effective ad copy, it is important to think like a customer. Think and understand why somebody would look for what you are offering as a product or service. Think about what keywords they would use to find it and incorporate that to your search ad.
It is also crucial to look at the considerations when you are choosing keywords. We have discussed this in detail in our Search Engine Optimization or SEO article series.
Your ad text should also have well-crafted and compelling Calls to Action or CTAs. This is done so your customers and users know what exactly they should do. You can use “buy now,” “sign up now,” “send me my copy,” “order now,” or “read more.”
You also have to option to test offers in your ad copy. This could mean offering a discount code, a voucher that your users can utilize for a limited time, or more. You can also offer more incentives that would make the customers excited, such as free shipping, fast or same-day delivery, or secure shopping.
But what if you are running multiple ads all at once? Fortunately, Google, Facebook, YouTube, and other search engines have their own tools that you can use to manage and organize every campaign. However, this could also mean that it will take a lot more work to create unique ad copies for each one.
One trick that might help you is dynamic keyword insertion. This is the process of inserting the search keyword dynamically into the advert copy that appears. Substituting different keywords into different copies can make each one look unique. This way, you can also test which keywords work and convert best.
The use of dynamic keyword insertion takes the keyword in your campaign that matches a user’s search query. It inserts the keyword into the ad automatically, so there is less work for you. It also makes the ad look more relevant to the user.
Oftentimes, the search engine will mark words that match the search term a user used in bold. This helps in making the advert stand out even more. However, there is a downside to using dynamic keyword insertion, too.
The downside is that you have less control over when an ad is shown to a user. And in the long run, the results may not be as ideal as what you can get from a standard SEM campaign. The goal is still to generate as many clicks as possible. However, there are times when the advertisers are better off with fewer, high-quality clicks that actually generate sales.
In the next article, we will talk about the display URL and other elements of a search ad. We hope this article has shed some light on how you can write an effective ad copy.
© Image credits to Steve Johnson
