Keyword Tips For Writing Powerful Google Ads
How to get high-quality visitors
By: Mat GreenfieldWriting effective ads in Google is a formidable task. I often joke that the best ads I've written have never been seen because they exceeded the 70-character limit. Yet it is possible to write powerful ads. Here are some quick ideas to do just that.
1. Use the keyword
When an ad is displayed on Google, any of the words in the actual search phrase that also appear in the ad will be highlighted. That means some ads draw more attention than others due to these highlights. Regardless of your ad display position, this additional attention is a key way to get additional clicks. Also, use of the keyword makes the ad relevant to the searcher and enhances the sense that your ad is a good match for his/her search phrase.
2. Qualify your traffic
Because we pay per click, simply creating an ad that people will click is not necessarily the mark of an effective ad; rather, you must create an ad the right people will click. Not all traffic is equal. Even people who search with the same phrase might have different needs. One purpose of your ad is to appeal to your target audience, while signaling to anyone else that your business would not be a good fit for their differing needs.
3. List a feature and a benefit
Using the description lines to state both a feature and a benefit creates a compelling ad. You'll have to be creative to craft a short sentence that communicates your value, but it can be done.
4. Mention your offer
In many cases, mentioning your offer in the Google ad will increase conversion rates. This is not always possible due to the limited number of words Google allows but it's worth considering (and testing, but we'll get to that later).
A quick look at existing advertisers often reveals a pattern of similar ads। This type of reconnaissance can provide helpful information about who you're up against in your market. It also sparks ideas to write an ad that stands out. Since you are literally competing for a click, blending in tends to attract only people who are researching all the
You also need to be aware of Google's editorial guidelines, which may cause your ad to be disallowed. Here are some additional rules to ensure your ad won't be disqualified in the editing process.
1. Use correct grammar and spelling
It's tempting to misuse grammar and spelling in order to make an ad fit within the character limit but Google tends to disallow ads that contain such errors. Some abbreviations seem to be acceptable — "mgmt" for "management," for example.
2. No superlatives
Google does not allow the use of superlatives such as "best," "cheapest," "fastest," etc. Instead, be creative and come up with other ways to express value.
3. Restriction on trademarks
Google oftens disallows ads that use the trademarked names of competitors. I have found that not all trademarks trigger a disallow, so it's usually worth a try. However, be prepared to rewrite if your ad does get flagged.
4. Avoid excessive capitalization
Google seems especially sensitive to inappropriate capitalization in headlines, and Google editors also disallow ads for excessive capitalization. Title case (capitalizing the first letter of each word) is allowed, and often gets great results.
Even if you apply the above rules, you might still end up with ads that perform poorly. Luckily Google has built one of the most powerful marketing strategies available into its system — ad split testing. This means you can run more than one Google ad and see what results each generates. Ad split testing should definitely be part of your ongoing refinement process.