How to write amazing PPC ad copy

PPC marketing is one of the best ways to quickly and efficiently attract customers to your website – just one of the many benefits of PPC. As well as regular audits, research, and management, creating the best ad copy possible is one of the most important parts of PPC. It’s this ad copy that persuades users to click onto your link and hopefully be impressed by what they see, encouraging them to make a purchase. If you’d like to learn more about how to write PPC ad copy that drives conversions, read our advice.

1) Write with precision

One of the main challenges of writing PPC ad copy is the strict character limits that can be so easy to exceed. Headlines have a character limit of 30, whereas descriptions are 90 characters. However, Google does allow you to create up to 15 headlines and four descriptions that are rotated as Google’s algorithm finds the best combination. 

With little space to fill, it’s important to choose your words strategically in order to make the most of your ad copy. Try not to waste valuable characters on unnecessary words and phrases. For example, instead of ‘We offer very fast delivery times’, opt for ‘Quick delivery’ or ‘Next day delivery’. There is usually always a way to make your writing more precise by simply focusing on the purpose of the sentence. For PPC ad copy, simply a couple of words detailing what your product and benefits are can do the trick. 

It can help to imagine that your ad copy is a roadside salesperson – they will quickly shout the main selling points of their product or service, since they don’t have time for a long back and forth with passersby. PPC ads are similar, as customers spend very little time reading ad copy, so it’s important to ‘shout’ the benefits and services you have to offer. By making words and phrases as short and efficient as possible, you can squeeze in more exciting benefits that your company has to offer and avoid boring potential customers. 

2) Make the most of your keywords

With all things PPC, SEO, content marketing, and web development, keywords are at the heart of the process. What are your target audience searching for? Which searches do you want your ad to show up for? If you’ve conducted keyword research and know which keywords you need to target, then don’t forget to utilise them. Whilst we caution against keyword stuffing in all forms of content, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to include your keywords as often as possible (as long as it’s relevant). Additionally, try placing your keywords at the beginning and/or end of the ad copy for them to stand out more.

3) Grab attention

Create Amazing PPC Ad Copy Now. Did that catch your eye? Well, it’s certainly more attention grabbing than a roundabout, unclear piece of ad copy that doesn’t spark urgency or excitement. As unglamorous as your product or service may be, there’s always a way to make it sound like a fantastic opportunity that shouldn’t be passed up. Whether it’s a unique service that no one else provides, or a jaw-dropping discount, ad copy should highlight this in order to catch the attention of customers. Great PPC ad copy should be striking and captivating, enticing customers to purchase your product or service.

4) Use powerful vocabulary that appeals to emotions

You may be wondering – how do I write PPC ad copy that appeals to customers? It’s important to remember that it’s humans who you’re aiming to attract, not bots or computers. Therefore, what better way than to appeal to the uniquely human emotions of your audience? Try relating to a frustration or problem that customers may face, and provide them with a straightforward solution that’ll make their life much easier. This can include appealing to fears of missing or losing out – phrases such as ‘Don’t wait’ and ‘Save money/Save time’ are all effective in appealing to emotions. 

5) Reduce low-quality clicks

Because each click costs you money, it’s in your best interest to write ad copy that will attract high quality clicks: i.e., users who will convert. Although not entirely unpreventable, there are a few ways that you can adapt your ad copy in order to reduce the number of low quality clicks. Make sure that your ad copy answers any possible questions that customers may have. This ensures that if your product isn’t exactly what they’re looking for, they won’t click on your ad and cost you money. If your ad copy gives all the necessary information to potential customers, then there’s a higher likelihood that only those with genuine interest in making a purchase will click on the ad.

6) Don’t neglect ad extensions

There are a number of different ad extensions that can be used to expand on and improve your PPC ads. The type of ad extension you use will depend on the goals and achievements that your PPC is working towards. However, they can be very helpful for adding extra characters and segments to your ad copy, allowing you to fit in more important information and tools. If you use ad extensions, be sure to optimise these to the same high standard as the rest of your ad copy. This will enable you to generate more high quality leads. 

7) Research thoroughly

Research is essential for drafting impressive PPC ad copy. This encompasses both internal and external research. Before drafting your copy, you need to be sure of your own unique selling point, and any other important information about your product or service. It’s also vital to conduct thorough keyword research, and determine which keywords your services are best suited to, as well as which will generate the most value. 

However, research shouldn’t just stop here – ideally, it will be an ongoing task. Keep up to date with keywords and changes to your product to continue driving clicks and conversions. Plus, do some research into what competitors are doing, so you can keep up with the competition.

8) Remain customer focused

With incredibly fast and efficient Internet searches, consumers often want quick solutions at the snap of a finger. This means ad copy should focus on how this product will benefit the customer, rather than the characteristics of your company. For example, customers may be looking for free perks, discounts, next day delivery, and more features. They may not want to know how your company functions, but what they do want to know is how this can benefit them. Avoid words like ‘I’ and ‘us’, and instead place all of the focus on the customer with words such as ‘you’, ‘easy’, ‘fast’, etc.

9) Include a call to action

Sometimes, customers need an extra nudge to make the first steps towards a purchase. A call to action (CTA) encourages customers to take action and lets them know what exactly you want them to do. This can be anything from enquiries to making a purchase – essentially, the actions that will best fulfil your goals. CTAs in PPC ad copy differ slightly from the sorts that you may see in blog posts or on social media, as they need to be shorter and more urgent. Oftentimes, a CTA in PPC ad copy can simply be ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Subscribe Today’. Although short and sweet, these words can point customers in the right direction and drive conversions. 

10) Make sure ad copy is harmonious with the landing page

Customers don’t like to be misled, so it’s essential that your ad copy and subsequent landing page match up. For example, don’t advertise free delivery in your ad copy if this isn’t offered on your product’s page. Not only will people be disheartened from purchasing, but this click will waste money since a user will likely exit straight out of the page. So, ensure that your ad copy accurately represents the information on your landing page, and vice versa. This also has the added benefit of increasing your ad’s quality from Google’s perspective, increasing its relevance. 

11) Utilise your display URL

Although a URL is mistaken by some as simply a technical asset, it can be very helpful for selling your ad to users. By including keywords in your ad’s URL, the product or service you are advertising will seem much more relevant and trustworthy, tempting more users to click through. Having keywords that represent customers’ search intent can reassure them that you are offering the information they want to find.

There’s a lot that goes into crafting the best possible PPC ad copy for your business, which is why busy individuals often benefit from hiring a PPC agency to do the heavy lifting for them. If you’d like to find out more about the services we offer as a digital marketing agency, get in touch.

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