When people think about optimizing their paid search campaigns, I suspect that they tend to focus on keyword generation and bidding strategies. But ad creative is one of the easiest things to test and small changes can make a big difference to results.
Here are ten ideas of ways to get your search copy to work that little bit harder. This is adapted from my chapter in the IAB's Advanced Search Handbook, which I think should be appearing this month or next.
1 Borrow from offline.
Got a great offline strapline? Use it as your headline – none of your competitors can do that.
2 Use seasonality.
"Don’t wait for the cold snap to get your winter coat." "Give your finances a spring-clean"
3 Use time-limited offers.
If the discount only runs through July, or while stocks last, point that out. It’s a great reason for the searcher to click your ad.
4 Get under the skin of the customer.
Who is the most likely person to buy your product? Write for them. "Had a new baby? It’s time to think about life insurance."
5 Test dynamic keyword insertion.
This is a great tool that lets you automatically insert the search term matched against a user’s search into your copy. Normally ads that include the search term will perform better. Ebay is a good example of a company that uses this technology effectively.
6 Test regional copy.
If you are targeting a location, use that in your copy. "Lowest car insurance prices in Liverpool".
7 Test time / day specific copy.
You may be choosing to show your ads on certain days or at certain times of day. Don’t ignore the creative possibilities: "Phew, it’s Friday!"
8 Ask a question.
You probably don’t have time to spell out all the benefits of your products – but you can always ask a question instead. "Why Xendoc rendering is better".
9 Be emotive.
"Mother’s Day Gifts" versus "Don’t forget Mother’s Day".
10 Choose the right call to action.
Even tiny differences in call-to-action copy… ‘Find out more’, ‘Enter now’, ‘Buy now’ or ‘Sign up now’ can all make a difference.
