Effective Ad Writing

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Effective Ad Writing Landing Pages

• Online Revealed, May 29 2007

Christy ScottAccount Strategist cscott_at_google.com
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Agenda

• (1) Writing Effective Ads
• Account Structure
• Keyword Lists
• Creative Copy
• (2) Group Exercise
• (3) Effective Landing Pages
• High Impact Changes
• Google Website Optimizer

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Account Structure

• Manageable and Scalable

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Concentrate on Your Form!
Total budget Contract dates Billing info Login
password
Daily budget(s) Run dates Geographic
target(s) Language target(s) Syndication
preferences
Max CPCs
Match type CPCs (optional) URLs (optional)
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Group Keywords for Better Copy
Its not always which ad works best, its which
ad works best with which set of keywords

• Why Use Ad Groups?
• Allows for tighter, more relevant creative ad
  copy
• More precise ads mean more qualified clicks and
  lower CPA
• Facilitates campaign management expansion
• Enables creative testing/seasonal pushes
• Improves content targeting performance

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Ad Group Structure (contd.)
Ad Group Hawaii Vacation Packages
hawaii family package air and hotel
hawaii honeymoon in hawaii hawaii package
deal hawaii honeymoon package hawaii vacation
package vacation with kids hawaii
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Keyword List

• Comprehensive Coverage and Relevant

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Robust and Targeted Keyword List

• Produce a relevant and targeted keyword list
• Avoid too many broad keywords
• Choose specific and relevant keywords
• By including more specific terms you increase the
  chances of user clicks translating into sales
• Include brand terms
• Running on your brand terms will help you capture
  search traffic with high conversion rates
• Include plurals, spelling variations, and
  synonyms
• Try to anticipate common search variations

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Keywords Match Type
Exact
Ad appears only if query matches keyword
exactlywith no extra wordsword order respected
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Writing Ad Copy

• Clear and Compelling

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Creatives Basic Format

• Headline (Line 1)
• Limit 25 characters including spaces
• Content Company name or ad title
• Description Line 1 (Line 2)
• Limit 35 characters including spaces
• Content Key message or call to action
• Description Line 2 (Line 3)
• Limit 35 characters including spaces
• Content Key message or call to action
• Display URL
• Limit 35 characters including spaces
• Content Display URL - cannot be replaced with
  ad copy

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Reflect the Query in the Ad Text
Catch the users eye by making sure your
headlines match the keywords.
Vacation in Hawaii Great deals on Hawaii
Packages. Take a virtual tour online
now! Love2Travel.ca
Beach all inclusive
Beach All InclusiveGreat deals on Hawaii
Packages. Take a virtual tour online
now! Love2Travel.ca
Matching terms show up in bold text on the Google
results page.
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Writing Effective Ad Copy

• Feature the search query within the ad copy
• Be concise, but grab the users attention
• Test different value-adds and features
• Keep the goal in mind, and direct users towards
  that goal
• Aim for a sense of urgency, but stay away from
  the hard-sell
• Tie in to offline messaging
• Refresh messaging on a continual basis

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Dynamic Keyword Insertion
Keyword
Creative
Hawaii vacation package
KeyWordVacation in HawaiiVirtual tours
customer reviews. Get insider info on Hawaii
today! Love2Travel.ca
The default is required to replace keywords that
exceed 25 characters. Please include even if
you have keywords under 25 characters.
Displays As
Hawaii Vacation PackageVirtual tours customer
reviews. Get insider info on Hawaii
today! Love2Travel.ca
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Creatives Dynamic Keyword Insertion

• When Not to Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion
• If your ad groups are specific enough
• - You can achieve a targeted headline with
  static text
• Static text enables you to control your ads
  professional appearance - Avoid unnecessary
  abbreviations, awkward syntax, misspellings or
  adjectives you dont want associated with your
  brand (e.g. cheap)
• Can also lead to your ad blending in with others

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Test Multiple Creatives

• Write multiple creatives (3 or 4 max) and use
  concrete data to pick the best performer
• Placement of creative elements
• Brand name in headline vs. in lines 2 or 3
• Alternative wording
• Special Discounts vs. Save now
• Different emphases
• Promotional offers vs. product detail
• Branded vs. un-branded message

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Group Exercise
Lets Write Some Ads!
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Landing Pages
Turn Clicks Into Conversions
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First Impressions are Everything

• A visitor to your landing page decides whether or
  not to stay within 8 seconds.
• As many as 50 of users bail after just a
  glance.
• Users are asking themselves
• Am I in the right place?
• Does this place match what I was hoping to see?
• Should I bother reading or click away
  immediately?
• According to MarketingSherpas Landing Page
  Handbook How to Increase Conversions, February
  05.

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Selecting Landing Pages
Keyword caribbean cruises prices
Provide users with the content they were led to
expect by the creative
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High-Impact Changes

• Avoid using home pages or all-inclusive,
  multi-purpose landing pages
• Create specific landing pages for top search
  terms
• Headline should match AdWords ad
• Make copy look easy to read short paragraphs
  emphasize key phrases large font
• Tie headline into call to action

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Google Website Optimizer
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Test any Section of Your Page
Test a headline
Test an image
?
?
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Test Multiple Combinations
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Test Multiple Combinations
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Test Multiple Combinations
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Website Optimizer Product Benefits

• Free multivariate platform
• Single tool integrated into AdWords
• Works with all traffic to your Website (not just
  AdWords traffic)
• Works with all site analytics solutions
• Detailed graphical reports
• Self-service tool that does not require
  consulting or professional services to implement
• Once the tags are implemented, marketers have
  full control of the testing and creatives
• Allows site visitors to determine what content is
  most useful, as indicated by the highest
  conversion rate.

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Straightforward Setup Process
Step 1 Identify experiment pages Step 2
Add tags to experiment pages (might require
technical help from a Webmaster) Step 3 Enter
your different marketing messages and
creatives Step 4 Launch
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Detailed Graphical Reporting

• Reports are available in two formats
• Combinations Tab rates and reports on each
  combination
• Page Sections Tab rates the relevance of each
  page section and measures the results of
  univariate variations

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Wrap-up

• Key Takeaways

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Effective Ad Writing Landing Pages

• Creatives
• Customize creative to search query
• Keep the goal in mind, and direct users towards
  that goal
• Campaign Structure
• Mirroring your site structure makes management
  more intuitive
• Tight ad groups provide better performance
• Keyword List
• Ensure that you are covering all your product
  categories
• More relevant keywords may provide higher
  conversions, though volume may potentially be
  lower
• Landing Pages
• Creative specific landing pages for high value
  keywords
• Headline should match messaging in adwords ad

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AdWords Online Coursework
The Learning Center
For more information, visit http//www.google.com
/adwords/learningcenter/
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Effective Ad Copy Landing Pages
Online Revealed, May 29 2007

• Thank You

Christy ScottAccount Strategist cscott_at_google.com