Top 12 Tips To Writing Effective
Google AdWords Select Ads
by
Michael Wong
In this article I show you my top
twelve tips for creating effective
Google
AdWords Select ads.
I've been testing the Google pay per
click advertising system for a while, with much success. These tips
will help you create ads that generate higher click through rates, and
lower cost per click.
1. Target The Right Audience
Target the right audience by
selecting the language and countries that you want to target. For
example, I exclude all countries where English is not understood by a
large percentage of the population.
2. Refine Your Keywords
Use square brackets "[...]"
around your keyword/s.
For example:
[google]
[google adwords]
Your ad will only show when the search
is for the exact keyword phrase you have included within the brackets.
The ad will not show for searches that
include other keywords. In our example, this would be for searches
such as "google search," or "google news."
3. Test Multiple Ads Simultaneously
Always test 2 (or more) ads
simultaneously. This is what is known in the print industry as an A/B
split test.
Find out which one produces the higher
click through ratio. Then replace the weaker performing ad with a new
one.
Continue this process in your
never-ending quest to get the highest click through ratio possible.
4. Track The Return-On-Investment Of
Each Ad
Google tracks the click through
ratio of each ad. But it doesn't track the conversion ratio.
Use a special tracking link in each ad
to track its conversion ratio. For example, you could attach each ad
with an affiliate tracking system link. Make sure each ad produces a
return-on-investment.
5. Include Targeted Keywords In Your
Ad
Include the targeted keywords
in the headline and the description of the ad. Google will highlight
searched keywords in bold in the ad.
When people scan search results, they
look for the keywords they have entered. Searched keywords highlighted
in bold certainly help to catch the user's attention. For this reason,
ads with searched keywords usually perform better than ones without.
6. Sell The Benefits
Spell out one or more major
benefit in your ad. For example, make more money, stay younger
looking, lose weight, get healthier, live happier, etc.
7. Include Attention Grabbing Words
In Your Ad
Start your headline with an
attention grabbing word. For example, "Free:, New:, Sale:, etc." Make
sure you stay within
Google's editorial guidelines.
8. Use Words That Provoke Emotion &
Enthusiasm
Use power words or
call-to-action phrases that provoke emotion, enthusiasm and a
response.
Here are some examples of power words:
free, cheap, sale, special offer, time
limited offer, tricks, you, tips, enhance, discover, fact, learn, at
last, free shipping, etc.
Here are some examples of
call-to-action phrases:
- Buy Today - Save 50%
- Download Free Trial Now
- Sale Ends Tomorrow
Make sure the phrase specific to your
business, otherwise Google may reject the phrase.
9. Sell Your USP (Unique Selling
Proposition)
What makes your product or
service better, or different, from the competition? Spell them out in
your ad.
For example, one of Amazon.com's first
taglines was "Earth's Biggest Bookstore." That's a powerful USP!
10. Link To Relevant Landing Pages
If an ad is for a specific
product or service, create a landing page for the ad. Include relevant
and useful information to convert the customer. Generally, a well
designed landing page will almost always convert more visitors than if
you simply sent the visitor to the home page.
11. Remove Common Words
Remove common words, such as
"a, an, in, on, it, of, etc." Remove every word that does not
absolutely need to be in the ad. Make every word count.
12. Deter Freebie Hunters
Deter freebie hunters by
including the price of the product or service at the end of the ad.
This will improve your overall conversion ratio and lower your average
customer acquisition cost.
This may reduce your click through
ratio, but that's OK. After all, you're not trying to target
everybody, only potential customers. In most cases, freebie hunters
will never become paying customers.
Conclusion
Remember that advertising is a
never-ending series of tests. Always track your ads. Never stop
testing different keywords and ads to improve your conversion ratio
and lower your customer acquisition cost.
Advertising in
Google's
AdWords Select advertising system works. It may not necessarily
produce as many visitors as Overture, but the click through cost can
be lower.
Master the art of advertising in
Google, and you could outsmart the competitor who's always outbidding
you in Overture.
Michael Wong is a
search engine optimization specialist, and
author of several search engine books.
http://www.SearchEngineOptimizationStrategies.com
Mike is also the Editor of Mike's Marketing Tools. Visit his web site at:
http://www.Mikes-Marketing-Tools.com
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