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Why Pay Per Click is the Copywriters Biggest Contest

ppc-campaign-managementMany use pay per click (PPC) campaigns to drive fresh leads to their site, and well they should, it is a quick and easy way to do just that.  What many don’t realize is the little ads one writes serve as one of the greatest competitions on the web.  Copywriters aren’t typically known as being fiercely competitive, but obviously everyone wants a great return on investment when handling their PPC campaign management.  Good news is PPC search engines reward the best performing ads with higher rankings, more qualified traffic, and at a better price.  The bottom line, the better the ad the more likely you’ll get clicks (and sales) for less money.  In this post, I’ll share 3 components of a good PPC advertisement.

Why Pay Per Click is the Copywriters Biggest Contest

Great Headline

ppc-campaign-management

It’s important catch the attention of the reader so they might read more.  The headline is the first thing searchers see when looking at an ad.  A great headline should engage the reader and encourage them to read on.

In the screenshot there are several ads.  Which headline (blue text) do you find most compelling?  To be fair, it really doesn’t matter what we as marketers think, it isn’t about us, it is about what the market responds to.  I think there is a reason that two identical headlines appear twice for this key phrase (organic food).  What are your impressions?

Great Subhead with CTA

It’s important to motivate the reader to read the ad.  The subhead should offer something to the reader, again, to engage them and encourage them to click, or read on.  The first ad does that quite well, the call to action is subtle, offering answers to questions.  Others are talking about products, or saving money, the last ad seems irrelevant altogether!

Great Domain Name

A solid domain name is great.  The Google adwords campaign now mandates that the domain name displayed in the ads must be the domain name the landing page is served from (not automatically taking them to another page). I am not sure if this is the case on other popular ad networks (chime in with a comment below if you know). While this may create some limitations, it is a great way to brand your domain, while offering an intriguing directory, or page name.

One opportunity that is missed in many ads, is using a clever sub-domain to build relevance and/or intrigue.  Notice only two of the ads offer a sub-directory, and one is bolded as it is a word in my search phrase (organic food).  It stands out, and is rewarded for having the word in the display link.

Lower Cost

While it typically costs more to get a higher position with your PPC campaign, what newbies often don’t realize is that, as ads perform better, they get higher placement and the cost actually falls as the search engines reward you for delivering relevance to its searchers.  This is a great motivator to write great copy!

As you consider your next PPC campaign, remember, it is a contest. Look for examples of great headlines that aim to catch the attention of the reader, compelling sub-headlines and call to action.  Lastly, use an intriguing domain name and/or directory name as the final bait for searchers to click through.  If you win this contest, you’ll get a better understanding of your market, while increasing qualified traffic at less cost.  That is a great combination by any standard.

Agree? Your thoughts?  Chat it up with your comments below . . .

image credit to davichi

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View Comments to “ Why Pay Per Click is the Copywriters Biggest Contest”

  1. AmandaNo Gravatar on April 21st, 2009 7:16 am

    Honestly I haven’t had a great deal of luck with ppc yet…maybe if I try some of these tips I’ll have a better shot. Thanks for planting new seeds in my head!

    • Travis CampbellNo Gravatar on April 21st, 2009 8:20 am

      Amanda-

      Thanks for stopping by. You aren’t alone, many are afraid of loosing money, but I think that is the wrong mindset. It’s important to go forward with a plan, measure, and improve from there.

  2. David HardinNo Gravatar on April 22nd, 2009 1:29 pm

    You make an excellent point here Travis. So many marketers labor long and hard over their content, only to see their efforts come to little or nothing due to a poorly worded ad.
    A PPC ad is basically a 12 word article where Every Word Counts!

    More articles like this one, please.

    • Travis CampbellNo Gravatar on April 22nd, 2009 2:17 pm

      Thanks for take on this David. I suspect you know a thing or two about words? :-) Now if I could just recommend a good copywriting course!

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Hi, my name is Travis Campbell, I operate this site. I'm here to share what I can from my lessons marketing online. With sizeable investments in continuing education, various software products and services, I have had some winners, and some losers. One way I can extend what I've learned is by writing about it, here... and helping you along the way.

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