6 Tips for Optimizing Your Search Engine Ad Copy

Search ads are small advertisements that show up on a search engine search result when someone performs a search for a product or related words. These ads are displayed above or below the top ranking results. Search ads have a headline at the top of the ad (25 characters), your link under it (35 characters shown and 255 characters total), and a short description of your offer under that (35 characters per line). The headline should use keywords describing what your product or company offers and should capture the reader’s attention. Here are some tips for making the most of your ad space and standing out form the competition.

1. Use a Special Offer
Including a special offer in you ad will make it more likely that customers will click your ad. Some examples of offers you can use are free shipping, a free trial, or free returns. Also, use numbers to help your ads stand out. For example, you might write “40% off purchase”, which looks like a great deal. You might also include statistics, rankings, or reviews. Also use action words that compel people to take action and click the ad.

2. Include Keywords
Include at least one keyword in your ad that is related to what you are offering. For example, if you sell dresses, you might include the keyword “colorful dresses.”  The keywords that customers search for will be bolded in the ad. Google suggests using 5 to 20 keywords per ad group.

3. Mention What Makes You Different
Include benefits or perks that your brand offers that make you stand out from the competition. For example, if you are a hotel, you might mention that you offer free Wi-Fi, free breakfast and have a nice pool and Jacuzzi. Look at the ads of your competition to see how you can stand out.

4. Using Landing Pages with Search Ads
You can use the URL option in the ad to add a link to a landing page. Make sure that the landing page you lead people to matches what you are offering in your ad and that your landing pages are optimized for both desktop and mobile users. Also make sure that the offers you use are up to date and have not expired.

5. Making Your Ads Specifically Targeted
It is best to make your ads as tailored to your target audience as possible. For example, your target audience may be women with size 11, wide, feet. Then you would not want to advertise size 9 shoes to those women. Google’s Customer Match tool can help you to customize your ads. It lets you target your ads to specific users and personalize the copy that users see.

6. Testing Your Ads
Test the elements of your ads to make sure that they appeal to your audience. You can test keywords, offers, targeting, language, and calls to action to create the best ads possible. Even small changes such as punctuation, word order, or vocabulary can make a big difference in conversions.