June 2013 Web Extra: 5 killer PPC ad tips and ad copy worksheet
In the June 2013 issue of Landscape Management, we offered a beginner’s guide to Green Industry pay-per-click marketing. Here, we offer more tips and an ad copy worksheet.
1. Organize your keywords well and your ads will write themselves.
Writing great ads starts with great organization of your keywords. Personally, I create a master list of all my keywords in Excel then begin to group them together into smaller groups in the next column. After several times of thinning my groups, there are only three to five keywords in each grouping. From there, you can easily incorporate all the keywords in your group into your ad, improving its relevance and increasing your ad’s success.
| Original group of keywords | Three newly refined groups of keywords | ||
| Patio installPaver companies
Installing patio Paver installs Installing pavers Patio companies |
Patio installInstalling patio | Paver installsInstalling pavers | Paver companiesPatio companies |
2. Remember: Stand apart from your competition.
What separates you from your competition? Is it the fact that you’re local or are your technicians all certified? There are reasons your customers choose you over your competition, and these are things that you should advertise. Review the ads that are showing next to your ads and be different.
Examples:
“Columbus’ local lawn care provider”
“An authorized Unilock installer”
3. Show “What’s in it for me?”
Often advertisers overlook the most important person in the equation when creating ads: the consumer. It’s necessary to tell the searcher what they’ll get by clicking on your ad. Is it a free estimate or just valuable information? Depending on the type of product you’re selling, the right call to action can drive consumers to your website in droves.
Examples:
“Get a Free Instant Estimate”
“Download Our Free Patio Idea Book”
4. Offer intriguing specials and use offers in ads.
You don’t have to give your product away to create intriguing offers to use in your ads. Often the best performers for pay-per-click ads are those that contain offers for informational downloads. We live in a society where consumers often look for a strong offer when shopping for products or services. Not including one in your ads could leave you missing out on possible customers.
Examples:
“Save 20% With Our Spring Special!”
“Save $200 On a Patio Installation”
5. Convey the benefits of using your product.
It’s important to state the benefit your product or service offers to consumers if they use it. How will your service improve their home or business? Will it increase their property value or will it enhance their personal enjoyment? Benefits evoke an emotional response, creating a strong reaction to your products and services. By focusing on these benefits you can showcase how buying your product will improve someone’s life.
Example:
“Create Your Backyard Oasis”
“A Great Patio for Entertaining Friends”
About the Author: Shaun Kanary
Kanary is Director of Demand Generation for Kuno Creative, a digital marketing agency. A member of the green industry for the past 20 years, he has consulted with green industry companies throughout the U.S. and gives marketing lectures at several industry conferences every year. Kanary is also an adjunct professor of marketing at Baldwin Wallace University and a Certified Google Adwords and Analytics Individual.Subscribe to Landscape Management
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