Best Practices for Better PPC Copywriting

Depending on how you approach it, a PPC campaign can be highly lucrative or a complete waste of time. More often than not, the difference lies in nothing more than the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the ad text. 

Irrespective of how prominently your PPC ads are positioned, they’ll come to nothing without effective copy. There’s no silver bullet solution for writing the perfect PPC ad, but there are several helpful tips and techniques that can steer things in the right direction.

The most effective of all being as follows:

1.  Carefully consider your market’s requirements

Try to avoid the unfortunate habit of talking about your business in your ad copy. Instead, focus on the requirements of the reader. Make it immediately clear how you can and will solve their problems, if they go ahead and click the ad.

2. Speak to them directly

It can also be useful to address your audience directly, using words like ‘your’ and ‘you’ to grab their attention. It’s a simple case of giving the impression you’re speaking to them on a one-to-one basis, which makes them feel important, valued and empowered to take action.

3. Include emotional triggers

Boring and uninspiring ad copy is the worst copy you can pen. At the opposite end of the scale, emotive copy that triggers some kind of emotional reaction is the most engaging and compelling copy of all. Desire, envy, anxiety, fear of missing out - all surprisingly simple to leverage with your PPC ad copy. 

4. Use numbers to your advantage

Percentage discounts, new low prices, the number of satisfied customers you’ve served, five-star ratings collected to date - all quickly and powerfully communicated in simple numbers. On a subconscious level, most consumers trust and respond to numbers more powerfully and instinctively than standard textual copy. 

5. Consider the competition

Take a look at how some of your most successful competitors are handling their PPC campaigns. Note their ad copy, compare it to your own and determine possible areas for improvement. Just don’t make the mistake of attempting to duplicate their ads - it won’t work in your favour.

6. Emphasise your USP

Whatever it is that makes your products, your services and/or your business unique, this should form the crux of your ad copy. What makes you different? Why are you better than your competitors? Why should they trust you? Avoid anything generic and focus on what makes your offer unique and irresistible. 

7. Use local lingo

If you’re focusing on one specific locality, it simply makes sense to tailor your ads accordingly. Make it clear that you’re a local business, using local references and even terminology to build a sense of familiarity and trust. 

8. Use creative CTAs

Last but not least, the vast majority of consumers have become desensitised to generic CTAs. Hence, the classics such as ‘Call Now’ rarely instil any real sense of urgency. Instead, try getting creative with more influential verbs - Join, Save, Start, Get, Receive, Build and so on. Use CTAs that communicate some kind of value for those who go ahead and take action.