What makes an effective ad?

What makes an effective ad?

What can make your ad stand out from all the others? There is no magic formula, but there are some things you can do that will help. Here we'll present some tips for writing compelling ads that target the right customers. Using these ideas you can help increase your click-through rate (CTR) as well as help improve that very important quality score and your campaign ROI. To learn more, see Quality score and quality impact in depth and How do I improve my ad campaign performance?

Here are some things to do:

• Keep your ads relevant. One way to improve relevance is to use your customers' most popular search query keywords in your ad titles and text.
• Create multiple ads in an ad group. Each ad group can contain as many as 100 ads (including both active and paused ads), which Microsoft Advertising displays in an even rotation. To learn which words and phrases are most compelling to your target audience, try experimenting with a variety of ad titles and text. After you've identified your most effective ad or two in terms of CTR and conversions, you can help maximize your campaign ROI by deleting the other ads from the ad group.
• Describe what sets your product apart. This is just Advertising 101. Why do customers buy your product? Does it solve a problem? Does it help save time or money? Or, does it have unique features or qualities? For example, if your product is available in many more colors than the competition can offer, you might mention color choices in your ad.
• Use your customers' language. Research the age group and gender of your typical audience, and then use that insight to write your ads. Use words and a writing tone that are likely to attract your typical customer.
• Address your customers directly. Use the words "you" or "your" in your ads so that you are speaking directly to them. You know what we're talking about.
• Pre-qualify your visitors. Use words in your ads that help attract true potential customers. For example, if you offer only high-end products, stay away from words like discount, bargain, and cheap. Be clear in your ad who your products are for. This can save you money by eliminating clicks that are not likely to convert to sales.
• Be specific. The clearer and more specific your offering, the better. For example, rather than "big discounts," specify an exact percentage, such as "50% off."
• Include a call to action. Give customers a reason to click your ad right now. Offer a specific call to action, such as encouraging customers to request a brochure or consultation, download a free e-book, subscribe to a newsletter, or take advantage of a limited-time discount.
• List the price of your product or service. If your product or service is competitively priced, consider featuring the price in your ad. To help ensure that your ad gets approved, make sure that the ad links to a landing page that includes both the product (or service) and the price.

What to avoid:

• Random capitalization. For example, “Find GREAT deals on sWiMsUiTs.”
• Excessive punctuation. For example, “Great deals on swimsuits!!!! 50% off all styles!!!”
• Gimmicky spelling and jargon. For example, “Tell your friends to git their swimsuitz here.”
• Misleading customers in your ad or landing page. For example, “All items 20% off.” When only some of the items on the landing page URL you’re linking to are 20% off.

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