Questions On Ppc Copywriting Options

[copywriter]

I'm doing a little research for a project and wondered what questions/struggles (if any) you have regarding writing PPC ads.

(I know this could also go in the copywriting forum, but I have a reason for posting it here.)

Thanks!

[nethy]

Actually i was just on about that on a different thread.
Basically its about whether to optimise for ctr or for conversion & the problmwith testing both at the same time.
link

[copywriter]

Yes, that is a good thread, but it doesn't deal specifically with writing copy. I was looking for questions pertaining just to the topic of writing PPC ads.

[MaKa]

I've just written a bunch of ads over several groups for a couple of clients. The main issue I have is conveying all the qualifiers to targeted the right audience and then also squeeze in a good call to action in the available 25+70 characters.

The good thing with writing for the major networks (Google/Yahoo) you can create a bunch of advertorials and see which ones perform best. When I just started writing PPC ads years ago, I sometimes got sentimental about the advertorials I'd written when they where performing badly - I'd let it run for just another week to see whether it started doing better. Now it's much easier to cut a bad performing advertorial. This could be because I tend to write advertorials quicker now and don't spend half an hour on each individual one any more.

[copywriter]

The main issue I have is conveying all the qualifiers to targeted the right audience and then also squeeze in a good call to action in the available 25+70 characters.

That is a pain! I've started to rely on shorter words and commonly known abbreviations in my ads. And punctuation? Sometimes I use it, sometimes not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol.gif) If I'm at 26 characters and there's a period at the end of my sentence, the period goes!

And yes, I completely understand about having an emotional connection to your work. I used to do that, too. Now, like you, if it stinks, it gets cut (IMG:style_emoticons/default/Whip.gif)

[MaKa]

I've started to rely on shorter words and commonly known abbreviations in my ads.

Do you find that a lot of abbreviations do not make it through the editorial checks? I've don't use them often, because I tend to think that they will be declined, but that may be something that doesn't happen that often any more...

And punctuation? Sometimes I use it, sometimes not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol.gif) If I'm at 26 characters and there's a period at the end of my sentence, the period goes!

I guess you're writing mainly Google Ads. I got really really frustrated the other day adding an ad to the Yahoo system. I managed to write the "perfect" ad of exactly 70 characters, and every time I clicked submit it said something like: maximum ad text allowed 70 characters 70/70. Yes, but my ad is exactly 70 characters!!! I was all ready to write a really annoyed message to Yahoo support when I found out that Yahoo automatically ads punctuation at the end of your ad if you haven't done so yourself! - They could have let me know in the error message, it would have saved me some frustration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[copywriter]

Yes, you do what to watch the abbreviations, but words like "info" instead of "information" and whatnot I've used with no problems. But no, I'd never use an abbreviation that I thought would compromise the message.

I didn't know Yahoo! added punctuation automatically. Since I'm a copywriter and not a PPC account manager, I don't implement the ads. I just write them. I've never had a client tell me to rewrite one so I guess I've gotten lucky with the punctuation (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Or either, like you said, they only ran them on Google.

It is a puzzle. You have to consider your audience, their stage in the buying process, the call to action (buy, search, etc.), any specific offers and do it all in 70 characters or less (plus a headline). A thesaurus is my best friend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hug.gif)

[nethy]

Yes, that is a good thread, but it doesn't deal specifically with writing copy. I was looking for questions pertaining just to the topic of writing PPC ads.

The difficluty I was refering to was deciding what to target when writing an ad. Conversions? CTR? High value sales?

[MaKa]

A thesaurus is my best friend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hug.gif)

I tend to focus on the best performing key phrases and try to incorporate those into the ads (to achieve higher CTRs). Unfortunately a thesaurus isn't much help there because only the key phrases get highlighted in the ads, but then I'm not a professional copywriter and rolled into SEM from a more technical background.

[copywriter]

No, not for finding keyphrases, but for finding shorter words that work as well as longer ones! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/goodjob.gif)

[sassyt]

My experiences are very similar. It is a struggle to draw up PPC text ads, which include all the good qualities a good text ad should, and saying what needs to be said, in such a restricted number of characters!

I'm working on a project right now in fact, and it's proving to be one of the most difficult ever! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sosad.gif)

I don't usually find myself using a thesaurus though. (hmm perhaps that's an idea!) I usually have specific keywords which I need to really squeeze in there. Then it's just a matter of juggling around the other words, and finding understandable abbreviations to use, and hopefully that will make it work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/juggle.gif)

[copywriter]

So what would make writing the ads easier? Examples? A list of short words (few characters)?

Are you trying to put the keyphrase in the headline and the description or just the headline?

[nethy]

I think Writing ppc ads is actually an excellent excersise for copywriters & merchants in writing short.
They are so in to their offerings (hopefully) that they think they need a book to explain it. Consumers want you to make your point in two seconds.

"Strict & Serious rehab clinic"
Not

"Our philosophy about the road to recovery is rooted in the teachings of numerous traditions found in religius societies as distant as modern Japanese Zen centres, early Franco-Norman Catholic monesteries & Indegenous Australian tribal groups......"

Your best prospects are reading it going "I wonder how strict & serious they are?"

ppc makes it staigtforward and unforgiving
Ads that say more don't necessarily get more clicks
ads that beat around the bush usualy get very few clicks

[sassyt]

So what would make writing the ads easier? Examples? A list of short words (few characters)?

Are you trying to put the keyphrase in the headline and the description or just the headline?

Examples would definitely help! Having something to look at to and point you in the right direction when you are out of idea would definitely help.
And so would a list of short words/phrases.

Myself, I try adding the keyword/keyphrase in both the title and the description... I really find that doing so increases the CTR (not in all cases, but most). However I do not stick by this is a golden rule, sometimes you have to adjust depending on what needs to be said.

What would help is more characters! But that not gonna happen is it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/girl_cray2.gif)

[copywriter]

What would help is more characters!

I agree!

Yes, I also use the keyphrase in the headline especially whenever possible. Although I have found in cases where everybody else is using the headline, all that bold has a counter effect. It makes your ad LESS able to stand out. There are rare occasions where I purposely don't use the keyphrase in order to make the physical appearance of the ad more noticeable. But 98% of the time I use the keyphrase.