Improving click-through-rates is an essential part of any successful pay-per-click campaign. High CTRs can lead to additional revenue and profit. In AdWords, higher CTR ads are also more likely to receive a good quality score which can substantially lower the cost of traffic. Here are 7 simple ways you can improve your ad click-through-rate.
1) Keywords in the ads
This is actually a two way process. Keywords in the ads are important because they improve the relevancy of the ad, and any matching keyword in the ad will appear in bold text. However, to be able to effectively place keywords into the ad copy you have to create small ad groups that are tightly focused around a common keyword, otherwise it simply will not work.
2) Dynamic Keyword Insertion
Dynamic keyword insertion, also known as DKI, is a feature that allows the user to have the ad copy return the most relevant keyword being typed into the search engine.
Generally DKI is used in the headline, but it can also be used in the body of the ad.
Let’s say you own a clothing store and offer shirts in different varieties. You have an ad group with the following keywords:
- White shirts
- Black shirts
- Medium shirts
- Large Shirts
- Sleeveless Shirts
You can then write an ad utilizing dynamic keyword insertion that looks like this:
Buy {KeyWord:Quality Shirts}
{KeyWord:Quality Shirts} On Sale.
Free shipping on all orders!
www.exampleclothingstore.com
Now when someone types “white shirts” into Goolge, your ad will replace the keyword insertion tag with that particular keyword. If they type in “large shirts” then it will show that keyword in the ad copy instead.
If the keyword is too long for the ad, then the dynamic tag will insert the predefined default text, in this example it would be “Quality Shirts”.
By having the ad reflect the most relevant search query, you can improve your CTR considerably. If you aren’t already using DKI then give it a try and split test it against a static ad to see which performs better.
To learn more about keyword insertion click here.
3) Call to action
A simple call to action can have a significant impact on click-through-rates. Does your ad have one?
Here are a few simple call-to-actions you can try:
- Contact us
- Buy now
- Order today
- Call today
- Join us
- Sign up now
4) Utilize the display URL field
The display field does not have to be the exact URL of your landing page, only the root domain. This means that you can put words after the slash that can be an extension of your ad. I sometimes utilize this area by adding a call to action or by adding a keyword that reflects the search query.
Here is an example:
Buy Quality Shirts Now
Quality Shirts On Sale.
Free shipping on all orders!
exampleclothingstore.com/buy-now
Or
Buy Quality Shirts Now
Quality Shirts On Sale.
Free shipping on all orders!
exampleclothingstore.com/quality-shirts
Don’t be afraid to get creative with these. This is an easy way to improve the CTR on your ad.
5) Add the location to the ad
If you’re running local campaigns then adding the location to your ad copy can give you a significant boost in click-throughs. Even if you are running a country wide campaign, you should test adding in the name of the country. Use abbreviations to maximize the limited space in your ad. You can even try putting in the location into the display URL.
6) Capitalize all first letters
This is pretty straight forward. Most PPC platforms will not let you capitalize all the letters in an ad, however, you can do the next best thing and capitalize the first letter of every word. This will make your ad copy stand out. Test it out and see what kind of boost you get!
7) One up your competitors
Do a search for the keywords you’re targeting. Take a look at your competitors’ ads, especially those ranking near the top. What are they offering? What kind of call to action do they have? What other things are they doing with their ad copy that might make it appealing to click on? Once you answer these questions, try and implement some of the same techniques and strategies, but try to add something that will make your ad even better.
It’s important to avoid copy and pasting any messaging your competitor has. Furthermore, make sure you’re not misleading the user by making claims that you can’t actually follow through on.
