I’m going to come right out and say it—writing PPC ads is a drag. It’s tough enough to dream up creative, attention-grabbing messages and doubly painful when you realize that your copy teeters over the allotted character limit.
In a recent bout of PPC ad copy induced frustration, I had a revelation—rather than reinventing the wheel, maybe it’d be more worthwhile to play copycat and riff off ads that we already know work. I chopped up these ad templates line by line and landed up with enough possible variations to create 288 different ads.
Next time you find yourself dreading PPC ad creation, turn to these “tried and true” ad combos. All you need to do is mix and match from the sections below, plug in your product details and add in your URL. Voila, your PPC ads are complete!
Headline 1 (30 characters)
The first headline is your best opportunity to show searchers you have exactly what they’re looking for. Make no mistake: if a prospect reads one part of your ad copy, it’s the first headline. The key is that you don’t need to get super creative. Instead, you need to use a headline that is highly relevant to the search query. We recommend using high-volume keywords from your ad group to kick off the ad.
Pro-Tip: Always utilize title case (i.e. capitalize the first letter of every word, not just the first word) throughout your ad copy. Time and time again, this has proven to yield more clicks than sentence case.
Headline 2 (30 characters)
As we said, your first headline is the most important one—that’s the place to include crucial information (e.g., your target keyword). However, your second headline can still make a big difference in your ad’s CTR. By including your brand name, for example, you can capitalize on its recognizability and grab searchers’ attention.
Alternatively, you can build on the messaging of your first headline and augment your CTA with a sense of urgency. For example, if your first headline says, “Build Your Own Online Store,” you can enhance that with, “Start Your Free Trial Today.”
No matter which direction you take it, remember to always write your second headline as if there isn’t a third one. Your first and second headlines should be sufficient for an ad by themselves.
Headline 3 (30 characters)
There’s no guarantee that your third headline will show to a prospect. If a screen (such as a smartphone or a small tablet) is too small to display all 300 characters, your third headline is going to get axed. Again: not the place for your most crucial information.
This is a great opportunity to offer free shipping, two-day shipping, a 10% discount, and so on. Adding a great perk to a strong call to action and a trusted brand name is a recipe for PPC success.
Description line 1 (90 characters)
The first description line is your chance to prove to searchers why YOUR offering is more compelling than your competitors’ offerings. Identify your unique selling point and use this line to tout it.
Trust Us. You Don’t Want to Miss Out on Unforgettable, Award-Winning, and Affordable ________.
Your Search for ____ Ends Here. Treat Yourself! Get Your _____ In Two Days Flat.
We Offer a Diverse Range, Unbeatable Prices, and Service You’ll Never Forget.
What Are You Waiting For? Get Your ___ For Only $__ And Start ______ Today!
For Over ____ Years, Great Service Has Always Been Our Top Priority. And It Still Is!
Come Down Tonight and Have Some Fun! Enjoy One of Our Daily Specials, Starting At Only__.
Act Quickly! If You Order By _PM Tonight, We’ll Toss in _ Day Shipping for Free.
With Over __ Years of Experience, We’re the Experts You’re Looking For. Guaranteed.
Crazy Low Prices and Sensational Customer Service From Your Trusted Local Expert.
The Stylish ____ You’re Looking For Is In Stock. Low Prices For Limited Time. Come Get It!
Are You In Need of Help With ______? Look No Further! We’re the #1 _____ Experts.
We Guarantee Fabulous _____ At Prices We Challenge You to Find Somewhere Else.
Instantly Get the Quote You Need Starting At An Unbeatable $__. It’s That Easy!
We Provide Everything You Need For ______ In One Convenient Place You’ll Love.
Looking For Some Variety? We Offer More than __ Brands In Stock. See For Yourself!
Designed and Built Locally By the Team of Hometown Experts You Know and Love.
Pro-Tip: Google says you should end descriptions with periods.
Description line 2 (90 characters)
Use your second line of text to prime searchers to convert. By including a call to action in your ad, you’re telling users exactly what action you want them to take upon reaching your site.
Start Searching Now And We’ll Help You Find Your Perfect ____ In No Time At All!
First, You Search. Then, You Find. Next, You Fall in Love. Finally, You Download!
For a Limited Time Only, We’ll Charge No Fees on Your First Purchase. Take Advantage!
Ready to Get This Party Started Now? Get Your Instant Free Quote Online!
You Can Order Our Spectacular Expert Guide and Start Learning for Free Today!
Get Ready! You Can Begin Your Search for the _____ You Deserve Starting Now.
Stop Waiting Around! Give Us a Call Now to Learn More About Pricing and Info.
We Offer Phenomenal Service That’s Fast and Affordable. Call Us Today!
Come By Today and Shop For Over ___ Brand Names That You’ll Love Instantly.
We Guarantee Lightning Fast Shipping for Every Single Order. Buy Online Today!
Don’t Waste Another Minute! Book Now For Amazing Discounts! Limited-Time Offer.
You Gotta Hurry! Get Started Today For _ Days of Unlimited _____.
Your Tireless Search for _____ Ends Here. Try _____ Today For a Special Discount!
Don’t Even Bother. You Won’t Find a Deal Like This Anywhere Else. Book Now!
What Are You Waiting For? Register With Us Now and Get _____ Totally Free!
Out Limited Spots Are Filling Up Fast! Schedule Your Next Appointment Now.
Nobody Can Offer Service As Fun and Personal As Ours. Check Our Rave Reviews!
The Clock is Ticking! You Can’t Afford to Wait Any Longer. Get The Answers Now.
URL paths (two 15-character fields)
It’s important to remember that your display URL can be manipulated to drive more attention to your ad copy—it does not need to be a working URL. While the domain of your display URL must match the domain of your destination URL, you can add a unique combination of keywords after a slash to reinforce that you have a highly relevant landing page.
- www.yourwebsite.com/your-top-keywords
Destination URL (2,048 Characters)
This one is a no-brainer. Your destination URL is simply the dedicated landing page you’ve created for your ad group. The only time you may wish to customize this is if you’re using unique tracking codes.
- www.yourwebsite.com/your-actual-landing-page
Leverage ad extensions to make PPC ads even more powerful
Once you’ve constructed your ideal ad combos, take the time to set up ad extensions:
Sitelink extensions: Provide hyperlinks to different pages around your website.
Call extensions: Display your business’ phone number or provide a direct call button.
Location extensions: Display your business’ address and phone number.
Offer extensions: Provide a special offer directly to the user through your ad copy.
App extensions: Provide easy access to your business’ app through your ad copy.
These add-ons give you the opportunity to include additional information about your products and services alongside your PPC ads, helping you to stand out more prominently on the SERP. The best part is, they are super easy to set up and incur no additional costs to the advertiser.
Rules of thumb to keep in mind
As always, it’s important to ensure your PPC ad copy complies with Google policies. Reasons for ad disapprovals run the gamut, so I’ll caution you to the most common violations worth avoiding:
Use of excessive capitalization
Inclusion of copyrighted terms
Use of superlatives (that are not supported on your landing page)
Use of more than one exclamation point
Substitution of shorthand or slang terms for full words
Inclusion of phone number included within ad copy
Incorrect spelling or grammar
Incoherent messages
Use of symbols or punctuation marks beyond their intended purposes
Excessive or unnecessary repetition
Excessive use of spacing (or elimination of spacing)
Low-quality, distracting, or irrelevant images and videos
0 Comments