Whether you operate as a small business or a large international enterprise, pay-per-click (PPC) advertisement can help you reach the right customers more easily. However, even if you successfully target the audience you want to attract, they will still need to be convinced to click on your PPC ad. This is where compelling PPC headlines come into play, as they are the de facto contributor to your marketing campaign’s overall success.
Based on Small Biz Genius, traffic generated from PPC ads yields 50% more conversions as opposed to organic content optimization. Data by Tech Jury indicates that 65% of customers click on PPC ads given their relevance, while such ads can boost brand awareness by 80%. So how do we write engaging PPC headlines which potential customers are likely to click and follow up on with a purchase? Let’s discuss that, as well as the benefits of PPC ads in general in the following segments.
1. Lead with Relevant Keywords
While not prone to SEO standards, PPC ads can still benefit greatly from trending keywords. You can use platforms such as Google Keyword Planner to find out which keywords are currently trending in your industry.
This will give you an indication of which keywords your target audience may look for in the search results they are presented with. Subsequently, you can write these keywords into your PPC headline and raise the ad’s overall appeal.
2. Include Numeric Data
Adding numbers to your PPC headline is a great way to ensure that customers spot your ad and give it a closer look. The numeric data you include in the ad can relate to social proof, your business’ performance, customer approval, or sales data.
Numbers can also relate to current discounts or dates on which your sales campaign will end, creating a sense of urgency with the reader. Numeric data is objective by nature, and customers tend to see it as “proof” of your brand’s trust and performance.
3. Ask a Question
Sometimes, your PPC headline writing strategy can be as simple as a question directed toward your audience. You can write your PPC headlines as questions, whose answers are in the subsequent links on your website. Writing platforms such as Subjecto, Evernote, SupremeDissertations, ClassyEssay, Wowgrade, and GrabMyEssay can help you write and format appealing questions for your PPC ads going forward.
If a question doesn’t generate the engagement you hoped for, you can always rewrite it and ask something else. Adopting such a two-step strategy to your PPC marketing can work wonders for engagement since customers enjoy interacting with calls to action.
4. Keep it Short and Simple
You need to assume that your customers will only ever see the PPC headline writing in their search engine without delving into the link itself. Thus, your PPC headlines should be as short and informative as possible to keep the customer engaged throughout the reading process.
Your PPC headline should be followed by a short Meta description which expands on its content. However, it too should be brief and to-the-point. Treat your PPC headlines as standalone content marketing materials which are able to communicate your value proposition independent of other content present on your website. Customers who are intrigued by your short but informative PPC writing will follow up and click the link itself.
5. Focus on the Benefits
It’s worth noting that PPC headlines will give you a brief window of opportunity to attract your potential customer’s attention. As people, we are prone to short attention spans, especially while browsing the web.
As such, your PPC headlines should focus on the benefits of using your product/service rather than its technical details. By focusing on practical benefits of using your product, you will intrigue the reader to click on the PPC ad and find out more about it.
6. Avoid Technical Jargon
Regardless of how niche your business portfolio may be, you should aim to write understandable PPC headlines. Avoid using overly technical verbiage and terminology to ensure that any customer out there can understand your ad properly.
If you have to use a technical term, look for its equivalent, or explain its meaning through a vocabulary platform such as Power Thesaurus. While technical jargon may paint your business as professional at first, it will gatekeep new customers from engaging with your platform. Use a conversational tone of voice and writing style instead to ensure that your PPC headlines can be read quickly and easily.
7. Offer a Solution
Depending on the goods or services you aim to sell, you can write solutions to your customers’ issues in the form of a PPC headline. For example, if you sell kitchen appliances, your PPC ads can focus on practical applications of such items and the problems they help solve.
This is an opposite approach to asking a question since you will effectively offer the answer to your customers’ problem upfront. Contextually, if a customer asks their search engine “Where can I find an affordable microwave?” your PPC ad can meet their demands quite easily. Given the contextual nature of modern search engines, this approach can easily help your PPC headlines generate the engagement you need.
8. Personalize, but Stay Professional
There’s no need to be overly distant and cold in your PPC headline writing. Customers like it when brands treat them as acquaintances and personalize the content they write for them. You can use wordplay, make jokes, use memes, and otherwise personalize your PPC ads in whichever way you see fit.
However, make sure that there is a line of professional etiquette you will not cross in your advertising efforts. Treat your customers with respect and present your value proposition in a personable and warm manner. Such an approach will inevitably lead to better engagement and brand reputation for your business.
9. Follow up on the PPC Headlines
Lastly, it’s pivotal that you follow up on whatever information you included in the PPC ad itself. Don’t treat your PPC headlines as a cheap and easy way to generate engagement through incorrect claims about your business.
Make sure that whatever landing page you include in the PPC ad leads to a follow up on the initial call to action you wrote. This will build trust and respect for your brand with potential and existing customers equally. Failing to do so will deteriorate the efficiency of your PPC ads, not to mention the hit your brand reputation would receive.
The Benefits of Writing Compelling PPC Headlines
Now that we have a clearer understanding of how to write PPC headlines let’s talk about the benefits of using them to market your business. According to 99 Firms, PPC visitors are 50% more likely to make a purchase, while the top 3 PPCs get 41% of total search result clicks.
It is essential that your PPC campaign is followed by strong copywriting, which will communicate your brand’s value proposition to would-be customers. You can reach out to a dedicated PPC agency such as K6 in order to better target your PPC ads going forward. Such an approach will enable you to create and optimize ads for global search engines and social media platforms in a creative manner.
Timothy Riley, Chief Marketing Officer and Content Writer at Trust My Paper, had this to say on PPC marketing:
“PPC ads are a natural extension of modern advertisement, whether your audience is on mobile or desktop devices. The value of PPC lies in its flexibility, as you can successfully advertise eCommerce products or digital services such as research papers for academic students. While PPC will help your ads gain visibility, the writing style and formatting you apply to them will be the deciding factor in their success.”
The good thing about using PPC is that your business can be in its infancy or well into double-digits when it comes to its age. Thus, the advantages of relying on PPC headlines to generate engagement and subsequently convert customers are extensive and include some of the following points:
- Ability to pay “per-click” rather than to commit to expensive ad campaigns
- Circumvent organic SEO standards and rank your ads well regardless of strategy
- Ability to retarget customers if the initial PPC strategy doesn’t work
- Generate brand awareness in your industry and local area more efficiently
- Higher return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional marketing channels
In Summary
PPC headlines can be an extremely useful marketing strategy to adopt going forward, regardless of the industry you find yourself in. However, yours is not the only brand on the market, and competitors will do their best to outsmart you in their own PPC writing.
Adopt a certain writing style and gauge your target audience’s interests in the PPC headlines you write. The strength of PPC is in the data you will inevitably generate the longer you use it. Reevaluate your PPC content as you go, writing and reformatting their content until you strike a good balance of sales and personalization.
