To
those obsessed with metrics, Google AdWords is like pickles and ice
cream to a pregnant woman. To those obsessed with metrics and copy, it’s like Häagen-Dazs created a dill pickle flavour.
There’s
just something addictive about seeing, in near real-time, how tiny ad
changes make a big impact on clicks. And if more clicks make you
salivate, here are six simple tricks you can use to consistently rocket
your rates:
- Use title case:
Simply switching from proper case “like this sentence” to title case,
“Like This Sentence,” regularly improves click-through rates. - Add quotes: “Quotes boost clicks,” particularly when you use them in headlines.
- Tell a secret:
Unfair advantages compel attention. Promise inside information or
simply use the word “secret” in relation to your product—it’s your
secret weapon. - Use numbers: Figures such as in “100% guaranteed,” “100 times better” and “1-click solution” draw added attention.
- Insert symbols: Visual variation draws the eye. Use acceptable symbols—such as ™—to stand out.
- End on ellipses:
Research shows that ending on ellipses—”…”—encourages clicks,
possibly because it drives home how more information follows the ad.
Try these tasty tricks today and watch your clicks rise by tomorrow!
And if you’re “hungry for more” or don’t want to do it 100% yourself? Get more tips and learn about our expert outsourced copywriting.
Visit communemedia.com/mastercopy for our free blog and your complimentary quote.
I tried doing #4 using the phrase “1 Click” and Google didn’t accept my ad. I modified it to “1-Click” and it was still not accepted by Google. I went with “1 Step Closer” instead and that worked.
Given the earlier discussion about these promoposts I wanted to share this experience…
I still get onedegree via email (not sure why since I use a reader for all other blogs!). When I read this promopost I thought, ‘those are good ideas, I should tag this so I can reference it later’. I clicked through so I could tag the post and was pleasantly surprised to see it was one of the promoposts Kate had talked about introducing to the site.
I know a lot of thought and discussion went into these promoposts and how to provide value and not have them too promotional. I think this one hits just the right tone. I’ll certainly be trying some of these tips.
One suggestion – I’d love to have a person’s name with this post. It would make it a lot more personal and be more likely to generate comments and discussion if it felt like there was a person (versus a company) on the other end.
Leesa, I wonder if that’s related to the product that you’re selling. Perhaps Google has decided that “1-click” doesn’t relate to your offering. Another possibility is trademark. Amazon, I believe, owns a trademark on “1-click,” and perhaps Google’s trying to prevent people from infringing on that trademark. As we all know, things change so fast with AdWords that any tip can only be general; I’d be interested in hearing how well your “1 Step Closer” variation performs.
@Kathryn … thanks for your thoughts! We’re really pleased with this one too. We’ve heard time and again that actionable expertise is definitely something our readers are interested in and excited about. And I agree with your suggestion about adding a name to the post; I think it speaks to some of the things we all like about social media like transparency and conversation. We’ll see if we can start doing that!
@Leesa … thanks for trying out the tips and leaving a comment about your attempt. I see Simon has contributed his thoughts on this. I echo his comments about reporting back – would be great to hear what your test results are.