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.
Recently, I felt frustrated with PPC ad copy and had a thought—instead of trying to come up with something completely new, it might be better to copy and build on ads that we know are effective. I broke down these ad templates line by line and ended up with enough 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 (25 Characters)
The headline is your chance to demonstrate to searchers that you have what they want. The main point is that you don’t have to be overly creative. Instead, focus on a headline that closely matches the search query. We suggest starting the ad with high-volume keywords from your ad group.
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.
Description Line 1 (35 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.
- Unforgettable and Affordable ________.
- Your Search for ____ Ends Here.
- Big Range, Great Price and Service.
- Get ___ For Only $__.
- Great Service Is Our Top Priority.
- Daily Specials Starting At __.
- Order By _PM For Free Shipping.
- __+ Years of Experience.
- Your Trusted Local Expert.
- In Stock Now. Super Low Prices.
- Looking For Help With ______?
- High Quality, Competitive Prices.
- Instant Quotes Starting At $__.
- Everything You Need In One Place.
- More than __ Brands In Stock.
- Designed and Built Locally.
Pro-Tip: Always end Description Line 1 with a period, which will make you eligible for a mega-headline.
Description Line 2 (35 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!
- Search. Find. Love. Download!
- No Fees on First Purchase!
- Get Your Free Quote Online!
- Order Our Expert Guide Today!
- Start Searching Now!
- Call Now For Pricing and Info!
- Quick and Affordable Call Us Today!
- Shop For Over ___ Brand Names!
- Fast Shipping. Order Online Today.
- Book Now For Amazing Discounts!
- Start _ Days of Unlimited _____!
- Try _____ Today!
- Amazing Deal Available. Book Now!
- Register Now and Get _____ Free!
- Schedule Your Next Appointment Now
- Check Our Rave Reviews!
- Don’t Wait, Get Answers Now!
Display URL (35 Characters)
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. 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 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)
- More than one exclamation point
- Substitution of shorthand or slang terms for full words
- Phone number included within ad copy