“This is the best pizza place in Philadelphia”
You are thrilled when your customers say this (or sentiment similar to that about your business). Hearing this type of talk let’s you know your work is valuable and that your customers appreciate what your business does.
You wish you could take that claim and let potential customers hear it, so you put in your ads “Philly’s best pizza” – and let the campaign run.
However, upon reviewing these new ads, you can see that they are not garnering a high click through rate. This is not surprising to you.
You think of all the times you have seen or heard ads with generic testimonials such as, Boston’s Best Hotel and thought “of course they say that – it is their hotel!”
While the business really may be the best, the very fact that so many companies are making the exact same claim makes it seem like they are lying.
Fortunately, there is a solution that allows you to convey to the potential customer, in a way that is credible how great your business really is. The best part is, you aren’t even the one who has to say it.
No One Believes the Marketer
I am saying this as someone who has been in marketing for some time. As marketers, I know that customer trust in us is pretty low. We are the weasels of the business animal kingdom.
One problem is that marketers continue to make claims that mean nothing.
When a marketer says their company is the best (or that they are number 1, etc.) there is nothing substantial about that claim. I call these unsubstantiated claims marketing filler and this poor attempt at marketing happens so often that potential consumers have simply begun ignoring claims.
The problem is that marketers are making claims without substance about their company rather than proving it. Allow me to provide you an example:
My company, Nerds Do It Better, is based in Philadelphia and every day I walk about 8-9 city blocks through the city to work. I probably pass 10 pizza places that all have signs in their window that say “Philly’s best pizza.” I notice these signs, and I think according to whom?
However, one of these pizza places has a sign that states that it was awarded Phillymag’s Best Pizza and I think that maybe they really do have the best pizza in Philly.
What they have done is demonstrated that they have substance to their claim of being Philly’s best pizza because someone else (who is presumably unbiased) said it for them. They have answered the question that is in my (and your potential customers) heads “According to whom?”
Use Review Extensions to Cut Through the Marketing Filler
Google provides the option to let others speak for you and cut through the marketing filler with Review Extensions. These review extensions take real reviews, from real sources, and allows you to show and link to them. They are credible, tangible proof that some organization backs and substantiates your claims and they are highly potent. For example, one study showed a boost of click through rate by 66%, and data from my clients show that these particular extensions boost CTR significantly as well.
Review extensions:
- Show awards and reviews that demonstrate, and allow others to demonstrate what makes your company great
- Are easy to setup
- Help your ads stand out from the competition by allowing superlatives that are normally restricted (such as “the best” or “#1”)
How to Implement Review Extensions
A. Get a Review, Award or Evaluation
This can be the most difficult and time consuming part – but it is far from impossible. Google doesn’t allow you to link to reviews that it considers not to be credible – so you can’t use that awesome Yelp review your business received. However, getting a review can be as easy as reaching out to the local paper and offering them a trial version of your product or service. Additionally, one of the best review/evaluations that I have found from using this extension for clients is to receive Better Business Bureau accreditation. I work with a variety of lawyers and (at least in that vertical) having an A+ rating from BBB dramatically differentiates the ads and increases click through rates.
B. Go Into the AdWords Interface and Choose the Campaign You Want to Have Your Extension Appear and Select Ad Extensions
C. In the Dropdown Select Review Extensions
D. Select +Extension
E. Select the New Review button
F. Enter the Information from the Credible 3rd Party and select Save
You have the option to paraphrase or to have an exact quote. If it is an award or a rating I paraphrase those, but if you have a great quote I recommend putting that in the Exact Quote option.
G. Select Save
Your review extension is now setup. It will go through a Google review, and assuming it is credible it will begin to appear. These review extensions drive up click through rate, lower cost per click and increase the credibility of your claims by cutting through the marketing filler
What sources are you using for your review extension? How are you getting positive reviews?
