PPC headlines have a huge influence on the results of your performance campaign. However, users spend less than 0.7 seconds focused on each online ad, so you need to craft engaging websites that catch their attention in a minuscule amount of time.
Every online user is constantly bombarded with stimuli when surfing the web. Catching someone’s attention with plain text is a massive challenge.
Below, we’ve put together a few tips to help you write engaging PPC headlines for your next campaign.
Writing a PPC Headline That Converts
Writing a PPC headline has a technical as well as a creative side.
The technical aspects of a pay-per-click ad headline are relatively easy to understand. This varies by platform, but in most cases, headlines have the following:
- Character limit: Most PPC platforms limit the number of characters in the title. Some even truncate the headline before this limit is reached.
- Variations: Google Ads and similar platforms allow you to have up to 3 headline variables that can be displayed for your advertisements.
- Limitations: All platforms have limitations to avoid unethical methods, so you need to ensure your ads adhere to these standards before going live.
In addition to the technical elements in the headline, you can boost the performance of your ad title if you:
1. Use the Keyword at the Start of the Headline
If you’re using a platform like Google Ads, you can select specific keywords to trigger your search engine results page (SERP) ads. In this case, you should also use the keyword as the first term in your headline or as close to the beginning as possible.
The reason is the user typed in this word to run a search. Chances are that they will be looking for a result that has the same verbiage. If you’re creating a PPC headline, it’s best to try to find keywords exactly as they are, even if it sounds a little bit out of place.
2. Match Your Header with the User Intent
You should also ensure that your header matches the intent of the user.
The intent refers to the goal that the user wants to achieve through the search. This is important because the same words can mean different things, so understanding the intent will help you determine if a search term is actually relevant to your business.
Let’s say you’re promoting security software for mobile devices. In this case, your ad headline can read something like “Can You Tell If Your Phone Is Hacked?” and follow up with a conversion-centric description.
For your company website, it’s common to run ads for keywords that have terms like “buy” or “service” because they indicate users are looking to make a purchase.
3. Leverage Emotion and Use It to Your Advantage
Most customers don’t even think about purchases as products and services. They see them as problem-solvers. Effective PPC headlines encapsulate and make the most of this.
You need to make the most out of the limited space you have available and keep the audience’s emotions in mind while you craft the headline copy.
For example, if your product is bottled water, create ads for thirsty customers who may be looking for a refreshing drink during a hot day.
4. Keep Your Headline Simple and Easy to Read
Even if your ad copy is successful and ends up attracting the attention of your target audience, there’s a chance the message won’t come across. The average adult has an attention span barely above 8 seconds, so your message has to be clear and easy to understand.
Besides the keyword, your choice of words should be simple and easy to understand. Even the use of an extra word can cause friction, so make sure that your message is obvious.
5. Run Tests Before Scaling Your Campaign
It doesn’t matter how well-thought-out your headlines are, you should always test them with small-scale ads before launching a full campaign. Google and other platforms include A/B testing features, so you can run all your tests on the same platform.
This process can help you identify which headline variables perform best, so your ads will likely produce better results than if you start.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Launching Your PPC Campaign
The steps above can help you create engaging PPC headers that generate great results. However, it’s essential to set yourself up for success and make sure you have everything you need to ensure campaign success beyond the headers of your ads.
Ask yourself the following questions before you launch your campaign:
6. Have I Researched My Audience Thoroughly?
It’s one thing to know and understand the product you’re promoting. You should also take the time to study your audience’s needs and what situations your customers find themselves in when choosing your product.
Conduct in-depth research to understand the intent behind the keywords being searched, and what type of language you should in headlines to attract attention.
7. Is My Ad Content Commercial?
There are many types of marketing content on the internet. Organic content can either be informative, which means it’s designed to share information, or commercial, which means it’s designed to help transform readers into paying customers.
As a rule of thumb, all ads should be for commercial purposes. This is because each ad click represents an investment, so you need to monetize these users instead of simply informing them.
8. Is My Landing Page a Good Fit for My Campaign?
One of the most common issues found in PPC campaigns is the use of existing pages as an ad landing page. The best practice is for your ad to have its own landing page because it makes for easier performance tracking.
Not only that, but having a specific ad landing page allows you to optimize its design for conversions. Even small changes like adding a CTA button can increase conversions by more than 370%, so optimizing your landing page for conversions can skyrocket the number of conversions generated.
Write Impactful Headlines to Boost Your Conversions
Users only dedicate a fraction of a second to each search result, so it’s essential to create engaging headlines that draw their eyes.
As long as you use the keyword in the headline, adjust the content for intent, and follow the other steps listed above, you’ll be able to hone your headers and get closer to your PPC goals.
At the same time, remember to research your audience thoroughly and make sure that all of your ad-related content is optimized for conversions.
