Descriptions

1. In many instances when we look at ads, we see the same generic or simple text written in the ad descriptions. 
2. When people search for a product or a service, they can see up to three ads at the top and eight ads at the side, together with the organic results and snippets such as maps, videos, or shopping results. The ad description could attract the visitor, but only if it’s well written.There are many ways to make your description more noticeable, but first, here are some no-no’s!

• Avoid generic ad descriptions i.e. “We Are the Top Service Provider”

• Avoid annoying corporate jargon like “Streamline Your Business With Us”

• Avoid unnecessary keyword insertions “Sale on Discount Furniture on Sale”

• Avoid lazy descriptions like “In Stock Now at Example.com”

Now here are some tips for what you should do when writing Google Ads (AdWords) text ad descriptions. 

Use $ and % signs to show the offer and capture attention.

•Save Now Up To 25% Off Shoes!

•Get Instant $25 Discount on Shoes!

No discounts? People still like numbers.

•24/7 Support. We Deliver in 5 Days.

•1000s Designer Shoes as Low as $75.

Evergreen Sales:

•Sale This Week – Get up to 75% Off!

•Buy Today and Save $50 Instantly!

Google doesn’t allow the use of ALL CAPS but there are always ways around it! (Hint: Abbreviations)

•Get Up To 40% Off MSRP Today!

•Shoe Store, A+ BBB Accredited!

•Up To 40% Off MSRP – Coupon: SAVE40

Use coupon codes!

•To Save 20% Use the Coupon: SALE20

•Exclusive 20% Coupon Offer: SAVE-20

Signs and special characters will attract attention:

•Ranked 4*& 5* Stars, A+ on BBB!

•Example™ – Sale on “Amazing” Styles!

Call to action, Go for It!

•Get Up to 70% Off If You Buy Now!

•20%-80% Off. Get a Deal Today!

Show the Advantage:

•Why Pay Full Price? Save Up To 70%

•30% Off + Price Match Guarantee!

Including your keyword in your descriptions is less important than you have been led to believe. Not including the keyword is not detrimental from the perspective of the Quality Score or conversion rate.

So, don’t get too fixated on writing a description that includes the keyword, but if you can do so, it can be very effective. There isn’t that much space, so we have to be careful with the way we use the space, but if you can include the keyword it can look great.

3. Two Individual Lines

This is something I have mentioned for years, but remember that you don’t have one line of ad text. You have two individual lines. Always think about the format that your ads are being delivered in, and don’t get lost in the way that your ads are being presented when you’re writing it in AdWords Editor or the web interface. Your ad will be seen by thousands, if not millions, so make sure that you take the context into account. You can sometimes write a great punchline-type ad, but unless you have Ogilvy in your veins, then it will look more like a text message than mesmerizing ad copy.

4. Scannable, Not a Story

This is directly related to the point above. Try to make your ads scannable instead of writing a story (i.e. sentence). The searcher usually doesn’t go into great depth when reviewing the ads on Google. They scan through the various results, organic and paid, to find the best solution that fits their needs. If the web site doesn’t fit their needs, they hit the back bottom and try again.

If your description is too heavy to read (yes, I know it’s only 70 characters, but it’s all relative), searchers simply won’t read it, and then it doesn’t matter how clever or well-written it is.

5. Include a Call-To-Action

This is one of the oldest tips, but it’s effective. A good call-to-action serves two purposes:

1) It ensures that the consumer knows what the purpose behind your website is. If you write an ad that doesn’t mention anything about buying, price, etc. then you can risk people clicking on your ads looking for more information.

2) A good call-to-action sets the tone for what the user should look to do when they land on your website. If you wrote “Browse our big selection”, the user will look to browse. If you wrote “buy”, they will look for the buy button. 

6. Testing Your Description Lines – The Only Way to the Best Descriptions

The best ads I have ever written have come to life after continuous testing.  As a summary, you should always remember to test your ads and description lines. As you can see throughout this blog post, there are a lot of ways you can write an efficient description.

7. Keep a List With Minor Changes You Can Test

This is a great tip that I developed a long time ago. It drastically reduced the amount of time I spent on the creative part (coming up with ideas) of ad testing, and allow me to roll out a lot more tests. Your inspiration is the highest when you’re coming up with ideas for your ads. As you’re writing your ads, keep a list of the ideas you have, so the next time you’re writing new ads you have access to good ideas.