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What Makes A Good PPC Ad?

Our clients ask us this fairly regularly, so we think it’s a great question! After all, we’re all bombarded on all sides by advertising all day long, in terms of both print and digital ads, from the minute we wake up or set foot outside. Inevitably, everyone will respond differently and have their own view about what makes a good ad. However, there are a few broadly agreed principles about this.

These include, for example, incorporating an effective call to action and being able to engage the prospective customer based on their present stage in the customer journey. Additionally, great ads convey brand values and identity effortlessly and seamlessly, whatever the channel. However, it’s important to remain flexible and focus on the customer rather than the brand. Finally, good ads will all, of course, follow Google’s rules so that the search engine approves them.

Text Ads

In new accounts, Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) are the default. Expanded text ads are still around, however, so your strategy needs to be compatible with both formats.

RSAs should consist of:

  • Between three and 15 headlines, each with a character limit of 30 characters
  • Between two and four descriptions, each with a limit of 90 characters
  • Optional tracking templates
  • One path set (i.e. a pair of two 15-character additions to your root domain)

Bear in mind that just the first couple of headlines will definitely appear in your text ad, so ensure your call to action is in one of these. Equally, each header must be independent while at the same time having a connection to the others.

Don’t stuff ads with keywords and bear in mind that the second description is especially significant in terms of Click-Through Rate (CTR).

Display Ads

These ads can be excellent ways of building awareness and potential leads cost-effectively.

Responsive display ads (RDAs) allow you to incorporate creative material from social media, and need:

  • A minimum of three images or videos (logo included) with a maximum of 15 assets
  • A single, lengthy headline
  • Up to five regular headlines (but at least one)
  • Up to five descriptions (but at least one)
  • Final URL
  • Business name

Video Ads

These will fall into one of the following categories on YouTube:

  • Bumper: Six-seconds playing before or after a main video
  • Outstream: Ads playing in spots outside the main YouTube offering
  • In-stream: These can play before, during or after a main video, and some can be skipped after five seconds

You’ll need to incorporate a 15-character headline, final and display URLs plus a logo or image.

Understand from the outset what you want your audience to do, include your most important info in the opening few seconds, while inspiring the viewer to watch the whole message. (So cover the ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘why’ in the opening six seconds.)

Finally, for social media ads, bear in mind that you need to communicate your message without sound and be aware of the difference in advertising channel.

Whatever digital advertising you go for, you’ll need to use clever creative material, stay aware of the channel you are using and have your target audience in mind from the outset.

How we can help

Here, we’ve just covered the basics of what good ads should include. Let us take your digital advertising a stage further. At Front Page Advantage, we’ve got your online ads covered, whether you’re going for text, display or video.

We can put your brand in front of your target audience whatever your business size, whatever you do and whatever you want to achieve with your online advertising. Have an initial no-obligation chat with us and we’ll take it from there.