| Three Tricks to Making Your SEM Ad Stand Out |
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| Written by Tom Knoop |
| Wednesday, 11 November 2009 00:00 |
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Do a quick search on Google, Yahoo, or Bing for the brands you sell. Now take a look at the sponsored links, either at the top of the page or on the right side of the search results. Most of you will see a bunch of paid ads that are almost indistinguishable from each other. So how do you make your ad shine in a sea of plain, boring search ads? Here are a few tips that might help the customer click on your ad versus your competitor. Trick 1: Use keywords in the ad copy
Having keywords in your ad copy is a great way to boost the click-through potential of your ads. When someone does a search for a keyword, such as Dodge Ram, and that keywords is also in the ad copy, then Google will bold that word in the ad. So your ad would look something like this “Test Drive a New Dodge Ram Today…” This will draw the eye of the person who did the search and if your message is intriguing enough, they will click on your ad and proceed to your website. Another reason why it is important to use keywords in your ad copy is that Google rewards campaigns that have keywords in their ads with better ad placement and lower costs per click. You should definitely take the opportunity to make both your customers and Google happy, as your campaign will benefit tenfold.
Trick 2: Mention incentives
While some SEM ads mention incentives, there are still a large number of dealers who are lacking hard numbers in their copy. Don’t be afraid to put a dollar sign in your ad copy. In fact, it’s better to have a price listed so someone doesn’t click your ad and then immediately leave after they see the price on the landing page. That results in a wasted click, which means wasted ad dollars. If actual prices don’t sound appealing, advertise your incentives. Online search users are browsing for good deals, so why not have your ad reflect their needs? For example, a good ad could say “New Jeep Wranglers at $4500 off MSRP.” Any mention of a discount, sale, giveaway, or promotion is more likely to draw a click from a curious online bargain hunter.
Trick 3: Use testimonials
This is a new tactic that may seem a little unorthodox, but it may work for your dealership. Many people who are searching for cars online are looking for deals, but they are also concerned with the car shopping experience. One way to ease their fear of the dealership is to put customer testimonials in your ads. Place short quotes from some satisfied customers in your ads to peak searchers’ interest. An example of this could look like “They helped me get the car I wanted at a price nobody else could beat.” This ad makes the car shopping experience at your dealership seem pleasant, as well as showcases your ability to get your customers amazing car deals.
The key to a good SEM campaign is testing out new ad copy so you can bring more people to your website and into your dealership. If one tactic doesn’t work, try another one. Whatever you do, don’t stop optimizing your ads until you have one that outshines the rest.
Tom Knoop is director of search engine marketing for Stevenson Advertising. If you need help starting your own SEM campaigns, feel free to contact him at 800-643-8584 or email
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