Ad structure #1
I’ve had a lot of success with Adwords ads! I will explain. By just squeezing in a core item (or product line) description, and then giving a concise description of the “deal†(such as price, and free shipping, if applicable).
The opposite of this approach: The “Clunky†Ad:
The counter approach to the above is to put in as much details as you can. The writer tries to cram everything imaginable into the space.
Here’s an example for “QuickBooks Pro†software:
$139.99, QuickBooks Pro QuickBooks Pro 2010; Buy today! Eligible Units Ship Free Tax Varies
Okay, there’s a number of things I don’t like about the ad. Though in the writer’s defense, maybe it’s about trying all sorts of things and then seeing what works best.
But for the purposes of this discussion,
here’s what makes it a “clunky†ad:
…
“Buy today†is gratuitous. Now I value a good call-to-action, but not a crass one like that. It’s just screaming at me, and doesn’t give me a reason to buy today. Better to say “buy now while they last†(if limited inventory, or limited-time price).
…
“Eligible units ship free†is bad. It’s worse than just being extra verbiage. To me (as a reader) it’s a turn- off, because in cases like that I always assume the worst … that I won’t be eligible. If it’s based on luck, or getting there first, or some arbitrary determination, then I assume that I won’t get the deal.
Additional:
This applies when you’re really about “the deal” – especially from a pricing perspective.
For some people it won’t apply often. For others that’s all they do!
When I first started hitting my stride with selling for Amazon, via AdWords, pretty much all my ads were in this structure. And I found how to hone them for Amazon – that would convert particularly well for Amazon.
On the other hand, if you’re really selling on a benefit. Especially to fix a problem or a pain, then your structure needs to be more about the need, and the fix, rather than the deal.
