Steve Rayson
@steverayson
Larry Kim
@LarryKim
Today’s Speakers

Launch Poll Questions

Three Random
Facts About Me

@larrykim #CTRHacks

1. Originally from Winnipeg, Canada

I Live in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA

WordStream’s Global Headquarters in Boston
2008 2016
@larrykim #CTRHacks

2. Holds Record for Writing Buzzsumo Reviews
@larrykim #CTRHacks

3. Have a 1-Year Old
Kid (#ppckid)

@larrykim #CTRHacks
Larry’s 4 Ridiculous Hacks for
Insanely High CTR!

Why Should
Marketers Care
About Click
Through Rate?
@larrykim #CTRHacks

How Does Google Search Decide
Which Ad is Shown Where?
Ad Rank
Quality Score
Max CPC Bid
Amount
x
=
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score Impacts Ad Impression Share
+/- 1 Point
in QS
Results in
+/- 9% Ad
Impression
Share
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Impression Share 2x More Competitive on Mobile
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score Impacts Cost Per Conversion
+/- 1 Point in QS Results in +/- 16% in CPA
@larrykim #CTRHacks

#slcsem @larrykim
Brought to you by:
www.wordstream.com/learn
So Get a High Quality Score!
(Duh. Awesome.)

How is
Quality Score in
Google AdWords
ACTUALLY
Calculated?

This is The Expected Click Through Rate Curve
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Just Beat The Expected Click Through Rate!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

High QS (Great!)
• High Ad Impression Share
• Low Cost Per Click
• Low Cost Per Conversion
Low QS (Terrible!)
• Low Ad Impression Share
• High Cost Per Click
• High Cost Per Conversion
Get a High Quality Score! (Duh)
Above Average CTR = High Quality Scores.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Just Say No
To Low CTR

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Gmail Ads Use Quality Score!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Google Display Network Uses Quality Score
@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

HIGHER POST
ENGAGEMENT
Higher Relevance Score
HIGHER RELEVANCE SCORE
More Impression Share and
Lower Cost Per Engagement
“Relevancy Score” in Facebook
=
=
@larrykim #CTRHacks

“Quality Adjusted Bid” in Twitter
HIGHER Relevance, Resonance, Recency =
HIGHER Quality Adjusted Bid =
MORE Ad Impressions at Lower Cost
RESONANCE: Are consumers
engaging your Tweet? Do they
retweet, favorite, or reply?
RELEVANCE: Is your Tweet
related to things a user is
interested in?
RECENCY: Is your Tweet fresh?
Fresher Tweets get higher
priority.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Higher Engagement Rate = (Much)
Lower Cost Per Engagement
Engagement Rate
Cost per engagement
$.005 $.02 $.03 $.08
68%
7%
21%
37%
$3.00
1%
@larrykim #CTRHacks

1% Increase in
Post Engagement
5% Reduction in Cost
Per Engagement!
“Quality Adjusted Bid” in Twitter
=
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score & Ad Impression Share
A TYPICAL TWITTER CAMPAIGN
FEWER AND FEWER AD IMPRESSIONS
AS THE CAMPAIGN AGES!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Past & Future SEO Ranking Signals
Old Google
1. Links
2. Keywords
3. Social Metrics?
4. …
Future Google
1. CTR
2. Task Completion
3. Links
4. …
@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks
NO QUALITY SCORE DISCOUNT FOR YOU!
LinkedIn Ads

You’re A CTR
Hacker … and a Traitor!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Hacking Ad CTRs With ‘Unicorn Ads’
Larry’s #4 AdWords Hack
@larrykim #CTRHacks

What if I Told You
Your 2% CTR Is That Great

What if I Told You
Your 2% CTR Is That GreatForest vs. Trees

Here’s a Map of The Forest
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Vs.
Percentile Vs. Average CTR Designation
Bottom 50% n/a DONKEYS
Top 15% 2x
Top 5% 3x
Top 1% 6x UNICORNS
@larrykim #CTRHacks

What About Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI)?
@larrykim #CTRHacks

DKI Produces “Above Average” not “Unicorns”
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorn Ads Don’t Rely on DKI
@larrykim #CTRHacks

What About Ad Extensions?
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Ad Extension Help a Little (8-10%) not +5x
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Ad Extensions Won’t Turn Non-
Unicorn Ads into Unicorns
@larrykim #CTRHacks

How to
Write Unicorn Ads?
(The Top 1% of Ads
Based on CTR)

I’ve Built a Unicorn
Detector!

Focus on Keywords with HIGH Commercial Intent
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Most Ads Suck (+95%)
@larrykim #CTRHacks

The Hack: Use EMOTIONAL
Triggers in Ad Copy!
Write Ads From the Perspective of
One of These 4 Personas.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

This Ad Gets 6x Above Average CTR
The Villain: Husband/Mistress
The Hero: Divorce Attorney
Emotion: Anger. Revenge.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Note: Everyone Else Sucks!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

And Everyone Else Sucks!
One Does Not Simply
Use The Same Ad as Everyone Else.

Leverage Emotional
Triggers in Ads

Be a Unicorn in a Sea of Donkeys!

Another Unicorn Example:
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Lets Try “Bearer of Bad News”
Angle:
@larrykim #CTRHacks

The New Ad:
Emotion: Fear.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

125% Increase in Appointments Booked
4
9
0 2 4 6 8 10
Positive Twist
Negative Twist
@larrykim #CTRHacks

170% Increase in Call Volumes
10
27
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Positive Twist
Negative Twist
@larrykim #CTRHacks

FYI: Calls Worth More Than Clicks
Contact rates significantly drop off after 5 minutes.
Why? Declining interest, alternate solutions, etc.
CONTACT RATE
100x decrease from
5 min to 30 min
QUALIFICATION RATE
21x decrease from 5
min to 30 min
CONTACTRATE
TIME
Source: MIT
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorns Usually Have BOTH higher
CTR & Conversions Rates!

Repeat after me:
I will Leverage Emotional Triggers in Ads

Larry’s #3 AdWords Hack
Eliminate Your Crappy
Keywords and Ads

There’s a Secret Account-
Wide Quality Score.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

• Add Branded Terms With
Insanely high CTR to Raise
Average Quality Scores in
Account.
• Delete The Bottom Third of
your Worst Account and Move
to Remarketing (or
Facebook, etc.)
Crazy Hack to Increase Quality Scores
Delete Your Junk Ads / Double Down On Your Best Stuff.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Example Average Account
A mix of above and below-average keywords.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Average Account = Crap Quality Score
Note: No High Quality Score Keywords at All.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Example Unicorn Account
Note: Most Keywords in Account are ABOVE Average CTR
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorn Account Has Amazing Quality Score
Note: ALL keywords in this account are QS 10 or 7.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

What’s a Good Quality Score These Days?
Average QS is around 6/10.
@larrykim #CTRHacks

If Your Quality Score is:
•1 to 3: Delete
Immediately.
•4-6: Try to Fix
•7-10: Don’t Mess With
Success / Increase
Budget
The Crazy Hack to Increase Quality Scores
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Larry’s #2 AdWords Hack:
Go After Specific Audiences Using
Remarketing, RLSA and Custom Audiences

Behold The Awesome Power of
Combining Keyword Search + Audiences
Audiences: They’re Qualified
To Buy Your Stuff
Keyword Targeting: They’re
Looking For Your Stuff
Target a Narrow
Audience That Meets
BOTH CRITERIA!!
Yields Higher
Conversion Rates at
Lower Costs!!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Target search
ads only to
people who
recently visited
your site!
REMARKETING LISTS FOR SEARCH ADS (RLSA)
Users visit your site, get added
to your remarketing list
Show them customized ads
when they search on Google!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Customer Match Lets You
Target Search, YouTube and
Gmail Ads to Specific Email
Addresses!

Just Upload Email Addresses into Google AdWords
@larrykim #CTRHacks

The Power of Remarketing (RLSA, Customer Match)
Instant Unicorns!!
Click Through Rates
Conversion Rates!
2X
½
2X
Cost Per Click
@larrykim #CTRHacks

59% higher ROI than generically targeted
Campaign & 41% higher than RLSA!
Ridiculous ROAS for Customer Match Targeting!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Email Audience Targeting 3x Conversion
Rate vs. Generic Campaign!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Email Audience Targeting = 10X CTR vs.
Generically Targeted Keywords
@larrykim #CTRHacks

New
Purchasers
Non-Purchase
Users
Active
Purchasers
Customers
with Expired
Warranty
Abandoned
Shopping Cart
Users
Frequent
Purchasers
High Price Item
Purchasers
Recent
Purchasers
Ecommerce Audience Email Segmentations
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Clone Your Audience List
Using Similar Audiences!
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Gmail Ads Will Get You Top of Inbox
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Behold The Power of Similar Audiences
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Great Keywords/Ads + Audiences:
We’ve Found The Unicorns

Larry’s #1 CTR Boosting Hack:
Turn Top Content Headlines into Ads

Great Ads Should Be Like Click-Bait Headlines
@larrykim #CTRHacks

The SAME Emotions Make People Click on
BOTH Content and Ads
@larrykim #CTRHacks

Thank You!
And Now to Steve of Buzzsumo…

Headlines:
Lessons for marketers from
the most shared headlines
www.buzzsumo.com

Is there a format or structure to viral
headlines that make them resonate?
Are there words and phrases that work
particularly well?
How well do headlines travel across
social networks?
What can we learn from most shared
headlines that we can apply to ads?

Many tips on headline writing
Unique Ultra-Specific Urgency Useful
Something
different, fun,
personality
Be clear
what it is
about
Are you losing
sales?
Benefits
promise
@steverayson #CTRHacks

But what does the data show?

1. Structure of Viral Headlines
Common elements
Emotional
Element
Content
Element
Topic
Element
Format
Element
Promise
Element
Amusing
Surprising
Heart Warming
Beautiful
Inspiring
Warning
Shocking
Images
Facts
Charts
Quotes
Video
Interaction
Trending topic
(e.g. Zombies,
Donald Trump)
Health
Cats & Dogs
Babies
Long Life
Love
List Post
Quiz
Story
Curated
Research
eBook
How to ..
‘Complete
Guide To’
Practical Tips
Improve Your

Structure of Viral Headlines
Format
List post, quiz,
Infographic
Emotional Hook
Emotional word or
superlative
Content Type
Images, quotes,
pictures, facts
Topic
Love, cats, dogs,
fitness, health, Donald
10 Amazing Facts About Donald Trump

Entertain Warning Helpful
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Webinar Headline Structure
2,500 sign ups
Emotion
Topic
10 Ridiculous Hacks To 5x Click-Through Rates
Promise
Format Content Type

Entertain Warning Helpful
What are the most shared
Trigrams (3 word phrases) in
headlines?
2. Words & Phrases
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Research
Note Research
Trigrams
Monitor
1. Extracted trigrams and bigrams
from the headlines of 1 million
random articles from top
publishers
2. Looked at trigrams that are
present in at least 150 of the
article headlines
1. Sorted them by shares across
social networks to identify the top
performing trigrams in terms of
social shares

Facebook
Top trigrams in
most shared
content headlines
Research Trigrams MonitorTrigram
Average FB
likes & shares
No
articles
X pictures that 19,646 162
X signs you're 12,741 206
make you laugh 11,029 169
how well do 10,111 411
X photos that 9,714 250
can we guess 9,085 202
you should never 8,669 222
X things only 7,940 307
are the best 7,106 164
X things to 6,676 626

Are the top trigrams
and headlines the
same across
networks?
Or do we need different
headlines & ad copy for
different networks?
How much overlap of top trigrams is
there between Facebook and Twitter?

Entertain Warning Helpful
Trigram
Average
FB likes &
shares No articles Trigram
Average
Twitter
shares No articles
X pictures that 19,646 162 the science of 542 175
X signs you're 12,741 206 the case for 364 248
make you laugh 11,029 169 you can now 321 208
how well do 10,111 411 Donald Trump is 313 239
X photos that 9,714 250 history of the 307 321
can we guess 9,085 202 the art of 276 264
you should never 8,669 222 the rise of 268 258
X things only 7,940 307 first time in 262 237
are the best 7,106 164 the future of 259 778
X things to 6,676 626 the age of 258 180
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Review of specific words and phrases that were
highlighted by our research.
Analyzed minimum of 10,000 posts for each of
these across all sites, not just larger publishers.
3. Differences by Social Network
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Superlative Words FB Twitter LinkedIn
Amazing 15,600 538 14
Inspiring 7,340 125 6
Surprising 2,700 87 38
Successful 1,067 137 135
It appears “Amazing” in a title works far better on Facebook and Twitter than
on LinkedIn. By contrast “successful’ in a title outperforms on LinkedIn.
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Analysis Words/Phrases FB Twitter LinkedIn
History of 1,795 58 12
Trends 1,780 311 171
Truth about 1,681 71 15
Future of 1,078 137 135
Rise of 719 60 35
Secret to 755 33 26
Insights 189 70 89
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Ad or headline on LinkedIn might be better using Trends rather than Insights
“10 Economic Trends You Need To Know From New IAB Report”
Or alternatively use “The future of ..”
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Content Type FB Twitter LinkedIn
Pictures 11,452 196 19
Quotes 6,276 180 16
Facts 7,889 285 19
Tips 8,267 424 107
Habits 1,646 139 162
Mistakes 1,946 145 105
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Trigram
Average FB
likes &
shares No articles Trigram
Average
Twitter
shares No articles
X pictures that 19,646 162 the science of 542 175
X signs you're 12,741 206 the case for 364 248
make you laugh 11,029 169 you can now 321 208
how well do 10,111 411 Donald Trump is 313 239
X photos that 9,714 250 history of the 307 321
can we guess 9,085 202 the art of 276 264
you should never 8,669 222 the rise of 268 258
X things only 7,940 307 first time in 262 237
are the best 7,106 164 the future of 259 778
X things to 6,676 626 the age of 258 180
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Content Format FB Twitter LinkedIn
List: 10 45,063 1,052 134
How to 17,533 1,040 133
Quiz 8,306 105 10
Guide 5,294 244 46
@steverayson #CTRHacks

For LinkedIn use “How to” to promote the guide e.g.
“How to successfully recruit software engineers”
“How to run a killer software recruitment campaign”
Alternatively use a list post headline across multiple social networks
“10 proven ways to recruit software engineers”
@steverayson #CTRHacks

Entertain Warning Helpful
Topic FB Twitter LinkedIn
Donald Trump 18,061 514 21
Dog 14,412 286 11
Love 5,587 124 60
Performance 7,533 279 49
Sales 2,856 260 208
@steverayson #CTRHacks

@steverayson #CTRHacks

Takeaways

Viral headlines
have common
elements and
structures
Research Trigrams MonitorUse the core elements in your
headline and ad copy
10 Surprising Tips To Improve Your Headlines

The words and
phrases that
resonate varies a
lot by network
Research Trigrams MonitorResearch the words/phrases
that work in your area & network
Draft different copy for posts
and ads on different social
networks
Trigram
Average FB
likes &
shares No articles Trigram
Average
Twitter shares No articles
X pictures that 19,646 162 the science of 542 175
X signs you're 12,741 206 the case for 364 248
make you laugh 11,029 169 you can now 321 208

What are the top
Trigrams in your
area?
Run a BuzzSumo most shared search for your topic
Export the results to a csv or Excel, sort by shares
by network eg total shares or FB
Copy say top 500 or 1,000 headlines and paste into
text analyzer http://www.online-
utility.org/text/analyzer.jsp
Review top trigrams and bigrams

Research what
works in your area
Research Trigrams Monitor
Specifically:
Superlatives eg Amazing on FB,
Successful on LInkedIn
Content type eg Pictures on FB,
Habits on LinkedIn
Words eg trends, insights, tips,
facts, future

Create Better Content
Research, Amplification and Monitoring.

Launch Poll Questions

@steverayson @LarryKim