It's 2019, and we can find search results all the time where all four ads on Google have the same keyword as the headline. Why are we still doing this? When everyone focuses on keywords as the main component of a successful ad we get a search result with all boring ads. Nothing stands out. No marketing involved at all. We're in the age of audiences in PPC. We need to change the way we write our ads to speak to users and serve them a message that will try and speak directly to them as much as possible. When we focus so much on Quality Score we lose sight of who is actually buying from you...people. Learn why customer-focused copy is important, which tools we can use in Google Ads to implement better copy, and how recent changes within Google Ads support how we should be writing ads in 2019. Presented at HeroConf 2019 in Philadelphia, PA.

1. Writing Search Ad Copy in 2019
Joe Martinez | Director of Client Strategy

2. I HATE
KEYWORDS
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

3. Other channels
allow us to
focus on fun
creative and
good
marketing!
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4. You think JC
Penney loaded
this video ad
with “Easter
sale” keywords
in the
narration?
Nope!
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

5. We can add a
lot of text to
Display ads,
but I don’t see
a lot of ads
cramming in
keywords.
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6. Pretty much the
same headline.
Boring.
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7. Oh wait. Here’s
another
example.
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8. Same ‘ole again.
Probably not
that common.
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9. I can do this all
day you guys.
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10. Okay, last one. I
swear!
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11. WHY IS THIS
STILL HAPPENING
IN 2019?!
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12. The answer is
pretty simple,
Joe.
It’s because
your keywords
show up bold
in the ads.
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13. Nope. Sorry.
Google hasn’t
bolded the
headlines in a
LONG time.
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14. Come on Joe!
We clearly need
them for Ad
Relevance in
our Quality
Scores.
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15. TRUE. BUT AD
RELEVANCE HAS
CHANGED A BIT.
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16. “Measures how closely your keyword matches
the message in your ads. A below average score
may mean that your ads are too general or
specific to answer the user’s query, or that
this keyword isn’t relevant to your business.”
Source: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2454010
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

17. STILL USING
SKAGs?
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18. EVEN AFTER EXACT
MATCH HAS BEEN
DOWNGRADED
TWICE?
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19. So how can we
write better
search ads
without using
keywords?!
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20. It’s Time for Better RLSA Ads
Joe Martinez | Director of Client Strategy#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

21. CLIENT SCENARIO
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22. Client Needed an “Upgrade” Strategy for Current Customers
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Customers on the
Old Version
Upgrade to the
Latest Version
Upgrade to the Elite
Subscription

23. First We Created Audiences in Analytics
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*You could try this with customer match too*

24. Again. Keep in Mind. These Are Current Customers
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25. What more can
you do with
branded
keywords
Joe?!
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26. Set My Campaign Structure Using Targeting Audiences
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27. Exclude Appropriate Audiences to Try & Avoid Overlap
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*And then exclude all “Elite Members” from all campaigns*

28. How We Switch Up the Ad Message Per Audience
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC
Ads for the Old
Version Campaign
Ads for the Latest
Version Campaign
Ads for the Regular
Brand Campaign

29. Use IF Functions to Save Time
AND Change Your Message
Joe Martinez | Director of Client Strategy#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

30. Scenario: Fitness Client with Lots of Video
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31. And We Can Create Audiences from Video Views
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32. Changing the Message by Audience
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33. People Familiar with the Brand See the “Why”
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34. People New to the Brand See the “What”
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35. You Can Use IF Functions in DSA Descriptions!
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

36. You cannot use
IF Functions for
Responsive
Search Ads,
and that’s
okay!
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

37. Feed me Joe!
I need more
examples!
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

38. Create Revenue Audiences in Google Analytics
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39. For People Who Look for My Brand & Have Money
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40. Everybody Else Looking for My Brand
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41. In case you
were
wondering, yes
you can layer
audiences.
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

42. IF FUNCTIONS ARE GREAT
TO CHANGE AD MESSAGE
FOR USERS WHEN USING
OBSERVATIONS
TARGETING
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

43. YOU NEED 1,000 USERS
EVERY 30 DAYS TO
USE AUDIENCES IN
SEARCH
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

44. Use Data Feeds to Create Ads
No One Else Can Replicate
Joe Martinez | Director of Client Strategy#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

45. Download the Data Feed Template
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC
bit.ly/bdf-template

46. Customize the Columns to Whatever You Want
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47. Schedule Your Feed to Refresh the Data
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Your feed can be updated via Google Sheets, http, https, ftp or sftp

48. Use Ad Customizers to Call the Feed Info
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49. Here’s What the Headline Text Would Look Like
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC
Headline 1: {=Cool Shoes Product List.Model} only {=Cool Shoes Product List.SalePrice}
Headline 2: Save {=Cool Shoes Product List.PercentOff} Only at ShoeStore.com

50. But Here Is What the Ad Looks Like
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51. Build Urgency in Your Ads
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52. Everyone Is Doing It!
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53. If You Have the Best Prices…Brag About It!
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54. I don’t know
Joe. I’m still
hung up on this
Quality Score
thing.
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC

55. Why?
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56. If my Quality
Score goes
down, my CPCs
are going to go
up!
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57. Potentially Yes. And That’s Not Always a Bad Thing
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58. Now I see the
value!
Double high
five you guys!
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59. MOST IMPORTANT
THING TO
REMEMBER
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60. Takes your money
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Make you money

61. WRITE ADS FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO CAN
MAKE YOU MONEY
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62. Thanks to My Friends for Being Good Sports
#HeroConf @ClixMarketing @MilwaukeePPC
*I never asked their permission, but they know who I am*

64. linkedin.com/in/joemartinezppc/
@MilwaukeePPC
joe@clixmarketing.com
Joe Martinez