Tuesday, November 27, 2012

8 Powerful Headline Types for Your Facebook Ad

Facebook ad headlines: So little, and yet so powerful.

While your image will be the most significant factor in the click through rate of your ad, your headline still contributes around 15% to its success.

First things first: You need to know how many characters you have for your headline. The maximum character limit is 25 (including spaces). BUT, I highly recommend keeping your headline to a maximum of 15 characters, in order to keep it all on one line. This means you have 3-4 words max to get your point across. Not an easy task!

If you have experience in copywriting, this is going to help tremendously as you write your headline. If you're well-versed in writing Google ads or other PPC copy, even better. But if you're not, I'm going to share 8 headline types from Robert Bly's fabulous book, "The Copywriter's Handbook".

8 Powerful Headline Types

Direct

This is perhaps the simplest type of headline to come up with, especially if you're not particularly creative. These headlines are simple, clear, and say exactly what people will be getting when they click on the ad. These often mention a price or savings so people will know there's a cost involved.

30% off t-shirts today Overnight stay $99 Save 20% before March 15

Indirect

Unlike with direct headlines, indirect headlines are meant to evoke curiosity. Many times this will mean using phrases that could have multiple meanings, like "Plenty of fish in the sea", or "It only takes one". The idea is to pique people's interest and get them to click on the ad to find out more.

News Headline

When you have something newsworthy to share the news headline works well. News headlines are very direct, simple, and speak for themselves. They could be something like:

Introducing John Johnson Now carrying Toms Announcing new product xyz

How-To

This is pretty self-explanatory. This is a highly successful headline to try - People love to have their problems solved! Ask yourself: What problem does your product solve? What are you improving on? What are you teaching? These could be something like:

How to get a date How to get groceries free How to learn French How to succeed in business

Question

When people see a question, they tend to automatically answer it in their heads. This is a great way to get them engaged immediately with your ad. Questions, when done right, evoke curiosity and encourage click throughs to find the answer. Some examples could be:

Are you paying too much? Have you seen this? Do you feel safe?

Command

Be a bit careful with this one! Commands, when used wrong, can mean alienating people rather than engaging them. When done right, however, using a directive can mean very high click-throughs and sales. People know exactly what you want them to do - there is no ambiguity here!

Click this ad now Hit Like Click link to buy

Reason

This one can require a bit more work and a lot more creativity. Try coming up with a list of reasons that will entice people to click through to find out more. Just remember to deliver by including the reasons on your landing page!

5 ways to get a date 8 tricks for selling more product Top 3 reasons most businesses fail

Testimonial

If you know someone influential in your niche who would be willing to give you a testimonial, these can be *extremely* effective. Couple that with their images and target the ad to their fans, and watch your sales skyrocket! Just be sure to ask for permission before using their pictures or quotes in the ad!

Do you tend to use the same type of headline across the board? Do you have one type that always delivers well for you?

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

How Much Of Your PPC Budget Is Wasted On Reseller Fees?

I talk to a lot of attorneys who are doing PPC advertising, but do not have their own AdWords or Bing accounts. If they log in at all, they log into some interface provided by their service provider that provides them very limited information and a fraction of the features that they get with a full blown AdWords account.

As we know, AdWords can be quite complicated, so they think to themselves they are better off using one of these services. Two of the big names out there for law firms are Yodle and Reachlocal. However, these are not third-party AdWords managers. These companies are in essence "Paid Click Resellers," who make money by marking up the click costs.

Here's how their business model works: a Click Reseller sets up a web page for the law firm advertiser, for example ABC Law Firm. The Click Reseller also sets up a PPC ad campaign comprising of keywords, ad copy and website page for their client.

The Click Reseller then, on behalf of ABC Law Firm, bids on keywords at a search engine such as Google. When a searcher clicks on the ad for ABC Law Firm on Google, the Click Reseller makes money by charging ABC Law Firm a markup on the cost of the click that Google bills the Click Reseller.

It's reported multiple places online that the typical mark up on the cost of the click is 50% and that some Click Resellers have been known to mark up click costs by as much as 300%. (Reachlocal is a publicly traded company (RLOC) and apparently this information can be found in their SEC filings, but I have not performed that research at this time.)

This type of markup is unheard of in the SEM agency world, where a good PPC management company may use a variety of pricing models for their services, but rarely mark up more than 20% of ad spend and are typically closer to 10-15% of ad spend.

Google AdWords Authorized Reseller Program to Shut Down

Now, there has been no official announcement from Google and their Authorized Reseller program website is still live, but it is also being reported that Google is ending its Authorized Reseller Program. The program as it exists today includes around 30 PPC Management companies. ( http://www.google.com/intl/en/ads/premiersmbpartner/advertisers-findpartner.html )

A Good Thing for Agencies and Small Businesses

The program has been a great way for Google to gain more customers, but has not been good for the customers themselves due to the extreme markups by the Authorized Resellers and the lack of transparency.

This change will ultimately force PPC Management companies to be more transparent about their fees. The market will become more competitive and law firms will be able to compare agencies service, results and fees fairly.

To their credit, Click Resellers do offer the ability to start up an ad campaign easily and quickly. But once the PCC ad campaigns are initiated, the small business is burdened with the high click markup on a recurring basis.

The high click markup on a PPC campaign can lead to a high conversion cost. This means that the cost of acquiring a new client could cost the small business significantly more compared to using a third-party AdWords manager.

Paying more than is required is, of course, not a sustainable and effective way of conducting your law firm's marketing.

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

Four Reasons To Go For Pro AdWords Management

When it comes to Google AdWords, you might end up thinking you can handle it all own your own. This is quite understandable, given the fact that AdWords Management isn't rocket science.

However, no sooner will you attempt at managing AdWords when you will realize that it isn't a cakewalk either! Designing a pay-per-click campaign that is based on your needs and current situation could prove to be easy. Yet, successfully implementing it so that you ultimately achieve the goals of your website not only takes a great deal of effort and time, but entails using some expertise. This is what an AdWords Management specialist will help you out with. Here are some important reasons why you might want to consider hiring an expert team for AdWords Management.

1. Making Use Of The Technical Know-How

The technical knowledge of a Google AdWords expert isn't something you can acquire easily. At the same time, no matter how intelligently your campaign is designed, you cannot match the expertise, experience and the paraphernalia possessed by the specialist. An expert will also put the software and analytics to good use and do a careful analysis of where you are, what you have and how you can get yourself to where you want to be.

2. Learning How To Go About Implementing An AdWords Campaign

As you closely interact with the AdWords expert, there can't be a better learning experience. You get to know how AdRank works, how small manipulations and playing with the AdWords can influence the outcome eventually, why and which Google Display Network should you choose, and a plethora of other issues that are intimately linked with AdWords management.

3. Time And Effort, Saved!

At the face of it, it's easy and convenient to presume that you have to dig deep (not too deep, never) into your pockets to hire a team or an individual for AdWords Management. At the core of it, you will find yourself undergoing harrowing experiences of doing research and not getting any results at all. The seemingly easy task of grasping pay-per-click marketing and AdWords management can be tiresome and time-consuming especially if you're running a business. The energy and time that you will save at the end of the day can be channelized on other aspects about your website or business.

4. Keeping A Close Eye On Progress

The art of an effective AdWords management plan is consistently and unfailingly monitoring the progress. With the right software tools, an AdWords expert is able to track your website and online business and see whether the results are beginning to show or not. Perhaps the most important and crucial benefit you reap out of this aspect is the on-the-spot tweaking of your campaign. The AdWords specialist will help you out in turning the campaign towards the right direction, thereby enhancing your target-achievement, something you may never do on your own.

All in all, you would do well if you hand over a major chunk of your responsibility of AdWords Management to a specialist or an expert team. Not only does it make sense to do so, it opens the doors for reaching new heights of success for your business!

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

Importance of Pay Per Click Advertising

Importance of engaging in Pay Per Click advertising

Many people who are new to online marketing do not understand how Pay Per Click function. They think that it is something very complicated that entails a lot of experience in the field. However, this is not as it is a very simple technique in internet marketing. It can actually increase your total profits tremendously and it is thus an advisable strategy for every business person to adopt.

Understanding the working mechanism of Pay Per Click is very easy and especially if you consult with an expert. If you are new to internet marketing, it is good that you seek the help of experts who are familiar with the topic ads and you will be surprised by the total profits that you will make in the long run. Despite the fact that majority of the experts charge a small fee, it is a risk worth-taking.

Pay per click is an online based marketing strategy where you will be required to put your advertisement in a text format. It is then placed on the results page of the top search engines such that any person who visits the internet looking for a related site can also get to know your site. The only thing that you are required to pay for is the campaign for the total number of people who visit your site. This is the main reason why it has come to be known as pay per click.

One of the main advantages that are associated with this method is the fact that you will be able to meet many people from different parts of the world. It is obvious that the total number of people who visit your website will increase significantly meaning that you will come into contact will many new clients and thus increase the total revenue of your business.

It is actually one of the fastest ways of making money online because of the immediate results that are entailed. It is actually a faster way of attracting more people to your site when compared to Search Engine Optimization(SEO). With this method, your advertisement will be viewed by many people when it is listed in the search list of the top search engines. It is also very effective in terms of cost control.

This is especially because you are able to control the Cost Per Campaign since you are only required to make the payment after you get a new visitor to your website.

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

How to Create Great Landing Pages to Boost Your PPC Campaigns

The world of Internet marketing changes rapidly, and the term "landing page" is one that is relatively new to online businesses. If you haven't heard the term before, it refers to a specific web page that is reached when a potential customer clicks on a PPC ad. These pages are also called lead capture pages because they can function as a way for a business to get some information from a user (name, email, etc.) that will help that business to build a mailing list of potential clients. In other words, the landing page "captures the lead" for the business owner.

Online marketers use transactional landing pages to encourage potential customers to interact with their business in a way that will lead to the immediate or eventual sale of their product. Some landing pages require the user to input an email address (a lead capture page) in order to obtain more information about the product they are pursuing. Others simply ask a customer to "Click Here" to learn more or to "See Clearance Items Here."

Whenever a visitor to a landing page carries out the suggested action, that visitor is counted as a "conversion." Web marketers use their conversion rates to figure out how effective their landing pages are and as a result, they can learn how to improve their entire promotional campaign. Here are some tips for creating landing pages that will have high conversion rates and contribute to your successful online business.

• Use an ad spy tool to find out what keyword/ad combinations your competitors are using in their advertising schemes. When you have that information, you can create a similar campaign that points customers to your landing page.

• Design your landing page to match your ad. Let's say you are promoting audio books, for example, and have developed a keyword/ad combination that gets plenty of traffic. Maybe the keyword is "audio mysteries" and the ad you are placing reads, "Get the most intriguing audio mysteries here." When you get a potential customer to click through to your landing page, be sure that he or she sees something about audio mysteries immediately. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can direct all kinds of audio book searches to one landing page or to your home page. Many Internet shoppers are impatient, and if they are looking for mysteries, they don't want to have to scroll up and down your page to find them. They also don't want to see lots of references to non-fiction, romance books, or westerns. Studies show that a new website has only a few seconds to make a positive impression on users and if they do not find what they are looking for right away, they will simply hit the back button. That is why each landing page must be customized for the keyword/ad combination that leads to it.

• Pay close attention to your lander's sales copy. You don't want something filled with hype that will turn your visitor away. Instead make it easy for your customer to see why he should make a purchase from you. Your sales pitch should be presented in a logical, understandable way that leads a client to spend his money at your e-store. If writing copy is not easy for you, consider hiring a professional to help you craft it. At the very least, be sure that your grammar and spelling are perfect. You want your visitor to think of your online business as a place that is filled with professionals that know what they are doing. It is impossible to build that kind of trust with your clients if the landing page is poorly written or sloppily put together.

• Don't be afraid to keep modifying your lander. Ask friends and family members from several different demographic groups to look at it for you and give their honest opinions. If you are marketing to a particular age group or gender, make your page as appealing as possible to that group.

• Insert a keyword tracker into your lander. This is a service that is available from Google AdWords, and allows you to tell exactly which of your ads is bringing the most visitors to your landing page. It also tells you which places on the web referred your customers to your site if you are advertising in more than one spot.

Well-developed landers can do a lot to improve your conversion rates. While it is true that your PPC ads drive people to your site, it is also true that the landing page is the main factor that helps people decide whether or not to make a purchase. Be sure to make them the best they can be.

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

13 Attention-Grabbing Headlines

Your Facebook PPC headline is perhaps THE most important element of your ad, next to the image.

Your goal in writing your headline is threefold:

1. To grab people's attention initially (if the image doesn't)

2. To generate enough curiosity that they are enticed to read your ad copy, and

3. To summarize the key point of your ad copy, and convince them to click on the ad.

With just 25 characters to work with, you wouldn't think it would be that hard to write. But satisfying all 3 of the above goals in *just* 25 characters (or ideally, less)? Not always so easy.

I thought I would come up with a list of some attention-grabbing headline starters you can use as you brainstorm your own ad headlines. This is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully you will find a few that inspire you!

The Guarantee

This is where you give a promise. But be careful! Only promise what you can deliver.

o 100% Money Back Guarantee

o Satisfaction Guaranteed

o Guaranteed Effective

Deep discount

Talk about how amazing your discount is (we're not talking 10% off here).

o Massive Savings

o Save 50% Today Only

o Bargain Basement Price

Warning

This one works well for its shock value.

o Warning! Don't be Fooled.

o Warning: Don't Overpay.

Free

This one's pretty self-explanatory and very effective.

o Free Report

o Watch Free Video

o Click for Free Sample

The Truth About

You are the sole proprietor of the truth! (Not really, but that's what this type of headline makes it sound like).

o The Truth About Retail

o The Truth About SEO

o The Truth About Dieting

Little Known

o Little Known Facts About Marketing

o Little Known Secret Revealed

Unlock

This one conjures up images of physically unlocking something. It's always effective to use words or phrases that help people envision themselves performing a physical action.

o Unlock the Secrets of Facebook

o Unlock the Mystery of Self-Confidence

Exposed

Again, you are the purveyor of truth. And you're even willing to share this secret you've uncovered!

o Advertising Scam Exposed

o Insurance Fraud Exposed

Last Chance

o Last Chance to Save 40%

o Last Chance for Free Sample

o Last Chance to Buy

Imagine

I love how this one piques the interest, and actually gets people thinking about, "what if?"

o Imagine Losing 10 Pounds

o Imagine Never Working Again

o Imagine Finally Feeling Confident

Limited

This one speaks to limited quantities, limited time, or limited opportunities.

o Limited Time Offer

o Time is Running Out...

o Only 3 Left

Stop

An attention grabber, for sure!

o Stop What You're Doing

o Stop Overpaying for Insurance

o Stop Being a Doormat

Instant

People love rewards, and love them even more when they're instant.

o Instant Download

o Instant Access

Do you have some headlines that you find work well consistently?

Why Your Business Should Choose Google AdWord Solutions?   Use PPC Marketing to Boost Your Internet Business   Targeting PPC Ads by Location   

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