The Art of Online Persuasion: 8 Copywriting Practices for Google Ads that Increase Conversions

The rule of thumb is that you have 8 seconds. Eight small seconds to catch someone’s attention and on Google’s SERP this number can be dwindled to much less. Therefore your ad’s headlines and descriptions must be punchy, eye-catching, and most importantly effective. If you want to write successful Google ads or be the Don Draper of Google Ad copy here are 8 best practices for writing high-converting Google ads.

Understand Your Audience 

Before you write anything it's important to research your target audience. You have to know their pain points, demographics, age, economic background, and desires (this being the most important). As a copywriter, you need to understand the desires of your audience and then show them how and why your product or service satisfies their desires.

“Copy cannot create desire for a product. It can only take the hopes, dreams, fears, and desires that already exist in the hearts of millions of people, and focus those already-existing desires onto a particular product. This is the copywriter's task: not to create this mass desire – but to channel and direct it.” - Eugene Schwartz

Attention Grabbing Headlines

Your headline is your first impression and sometimes it’s your only impression. As users scroll through hundreds of search results your headline needs to scream ‘LOOK AT ME’. Here’s a pro tip: Instead of copying your competitor’s headlines, use them for inspiration and create a clever alternative. According to the legendary adman, David Ogilvy, a copywriter should spend 80% of their writing efforts on headlines over any other copy. 

Include Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)

Not only do your headlines have to stand out but so does your product or service. What makes them different from the competition? Identify your unique selling propositions and weave them into your ad copy. Whether they are unique product features or limited-time price offers USPs are crucial to demonstrating value and converting potential customers.

Insert Numbers When Possible

People lie. Numbers don’t. Including percentages, statistics, and other quantifiable metrics in your copy can add credibility and specificity. So if your product is the #1 best-seller or your services have a 95% satisfaction rate, brag about it in your ad!

Tell Your Audience What to Do

Clarity is HUGE in copywriting so instead of implying an action just tell your audience what to do. Your CTA should be clear, strong, direct, and compelling. It should push the reader to take the desired action. So if you want them to buy your product, say ‘Buy now!’. If you want them to sign up for your newsletter, say “Sign Up”. It’s that SIMPLE.

Tap Into Emotions

Logic doesn’t sell, emotions do. People typically make purchases based on emotions and then justify them with logic. This shows how important it is to evoke strong emotions from your potential customers. Your ads should bring fear and urgency when offering preventative services or limited-time offers. Feelings of hunger or thirst when describing a delicious mouth-watering dish or beverage. Feelings of acceptance and recognition when boasting an expensive product or service. AI won’t replace copywriters because we need human writers to empathize with human customers. 

“You can say the right thing about a product and nobody will listen. You've got to say it in such a way that people will feel it in their gut. Because if they don't feel it, nothing will happen.” - Bill Bernbach

Test and Optimize

Unlike traditional print advertisements, Google ads offer a great opportunity to test different ad copy. When faced with two winning ad copies, you can easily run A/B tests to find the better-performing CTA, headline, or description. Using this can help synthesize the two ads and create a highly optimized Google ad. 

Keep It Simple

In the words of Don Draper, “Make it simple, but significant.” Avoid longwinded copy, jargon, and big sophisticated words. This is actually hard to do since Google caps headlines to 30 characters and descriptions to 90. Instead, keep your language clear and straightforward. Capisce?

Final Thoughts

You’re now equipped with the knowledge to write better converting Google ads! It can be hard to internalize all of these tips in one day but as you continue practicing it will become second nature. Copywriters get better because they write so make sure you continually hone your craft by writing daily online and offline.