EP105 - Ad copy

0:09 Hello and welcome to the 106th Roundup of the PPC chat. Twitter, discretion that happens on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. GMT. I'm your host, a new. I'm the founder of mine sworn a company through which I aim to share my ideas about paid search, especially automations and scripts, paid media, and my passion for doing digital reporting world through at all. There's already Everybody's laptop. Yes, that's right. It to Microsoft Excel. So if you want a free consultancy about what I can do for you. In regards to paid media implementing scripts or even cutting your spend, all your data analysis tool. Why don't you send me a message at hello at Minds wander, calm or get to me on Facebook, or Twitter or Instagram with the handle, mind Swan. PPC.

0:51 And even on Instagram 1, then this this Roundup has its own dedicated Instagram profile, which is PPC chat underscore Twitter on this. Score Roundup. Where I post up clips about Snippets about the Roundup and you know quotes from the chat so that yeah, you just have that all in one place, you know, have to scroll through Twitter to see some amazing tips that have been shared in the past. So anyway, so this week, I'm recording from my newly painted living room switching from a deep green to a fantastic brilliant, white home. Really opens up the room without that was actually the name of the paint. Brilliant white. Yeah. Mood swings about lockdown is still going on, you know, I'm going. But thankfully, I'm not up right now. So, anyway, this we do cheerleading Us in. She leads us and a chat about ad copy and challenges we face with it in terms of creating and approvals and the like this is yeah definitely a time to think about doing almost everything, you know, in terms of like paid media quite differently and definitely ad copy should be on the top of the list. So yeah, let's get into it.

1:59 So yeah, she goes. Hello, I was thinking I'd talk about ad copy and yeah, what is working now and also how to get ideas. So, yeah, that's the big one. How to get inspired for new testing parameters for us. She starts off with them. A nice easy question. What's your favorite cookout? Or picnic food me. It's a Burger. Plano Burger, nice and filling with cheese and bacon if possible and I don't know why I said if possible. Weisman, why is it not possible cheese bacon? Letters gherkins. I think I know think don't know. People don't necessarily always like that gets but I love gherkins. I have a whole big tub in a big jar of it in my cupboard, and we've got Amanda. Join us.

2:42 A chips and french onion. Dip, is my trigger food can be. Kara says good morning, Julie and fppc. Chad. Gotta say we grilled to trick tips or top barbecue meet this weekend twittertips. No tri-tips. That's interesting. I don't know. I don't know what that is. Anyway, do they all reply? As I love corn on, the cob yellow watermelon and hot dogs on the grill. I do love a hotdog. I have not had one in ages. Yeah, I think I'll try and see what I can get that because, well, do I just feel like some stores and yeah, with some, some restauranteurs really well lighter than trying myself and Colin, Slattery reply saying, hail will be in and out today, but excited to talk about cook at food.

3:23 I'm a classic burger guy. Yes, always burger and a cold cheap beer, for me. It's a bag and a cider. Love a good sign. Most McKay replies burgers on the grill. We had some last night. Nice. Anyway, so getting on to question one. Julie asks us, have you found that particular ad copy? I will have you found that particular ad copy is working. Well in search ads right now. Has changed from what was historically, working, and Julia voice replies to that same know across the board messages are very simple, get help here. Messages worked well for public sector and Mother's Day worked really well for my restaurants. So, and so got. Yeah, Julia replying as well. Saying Clarity seems to be even more important.

4:05 Now like availability hours. That is something I definitely look out for. Especially when I go on the website. It's like how they updated their website to reflect whether the anything is open, whether operation is as normal during this time. So, yes, cover companies should really put down the top of their strategy. Yeah. So we've got Amanda replying to him. It's good to have copied the reflects the time. From a branding perspective and post cope post covid. Copy has a slightly better CTR versus generic copy. However, CTR Improvement is generally, not enough to move the needle in conversion of Revenue in my experience.

4:47 And then yeah, we've got some sem Rush which is like, Dinah representing them saying, this is a great point in replied to Julie, where Julia said Clarity seems to be even more important. She continues with things. Changing by the day right now Clarity. So your customers, stay in the note is key. I completely agree with this and jewelry pliers, you can tell the ads that are still on autopilot pilot from a few months ago or even a month ago. Yeah, Amanda replies. I find it distracting when I see image video ads when people are close together, touching, not following social distancing. Yes. I do agree that I know that I have to backtrack and think, okay, they probably created this ad before the You did the stay at lockdown happened before coronavirus really hated because yeah, it's you'd be surprised the process from directing putting an ad together before it actually which is an expression in terms of like TV ads, so it can be hard to reflect the current times when it comes to TV ads.

5:48 But people should really be careful to the reply to. That is a great point. I'd love to see some stats on how these images, perform. Now as a reply to that, a the behavioral shift that nobody could have predicted at the The start of the Year, seriously, this time in January know is thinking that these kind of stuff will happen, what a difference, a couple of months make and into question to, we've got Julie asking have you found that particular ad copy is working? Well in Social ads right now? As a changed from what has historically worked? Well and then both organotin are into that. Mark Kennedy replied question one saying specific to covid ad copy stating whether you're open remote curbside.

6:29 Etc. Has Working and has to correlate with the landing page as well. And then we've got some jewelry, a voice replied. Question to seem absolutely the feel-good. Non covid messages are working really well. Anything that is a nice distraction is doing great. Yes, I can imagine. So Julie, beginning replies. Question to saying, on social things that are not covered related are doing better. So, yeah, I'm social things that are not covid. Related are doing better. I feel like on social people want to get away from all that is happening in the world. World now more than ever plated that need and ads do better unless you're selling something covid related unless you are selling something covid-19 ated. So yes, if you're selling masks, if you're selling, you know, equipment that prevents, you know, that helps with social distancing talk about covid.

7:18 Otherwise makes people smile make people laugh. I think people really do want to get distracted. And then just going back a little step back, a little step here with Andrew McGarry's, answer to question. One. He goes some countries in Europe are getting bored of primers and responding more and more to non-promotional message messaging add fatigue continues to be an ongoing concern. Conception Arenal are applies to that seen. How do you fight? How do you define non-promotional messaging, a lack of CTA and replies lead with a branding foot? As opposed to a commercial foot? You can still have a CTA and then we've got Diana from SM, Rush replying.

8:00 To Julia vices answer to question 2. Where Julie had said, absolutely, the feel-good, non covid messages are working really. Well. Anything that is a nice distraction is doing great, Dinah replies. Did you find it? That was the case. When the covid craziness just started. I'm curious. If the shift is social messaging in social messaging happen, as quickly as everything else. You'll replace that not really here in Canada. It was about the the sort, it was about the sort of clear simple messages like we get Leadership wants to started to drag on is when we started looking for feel good messages, Diana replies from a marketing standpoint that seems like a little chaotic than it could have happened.

8:41 Then he could have been duly replies. I mean, it's a different. It is it's different for province and even region. So it's still pretty chaotic, but overall message of Stay Stay Stay Stay Safe, stay in and thank you is pretty standard. Yeah. I think that's a very Canadian thing. They are very very nice. And polite bunch of people. So yeah going on to question 3 and in terms of like yeah current error. So this is going to be our last one hands of the current Arrow things question 3 goes are you testing ad copy more less or about the same as pre-pandemic times. If you're Candace has candids, kadence has changed. Why has it changed again?

9:23 Are you testing out copy more less or about the same as previous. Pandemic times, if Kadence has changed. Why has it changed over? Who gets it to that? We've got and we accrued replied to to same focus on things. You can improve translators information is resonating. Well for me, I'll Chase replies. I have not had more or less success with ad copy around covid, but I would think if I had more local business versus online e-commerce retail, it would one exception is shipping. Some are slow. If you can get things to customers, let them know open available Etc. Then going on to answer and question 3. We've got Mark Kennedy going right now.

10:04 The kadence is dictated by the situation, closed opening soon open now. So different regions are Industries have different immediate ad copy needs changes fast, and we're replies to that as well saying honestly, more trying to honestly more trying to figure out what resonates better with each audience, understanding that things are quickly changing on all environments and verticals. Julia replies saying a bit less. We're not getting good data from test anyway, because we're all weirdly emotional. So it's a matter of simplifying, Julie replies to that as well saying probably about the same for ad copy changes. Although, I am seeing a bigger range between this works.

10:44 And wow. This is not working in the past two months, especially on social guess that's a good thing. Because yeah, you know, by using different messages, you really want to know what is working and stick to improving performances and just cutting out the wastage ad copy. And then we've got azim reply to question 3 going about the same. There's a lot of uncertainty in pretty much every vertical and seen and that's heavily impacted impact him on sight and convergent Behavior. A lot of variables from me to trust results. If a testing increased and then we've got Tom, Jordan Stark replied question threesome. I'm testing ad copy about the same Pace. I have a rhythm I get into and I've kept to my schedule.

11:27 Nice. It's always good to have a schedule. I'll Chase. Question. 3, saying, I have to say less testing, you really have to have a control to test and we don't know when this will all be over. Yeah, I can imagine. So, she been messaging is being tested. However, and pivoting due to Consumer demands for particular products. Puzzles Etc. Yeah, I can imagine all those, like, products of bringing people together and we're in family together. We'll be doing really well right now. Ryan bennion replies to question. Three, same testing has been more. Through Dynamic ads, I'll set up ten variations of an ad and let the algorithm do the work to choose what will resonate most with the audience after that. I then use the winners after a good sample size of data is shown and yeah, Diner agrees through, they're saying that smart.

12:17 I always liked that feature. So yeah, Dynamic ads can be good. But some, depending on the product and depending on the company and the brand, a advertising for my client is our is a finance clients. Yeah. Today don't like unpredictability in terms of what ad copies that they could be showing because that could go against compliance and have real hot loads of high risk issues. And then Julie goes on to question. Forcing. Where do you find inspiration for ad copy? Julia? Good jumps into this to Julia voice replies. I start with the website for the car for the curve, uvp. So Cara.

12:57 Yeah. Unique viewpoint. When I look around for strong messages around the same topic sometimes from outside the industry, Julie replies. I'm a big proponent of manual searches to view competitor, and I like to know what our target, folks are likely seen, so I can make as that stand out. The Facebook ad library is a fantastic resource to see what other business are doing there, too. I've got Ryan bennion replying to a question for as well. Same Facebook ad library is big for me. We also have an ad creative Channel. On our slack that we upload creative, we thought was impressive. I also a member of a few Facebook groups including social Savannah's Facebook group only group.

13:40 She does Facebook, creative only group. She does a great job small fee with it. And then we've got more, Kennedy replied. Question forcing First Look is landing page, then competitor sites ads and the wild good ideas posted on blogs or in PPC cat, but sometimes the best ideas come from brainstorming with Hence, salespeople are great as they can get the most as they get the most pushback cost timings Etc. So, they are great source. As in replies saying one place, I'd suggest forums Q&A sites. Your customers. Are they talking about their concerns worries? So, yeah, actually, I'd suggest forums Q&A sites.

14:22 Your customers are. They're talking about their concerns or worries, if you can create content and compelling copy that answers those. Helps them, you've won the click. Yes, and even won a customer back that you might have lost otherwise. And then we've got a LTS replying to question. Forcing. One of my favorite places to look for. Copy inspiration. Is within the reviews. Yaps. Another one. Back in the hole. Look, look at reviews to inspire and copy and then we've got a Michael Yeager replying to a question forcing. I do a lot of competitor research, and I get a lot of inspiration by asking my client sales team. A lot of Questions about how things are going on there and they know their business best and especially know the needs of the clients best. So I often pivot there and then we've got some Julie between replying to L Chase.

15:12 Well chases. One of my favorite places to look for copy inspiration. Is within reviews during Julie replies. I was just going to say this too. If the website has a search feature on it, you can get some great insights on what people want to know from that in analytics to. So yes, that's another great resource. For that. And then we've got really going on question facing our their ad copy test that you want to run but have not been able to. Why were you not able to do the testing you wanted? And yeah, and that's when I type in with some answers here and my biggest frustration is right now, we're trying to get the client to do RSA and and it's just been very difficult because yeah, very on a responsive with approval because yeah, it's something we can do if they actually Thing we've already dipped into and they just don't have enough headlines. We have, you can have up to 11 headlines. They provided me with two or three and I'm like, guys there's opportunity for lots more and there's lots of things that you can be.

16:12 There can be said and the headline so yeah, definitely. Yeah, no definitely something that a missed opportunity that we're seeing right now. And I'm like, really not sure that even that the excuse of being too busy is is something that they can use at this moment things. I'm not really too busy at the moment. Jordan Stark. They'll reply to question forcing. I really like to look at what has performed best in the past long side or competitors are doing to try and put a new spin on it or to see if it can be improved. I find my colleagues are really good sources of ideas as well. Yes more brains the better our Kennedy replied question fighting for some clients your testing within this situation. Not also you're still testing but not like normal and a change in the state opening.

17:00 It. It's opening could end the test early and your Crews replies to question. Five. I'm saying not really looking to see what other seem maybe that I can't can't promote hand sanitizer. North face masks. And then Julie goes on to question. Six saying, what is your process for creating new ad copy? Do you do a bunch of full ads at a time? Create a lot of components? You can mix match something else. I answer to them answers. That is creating a lot of components. You can mix and match And I think what I do try to do is when I create them, I create more than I need. So obviously, I am stick by the best practice of creating a having about three or four ad copy by proposed about maybe five or six ad copies, you know, for each ad group.

17:45 So that I have backups to test when I want to do testing on, don't have to go through the whole long waiting approval process with the client. Again, Julia voice replies. Question, 16. I like me a rubric. Search of versus brand or offer versus secondary message versus or brand set up the components you want to test and the main message, the clients want to emphasize much easier to write within to write within some guidelines. And then we've got LTS replying to question 6 going on. I go through the ads. I find the ones not doing well. Ctrs conversions Etc from there. You can see if you want to test a different landing page or copy.

18:28 There is just so much to look at. When it comes to the ads and what could be driving engagement? Jewelry. Applies. Question, 16. I have been doing more components lately with some example ads, getting a bunch of stuff approved and having the flexibility to mix-and-match create variations has made life easier for me. Yes. I need that's that's the kind of thing I do and I need to do more of that. And then we've got Julia Vice replying to that or what Julie has just said about. Yeah getting a bunch of stuff approved and having the flexibility to mix and match. Angela voice replies so much easier for our essays and to swap between search and social. Find those key headlines that perform as Amigos. Plus one on, that was surprised by a pre coded, our essay tests that showed a last-minute addition to the list of headlines before going live managed girl.

19:17 I've managed to outperform, the rest goes to show assumptions on data, headlines may not always be true. So to repeat that he was like was surprised by pre-curved. It is a test that showed a last-minute. In addition to the list of headlines before going live managed to outperform, the rest goes to show assumptions on data. Headlines may not always be true. So yes, let the day to talk for itself. Do not assume at all. Doug are Thomas replaced question. 6 a, my current workflow is very cumbersome. My make three ads for every ad group and then duplicate the one I like the best for a dynamic keyword insertion. Add. I'm working on how to make our essays work better in that method and I'd love to be more competent.

20:00 Focus for it to be quicker. Some replies, question 5 going a most clients are quite open to just about anything, but for those few that aren't, it's usually because either a legal regulatory gets in the way buzzkills be Google, doesn't let us do certain things with audiences or see some integration breaks and then Ryan bennion replies to question. 6 thing when the Creative Juice is, isn't flowing, you crank it out. Oh, when the Creative Juice, It is Flowing, you crank it out for me. It's all about a good playlist and a blank Google doc after some brainstorming via ad library and different channels than I just write everything down that comes to my head and build from there. And then you continues going.

20:47 I like to get all new ads up at once. So after I've done that initial brainstorm, I'm ready to start fine tuning and testing then I launch all the ads for the week. At once. I try to refresh 15% of AD running each week. Rotate through and then, yeah, Julie goes on to question. Seven saying, what is your biggest frustration with creating ad copy? Yeah, definitely the clients and definitely clients to that holding back in terms of approval or just the questions that they ask has to, you know, why converts why something is doing something differently. And yeah, I remember there was recently, we had a client that kept saying that vertical line between the headlines between like headlong one, two, and Three. Can we remove it?

21:31 And we like, yeah, sure. We'll just get Google ads on it. Literally, it was just so many face palms for that one. Anyway, going on to our answers for this Mark Kennedy reply saying one more character getting the third headline to show can be a pain. Sometimes you have to shoot in all three. I also would love to control which or when ad extensions combo show. I'm also also want to see some of my image extensions in the wild testing them. Now small. Julia voice replies. Yeah, feedback committee. Hands down. I need feedback from the client, not seven departments, and the CMO not the legal team and the entire product management group designate a person and lest, let's chat. Definitely.

22:16 Yes. Streamlined. That makeup is from one person. Julie replies. My personal frustration is on days when I just can't come up with the good stuff. It also drives me nuts when clients are prove something and then someone else weighs in on. On their end and approval gets revoked, or changed annoying. And then dug our Thomas replies. So few kinds have a grasp of what their USB is. And I don't know if that's because of the telephone game from client to sales to accounts to implementation, or maybe it's just that folks are too focused on doing good. Work to examine how they do the good works. And then yeah, we go on to our last question of the day question 8, where Julie asks, if Could change something about the platform's rules or limitation on ad copy. What, what would it be?

23:06 And why did I have an answer that? Yeah. Well I said, I apart from the obvious quick approval times from clients. Yeah, that under review status sign that, that that gets put up when you upload an ad copy. I want that to be removed a lot quicker. It just gets close to panic and just always questioning like, is my ad showing and then start doing searches that screw up our data, which, you know, we do not need especially right now. Now and then we go on to answering question 7 watch where Michelle get Yeager reply, super frustrated with the third, Google headline, really showing and with Google's push to try to get everyone using it without the content that it most likely won't show.

23:47 And then yeah, Julie replies, question, 18. I'm extra frustrated right now with the ads that are not on the wrong side of any policy, getting swept up in disapproval algorithms and no clear indication of what the offending part. Or is I'll Chase goes back to you. I'm applying question 7, saying the biggest frustration would be for brands that are big. Sometimes the sign-off process is first says, is such a hindrance to creating any test. Seems like a 42 people, seems like 42, people need to give the approval at times. And then, before we round up, I'll give a few more answers. Well, Chase goes getting disapproved, but not being able to reach someone with an actual brain to manually review that adds. Sorry the frustration.

24:30 Is real. Sometimes Jordan Stark replies saying I'm in agreement with this one. I can't think of anything worse than my ads. Getting disapproved For No Good Reason. Oh, actually, maybe when I get them manually, reviewed and approved and then a few months later, the same ads are disapproved again. Yes, I've had that happen that is very annoying and really wish Google will stop that or at least warn us, what has changed? Because a lot of the time, it's nothing in the ad copy content. So anyway, That's some that the arch at for today. It was like a trying to go through a lot of the answers quite quickly, not to waste any time because there were loads of good answers that we've been given their jewelry recap saying, you can find out there, tat Recaps, and a form to suggest topics for future tax, on the PC chat website, which is official PPC, chat.com.

25:20 Again, that's official PPC, chat.com ideas, remain open. If you have questions about anything in or if you just need some moral support, and yes, don't be shy about that. We all. I need moral support during this time. So yeah, I hope you found some great ideas for ad copy or just, you know, shared in our frustrations with with the frustrations that other people have shared like yeah, disapproved out for no reasons or clients, you know, not proven ads on time. Well, yeah, I hope you've got caught in some great takeaway and just some tips that you can use whether it's now or even in the future. So, if you want to chat about this topic or any paid Media or data analysis solution to do, get in touch with me by Sending me an email at hello at - one.com and don't forget to follow us on PPC, chat underscore Twitter on the score, round up on Instagram and remember for your campaigns or businesses to Glide smoothly.

26:12 There's a lot of hard work, maybe a beneath the surface. So keep your songs kicking. Bye.