Although there are many players in the world of pay-per-click or PPC advertising, Google’s AdWords program remains the leader. Most PPC programs, including AdWords, enable you to display advertisements promptly and generate almost instant traffic to your company website. However, it can be difficult to write effective PPC ads. I’m going to discuss some of the tricks of the trade so you can start increasing your revenue and online traffic to your websites.

PPC ads are very short so you need to make every single word count. You must learn how to write concise, but powerful ads that will entice prospective customers to click on your ads. Consider PPC ads like classified ads in traditional newspapers. What do they all have in common? They’re very short and direct. You should have only one goal in mind when you create a PPC ad – to generate a click! Remember, that your website should sell your products or services. Your PPC should entice visitors to reach for their mouse and click.

Regardless of whether you decide to use Google’s AdWords, Yahoo! or any other PPC program, keep the following guidelines in mind before writing your ads:

An Effective Title Is Key

You will receive exactly 4 lines of text with the AdWords program.

1. Title – maximum 25 characters including spaces

2. First Text Line – maximum 35 characters

3. Second Text Line – maximum 35 characters

4. Display URL – maximum 35 characters

The title is the most crucial element of your PPC ad. You need to be able to instantly attract the attention of the reader and entice the individual to read the remainder of your ad. In other words, think of your title as an ad for your ad. You can generate more interest by including a keyword in your title which will appear in bold. Make sure to include powerful words such as “reveal” instead of “show” or “discover” instead of “learn”. With only 25 characters, you need to think carefully about the most effective choice of words for your title.

If you are having difficulty, start by writing an exciting title without worrying about the number of characters. Once you have the desired phrasing, begin to condense it, until your title meets the limit for the particular PPC program. Take sufficient time to writ an effective title, because it will usually determine the success of your entire PPC ad.

First Text Line

This is where you should appeal emotionally to visitors by revealing the most powerful benefit of your product or service. For example, describe how easy it will be for men to attract many beautiful women if they decide to purchase your weight loss products.

Second Text Line

You should use the second line of text to appeal to a visitor’s logical side when presenting an additional benefit of your product or service. For example, explain how your particular weight loss product will enable individuals to live longer, feel healthier and wear more current styles. Present the logical reasons visitors should choose your product.

Display URL

Many PPC advertisers fail to recognise the importance of the display URL when they write their PPC ads. Don’t make this common mistake. Consider the display URL as an actual part of your ad, and use this valuable space as a component of your “call to action”. For example, opt for a more enticing URL such as “Weightloss.com/FastTrackSuccess”, rather than “weightloss.com”. Make sure you capitalise each word in the URL to improve readability and include your keyword, if possible. You should also create a landing page containing a descriptive name. If you take your time creating an effective display URL, you will attract more attention to your ads and generate a greater number of clicks.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Don’t be fooled by the limited amount of available space for your PPC ads. There is a big advantage to the size; if you were advertising in a regular magazine you may end up being completely overshadowed by a larger company with a big advertising budget. Your tiny black and white ad could be lost among all the enticing glossy, full page colour ads. Fortunately, everyone receives the same amount of advertising space when it comes to PPC ads. This levels the playing field and enables you to utilise your creativity to gain a competitive edge over larger companies.