Fairfax Media, Lucas Ng on Creative Management, Writing killer ad copy

Lucas Ng is the Director of Search & Analytics at Fairfax Media where he manages search marketing and web analytics operations for many of Australia’s most viewed websites. His session concentrates on writing relevant ad copy and how this affects the SEM process.

Google’s guidelines to ad copy

• Use the keywords in the headline
• Use prices and promotions so users know what to expect
• Use a strong call-to-action

What else is there to killer ad copy?

• Capitalise the first letter of every word
• Understand the audience – what is the audience profile and behavior?
• Who is it for? What has triggered their search process?
• Who else is influencing the searcher?
• Killer Ad copy differentiates itself from the crowd by understanding the audience better than the rest or identifying a unique selling proposition that the product/service has
• Killer ad copy is highly relevant to your landing page
• Killer ad copy uses a psychological trigger i.e. emotion, sense of urgency, instant gratification and a desire to belong
• The copy needs to filter clicks so all your leads are qualified
• Test, refine and test some more
• Put the product/service/brand into the display URL

Finally if you’re stumped for ideas Lucas suggests using magazine covers to get ideas for copy.

[-- I always read Vogue to inspire internet marketing brilliance, it's not bludging, its work! - Kate]