1. SES San Francisco - September 11, 2013
Ad Copy Variable Analysis ̶ Retail

2. Ad Quality Takeaways
The key to success in ad
copy is testing.
This study provides insights
into average ad quality, but
there was still a lot of
variability. Use this study as
a guide for performing your
own ad copy tests.

3. A calculation which factors in both the clickability* of the ad
and other indicators of ad quality. Ads with better ad quality
not only have a better CTR, they get rewarded with better ad
ranking and lower CPCs than other ads with lower ad quality.
Ad Quality Definition
* Clickability is defined as the likelihood of an ad being clicked, agnostic of position

4. Making it Actionable:
• 9 Retail categories were reviewed
• 20+ of the most commonly featured variables were analyzed
Methodology
Analyzed thousands
of ads in each of several
advertiser sub-verticals
within Retail Holiday
2012.
Many phrases (variables)
were considered.*
Phrases (variables)
needed to appear in ads
from at least 5
advertisers
Phrases were
sorted based on
a weighted average
of positive ad quality
*Some variables are not just single word or phrase, but a bucket of them, due to the large number of ads analyzed and a big amount of words/phrases surfaced. Most buckets mirror the
variation of the phrase itself, e.g. plurals, different tense, etc. Examples in appendix

5. Key Observations
There is no prescriptive set of ad copy that will generate the same
results across devices.
There is a significant lift in ad quality when Sitelinks are present.
What works really well for one
category may perform poorly for another

6. Retail Brand Insight
Apparel &
Accessories
Consumer
Electronics
Department Stores Toys and Hobbies
Impact of Brand: PC Ad Copy
Title Description
Apparel &
Accessories
Consumer
Electronics
Department Stores Toys and Hobbies
Importance of Brand: Mobile Ad Copy
Title Description
Department Store ad titles for PC indexed lower than
the same on mobile.
Mobile Ad titles with Brand included indexed
significantly lower than their PC counterparts.
Take Away: Extremely important to understand
differences in devices and performance rather than
duplicate Brand Ad Copy across all.

7. Ads with sitelinks had a
much higher ad quality
than ads without sitelinks.
The Ad Quality was 18% greater
when sitelinks were present on an
ad.
Sitelinks
NO YES
Sitelinks adopted
Ad Quality: Relation to Sitelinks Present
NO YES
18% Lift!

8. AD COPY ANALYSIS BY
RETAIL CATEGORY

9. Apparel & Accessories: PC Insights
32%
144%
32%
-10%
87%
140%
21%
-66%
67%
-36%
-17%
-41%
74%
13%
-14%
-32%
89%
50%
-75% -25% 25% 75% 125% 175%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Fashion
Free
Free Shipping
Gift(s)
Holiday
New
Now
Official Site
Online
Price/Pricing
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Style/Kind
PC Title
-2%
75%
31%
61%
17%
17%
16%
-22%
14%
-16%
-8%
81%
-18%
69%
14%
7%
1%
52%
-25% -5% 15% 35% 55% 75% 95%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Fashion
Free
Free Shipping
Gift(s)
Holiday
New
Now
Official Site
Online
Price/Pricing
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Style/Kind
PC Description
 Ad quality is less compelling on PCs when phrases including „holiday‟ are used in the title and description.
 Having „Online‟ in PC Ad Descriptions significantly increases ad quality.

10. Apparel & Accessories – Top Combos by Device
Mobile and Tablet Ad Copy indexed high with ‘Official Site’ in the Title combined with ‘online’ in the description.
‘Size’ mentioned in the title of PC ads performed significantly better than on Mobile and Tablet Ads.
PC Mobile Tablet
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Brand Call to Action Brand Call to Action Official Site Call to Action
Size New Official Site Online Official Site Online
Price/Pricing Now % Off Size Brand Call to Action
Size Brand % Off Now Brand Online
Size Official Site Brand Online Style/Kind Online

11. Apparel & Accessories – Head/Torso/Tail
Frequency of ‘Free Shipping’ use was relatively smaller than the other Head term combinations, but proved to
have significant ad quality.
Surprisingly the frequency of ‘Size and Brand’ being used together for Torso terms, and ‘%Off with Size’ for Tail
terms was relatively low but yielded the highest Ad Quality of these two groups.
Head Torso Tail
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Brand Call to Action Size Brand % Off Size
Official Site Online Official Site Size NoVar Orders
New Style/Kind Free Now Promotion Size
Free Shipping Style/Kind Size New Product Orders
Free Shipping Official Site Size Fashion Size Size

12. Lift compared to ads that did not use any of the listed variables
Variables were chosen based on frequency of use and positive impact on ad quality
Consumer Electronics: PC Insights
 Relative to other Ad copy variables in PC Title and Descriptions, Black Friday call outs indexed the highest, surprisingly much higher than
Cyber Monday.
 Being specific with Style/Kind of product as well as highlighting „Black Friday‟ was also extremely successful.
0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250%
Black Friday
Brand
Call to Action
Cyber Monday
Free
Free Shipping
Gift
New
Now
Official Site
Price/Pricing
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Style/Kind
PC Title
0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250% 300% 350%
Black Friday
Brand
Call to Action
Cyber Monday
Free
Free Shipping
Gift
New
Now
Official Site
Price/Pricing
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Style/Kind
PC Description

13. Consumer Electronics – Top Combos by Device
PC Mobile Tablet
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Cyber Monday Quality NoVar Cyber Monday Promotion Cyber Monday
Brand Cyber Monday Purchase Cyber Monday Cyber Monday Promotion
New Promotion Price/Pricing Product Brand Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday Promotion Brand Resource Cyber Monday Quality
NoVar In-Store Pickup Price/Pricing Free Shipping Product Cyber Monday
When looking to pair variables, Cyber Monday paired with other top variables indexes the highest in Ad Quality.
‘Price/Pricing’ was extremely valuable for Mobile Ad Titles when combined with the ‘Product’ or ‘Free Shipping’, while
‘Promotion’ offers performed well on PC and Tablet.

14. Consumer Electronics – Head/Torso/Tail
Brand pairings are critical to Ad Quality for Consumer Electronics Head terms.
Generating interest and increasing Ad Quality through Black Friday and Cyber Monday combinations is key for Torso
terms.
Head
Title Description
Brand Cyber Monday
Brand Black Friday
Brand Celebrity
Brand In-Store Pickup
Brand Gift
Torso
Title Description
Black Friday NoVar
Celebrity NoVar
Cyber Monday Promotion
Promotion Cyber Monday
NoVar Celebrity
Tail
Title Description
Product Call to Action
Product Online
Product Purchase
Product Product
Purchase Product

15. Lift compared to ads that did not use any of the listed variables
Variables were chosen based on frequency of use and positive impact on ad quality
Department Stores: PC Insights
 Where Service, Quality, and Free Shipping indexed lower in quality when placed in the PC Ad Title, they proved to add value when featured in
the description.
 Placing the „value‟ of a product within the PC Ad Title increases ad quality.
-60% -10% 40% 90% 140% 190% 240% 290%
Black Friday
Brand
Clothing
Cyber Monday
DKI
Domain
Food
Free
Free Shipping
Furniture
Gift(s)
New
Number
Official Site
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Style/Kind
Value
Venue
Web
PC Title
-25% 25% 75% 125% 175% 225% 275% 325% 375%
Black Friday
Brand
Clothing
Cyber Monday
DKI
Domain
Food
Free
Free Shipping
Furniture
Gift(s)
New
Number
Official Site
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Style/Kind
Value
Venue
Web
PC Description

16. Department Stores– Top Combos by Device
PC Mobile Tablet
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Black Friday Product Number Purchase Black Friday Venue
Celebrity Product Number Promotion Celebrity Venue
Value Resource Number Number Brand Furniture
Value Number Black Friday Venue Purchase Resource
DKI Black Friday Number Style/Kind Clothing Number
Phone Number in the Ad title proved valuable above and beyond other variables for mobile, emphasizing the
importance of understanding a user’s intent (mobile phone, looking to make calls).

17. Department Stores– Head/Torso/Tail
DKI + Black Friday had the lowest frequency of use, but one of the highest Ranked Ad Quality indexes for Head
terms.
Head Torso Tail
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Black Friday Product Black Friday Purchase Resource DKI
Celebrity Product Celebrity Purchase Product Venue
DKI Black Friday NoVar Black Friday Product Web
Black Friday Venue NoVar Celebrity Official Site Product
Celebrity Venue Black Friday Brand Web Product

18. Toys & Hobbies: PC Insights
 PC Ad Copy titles with „Now‟ negatively indexed compared to other variables, where it was successful in driving CTR if placed in the
description.
 % Off in the PC Description reduced the propensity to click, but showed positive when placed in the Ad Title.
-75% -25% 25% 75% 125% 175% 225% 275% 325%
% Off
Black Friday
Brand
Call to Action
Free
Free Shipping
Holiday
New
Now
Official Site
Online
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Service
Style/Kind
PC Title
-50% 0% 50% 100% 150%
% Off
Black Friday
Brand
Call to Action
Free
Free Shipping
Holiday
New
Now
Official Site
Online
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Service
Style/Kind
PC Description

19. Toys & Hobbies – Top Variables by Device
PC Mobile Tablet
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Black Friday Purchase New Call to Action Official Site Brand
Call to Action Promotion Product Purchase Official Site Now
Black Friday Call to Action Official Site Brand Official Site New
NoVar Official Site Official Site Now Free Shipping Free
Quality Promotion Promotion Black Friday Service Free
PC searchers tend to react positively to ad titles calling out ‘Black Friday promotions’.
‘Official Site’ in the Mobile and Tablet Ad Copy title is extremely valuable when paired with Brand names.

20. Toys & Hobbies – Head/Torso/Tail
From the data, it seems that there is a shorter Head to Tail for Toys and Hobbies categories. Calls to Action with
Promotions and Descriptions of Style/Kind have significantly higher Ad Quality.
Product paired with Purchase had low frequency of use, but high Ad Quality for Tail terms.
Head Torso Tail
Title Description Title Description Title Description
Call to Action Promotion Black Friday Call to Action NoVar Style/Kind
Style/Kind Purchase Official Site Brand Product Purchase
Black Friday Call to Action Call to Action Promotion Call to Action Product
Quality Promotion New Call to Action Product Style/Kind
Call to Action Style/Kind Official Site Now Product Orders

21. Mass Merchants: PC Insights
 Ad quality is less compelling on PCs when phrases including „holiday‟ are used in the title and description.
 Having „Online‟ in PC Ad Descriptions significantly increases ad quality.
-60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Clothing
Condition
DKI
Form
Free
Free Shipping
Now
Official Site
Orders
Param Insertion
Price Point
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Sport
Style/Kind
Value
PC Title
-100% -80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Clothing
Condition
DKI
Form
Free
Free Shipping
Now
Official Site
Orders
Param Insertion
Price Point
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Sport
Style/Kind
Value
PC Description

22. Mass Merchants – Top Combos by Device
PC ad quality is significantly heightened when ‘Official Site’ and ‘Clothing’ are used together. The Ad Quality is
strong with this combination across devices, but is the strongest when used on Tablet Ad Copy.
PC
Title Description
Official Site Clothing
Style/Kind Clothing
Purchase Price Point
Condition Promotion
Condition Purchase
Tablet
Title Description
Official Site Clothing
Style/Kind Clothing
Official Site Style/Kind
Purchase Param Insertion
Purchase % Off
Mobile
Title Description
Official Site Clothing
Style/Kind Clothing
Purchase Style/Kind
Official Site Style/Kind
Style/Kind Style/Kind

23. Mass Merchants – Head/Torso/Tail
‘Purchase’ pairings yield significantly high Ad Quality for Mass Merchant’s Tail terms.
Head
Title Description
Official Site Clothing
Style/Kind Clothing
Condition Promotion
Condition Purchase
Purchase Param Insertion
Torso
Title Description
Clothing Param Insertion
Clothing % Off
Brand Clothing
Clothing Product
Clothing Clothing
Tail
Title Description
Purchase Promotion
Purchase Quality
Purchase Call to Action
Purchase Brand
Purchase Service

24. Home & Garden: PC Insights
 Ad quality is less compelling on PCs when „Free Shipping‟ or „Service‟ are used in the Title, however both indexed well when used in the
Description.
-100% -50% 0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250% 300%
% Off
Black Friday
Brand
Cyber Monday
Food
Free Shipping
Furniture
Gift(s)
Holiday
Now
Official Site
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Size
Style/Kind
Value
Venue
Web
PC Title
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 140% 160% 180%
% Off
Black Friday
Brand
Cyber Monday
Food
Free Shipping
Furniture
Gift(s)
Holiday
Now
Official Site
Product
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Resource
Service
Size
Style/Kind
Value
Venue
Web
PC Description

25. Home & Garden – Top Combos by Device
Across all devices, ‘Venue’ pairings yield significantly high Ad Quality.
The combination of ‘Venue’ with ‘Purchase’ on Mobile targeted ad copy is the least frequently used but highest
indexing ad quality.
Mobile
Title Description
Venue Purchase
Venue Product
Venue Style/Kind
Promotion Web
Resource Now
Tablet
Title Description
Venue Free Shipping
Venue Service
Venue Brand
Venue Value
Venue Product
PC
Title Description
Venue Now
Venue Free Shipping
Venue Service
Venue Brand
Venue Purchase

26. Home & Garden – Head/Torso/Tail
With the exception of Tail terms, ‘Venue’ is still a strong pairing for Home and Garden ad copy.
For Torso terms, ‘Brand’ with ‘Official Site’ has the highest indexing Ad Quality but is used less frequently relative
to other combinations.
Head
Title Description
Venue Resource
Brand Venue
Venue Purchase
Venue Free Shipping
Venue Service
Torso
Title Description
Brand Official Site
Venue Furniture
Brand Gift
Brand Furniture
Size Quality
Tail
Title Description
Brand Service
Brand Value
Style/Kind Brand
Style/Kind Free Shipping
Product Size

27. Flowers/Candy/Gifts: PC Insights
 Ad quality indexes negatively on PCs when phrases using „Value,‟ „Profession,‟ or „Free Shipping‟ are used in the title. „Profession‟ relative to
other variables indexes lower for description.
 Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) yields higher ad quality in general when used in titles or descriptions.
-150% -100% -50% 0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250% 300%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Clothing
Create
DKI
Food
Free
Free Shipping
Gift(s)
Holiday
Now
Online
Product
Profession
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Service
Style/Kind
Value
Web
PC Title
-100% -80% -60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
% Off
Brand
Call to Action
Clothing
Create
DKI
Food
Free
Free Shipping
Gift(s)
Holiday
Now
Online
Product
Profession
Promotion
Purchase
Quality
Service
Style/Kind
Value
Web
PC Description

28. Flowers/Candy/Gifts – Top Combos by Device
‘Gift(s)’ pairings yield significantly high ad quality when used on Tablet, but not other devices.
‘Call to Action’ paired with ‘Now’ yields ad quality above and beyond other PC pairings but is used less
frequently.
PC
Title Description
Call to Action Now
Promotion NoVar
Service Gift(s)
DKI Create
NoVar Value
Mobile
Title Description
Product Food
Product Quality
Product Gift(s)
Style/Kind Product
Gift(s) Product
Tablet
Title Description
Gift(s) Now
Gift(s) Product
Gift(s) Value
Gift(s) Brand
DKI Value

29. Flowers/Candy/Gifts – Head/Torso/Tail
The top 4 Head term combinations listed are less frequently used relative to other combinations, but yield the
highest ad quality.
‘Purchase’ paired with ‘Promotion’ used in Ad Copy yields ad quality above and beyond that of any other relative
pairing for the Tail terms.
Head
Title Description
Style/Kind Value
Call to Action Now
Now Promotion
Brand Promotion
Gift(s) Value
Torso
Title Description
DKI Purchase
Service Gift(s)
Gift(s) Holiday
Gift(s) Brand
Quality Style/Kind
Tail
Title Description
Purchase Promotion
DKI Quality
Product Create
Style/Kind Holiday
Gift(s) Style/Kind

30. TEST
Testing is critical to
understanding your Ad Copy
performance across
devices, categories, and time
periods.
Key Takeaways
USE ANNOTATIONS
Understand the value of Sitelink
lift and impact it could have on
an entire account. Implement
and iterate.
SCALABLE EXECUTION
Develop a framework for
understanding clickability of ads
and executing top performers
scalably.

31. Thank you!

32. Appendix

33. Details on Variables
Due to the large number of ads analyzed and
a significant amount of words/phrases
surfaced, Phrases/Variables analyzed were
sometimes bucketed.
“Promotion” includes words such as “sales”, “low
prices”, “deals”
“Product” includes a specific product in the sub-
vertical, such as “Clothes, Swimwear, Shoes, Watches”
for Apparel and Accessories sub-vertical.
Others could be synonyms or same intent.
E.g. “Brand” includes all major brand in the sub-
vertical
Most buckets mirror the variation of the phrase
itself, e.g. plurals, different tense, etc.