Session diving into responsive search ads (RSA) and dynamic search ads (DSA) and whether to delegate creative and targeting choices to the machine or to retain them
2. | #smx @navahf 2
Agenda
• Dissecting ads
• Serving the right people
• What Are Your Customers Asking For?
• In digital marketing since 2008, and PPC since
2012
• Named Top 25 PPC Expert 2018
• Work across WordStream’s Interantional
Agency and Advertiser Customer base
About Me:
3. | #SMX @navahf 3
What Do All These People Have In Common?
10. | #SMX @navahf 10
• Repetitive and templatized
messaging.
• Hiding personality in the
description, where unique copy
gets lost.
• We don’t give our prospects any
direction on where to go or what to
do.
What makes an ad “bad”
11. | #SMX @navahf 11
Expanded Text Ads Mean Your Copy Is Due For A
Revisit!
Description text would
have made great
headlines!
12. | #SMX @navahf 12
Google Saw This Lack of Care, and Decided to Make
Ads For You
13. | #SMX @navahf 13
• All extensions you pay for should
be manually crafted.
• Ratings, locations, and structured
snippets are safe.
Google Will Also Make Extensions
15. | #SMX @navahf 15
Can You Tell Which Was Made by AI?
AI AI
Human
16. | #SMX @navahf 16
Comparing Metrics Dec. 10 – Jan 8
Top Performing AI Created Ad
• Impressions: 521
• CTR: 11.52 %
• Average CPC: $9.55
• CPA: $30.16
• ROAS: 9.95X
Human Created Ad
• Impressions: 145
• CTR: 4.14%
• Average CPC: $10.94
• CPA: $32.81
• ROAS: 9.14X
Runner-up AI AD:
Impressions: 329
CTR: 6.99%
CPA: $40.10
ROAS: 7.48X
17. | #SMX @navahf 17
• Google favored ads it created,
despite mixed performance.
• Minimalist copy no longer cuts it,
AI can do that!
• AI ads look to brand names for
headline text - is that how you
want to invest your copy real estate
Lessons Learned:
18. | #SMX @navahf 18
Automation Will Raise The Floor, Not The Ceiling:
Own Your Creative Star Power
19. | #SMX @navahf 19
Trends in CTR When Humans Write the Ads
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
7.00%
8.00%
9.00%
Include H3 & D2 Include H3, No D2 No H3, Include D2 No H3 & No D2
Q3 2018 CTR
CTR
50,618 ads
with at least
one click in
Q3
20. | #SMX @navahf 20
Trends Human Crafted Headline CTR
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
7.00%
8.00%
9.00%
10.00%
CTR
Q3 2018 CTR
$ Your Free Call Demo We Try Learn
50,618 ads
with at least
one click in
Q3
$: 962 ads
Your: 1758 ads
Free: 2155 ads
Call: 824 ads
Demo: 112 ads
We: 1489 ads
Try: 228 ads
Learn: 153 Ads
21. | #SMX @navahf 21
• Look for opportunities to replace
“try” with “learn”.
• Transparency in pricing
outperforms fabricated “free”
offers.
• Focus on the user’s needs over
your brand’s selling points.
Opportunities in Headline
Copy:
22. | #SMX @navahf 22
Trends in Human Description CTR
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
7.00%
8.00%
9.00%
CTR
Q3 2018 CTR
$ Your Free Call Demo We Try Learn
50,618 ads
with at least
one click in
Q3
$: 568 ads
Your: 6235 ads
Free: 3218 ads
Call: 2428 ads
Demo: 225 ads
We: 4324 ads
Try: 435 ads
Learn: 781 Ads
23. | #SMX @navahf 23
• “Try” outperforms “Learn” in
descriptions, don’t overuse
headline copy!
• Specific copy matters less in the
description than leveraging the
second description
• Prospects expect to get some
insight on pricing in the ad.
Opportunities in
Description Copy:
24. | #SMX @navahf 24
Which Ad Do You Think Performed Better?
Ad A Ad B
26. | #SMX @navahf 26
• Addressed the most stressful part of buying
a car in the headline
• Greeted the prospect.
• Added additional data to help prospect
choose them in description.
Ad B
• Addressed a secondary concern in the
headline.
• Opened focusing on themselves
• Used headline worthy copy in the
description.
27. | #SMX @navahf 27
• Engages the prospect in
personalized language.
• A call to action the user can
complete on the landing page.
• Addresses the pain points that
inspired the query
What Makes An Ad “Good”
28. | #SMX @navahf 28
Responsive Search
Ads are bound by
data and trends
lack human
flexibility and
brand focus
31. | #SMX @navahf 31
• I’m in Boston
• Extensions give additional context,
but that should have been given in
the headlines.
• Hyper-repetitive messaging doesn’t
sound human. The typo proves it is
human…
32. | #SMX @navahf 32
• I’m under 40
• You’re asking me if you’re the best
way to solve my problem…
• “It’s probably not a dating site”
should be headline three
33. | #SMX @navahf 33
If I’m Not Your Target, Don’t Show Me An Ad!
34. | #SMX @navahf 34
Don’t Let Automated Ads Guess On Demographics
And Other Audiences
35. | #SMX @navahf 35
Use Customizers If Your Brand Serves Different
Audiences
36. | #SMX @navahf 36
• DKI close variants – time to rethink
them!
• Promising more than you deliver on
your landing page.
• Not honoring audiences and search
trends by location.
What makes an ad “off”
42. | #SMX @navahf 42
• Self-reliant
• Will be receptive to an expert
• Drawn to tutorials
A person asking “how”
43. | #SMX @navahf 43
• Does not address the “how”
• “Expert” hidden in the second description
line
• Copy doesn’t speak to prospect’s desire to
learn
• Addresses the “how”
• Promises a resource the prospect can learn
from moving forward.
• Leaves the door open for the user to
engage in a more transactional manner
46. | #SMX @navahf 46
• Have a problem, but don’t quite
know what the solution is.
• May believe there is only one type
of solution/answer to their
problem.
A person asking what:
47. | #SMX @navahf 47
• Offers a variety of options without naming
any = clickbait
• More focused on themselves and their
process than actually solving the user’s
problem.
• Copy is too formulaic to register as expert
content.
• Addresses the “what” with a single
directed solution.
• Honors the fact that the prospect may
need more education without leaving room
for them to leave.
• Speaks in terms of value for the prospect,
rather than focusing why they’re awesome
48. | #SMX @navahf 48
Dynamic Search Ads “Pick” SERPs For You Via The
Sections Of The Site You’re Targeting
49. | #SMX @navahf 49
• All keywords are negatives in the
campaign so specific messaging
and bids are protected.
• Targets are broken up by ad group
so you can leverage contextually
relevant messaging in the
descriptions.
• The budget is set with data
acquisition in mind.
DSA will be successful at
driving data and profit if: