Your Ad Copy Questions Answered

June 11, 2018
Paid Search

With Text Ads, Expanded Text Ads, Dynamic Search Ads, Dynamic Keyword Insertion, Ad Extensions, and new ad features being added to AdWords all the time, knowing what tactics to use and when can raise a lot of questions. While constant ad copy testing and optimizations are critical to improving your marketing performance here are a few questions answered to get your ads pointed in the right direction.

When should I include brand terms in my ads?

ALWAYS! You’re marketing to potential tenants across multiple marketing channels and you’re brand is what ties all of that together. When a potential tenant sees your ad on the SERP they need to know it’s your ad. This will help improve engagement metrics such as CTR, Bounce Rate, Avg. Session Duration and Conversion Rates.

What Ad Extensions should I use?

Sitelink Extensions: A fantastic way to send potential leads directly to where they would like to go on your site. Some examples of other pages to send them to are the Floor Plans, Amenities, Photo Gallery, and Contact pages.
Structured Snippets: Using the ‘Amenities’ header you can list all your properties key amenities such as; Pool, Fitness Center, Pet Friendly, Walk-In Closets, Cryo Chamber, Time Machine, etc.
Callout Extensions: Callouts are an effective way to highlight features of your property that are still important but not quite amenities. Think of features like ‘close to public transportation’, ‘minutes from downtown’, ‘great school district’.
Price Extensions: These are a great pre-qualifier for potential leads. Before you pay for a click from a potential lead they can see what you’re starting unit price points are and determine if they are in their price range.
Location Extensions: Location, location, location. There is no purchase where location matters more than where to live. Location extensions let potential leads know you’re property locations without them having to click on your ad to find out.
Call & Message Extensions: Call/Message Extensions are a terrific way for potential leads to reach you without ever having to visit your website. Also, if you are using other sitelinks and have written an effective ad a potential lead may already know your unit types, unit pricing, location, amenities, and other property features without ever having to go to your website and can reach out directly from your ad.

Should I include my location in my ad copy?

Yes…. and no. For branded searches (i.e. ‘Fancy Tower Apartments’) users typically are already familiar with your property and its location and it may be more effective to include information about your unit types and availability. For nonbranded searches (i.e. ‘apartments for rent in Narnia’) users are less familiar with your brand and it is important to let them know the location of your property.

Do I need to include pricing in my ad text if I use Price Extensions?

Including the price in your headline are very effective for unit specific searches (i.e. ‘2 bedroom apartments for rent’). Including the price for that specific search can quickly prequalify a potential lead before you par for their click. However, as with price extensions it is extremely important to make sure you’re pricing is up to date and accurate.