A large percentage of websites utilize Search Engine Marketing as a major component of their overall advertising initiatives. Even amidst an economic climate where budgets are stretched ultra thin, paid search is on the rise. According to a recent CNET article, “Paid search is the Web’s latest sector bouncing back from the recession.”

While it is encouraging to see more dollars being spent online, the importance of the message within the ads should certainly not be forgotten. You want to make sure your ads are competitive; Pay per Click Ads are an effective way to drive visitors to your website to (depending on your business model) either buy a product, request a demo, fill out an online form, request a brochure, etc.

Unless your business is uniquely niche, I would bet there are countless others trying to drive the very same visitors to their websites to do the very same thing you are. To complicate matters, the character limitations set forth by the engines can be enough to make you bang your head against a wall! You essentially have to find a way to say what you want to say as creatively as possible, but with very few characters. Trust me, this is no easy task. The key is to make your ad copy eye catching, with incentives to make searchers click on your ad.  This can be accomplished by investing the necessary time to create compelling ad copy that will showcase your positives. Some examples can include:

• The Use Of Coupon Codes
• Free Shipping/Returns
• Fast Delivery
• Free Gift With Purchase
• Low Price Guarantee
• Percentage Off With Coupon Code
• Free Demo
• Free Webinar
• Official Site
• Authentic/Genuine Products

The use of buzz words to create a sense of urgency is also an excellent tool to grab the attention of a searcher. Examples include:

• Now (Shop Now, Buy Now, Click Now, Order Now, etc.)
• Limited Time Offer
• The Use Of An Expiration Date (Valid through 8/31/10)

If you are an Online Retailer it helps to boast components like:

• Huge Inventory/collection
• Full Line of XXXXX in all sizes
• Great Deals

Don’t forget to create a minimum of three (yes three) ads within each ad group and allow your ads to rotate. Eventually you should have *enough data to determine which ad performs the best overall.

*The use of an analytics platform is strongly suggested.

Let’s face it. The Online Marketing arena is a competitive one. Everyone who’s anyone has a product or service to sell and they all seem to make it sound as though their site is the best one to click on. Why would a consumer choose YOU over the countless others? If you don’t have an immediate (and compelling) answer to that question, well then shame on you! It is critical when creating a paid search initiative that your Ad Copy reflects - in as creative a way as possible - why searchers should click on your ads, rather than your competitors.

Ad Copy can be tricky, in that the engines only permit a very limited amount of characters, including spaces and punctuation. Example: 25 in the First Line; 35 in the Second; 35 in the Third Line. Not a lot of space to say what you want to say, is it? So where should you start?

How about making a list of all of the benefits of ordering from your website? These are the things you will want to include in your Ad Copy. Some of these benefits may include the following:

• Low Price Guarantee & Percentage Discounts (up to 50% off, etc.)
• Free Shipping & Returns
• 24 Hour Customer Service
• Free Samples With Purchase
• Serving Customers Nationwide
• Special Promotions or Discounts

You will also want to use calls to action, in an effort to generate a sense of urgency such as:

• Limited Time Offer or Limited Supplies Available
• Offer Ends Soon
• The word “now” speaks volumes and is quite powerful: Buy Now, Shop Now, Call Now, Order Now, Click Now, Visit Now, Discover Now, etc.

Remember, your ads are competing with all of the others out there. Which incentives or offerings would entice you to want to click on your ad?

So you want to be #1 in Google, huh? Of course you do and you’re not alone, so does everybody else!

Unfortunately, ranking #1 organically (let alone in the top 10) in any search engine is not an easy task to accomplish, though not impossible either. You will need a solid action plan, a knowledgeable and reputable team well versed in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and an enormous amount of patience. Unlike paid search efforts, where you can receive almost instant gratification (barring the nuances of quality scores, expensive bid prices, etc.) from “buying” real estate in the sponsored results section, organic results do not occur overnight. It is best to be seen in both the organic results, as well as the paid.

See example of Nike in AdWords screenshot below. Notice that Nike.com is appearing #1 organically, as well as paying to be in the sponsored section. This reinforces their brand and provides the opportunity to take up more real estate on the page. Surprisingly many searchers do not understand or recognize the difference between a paid listing and an organic one. Nike is very smart to cover all the bases by ensuring that they are being seen in both places.

Sure, there is methodology that can be utilized to “trick” or “fool” Google into thinking that your site should rank higher than it actually should. In addition, there are a slew of non reputable companies that will offer empty promises and make all sorts of guarantees that sound way too good to be true. At the risk of sounding cliché, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We strongly advise against employing any black hat tactics; you run the high risk of getting penalized or ultimately having your site completely banned from the SERPS.

Don’t take shortcuts, no matter how appealing they may seem. If you take the time to optimize your site the right way, you will reap the benefits over time. There are a myriad of elements that must be factored into an effective, long term SEO Strategy. Employ a credible and reputable SEO firm that will hold your hand and expertly guide you on your journey through the ever-changing algorithms set forth by the search engines.