Writing PPC Optimized Web Copy

Ever heard of the Google Slap? It’s where Google makes you pay high prices for advertising because your non-PPC optimized web copy penalises you…
Let me explain.
These days Google AdWords is all about a thing called the “quality score.” It has been called a “stupid tax” by some and if you think about it, the term is apt. The fact that Google applies a lot of thought to it means you better sharpen up your writing if you want your PPC campaigns to be successful.
Google wants you to use relevant keywords in your PPC optimized web copy now. What this means is the long tail type keywords no longer work out of context! The more often you use them this way, the more it can actually cost you per click.
Not less like you have been led to believe.
As well, you must now use relevant ads so you are not fooling the reader. Google now has a list of what you could call advertising “stop” words …
These are the fluff words we all love so dearly “free, amazing, sale, bargain, etc.”
Google now wants advertisers to be factual, so that searchers know that YOU have what THEY are seeking. Makes sense really…
The word “Free” seems to be particularly obnoxious to Google – avoid it on any landing page specially if it’s an opt in page only. “Free” is not a word you can use these days for PPC optimized web copy and its use will cost you dearly.
The other thing nowadays is the wording on the landing page has to be relevant to the wording in the PPC advert. The keyword in both has to be singularly consistent, because we now know that the landing page counts for about half your quality score at Google.
If you advertise “headphones” and the keyword on the landing page is “headphones” you will immediately gain a 50-70% discount off your advertising rates. This will make your PPC optimized web copy successful, rather than a money sink…
See, Google wants readers to find EXACTLY what they are looking for the first time they click, so their user experience is simple and easy and pleasant. That way people will use Google more often, and of course Google can get more ad revenue as a result.
And as you can see, they reward smart marketers who write according to their rules.
It’s something to think about isn’t it? The more relevant your keywords match in PPC advert and corresponding landing page, the higher your position will be and the lower your cost. I don’t pay a “stupid tax.” Do you?