Your goal in pay-per-click marketing is not to drive clicks, but to drive qualified clicks. There's a big difference between the two. In this article, I'm going to talk about some strategies you can use to send a message a that can enhance the likelihood of a qualified click.
Free Shipping
Free shipping is a good promotion that can get fence-sitters to buy. The concern can be that if the marketplace is rife with free shipping promotions and you don't have one, you're going to lose out. Another concern is if you have a free shipping promotion too often, consumers might wait until your next one to buy. If a dollar amount is required to qualify for free shipping, and especially if that dollar amount is considerably higher than the average order, be sure to give that info up front. Free shipping on $50 doesn't mean as much to someone shopping for CDs as free shipping on $150 sounds to someone shopping for a new DVD player. Free shipping works really well around the holidays.
Follow the Supply Chain
Think about associated items your customer might also be interested and that fit naturally with your primary message. For example, if your ad is for running shoes it might also be worth mentioning that you also have running socks and apparel, because someone buying new running shoes might also be interested in other running related items. Let them know you have a full stock of related merchandise.
Be Specific - Tell the Consumer what you want Him or Her to Do
If you're trying to drive leads by getting clicker to complete a form, say so. "Register today for...", "Sign up for...." tell the clicker what he or she is going to have to do when they get there. This will have the advantage of discouraging clicks from people who aren't going to want to fill out your form.
Promotions and Specials
Very similar to Free Shipping. If you have one, mention it, but be clear. "10% off $100", "Buy 2 get 1 free". Keep you average order value in mind.
Leverage your Brand
If your company has some brand recognition, use it. "Official JoeWidget Site". This can work especially well if other people are permitted to resell your products and are bidding on you brand terms as well, which brings me too the other part of leveraging your brand: don't let other people use it. If you're a manufacturer and sell wholesale, then resellers have the right to use your brand. But if your name is JoeWidget, and no one else is permitted to sell JoeWidget widgets, use that to your advantage and make sure no one else is using your name. Both Google and Yahoo Search Marketing will take down trademark infringers if you inform them it's going on.
Be Honest
Above all, don't try to trick the consumer. Don't bring them in on a false message or do the old bait and switch. Give the consumer an honest message, fulfill their expectations, and they'll remember that the next time they're shopping and they see your ad again.
About the Author
Dave is a full-time Search Engine Marketing Manager. He also runs SyteSurge, a web site dedicated to search engine optimization and search engine marketing.
