Write effective text ad copy

Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

All wide characters and double-byte characters reduce the number of characters permitted per line.

Capitalizing the first letter in each word of your ad is allowed. But a word can’t appear in all capital letters to draw attention unless that’s how a term is trademarked. For example, “MAC” is allowed for a MAC brand ad, but “NEW” isn’t allowed.

Exclamation points are prohibited in headlines/titles, but they’re allowed in description lines. Only one is allowed in the description.

Special characters such as @,~,\, ^,>,< are prohibited.

Shortcuts, or the use of symbols to replace words, are prohibited. For example, you can’t use “U” to replace “you,” or “@” to replace “at.”

Superlative phrases, such as “Best”’ or “#1,” are prohibited unless this distinction has been verified by a third party and the verification is clearly displayed on your website.

Use trademark terms only if your client owns the trademarks in question, and the trademarked items must be visible on the landing page.

Inappropriate language is prohibited.

Write powerful headlines to attract potential customers.

Include keywords in your headline because that’s what most people are looking for. [1]

Create ad copy that’s designed for the intended audience.

Create ads that are specific, clearly communicate your intent, and include your company’s value proposition to compel the user to click the ad and visit your site.

Include the product, service, and other details (such as promotions) in the description/body.

Get to the point fast: include the most relevant information about the business first.

Relate your ad to offers that are on the landing page to help users complete the sales cycle.

Use phrases like “Free Shipping,” “Easy Returns,” “Free Exchanges and In-store Returns,” and “Free gifts” to increase the click-through rate.

If you are offering a discount, then include the specific amount or percentage of the discount (such as “20% off” or "Save $20 on first purchase).

If possible, use the keyword both in the headline/title and in both lines of the description/body. [1]

Always include a call to action in the text, such as “View,” “Check out,” “Order,” or “Sign up,” to increase the click-through rate. For image ads, include the call to action on a button linking to your website; for rich media ads, include the call to action in an early frame.

Be sensitive to how the advertiser wants its brand to be perceived. For example, an advertiser may not want the word “cheap” to show up in its ads.

Research what your competitors are doing. Look at the top ads for a space (at sites like www.spyfu.com) and try to understand which ads are working.