Today’s contest is interesting because the only difference between the two ads is the body copy.
- Ad Titles are the same.
- URLs are the same.
And yet one of these ads nearly doubled CTR. Can you guess which ad won?
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Make your selection and then keep reading…
In this case, the winner was ad number one. It was written by “jeffbaum71,” and it increased CTR by 90% — almost double the original CTR.
So why did Ad #1 win? And why did the body copy make such a difference? Let’s take a look…
1. The losing ad starts off with a pairing of words that clashes in my mind. When I read “Stunning Chunky,” my mind has a hard time visualizing what that means. Is it something so chunky, it’s stunning for the sheer size of it? I don’t know. And as I’m searching, my mind isn’t prepared to figure it out.
2. The first word pairing in the winning ad reads more naturally and is more easily imagined. When I read “Beautiful Handmade,” there is no confusion. I keep reading.
3. The losing ad uses three descriptive words in a row to describe “Designs.” It’s a bit much. Without any punctuation, the first line spills onto the second line in a run-on sentence. Only two nouns are used in the first sentence — “Designs” and “Wood.” No mention of furniture.
4. The winning ad, on the other hand, provides a clear description of the product being sold: “Wooden Furniture.” It’s pretty clear that if I click this ad, I’m going to see beautiful, handmade wooden furniture.
5. To cap it off, the losing ad mentions “0% APR.” While I realize this may be a benefit for a person who is already committed to buying some furniture, it is premature to advertise to an online searcher. The reason: The mention of 0% APR implies that the furniture is so expensive you’ll need a loan to pay for it. This could cause many searchers to pass over this ad.
6. Rather than talk about interest rates, the winning ad uses a simple call to action: “Shop Now!” This is a non-threatening call to action that fits well with what most searchers are wanting — to shop so they can find the right furniture!
The bottom line: The new ad wins because it uses clear language to describe the product, avoids confusing descriptions, and uses a direct but non-threatening call to action.
Simple changes — big difference in CTR.
By the way…
BoostCTR writers are standing at the ready to improve your pay-per-click ads on both Google and Facebook. Sign up today and put them to work. You could quickly see significant increases in CTR.
About the Author: Ryan Healy is a direct response copywriter and BoostCTR writer. Since 2002, he has worked with scores of clients, including Alex Mandossian, Terry Dean, and Pulte Homes. He writes a popular blog about copywriting, advertising, and business, and is the creator of the world’s first trust seal for affiliate programs.
Tags: ad contest, Ads, Benefit, Buying Furniture, Confusion, Descriptive Words, Handmade Furniture, Handmade Wooden Furniture, Nouns, Punctuation, Run On Sentence, Searchers, Wood Furniture
