How Viable Is This? (copy for banner ads)

[marmalade]

How viable is it to take proven PPC copy and use it in banner ads? I need some banner ads created but not sure what to write in them. The PPC copy is the best I can come up with atm. At least it's tested and gets clicked.

It's going to be short teaser copy with this strategy, not any of those "advertorial" banners. Any input or experiences?

[Elion Makkink]

I think it would work. Just don't put too much text in it. Visitors won't even try to read the whole sentence. Keep it short and simple

[Johnny12345]

Originally Posted by marmalade

How viable is it to take proven PPC copy and use it in banner ads? I need some banner ads created but not sure what to write in them. The PPC copy is the best I can come up with atm. At least it's tested and gets clicked.

It's going to be short teaser copy with this strategy, not any of those "advertorial" banners. Any input or experiences?

Your PPC copy may -- or may not -- work well on a banner.

It depends.

AdWords search ads, for example, often have only the keywords in the headline. That isn't going to work well for most banner ads.

Instead, give them your biggest benefit in your banner. And, if there's room, it's always a good idea to have a call to action or use a scarcity element. For example, "Click Here" or "Limited-Time Offer."

John

[marmalade]

Thanks for the input so far, guys. I might just post them once they're created -- if I have the guts

[Hans Klein]

Yes, text ad copy can work very well in banner ads.

That said, display/content ads are very different than search for one big reason:

Rather than people seeking you out - you're interrupting. You've got to stop someone who might be wasting time by reading their favorite news site or they may be looking for something else entirely.

And, if someone is not seeking your out, then his/her "awareness" of what you offer is more often than not going to be at an earlier stage.

For instance, let's say you're promoting a product to relieve back pain. Someone who is actively looking for a back pain product likely has already done some research into it. He/she may have a pretty good idea of what's out there.

On the other hand, someone on a content site may have back pain, but hasn't started looking yet. He or she may know nothing about what solutions if anything exists.

Thus, your display ad's message must start earlier in the buying process - before the client ever starts looking.

This means your text must both pull the prospect into looking and the copy is likely not going to be as specific as compared to if it were written for someone who has a lot more knowledge about the product.

Moreover, I suppose another difference is on search you're competing against a lot of other options, likely dozens. On content, you may be the only ad the prospect is exposed to. So, this may influence what the ad says as well.

The main point is that you're ad text should speak to the audience who will see your ad. Sometimes a successful text ad on search will carry very well over to display. Other times, it won't.