Creating the Ultimate Google Adwords Ad, Game of Thrones Style

In the world of digital marketing Google is the king. If we’re talking Game of Thrones style, Google Adwords is like house Lanister, maybe not a blood thirsty as Joffrey, but still has the control of the purse. Analytics, Merchant Center, and Wildfire are like Stannis, Rob Stark, and Daenerys Targaryen all fighting for their share in Westeros. Bing and Yahoo and more like Queen Cersei and Tyrion Lannister who really don’t have control over Westeros, or any actual claim to the throne, yet are still in the game. If you don’t follow Game of Thrones, then this is all nonsense, just remember Adwords has the most power. Like any conflict, gaining the controlling share is vital. Adwords offers a lot of different tools to help its customers navigate the digital advertising arena and draw in profitable numbers while they’re there. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Merchant Center, Extensions, and ad writing technique can help your ad stand apart from the competition. While each of these are important, if you combine them, you create an overwhelming powerhouse (Imagine Ned Stark’s loyal following, with Daenerys’ dragons, using Tyrion’s cunning strategy while employing Varys’ secrets).

Each brand and product probably has a different formula for the best opportunities they can command within Adwords, but here’s my Game of Thrones ultimate King Ad:

Effective Ad Copy

As I’ve mentioned before, ensure strong calls to actions, use descriptive words that set you apart from the competition, and offer some sort of value or promotion to the customer.  These are the keys to driving action. For more information on techniques for ad writing read this.

An Offer Extension:

In the form of coupons, deals, or discounts, offer extensions are an extra incentive for your customers to click on your ad and buy your product. These can be customizable down to the ad group level and managed for specific offer times to maximize ROI. With so much competition in the Adwords market, it’s important to differentiate yourself from the competition and incentivize potential customers to click on your ad.

Customer Reviews:

Like any medium of marketing, people trust their peers. The star rating extension allows your ad to show your customer reviews. When it comes to online retail, reviews play a major role in the decision process. If you have positive and plentiful reviews, this is an absolute must have elements in your game.

Product Extensions:

Obviously this only works for e-commerce sites, however product extensions are seriously under-utilized. They are the Tyrion Lanister of this Throne war. There are several strategies that can be taken with this extension: select a few products that are loss leaders to draw people to your site, a few products with very high margins, and some of your top sellers. These products will attract customers to your site and ultimately increase your ROI.  They will help build your ad real estate, and offer a direct path to products for your searcher. For more information on product extensions set up (as Merchant Center can be fairly tricky) check out my article, Google Shopping: Merchant Center Step-by-Step Setup Guide.

Obviously there are a lot of other strategies and techniques that go into digital advertising, and each company will needs its own unique effort to maximize ROI. All I can say for now is, get ready to rumble because the battle for the Throne is on.