Analyzing the Psychology of PPC Ad Copy

Everything has changed since the prehistoric era, but what remained constant is the initial drivers that inspire people to take action. 

PPC professionals often find themselves searching for what appeals the most to their target audience. However, it turns out that the answer was right here, in our behavioral history. Let’s explore the psychology of PPC ad copy.

What do you think is common between oranges and diamond rings? – Well, they both became a part of our everyday life as a result of ad campaigns. 

De Beers was facing challenges selling their diamonds during the Great Depression period in the 1930s. So, their ad agency came up with a slogan associating diamonds with eternal love – “A Diamond is forever.” As a result, even decades later, people fondly propose with diamond rings. 

Again, during the 1900s, California’s orange farmers were stuck in a situation where they were picking more oranges than they could sell. So, once again, an ad agency came up with a new use for the excess oranges – Juice! As a result, even today, orange juice remains a very popular, widely-used drink.

With the above examples, we can understand how powerful and vital advertising is, and why it’s been utilized ever since the prehistoric era. But, the modern generation is increasingly becoming anti-advertisements, and the reason is pretty apparent; wherever we go, we are bombarded with ads.

While some people think that nowadays people have a very little attention span, we believe otherwise. Let’s see why.

How many people do you think stream Netflix shows every night regularly or binge-watch series? So, attention span is not really the issue because people will spend time or pay attention to things they actually care about.

And that is the key. Apart from fire and clubs, not much has changed about things that drive people to take action or things that they care about.

So, something that has worked in the past will still work today, even in entirely new forms. Thus, it is safe to say that human nature is perpetual, meaning psychology principles are enduring and fixed. 

In this blog, we will discuss some ancient persuasion principles that have always been a part of human nature. Marketers should consider remixing these principles for the “ad-weary” audience today.

1. Present an irresistible bargain

Ever since the barter system, humans have learned going back, looking for good deals. Although what’s interesting is that humans don’t like “cheap.” What we do like getting is a bargain regardless of the actual price.

Let’s see how cheap as a core benefit of your product can put you in a troublesome situation.

Back in 2009, Tata Motors, which owns luxury cars like Land Rover and Jaguar, decided to manufacture a car designed especially for the Indian market, which is still a developing economy. 

Now, one would think that getting a car under $1600, probably the cheapest car in the world, is a pretty good deal. And we also know that for most people owning a car is associated with prestige and social status. 

Instead of launching an ad campaign that focuses on the prestige of owning a car, theirs just went out, focusing on how this was the cheapest car in the world. And this terribly backfired as one can imagine because nobody wanted to be seen driving the “cheapest car in the world.”

So, the point is, how can you make your next offer an irresistible one?

For that, one must realize the power of reason. According to numerous experiments, people are more likely to say “yes” when they know “why.” 

But how does this apply to PPC Ads? Let’s understand this with an example:

“All Shirts on Sale – Get 80% Off | Over-Stock Sale.”

What came to your mind when you saw this? Probably that something must be wrong with these shirts; the deal seems too good to be true… Right?

Now let’s see another one.

“All Shirts on Sale – Get 80% off | Over-Stock Sale

All shirts on sale because we ordered double the stock. Enjoy the best prices and help us to free up space in our stockroom!”

Now, this ad is more relatable and catchy than the first one. Do you see the power of presenting a reason?

Conclusion: We all are used to getting bombarded with hundreds of discounts and offers, but adding a reason can make your ad more compelling.

2. Utilize the power of surprise

Although, we might get the idea that people are “ad-weary” or “ad-blind,” but that’s not the case. The truth is people are bored with the regular sales stuff. So, all we have to do is surprise them.

Surprise has the power to supercharge other feelings, both positive as well as negative. We need to focus on the good to boost positive emotions and drive people to take the desired action. Let’s understand this with an example.

Suppose you work for a Vitamins & Supplements company, and you knew that most of your customers take about three months to finish up a protein shake box on average.

Now, during the second month, your company can run an ad offering a compelling deal, right on time while also showering them with a little love for being your loyal consumer. This goes a long way in increasing customer lifetime values. When customers come across this ad, they will, more likely than not, consider reordering. 

Conclusion: When creating an ad, brainstorm ideas of bringing the unexpected to surprise and delighting the searchers.

3. Showcase your personality

Appealing personas work for companies even today. The reason being they bring up sentiments and make brands more memorable.

After all, most of us purchase based on our emotions and justify it with logic. At this point, this is almost a cliché. Yet marketing to the logical brain is still the default for many, and it’s only because it is pretty tough to not think of ourselves when creating an ad. 

But one must understand the power of personality and how it can help you stand apart from the ordinary. When making a PPC ad, the focus should be on earning both trust and likability points. 

Let’s understand this with an example.

A few years back, when Apple launched its iPhone 6s, Samsung had a model with a similar name “S6.” So, they decided to run an ad campaign.

Whenever someone searched for the iPhone 6s, their ad “Awkward You Obviously Mean S6…” would pop up.

Conclusion: Personality is additionally helpful as it helps in establishing a brand preference because it adds an emotional connection. Therefore, let your personality shine to build a connection and attachment with your audience.

4. Deliberately include

Every human feels the need for a connection and inclusion, which is applicable to our advertising efforts. 

Inclusive marketing is the key to loyalty, especially for brands that have millennials and Gen Z as their target audiences. 

When done authentically, inclusive advertising feels like connection and family as it creates feelings of trust and joy. 

According to research, companies that represent diversity in their ads are more credible and authentic. 

So, how is this applicable to PPC?

When making ad copies, campaigns, and keyword lists, we are often subject to our own blind spots or unconscious biases. But as an industry, we need to cast a light on that because our unconscious biases or blind spots can mean that a vast section of the audience may not be served at all. 

Often we are looking for ways to expand our reach and audiences, and find a new segment to get a step ahead of our competitors. Inclusive Marketing can help you with this.

Try being more inclusive with who you target your ad campaigns. Start by identifying whose voice is missing. Think of all the potential groups that you might have left out accidentally. This varies by business, but if you think about traditional groups, that would include gender, age, language spoken, ability, race, etc.   

These quick tips can come handy:

• Scoop out inclusive keywords using a keyword planner.
• Identify exclusions in your ad copy and keywords using Dynamic Search Ads.
• Don’t forget to optimize your shopping campaigns too – your ad title must include your product details with the crucial data upfront i.e., Adaptive, Ethical, Sustainable, etc.

Conclusion

Few simple optimizations can yield greater rewards and grow brand loyalty. 

This was all about it. Marketers can use these age-old persuasion principles to improve their PPC ads. We hope this information was useful for you. Share your views on this psychology of PPC ads in the comments below. Thanks!