Financial Services Industry Knowledge Center

Target the right audience

Tips to help you zero in on your potential customers.

In this tips section we'll cover:

• Spotlight on CTR: Improve your ad performance
• Ad appeal: Write effective ad text
• Ad testing: Take ad variations for a spin
• Google's content network: Go beyond search
• Placement targeting: Handpick websites for your ads

Spotlight on CTR: Improve your ad performance

Your clickthrough rate (CTR) is the number of clicks your ad receives divided by the number of times your ad is shown (impressions). You'll want to keep a close key on CTR to help gauge how your keywords are performing so you know where to focus your efforts. The more compelling and relevant the ad is, the more often it will get clicked, and the higher your CTR will be.

CTR also helps to determine your keyword’s Quality Score, which in turn factors into your required minimum bid. Financial services keywords can be competitive, meaning that many other advertisers are including them in their AdWords campaigns. If your CTR is strong, your ads may place higher on the page than the ads of competitors bidding just as much or more per click.

To learn more about Quality Score, watch this video.

Ad appeal: Write effective ad text

Some ads are more effective than others, and often it can come down to style. Think about your own online experiences. Have you ever clicked on a sponsored link? If so, what drew you to that particular ad? Perhaps you recognized a brand name that convinced you of the particular seller's quality. Or maybe a well-crafted ad gave you enough confidence to click the mouse and explore a new site. Try the following to boost your ad's appeal:

	Capitalize the first letter of each word
	Avoid excessive punctuation and incoherent abbreviations
	Intercapitalize the Display URL (AdWordsExample.com rather than adwordsexample.com)
	Highlight free offers such as free rate quotes, free trades, free credit reports, or free market research
	Include a specific call-to-action like "Get A Free Quote Today"
	Send visitors directly to the page featuring the product or service you describe in your ad

Also, for each ad group, include the keyword with the highest number of clicks and impressions in your ad title or text. Potential customers will be more likely to click on your ad if it contains the word or phrase they just typed into the search box. Remember that any keywords you include in any part of your ad text are automatically highlighted in bold type when a user enters them as part of their search query, drawing even more attention to your ad.

Potential customer searches for:

Potential customer sees: Sponsored Links Homeowners Insurance Protect Your Home today. Big Savings. Free Online Quotes! www.AdWordsExample.com

For more guidance, review the AdWords Editorial & Format Policies.

Ad testing: Take ad variations for a spin

Not sure what messages will appeal most to your targeted audience? Test multiple versions of ad text for each ad group. For example, try testing several different titles or calls-to-action. AdWords will automatically rotate your ads to determine which variations perform best. We'll then show your top-performing ads more often, in order to bring you more clicks.

Learn more about ad serving in the AdWords Help Center.

Google's content network: Go beyond search

A great way to expand your reach while still promoting your products or services to a targeted audience is with Google's content network, an extensive network of high-quality news pages, industry-specific websites, and blogs. It's a cost-effective way to show your ads on a wide variety of sites that people researching financial services visit each day. By showing your ads on both search and content pages, you'll reach your potential customers at all points of the buying cycle, from creating awareness of your services to closing the cycle with a conversion. And with the range of available ad formats − text, image, Flash, and video − you can appeal to potential customers in a unique and eye-catching way.

Create a separate, content network-only campaign for the ads you want to show on the content network. This way, you can allocate your budget with more precision and test out new ideas without affecting your search campaigns. AdWords looks at the overall theme of your ad group to determine if your ad relates to a particular site, so be sure that each of your content network ad groups focuses on a specific topic and audience.

Get more optimization tips for the content network.

If you're already showing your ads on Google's content network, consider creating a placement-targeted campaign. This allows you to handpick your audience by selecting specific sites in Google's content network to display your ads. Try showing your ads on websites people visit when researching financial services, such as these content partners:

Placement targeting: Handpick websites for your ads

Learn more about placement targeting on the content network site.

Want more help?

• AdWords Help Discussion Group: Ask questions, get answers, and share your favorite AdWords tips and tricks with your fellow advertisers.
• AdWords Glossary: Look up definitions for AdWords-related terms that have you stumped.
• Seminars for Success: Attend a full-day, in-person seminars will help you make the most of your investment with AdWords.
• AdWords Learning Center: Review multimedia lessons covering all things AdWords.
• AdWords Building Blocks Newsletters: Master the basics with advice and tips for new advertisers.