10 Ridiculous Hacks to 5X Click-Through Rates

Steve Rayson

@steverayson

Larry Kim

@LarryKim

Today’s Speakers

Launch Poll Questions

Three Random

Facts About Me

@larrykim #CTRHacks

1. Originally from Winnipeg, Canada

I Live in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA

WordStream’s Global Headquarters in Boston

2008 2016

@larrykim #CTRHacks

2. Holds Record for Writing Buzzsumo Reviews

@larrykim #CTRHacks

3. Have a 1-Year Old

Kid (#ppckid)

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Larry’s 4 Ridiculous Hacks for Insanely High CTR!

Why Should

Marketers Care

About Click

Through Rate?

@larrykim #CTRHacks

How Does Google Search Decide

Which Ad is Shown Where?

Ad Rank

Quality Score

Max CPC Bid

Amount

x

=

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score Impacts Ad Impression Share

+/- 1 Point

in QS

Results in

+/- 9% Ad

Impression

Share

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Impression Share 2x More Competitive on Mobile

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score Impacts Cost Per Conversion

+/- 1 Point in QS Results in +/- 16% in CPA

@larrykim #CTRHacks

#slcsem @larrykimBrought to you by:

www.wordstream.com/learn

So Get a High Quality Score! (Duh. Awesome.)

How is

Quality Score in

Google AdWords

ACTUALLY

Calculated?

This is The Expected Click Through Rate Curve

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Just Beat The Expected Click Through Rate!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

High QS (Great!)• High Ad Impression Share• Low Cost Per Click• Low Cost Per Conversion

Low QS (Terrible!)• Low Ad Impression Share• High Cost Per Click• High Cost Per Conversion

Get a High Quality Score! (Duh)

Above Average CTR = High Quality Scores.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Just Say No

To Low CTR

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Gmail Ads Use Quality Score!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Google Display Network Uses Quality Score

@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

HIGHER POST

ENGAGEMENT

Higher Relevance Score

HIGHER RELEVANCE SCORE

More Impression Share and

Lower Cost Per Engagement

“Relevancy Score” in Facebook

=

=

@larrykim #CTRHacks

“Quality Adjusted Bid” in Twitter

HIGHER Relevance, Resonance, Recency =

HIGHER Quality Adjusted Bid =

MORE Ad Impressions at Lower Cost

RESONANCE: Are consumers

engaging your Tweet? Do they

retweet, favorite, or reply?

RELEVANCE: Is your Tweet

related to things a user is

interested in?

RECENCY: Is your Tweet fresh?

Fresher Tweets get higher

priority.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Higher Engagement Rate = (Much) Lower Cost Per Engagement

Engagement Rate

Cost per engagement

$.005 $.02 $.03 $.08

68%

7%

21%

37%

$3.00

1%

@larrykim #CTRHacks

1% Increase in

Post Engagement

5% Reduction in Cost

Per Engagement!

“Quality Adjusted Bid” in Twitter

=

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Quality Score & Ad Impression Share

A TYPICAL TWITTER CAMPAIGN

FEWER AND FEWER AD IMPRESSIONS

AS THE CAMPAIGN AGES!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Past & Future SEO Ranking Signals

Old Google

1. Links

2. Keywords

3. Social Metrics?

4. …

Future Google

1. CTR

2. Task Completion

3. Links

4. …

@larrykim #CTRHacks

@larrykim #CTRHacks

NO QUALITY SCORE DISCOUNT FOR YOU!

LinkedIn Ads

You’re A CTRHacker … and a Traitor!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Hacking Ad CTRs With ‘Unicorn Ads’

Larry’s #4 AdWords Hack

@larrykim #CTRHacks

What if I Told You

Your 2% CTR Is That Great

What if I Told You

Your 2% CTR Is That GreatForest vs. Trees

Here’s a Map of The Forest

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Vs.

Percentile Vs. Average CTR Designation

Bottom 50% n/a DONKEYS

Top 15% 2x

Top 5% 3x

Top 1% 6x UNICORNS

@larrykim #CTRHacks

What About Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI)?

@larrykim #CTRHacks

DKI Produces “Above Average” not “Unicorns”

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorn Ads Don’t Rely on DKI

@larrykim #CTRHacks

What About Ad Extensions?

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Ad Extension Help a Little (8-10%) not +5x

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Ad Extensions Won’t Turn Non-Unicorn Ads into Unicorns

@larrykim #CTRHacks

How to

Write Unicorn Ads?

(The Top 1% of Ads

Based on CTR)

I’ve Built a Unicorn Detector!

Focus on Keywords with HIGH Commercial Intent

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Most Ads Suck (+95%)

@larrykim #CTRHacks

The Hack: Use EMOTIONAL Triggers in Ad Copy!

Write Ads From the Perspective of One of These 4 Personas.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

This Ad Gets 6x Above Average CTR

The Villain: Husband/Mistress

The Hero: Divorce Attorney

Emotion: Anger. Revenge.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Note: Everyone Else Sucks!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

And Everyone Else Sucks!One Does Not Simply

Use The Same Ad as Everyone Else.

Leverage EmotionalTriggers in Ads

Be a Unicorn in a Sea of Donkeys!

Another Unicorn Example:

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Lets Try “Bearer of Bad News” Angle:

@larrykim #CTRHacks

The New Ad:

Emotion: Fear.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

125% Increase in Appointments Booked

4

9

0 2 4 6 8 10

Positive Twist

Negative Twist

@larrykim #CTRHacks

170% Increase in Call Volumes

10

27

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Positive Twist

Negative Twist

@larrykim #CTRHacks

FYI: Calls Worth More Than Clicks

Contact rates significantly drop off after 5 minutes. Why? Declining interest, alternate solutions, etc.

CONTACT RATE100x decrease from 5 min to 30 min

QUALIFICATION RATE21x decrease from 5 min to 30 min

CO

NTA

CT

RA

TE

TIME

Source: MIT

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorns Usually Have BOTH higher CTR & Conversions Rates!

Repeat after me: I will Leverage Emotional Triggers in Ads

Larry’s #3 AdWords Hack

Eliminate Your CrappyKeywords and Ads

There’s a Secret Account-Wide Quality Score.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

• Add Branded Terms With Insanely high CTR to Raise Average Quality Scores in Account.

• Delete The Bottom Third of your Worst Account and Move to Remarketing (or Facebook, etc.)

Crazy Hack to Increase Quality Scores

Delete Your Junk Ads / Double Down On Your Best Stuff.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Example Average Account

A mix of above and below-average keywords.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Average Account = Crap Quality Score

Note: No High Quality Score Keywords at All.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Example Unicorn Account

Note: Most Keywords in Account are ABOVE Average CTR

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Unicorn Account Has Amazing Quality Score

Note: ALL keywords in this account are QS 10 or 7.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

What’s a Good Quality Score These Days?

Average QS is around 6/10.

@larrykim #CTRHacks

If Your Quality Score is:

•1 to 3: Delete Immediately.

•4-6: Try to Fix

•7-10: Don’t Mess With Success / Increase Budget

The Crazy Hack to Increase Quality Scores

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Larry’s #2 AdWords Hack:

Go After Specific Audiences Using

Remarketing, RLSA and Custom Audiences

Behold The Awesome Power of Combining Keyword Search + Audiences

Audiences: They’re Qualified

To Buy Your Stuff

Keyword Targeting: They’re

Looking For Your Stuff

Target a Narrow

Audience That Meets

BOTH CRITERIA!!

Yields Higher

Conversion Rates at

Lower Costs!!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Target search ads only to people who recently visited your site!

REMARKETING LISTS FOR SEARCH ADS (RLSA)

Users visit your site, get added

to your remarketing list

Show them customized ads

when they search on Google!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Customer Match Lets You

Target Search, YouTube and

Gmail Ads to Specific Email

Addresses!

Just Upload Email Addresses into Google AdWords

@larrykim #CTRHacks

The Power of Remarketing (RLSA, Customer Match)

Instant Unicorns!!

Click Through Rates

Conversion Rates!

2X½ 2X

Cost Per Click

@larrykim #CTRHacks

59% higher ROI than generically targeted

Campaign & 41% higher than RLSA!

Ridiculous ROAS for Customer Match Targeting!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Email Audience Targeting 3x Conversion Rate vs. Generic Campaign!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Email Audience Targeting = 10X CTR vs. Generically Targeted Keywords

@larrykim #CTRHacks

New

Purchasers

Non-Purchase

Users

Active

Purchasers

Customers

with Expired

Warranty

Abandoned

Shopping Cart

Users

Frequent

Purchasers

High Price Item

Purchasers

Recent

Purchasers

Ecommerce Audience Email Segmentations

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Clone Your Audience List Using Similar Audiences!

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Gmail Ads Will Get You Top of Inbox

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Behold The Power of Similar Audiences

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Great Keywords/Ads + Audiences:We’ve Found The Unicorns

Larry’s #1 CTR Boosting Hack:

Turn Top Content Headlines into Ads

Great Ads Should Be Like Click-Bait Headlines

@larrykim #CTRHacks

The SAME Emotions Make People Click on BOTH Content and Ads

@larrykim #CTRHacks

Thank You!

And Now to Steve of Buzzsumo…

Headlines:

Lessons for marketers from

the most shared headlines

www.buzzsumo.com

Is there a format or structure to viral

headlines that make them resonate?

Are there words and phrases that work

particularly well?

How well do headlines travel across

social networks?

What can we learn from most shared

headlines that we can apply to ads?

Many tips on headline writing

Unique Ultra-Specific Urgency Useful

Something

different, fun,

personality

Be clear

what it is

about

Are you losing

sales?

Benefits

promise

@steverayson #CTRHacks

But what does the data show?

1. Structure of Viral HeadlinesCommon elements

Emotional

Element

Content

Element

Topic

Element

Format

Element

Promise

Element

Amusing

Surprising

Heart Warming

Beautiful

Inspiring

Warning

Shocking

Images

Facts

Charts

Quotes

Video

Interaction

Trending topic

(e.g. Zombies,

Donald Trump)

Health

Cats & Dogs

Babies

Long Life

Love

List Post

Quiz

Story

Curated

Research

eBook

How to ..

‘Complete

Guide To’

Practical Tips

Improve Your

Structure of Viral Headlines

Format

List post, quiz,

Infographic

Emotional HookEmotional word or

superlative

Content TypeImages, quotes,

pictures, facts

TopicLove, cats, dogs,

fitness, health, Donald

10 Amazing Facts About Donald Trump

Entertain Warning Helpful


Webinar Headline Structure

2,500 sign ups

Emotion

Topic

10 Ridiculous Hacks To 5x Click-Through Rates

Promise

Format Content Type

Entertain Warning HelpfulWhat are the most shared

Trigrams (3 word phrases) in

headlines?

2. Words & Phrases


Research

NoteResearch

Trigrams

Monitor

1. Extracted trigrams and bigrams

from the headlines of 1 million

random articles from top

publishers

2. Looked at trigrams that are

present in at least 150 of the

article headlines

1. Sorted them by shares across

social networks to identify the top

performing trigrams in terms of

social shares

Facebook

Top trigrams in

most shared

content headlines

Research Trigrams MonitorTrigramAverage FB

likes & sharesNo

articles

X pictures that 19,646 162

X signs you're 12,741 206

make you laugh 11,029 169

how well do 10,111 411

X photos that 9,714 250

can we guess 9,085 202

you should never 8,669 222

X things only 7,940 307

are the best 7,106 164

X things to 6,676 626

Are the top trigrams

and headlines the

same across

networks?

Or do we need different

headlines & ad copy for

different networks?

How much overlap of top trigrams is

there between Facebook and Twitter?


Trigram

Average FB likes &

shares No articles Trigram

Average Twitter shares No articles

X pictures that 19,646 162 the science of 542 175

X signs you're 12,741 206 the case for 364 248

make you laugh 11,029 169 you can now 321 208

how well do 10,111 411 Donald Trump is 313 239

X photos that 9,714 250 history of the 307 321

can we guess 9,085 202 the art of 276 264

you should never 8,669 222 the rise of 268 258

X things only 7,940 307 first time in 262 237

are the best 7,106 164 the future of 259 778

X things to 6,676 626 the age of 258 180


Entertain Warning HelpfulReview of specific words and phrases that were

highlighted by our research.

Analyzed minimum of 10,000 posts for each of

these across all sites, not just larger publishers.

3. Differences by Social Network



Superlative Words FB Twitter LinkedIn

Amazing 15,600 538 14

Inspiring 7,340 125 6

Surprising 2,700 87 38

Successful 1,067 137 135

It appears “Amazing” in a title works far better on Facebook and Twitter than

on LinkedIn. By contrast “successful’ in a title outperforms on LinkedIn.



Analysis Words/Phrases FB Twitter LinkedIn

History of 1,795 58 12

Trends 1,780 311 171

Truth about 1,681 71 15

Future of 1,078 137 135

Rise of 719 60 35

Secret to 755 33 26

Insights 189 70 89


Ad or headline on LinkedIn might be better using Trends rather than Insights

“10 Economic Trends You Need To Know From New IAB Report”

Or alternatively use “The future of ..”



Content Type FB Twitter LinkedIn

Pictures 11,452 196 19

Quotes 6,276 180 16

Facts 7,889 285 19

Tips 8,267 424 107

Habits 1,646 139 162

Mistakes 1,946 145 105



Trigram

Average FB likes & shares No articles Trigram





how well do 10,111 411 Donald Trump is 313 239

X photos that 9,714 250 history of the 307 321

can we guess 9,085 202 the art of 276 264

you should never 8,669 222 the rise of 268 258

X things only 7,940 307 first time in 262 237

are the best 7,106 164 the future of 259 778

X things to 6,676 626 the age of 258 180



Content Format FB Twitter LinkedIn

List: 10 45,063 1,052 134

How to 17,533 1,040 133

Quiz 8,306 105 10

Guide 5,294 244 46


For LinkedIn use “How to” to promote the guide e.g.

“How to successfully recruit software engineers”

“How to run a killer software recruitment campaign”

Alternatively use a list post headline across multiple social networks

“10 proven ways to recruit software engineers”



Topic FB Twitter LinkedIn

Donald Trump 18,061 514 21

Dog 14,412 286 11

Love 5,587 124 60

Performance 7,533 279 49

Sales 2,856 260 208



Takeaways

Viral headlines

have common

elements and

structures

Research Trigrams MonitorUse the core elements in your

headline and ad copy

10 Surprising Tips To Improve Your Headlines

The words and

phrases that

resonate varies a

lot by network

Research Trigrams MonitorResearch the words/phrases

that work in your area & network

Draft different copy for posts

and ads on different social

networks

Trigram

Average FB likes & shares No articles Trigram





What are the top

Trigrams in your

area?

Run a BuzzSumo most shared search for your topic

Export the results to a csv or Excel, sort by shares

by network eg total shares or FB

Copy say top 500 or 1,000 headlines and paste into

text analyzer http://www.online-

utility.org/text/analyzer.jsp

Review top trigrams and bigrams

http://www.online-utility.org/text/analyzer.jsp

Research what

works in your area

Research Trigrams Monitor

Specifically:

Superlatives eg Amazing on FB,

Successful on LInkedIn

Content type eg Pictures on FB,

Habits on LinkedIn

Words eg trends, insights, tips,

facts, future

Create Better ContentResearch, Amplification and Monitoring.

Launch Poll Questions

@steverayson @LarryKim

Marketing

10 Ridiculous Hacks to 5X Click-Through Rates