Still unsure about the necessity of a mobile strategy? Let these mobile adoption statistics convince you:

• A staggering 92% of individuals aged 18-29 use mobile devices.
• Even the 65+ age group shows a significant 42% adoption rate.
• Mobile usage spans all income levels, with at least 60% adoption overall, soaring to 93% for those earning over $75,000 annually.

The takeaway? Your target audience is on mobile. To expand your customer base, your ads must resonate with the intent and behavior of mobile users. For instance, 40% of mobile searches have local intent. (This figure has historically been around closer to 20% on desktop.)

Adding to the challenge, mobile search results pages have limited ad space, and click-through rates decline much faster compared to desktop. Securing one of the top two positions is crucial for visibility and clicks.

In essence, ignoring the vast mobile market share is detrimental to your bottom line.

Here are 13 concise tips to fine-tune your ad copy for maximum impact on mobile users:

1. DON’T Fixate on Keywords

A shoe retailer learned the hard way that simply stuffing keywords into mobile ad copy isn’t effective. This ad, while mentioning “shoes” twice in the headline, lacks overall appeal:

Now, compare it to this improved version. Despite mentioning “shoes” only once, this larger ad provides more information, making it more enticing and deserving of the top ad spot!

This superior mobile ad offers several valuable lessons…

2. Highlight Special Offers and Sales

Everyone loves a bargain! JustFab’s improved ad entices users with a “buy-one-get-one-free” offer mentioned in both the headline and description, sweetened further with a “free shipping” callout.

3. Display Prices Upfront

Many searchers look for prices. While JustFab’s initial ad mentioned “50% off,” it lacked context. 50% off what? The revised ad clearly states the BOGO price of $39.95, attracting the right audience and filtering out those seeking higher-priced options.

4. Inject Brand Personality with Adjectives

Emotional and engaging marketing consistently outperforms dry, keyword-heavy copy.

Strong, evocative language that reflects your brand identity resonates with customers, boosting click-through and conversion rates while fostering loyalty. JustFab, with its trendy image, aptly uses “fabulous styles” and “haute” to convey its brand personality.

5. Subtly Encourage Multiple Purchases

Increasing the average transaction size by encouraging multiple purchases lowers your cost per acquisition. JustFab’s ad copy skillfully guides users towards this goal:

• “Buy 2 Pairs”
• “Choose Your Favorites”
• “Styles”
• “Haute Handbags”

6. Experiment with “Call” CTAs

Always consider the user’s next step. Mobile users often prefer calling a business for inquiries or purchases. “Call” CTAs capitalize on this, generating valuable leads and bypassing potential issues with mobile landing pages.

This ad effectively places the “call us” CTA directly in the headline. Remember to enable click-to-call extensions for such ads.

7. Embrace Expanded Text Ads

Take advantage of Expanded Text Ads for increased visibility and impact. Observe the difference between a standard (left) and expanded (right) AdWords ad on mobile:

The expanded format offers ample space to showcase your value proposition and entice clicks.

8. Utilize “IF” Customizers

“IF” functions provide advanced ad customization. They tailor your ad copy based on the user’s device or specific audience characteristics, ensuring greater relevance.

This feature saves time and effort by streamlining ad groups and campaigns, reducing the need for creating numerous individual ads.

9. Condense Extension Copy

Callouts and structured snippets are prone to truncation on mobile. Keep your extension copy concise for optimal display.

While “call” CTAs are generally effective, assess if your mobile landing page supports direct interaction or requires a phone call, especially for e-commerce, apps, and self-guided purchase paths.

10. Review Automated Extensions

Google now automatically generates extensions if not disabled. This may result in subpar site links, structured snippets, or CTAs. Opt out for complete control over your extensions.

11. Leverage Message Extensions

Certain ad extensions are particularly beneficial for mobile. One such example is message extensions.

These allow direct text conversations with potential customers right from the search results page. Less intrusive than a call, they provide a valuable step towards conversion. Our internal tests reveal a 50% higher average CTR for ads with message extensions compared to standard mobile ads.

12. Utilize Price Extensions

Another mobile-friendly option is price extensions.

These appear exclusively on mobile and tablets, showcasing a carousel format that users can scroll through to explore pricing options before clicking to your landing page.

These extensions boast impressive CTRs, often up to four times higher than standard mobile ads!

13. Consider Click-to-Call Ads

For direct phone contact, consider click-to-call ads. These bypass the landing page entirely, making a call the only user action.

These ads are ideal if:

• Phone leads outperform form submissions.
• Your landing pages lack mobile optimization.
• Sales necessitate a conversation or relationship-building.

While click-to-call campaigns can be effective, be mindful of their shrinking mobile SERP real estate and rising CPCs. Factor these into your budget.

Key Takeaways

Optimizing your mobile ads for performance on par with, or even surpassing, desktop ads is achievable. Remember:

• Craft engaging ads that utilize all available space to resonate with your mobile audience.
• Leverage ad extensions for a seamless conversion process.
• Ensure your landing pages are mobile-friendly, or utilize click-to-call ads if not.