Large corporations, with their substantial marketing expenditures, often leave smaller businesses envious. After all, not everyone can afford Super Bowl commercials or Olympic sponsorships. Smaller companies must rely on more budget-friendly strategies, even if their reach is limited.

PPC, for instance, is a readily available marketing tool used by both large corporations and small businesses. But are their ads all that different? Is it like comparing a Pepsi commercial to a local furniture store’s advertisement?

Let’s examine five Google Ads (previously AdWords) from large brands, focusing on their strengths and areas for improvement.

(More: Dear eBay, Your Ads Don’t Work Because They Suck)

I must admit, I borrowed the format for this post from Oli Gardner at Unbounce, who recently did something similar with big-brand landing pages. Thanks, Oli!

Big-Brand PPC Ad #1: LightingDirect.com

A “chandeliers” Google search yielded these three ads at the top of the page. Let’s compare the middle ad, from LightingDirect.com (a Build.com network site), to its competitors.

Strengths:

• Seller Ratings – Both LightingDirect.com and LampsPlus utilize the seller ratings extension feature in Google Ads, helping them stand out. This is particularly beneficial for the second ad, as it boasts twice the reviews of the third.
• Benefit-Rich – This ad effectively highlights four benefits (free shipping, easy returns, extensive selection, and friendly service) within a limited space. The other two ads only manage to include two.

Areas for Improvement:

• Punctuation – Adding punctuation (a comma or period after “Easy Returns”) at the end of the first description line would enhance readability, especially since the two description lines often merge into one long line for top-ranked ads. An exclamation point could potentially increase CTR.
• Call to Action – The ad lacks a clear call to action. (The first ad shares this weakness, while the third entices action with a “Subscribe to newsletter” button). Consider replacing one of the four benefits with a CTA, such as “Claim Your Free Shipping Offer” or “Explore Our Extensive Selection.”

Big-Brand PPC Ad #2: Audi

As expected, Audi claims the top spot for an “Audi” search. (Yes, even small businesses should bid on branded terms.) So, how are they utilizing this prime position?

Strengths:

• Sitelinks – Sitelinks are a simple yet effective way to enlarge your ad and provide more click options. They increase CTR even when users don’t click the sitelinks themselves, benefiting the main headline link.
• Actionable Verbs – Unlike LightingDirect, Audi doesn’t neglect the call to action. Both the main description and each sitelink include a verb, prompting user action.
• Social Proof with Extensions – Audi leverages its massive Google+ following by displaying it. (According to Google: “On average, search ads with annotations have a 5-10% uplift in click through rate and the Google Ads Social Extension helps you show more of them.”)

Areas for Improvement:

• Headline Optimization – While likely enjoying a high CTR due to its top ranking, the headline could be more impactful. It merely states that it’s the official site. Compare this to the BMW ad, which also mentions building your own car on their site.

Big-Brand PPC Ad #3: Olay

For those unfamiliar, BB cream is essentially enhanced tinted moisturizer, akin to a sheer foundation. Essentially, it’s makeup. Let’s analyze the Olay ad alongside its competitors in the yellow box.

Strengths:

• Symbol Power – Utilizing symbols like the registered trademark symbol can improve ad performance. They’re also employing the impactful exclamation point. Test this out!
• Enticing Offers – The sitelinks offer appealing propositions, particularly “Get a Free Skin Consultation,” a potential lead generator.

Areas for Improvement:

• Concise Headline – The truncated headline leaves readers wondering “Instantly what?” [EDIT: As some have pointed out, the first description line seems to have moved up, making the issue the description’s ineffectiveness when split. Ending the first description line with an adverb is ill-advised.]
• Expanded Description – The description underutilizes available characters. This space could incorporate a call to action (like Maybelline’s excellent example in the third ad) or repeat the keyword “BB Cream” for increased visibility. Remember, search queries within ads appear in bold.

Big-Brand PPC Ad #4: ULINE

ULINE, a top spender in the business and industrial sector, allocates over $35 million annually to Google Ads. Are they maximizing this budget?

Strengths:

………… …………

There isn’t much to admire about this ad. Let’s delve into the shortcomings.

Areas for Improvement:

• Improved Keyword Relevance – While seemingly broadly matching “labels,” the absence of dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) means “printing” is missing from the ad copy. This creates a mismatch in user intent, as the ad focuses on designing and customizing labels, not printing them. They should monitor their search query report and develop more targeted ad groups.
• Highlighting Benefits – The sole benefit, “Over 27,500 Products,” could be perceived as a drawback. Navigating such a vast selection might seem overwhelming. Compare this to the other ads that provide pricing details, label sizes, and other decision-making information.
• Utilize Ad Extensions – ULINE’s ad lacks any extensions. Implementing sitelinks would be beneficial.

ULINE’s ad, weaker than the #2 and #3 ads, suggests higher bids and cost-per-click compared to competitors.

Big-Brand PPC Ad #5: SelectQuote

This ad embodies many best practices: a clear call to action, incorporating the search query, utilizing sitelinks, etc. What else are they doing right?

Strengths:

• Location-Based Personalization – SelectQuote tailors the ad by acknowledging the user’s location (Colorado, in this case), implying a local agent connection.
• Direct Communication Extension – Including a phone number enables conversions even without ad clicks, essentially making it free!

Areas for Improvement:

• Specificity with Numbers – Metlife’s top-ranked ad uses specific figures: “Pay as little as $1/day for up to $500,000 coverage.” SelectQuote’s PPC manager should experiment with concrete dollar amounts in their ad copy.
• Emotional Appeal – Life insurance often involves strong emotions: fear, compassion, concern for loved ones. An ad addressing these emotions could be highly effective. Consider testing something like, “Take Care of Your Family. Get a Free Quote Today.”

Do you draw inspiration from the big players when crafting ad copy? Or do smaller businesses have the edge?