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Copywriting With Google's Dynamic Keyword Insertion Tool
By Karon Thackston (c) 2006

Automation is an odd creature. It usually seems, at first
glance, that automating a process can make things easier,
simpler and faster. But oftentimes, once an automated process
is in place, trouble spots pop up. This is sometimes the case
when looking at the copywriting aspect of Google's dynamic
keyword insertion tool.

In case you're unfamiliar with dynamic keyword insertion (DKI),
it's a feature of Google's AdWords program. It is often used
for large campaigns in order to automatically insert the keyword
into the headline of an ad. Truly, it's a lifesaver for many
pay-per-click (PPC) ad managers who have to stay on top of
thousands of ads every day. It's all done with a simple syntax
command:  {keyword:_______}.

From a timesaving standpoint, this is a wonder tool that has
rescued PPC managers from the mind-numbing chore of typing the
same keywords over and over. From an economic point-of-view,
DKI *can* (not always) perform well enough to make it a viable
option for larger campaigns. But what happens with regard to
copywriting and eye tracking?

See It and Click It

The human eye is normally drawn to things that are unusual.
Things that look out of place or different get noticed far more
than things that blend in. For instance, on a page full of
black text and black & white photographs, a small red square in
the bottom corner will get focused on almost immediately. Why?
Because it is completely different than everything else around
it.

This same principle applies when considering your copywriting
strategy for AdWords. When using DKI, you'll want to keep your
eye on the results pages. Why? We've all heard that using the
keyphrase in the headline pulls better. It does. Most of the
time. There is an exception, however. This exception is what
you'll be watching.

In fact, a study done last year by Enquiro, Did-It and Eyetools
tracked users' interactions with the Google search results page.
It found that surfers normally reviewed the page in an F
formation. They would scan vertically down the left side of the
page and then over to the right (where paid ads are) *IF*
something caught their attention.  That's the point we'll
explore in this article.

In order to get clicks, you first have to get seen. If your ad
looks and reads like all the rest, you've completely lost your
originality advantage.

See For Yourself

Copywriting using DKI is a balancing act. You have to consider
several factors, including the character count of your longest
keyphrase, your ability to add text to the keyword-rich headline
and how the ad looks on the page.

Take a look at some examples below. Remember that AdWords
results show differently at various points throughout the day
(and in relation to individual account parameters), so you may
not see exactly what I saw when doing this research. I'm sure
it will be close enough for you to get the idea.

Go to Google and type in the phrase "cruise vacation center"
(without using the quote marks). See how all the ads look
different? They don't all have the same words bolded. They
don't all use the same copy. The bold words stand out because
they are different. In this case, your eye will usually go
first to the ads with bolded words in the headline.

You see ads offering a 6-night cruise for $xx.xx and other ads
promoting X% off on a cruise vacation, etc. There is diversity
and that's a good thing.

Now, what if you type in "home improvement"?  (Again, without
the quotes.)  If your results page looks like mine, practically
every ad has the exact same headline: home improvement. Not
only do most of the ads look the same, the headlines read the
same. Your eye doesn't know where to go because everything
seems identical. But wait! About four or five ads down,
something catches your eye. It's an ad that has no bold in the
headline. That stands out because it's different! As you
scroll further down the page, more ads with no bold in the
headlines pop out at you. In this case, because everyone else
has opted for the DKI feature, their headlines are all very
similar, making them less noticeable. But the ones who wrote
custom headlines won out, thanks to diversity.

Tips for Writing With DKI

If you want or need to write using the DKI option, consider
these tips:

1.  Use a descriptive word along with your keyphrase. Instead
    of just inserting the phrase "airline tickets," place the
    word "discount" or "cheap" before your keyphrase to help it
    stand out.

2.  For keyphrases that will take the entire 25-character limit,
    consider using one word of the keyphrase in the headline,
    instead of the entire phrase. Rather than "home improvement,"
    try inserting just "home" or "improvement" along with other
    text you write yourself.

3. Keep it applicable. Your headline still has to convey a
   strong message about what the customer can expect at your
   site.

4. Test & Track! Everything in advertising is subject to
   change. Smart marketers always test and track to get the best
   results.

With a little forethought, you can develop a combination of DKI
and custom-written AdWords ads that drive qualified visitors to
your site.
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Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO and online
copywriting that impresses the engines and your visitors at
http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to also check out
Karon's report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without
Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at
http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
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