Writing a copy for ads can sometimes be hard and boring. While almost any ad copy you write will probably be okay, that kind of mediocrity won’t help you stand out and get the kind of performance you expect out of your paid search campaigns.

The best performing Google Ads copy is always developed with some fundamental classic marketing and advertising principle in mind.

The principles that have proven themselves effective over time (meaning multiple generations) all share two important characteristics:

• They derive from a fundamental understanding of human psychology.
• They transfer easily when new platforms and technology emerges.

Why is your offer relevant and valuable to your audience?

With a product like a diet soft drink, the angle to mothers may be that it’s part of a healthy lifestyle for not only their kids, but for themselves.

For college grads still working off the freshman 15, on the other hand, the value may be that it has fewer calories. If they’re already living a lifestyle of beer and ramen noodles, every little bit helps, right?

Take only what the intended audience will give you

Even if you compete with Walmart – and your prices are actually lower than them – they’re fundamentally too big, too well established in the mind of the consumer, and will ultimately win that battle of perceptions.

As an advertiser, you must find your opening in a competitive market in order to properly position your product or service in an ad. There’s always some opening that gives you an advantage.

Be empathetic

Think about your own behavior as a buyer. Ultimately you’re more likely to buy from someone who has demonstrated they understand your needs and make it easy for you to meet them.

Empathy is admittedly an overused term in the marketing world, but it’s also an underutilized practice.

What exactly are you presenting to your audience?

The offer of your ad needs to answer one question: What are you selling? Our hypothetical offer is a diet soft drink; easy enough, right? But in these days of differentiation, anything you can add to make your offer more unique will draw eyes away from other ads and onto yours.

Does your soft drink have fewer calories? Use recycled plastic? Is it cheaper? The more you can set yourself apart, the better.

Short conclusion

Following these principles when drafting your ad copy will ensure your ads are relevant and compelling to your target audience.

Remember that when users are searching on Google, they are also doing other things, like checking text messages, worrying about what to make for dinner, or planning a date night.