Guide to How to Avoid Using the Word "Free" (and Other Lame Gimmicks) in Your B2B PPC Ads

Free shipping - so what?

Jason Miller, CTO of Engine Ready, a search marketing company, writes, "I like to imagine a large, empty cardboard box with a big FREE SHIPPING label slapped diagonally across it. Who would find such an empty box a compelling reason to enter a store just so they could fill it with something to claim the free shipping?"

I recommend: Do a Google search for "Free Shipping." You will see plenty of companies both in the organic listings and paid listing sections that offer free shipping on their products. A recent study from Shop.org indicates that almost half of online retailers offer free shipping during the holidays. "Free shipping" is of little value to the serious shopper. If everyone offers it, it means nothing. Sebo Marketing has an article with the advice: "Some searchers expect most things to be free, and you do not want this type of searcher." Your serious users are not stupid -- they know that nothing is really "free." On the Wholesale Industry Blog, a merchant notes that businesses may have to increase the cost of products to accommodate "free shipping," and users have a tendency to actually comparison shop. At the very least, do what search marketers say all the time: test it. PPC-Advice.com advises testing using "free" anywhere in your ad versus no mention at all.

Don't waste your ad space - write something meaningful

You're writing things like: Free Shipping! Free Trial! Free Quotes! because you want to share a value proposition - you want users to 1. Click on your ad; and 2. Perform an action. But there's a better way to do it.

I recommend: Go to iMedia Connection for an article on how your "call to action" will improve your conversion rates. Here's what to do when you're just itching to type something lame like "Click here for your FREE Demo!!!" Decide what you want your users to do and then politely command them to do so. Examples:

1. Download Your Customized Demo Now.
2. Call Now for a Quote.
3. Get a Trial Version Today.
4. Read the White Paper.

Google AdWords suggests using words like Buy, Sell, Order, Browse, Sign up, and Get a Quote.

Using the word "free" is like using the phrase "click here" - it's gimmicky and outdated

I once heard someone say "Your ad is the window to your website." If a user is peeking into your window, you don't want them to see you wearing a hot pink tube top and listening to Debbie Gibson. Go for the more refined approach.

I recommend: Read this article "5 Keyword Strategies for B2B PPC Campaigns" in High Rankings for an exquisite definition of the B2B audience: "In a B2B environment, products and solutions are more complex, the audience is more sophisticated, the price tag is much higher, sales cycles are longer, and there are multiple decision-makers and influencers." The B2B user will not be impressed by your liberal use of the word "free" because the B2B user knows that nothing is ever really free. This is what you need to know about B2B ads: Your landing page is probably your lead capture page. If this is the case, do not insult your user by implying that there are other insurance carriers who charge for quotes, or companies that demand a PayPal payment for a white paper.

You've added "free" as a negative keyword - give your ad the same courtesy

By now, you know to add negative keywords like "free," "cheap" and "porn" to your keyword list. Do your online advertising campaign a big favor and extend those same keyword no-nos to your ad copy.

I recommend: Go to Google AdWords for in-depth information about negative keywords. A negative keyword means your ad will not show up for search queries with that term. KoMarketing Associates offers a great list of 200+ negative keywords to add to your B2B ad campaign. They are even divided by industry. Add these to your list of words to avoid in your PPC ad copy as well.