How to Pick the Right Photos for PPC Ads

As a small marketing business, we know how difficult it can be to get your ads noticed. Over the years, however, we’ve seen tremendous growth that’s enabled both us, and our clients, generate ads that actually convert leads. We’ve summed it up to this: Having good content means nothing if you don’t know how to get viewers to engage with it. And so we set out on the journey of trying to answer the ever so incredibly perplexing question, that’s haunted content managers everywhere: what makes people click?

 We’ve boiled it down to the following: text, image, colour variation, as well as proper ad placement and timing, ultimately define how many visitors will be brought to your site, and the resulting ROI increase

To begin, we’ll turn our attention to images. Why? For the obvious reason: no matter how well written your copy is, visuals are the first thing that drive viewers to your PPC ads. If you want your ad to do well, you need to have an image that is enticing enough to take viewers to the next step in the process: reading the written copy. While copy is important, which we’ll discuss in a later post, people are visual creatures. If the image is credible or enticing, consider that viewer sold. 

Selecting Your PPC Ad Photo

Your photo should do two things: best represent the brand image of your company, and be of high quality or of intriguing nature. Select photos based on how closely they relate to what you’re trying to sell. If this is a service, rather than a product, the challenge becomes a bit more abstract. For example, a financial consulting firm may choose an image of a professionally dressed individual walking out of a high-end store, or a couple working together on budgeting reports. Envision the ultimate goal you aspire for your clients, and how, in the best case scenario, your product or service will affect said client. Then, render this end result in your images.

Whatever image you select, make sure that it is clean-cut, and not excessive. People are drawn to content that is simple; not only is this content easier to understand, but has been proven more effective for catching attention amidst other traffic.

 In the following example from Naturebox, the ad layout is presented in the most pleasing way possible. To start, it’s a visual treat, literally. The company, which sells prepackaged health conscious snacks, has presented the most obvious representation of their greatest asset: their food. The back canvas background juxtaposed to the spread of delectables makes it easy for the viewer to understand the product being sold.

Color also has an immense impact on images within PPC ads . The vast majority of viewers are driven by the color scheme on your PPC ad. Red, for example, has proven to be successful when featuring a flash sale campaign. Green, conversely, is easy on the eyes.

 Take a look at this blog from Kissmetrics to envision just how much of an impact color has on the way you render the content.

What Not to Do When Choosing Images for Your PPC Ad

 Remember, try not to select images based on what your competitors are doing. While there are some staples to abide by — such as following a simplistic, clean-cut layout — your images should be reflective of the unique brand “image” of your business itself. This means thinking outside the box. Sometimes, a photo of a smiling individual interacting with or representing your product just doesn’t cut it. This is where artistic ability comes into play. Having some knowledge of services like Photoshop could just give your PPC ad the boost needed to stay on top of the increasingly competitive market PPC ad campaigns.

Once you’ve generated a deck of images that best represent your business while upholding visual intrigue, it’s time to turn to copy. Your headline is the next rung on the ladder of importance when crafting your PPC ad. Find out more in the next blog, to come in the following week!