Last week Bryan wrote a great post about the changes Google is making in the way they display ads, so I thought it would be a good idea to call out the unique way Bing lets you insert dynamic text, and how you can use this to help you create killer ads.
What is dynamic text?
Dynamic text is a word or phrase that is inserted into your ad using a variable. After a search query, the variable is replaced with a matching term from your account, thereby making your ad customized to that individual search query.
Where do you use dynamic text?
Dynamic text can be used with both Search Ads and Content Ads, though they do act differently. With search ads, the dynamic variable is connected to the actual search query that was performed. Content ads, however, are dynamic based on the content of the website where your ad appears.
What are the benefits of dynamic text?
Before you dive in and start creating new dynamic ads, it’s important to understand the potential benefits of them. Online activity is so popular because the user is in control, and what better way is there to advertise to a potential customer than inserting their actual search query (or something very similar to it) right in your ad? The more relevant your ad is to the search query that was performed, the more likely your click-through rate (CTR) is to improve.
Another benefit to dynamic text within adCenter is that you can utilize placeholders. This functionality allows you to update multiple ads at once just by updating your placeholder, and who doesn’t love a time saving feature like that?!
Using dynamic text in ads
Within adCenter there are three types of dynamic text; Keyword, Destination URL, and Placeholders. Here is how Bing defines each, as well as some examples:
Keyword {Keyword}: You can use the dynamic text {keyword} variable to make your ad title, ad text, and display URL show keywords that match, or closely match, the text a customer types. Making your ads more relevant to customers can help increase the click-through rate (CTR) and the conversion rate of your ad campaign.
Destination URL {param 1}: You can use destination URL (The Internet address of the webpage a customer is taken to after clicking an ad link, or display URL.) {param1} variables to send customers to various landing pages, based on their search queries. Customizing your ad in this way can lead customers to the most relevant page on your site and can increase your conversion rate (The percentage of ad clicks that result in a completed transaction, such as a purchase, a registration, or whatever you consider the best measure of the ad’s success.).
Placeholders {param 2} {param 3}: You can use placeholder {param2} and {param3} variables to change many ads simultaneously. Placeholders can save you time if you want to update numerous ads throughout your campaign.
As mentioned before, the benefit to dynamic text is that if you later want to change your promotion from half price to 60% off, all you need to do is update param 2!
Character Limits
Dynamic ads still need to stay within the character limits that are set:
- Ad Titles – 25 characters
- Ad Text – 70 characters
Bing recommends creating default text for each type of dynamic text that you use. This will help ensure that your ad still shows when the search term causes the ad to exceed character limits. Bing provides the following example of using default text:
If your ad title is “{keyword} free delivery” and one of your {keyword} variables is “mountain bike parts,” the resulting ad title, “Mountain bike parts free delivery,” would exceed the character limit for ad titles. As a result, your ad would not be displayed.
However, by using default text in your ad title, you can keep your ad text within the allowable character limit. If your ad title is “{keyword:Bike parts} free delivery” and if someone searches by using your keyword “mountain bike parts,” your ad title would be displayed as “Bike parts free delivery.”
Creating Dynamic Ads
- Once you are logged into your account, click on the ads page to get started. From there, create a text ad, and enter the information for your ad as you normally would.
- Under the Ad Title, Ad Text, Display URL, or Destination URL boxes, choose “Insert dynamic text”.
- Depending on what you want to use (keyword, URL or placeholder), you will selelct the param that you’ll be filling in.
- Save your ad, and you’re ready to go!
Note: you can add params to existing ads too, just select the ad you want to edit, and start with step 2.
Dynamic ads are easy to create and update, so they are certainly worth trying. So whether your site is eCommerce or informational, start testing! The Bing help center has a handful of articles that you can review for the step-by-step process for each kind of dynamic text, and there are a few posts, from beginner to advanced on the adCenter blog that you can reference too.
Are you currently using dynamic text in your ads? We’re always looking for input on our blog topics, and we’d love to hear how they are working for you, so leave a comment below and let us know about the lessons you’ve learned and the tips and tricks you use to better manage your accounts!
Jen is a Senior Account Executive at Hanapin Marketing, a search engine firm focused on generating results through PPC and SEO.
