Do Not Waste PPC Display URLs
The display URL in any PPC ad is a great place to stuff additional keywords, attract attention to your ad and/or increase branding. So it is definitely not a space to be wasted or ignored. Next time instead of simply putting “www.yoursite.com” as the display URL, try some of these simple tests and see if you can’t increase click through rates!
1st Display URL | Vs. | 2nd Display URL | Test |
www.examplesite.com | No “http” | ||
examplesite.com | No “www” | ||
www.Examplesite.com | Capitalize first word | ||
Capitalize first letter in all words | |||
Adding keyword to end of URL | |||
www.examplesite.com | www.examplesite.com/{keyword} | Dynamic insertion |
Be advised that each search engine has slightly different policies on how you can utilize this line of text. If you have any questions, check their Help Center. The most important thing to remember is that the display URL needs to accurately represent the destination URL. Don’t create bad user experiences by sending people who are looking for office supplies to a site for children’s toys.
Pitfalls to avoid when experimenting with display URLs:
- Exceeding the character limit.
- Misdirecting/misleading users with an inaccurate display URL vs destination URL.
- Using dynamic insertion- while possible, be cautious!
- Incorrectly typing the URL.

Director of Search Marketing
Elizabeth leads Portent’s SEO, PPC, Copy, Social and Link Building teams through their daily trials and triumphs. For more of Elizabeth's marketing tips, check out her latest eBook "Write Ad Copy that Inspires Greatness." The knowledge it took her a lifetime to glean can be yours for the low, low price of $9.95.


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