Good keywords to use in text ads?

Using a matching search phrase in the title tends to increase CTR, too.

KeyWord insertion is a great way for CTR to be increased.

I have found that the ads without any gimmick-type words seem seem to have a higher click through rate. And, IMHO I think exclamations in ad text seem a little intimidating. My ads that use the words "easy" or "user friendly" tend to have a high number of clicks.

Sale

Super Sale

Up to xx% Off

Clearance

Closeout

Free Shipping

Offer Ends Soon

Special

Special Holiday Sale

Discount

For Less

Buy

Online Sale

Free Trial

Product price - ONLY if you are lower than competitors

It depends on what the product is...and what is the goal of the ad.

I have found that FREE might get clicks...but if the product or service isn't truly free, you aren't going to get any conversions.

I'd have to agree - we can't underestimate that consumers are smart. If something is truly free then all well and good.

If you look at the travel vertical you'll see a lot of people searching around the keyword 'cheap'. Things like cheap flights, cheap holidays, cheap hotels. I'm sure this is similar in other verticals.

Consumers are after value for money and there is definitely a strong perception that you can get a better deal online.

At the end of the day you want conversions, not just clicks. So as well as the right keyword buys you need the right landing pages, the right content, the right offers. Why pay for clicks that don't convert in some way or another?

Bill Tancer from Hitwise had a good post a month or so back, analyzing the words discount vs cheap vs free. What he found is that "the term "discount" is associated with consumer goods, "cheap" is associated with travel and free is associated with low price point items such as music and MySpace layouts." An interesting post...

That link didn't work for me... Bill Tancer's post is also available here. It's discussed further on this post.