Essential Statistics

• ‘Best’ headlines had a 6.9% CTR with a $1.63 CPC.
• ‘Free’ headlines had a 5.3% CTR but a $2.01 CPC.
• ‘Now’ and ‘New’ showed lower CPCs under $1.50.
• ‘Exclusive’ performed well in luxury categories.
• Headlines with no power words had the lowest CTR at 2.8%.

Key Takeaways

• Power words increase engagement but impact ad cost differently.
• ‘Best’ strikes the best balance between CTR and CPC.
• ‘Free’ attracts attention but drives up cost.
• Word choice matters by industry and offer type.
• Advertisers must weigh value per click, not just volume.

Actionable Insights

Test power words for real impact.

A/B test headline variations to find the terms that drive both clicks and conversions.

Use expensive keywords wisely.

Avoid high-CPC terms like “Free” unless your customer lifetime value justifies the spend.

Balance cost and click-through potential.

Words like “Best” and “New” often deliver strong results without inflated CPCs.

Optimize for ROI, not vanity metrics.

Track performance at the ad group level—CPC and CTR don’t tell the full story.

Match messaging to product psychology.

Choose power words that align with how customers think about your category.

Refresh your ad copy often.

Rotate creative frequently to keep performance strong and prevent ad fatigue.

Use dynamic insertion carefully.

It can boost relevance, but mismatched keywords can hurt clarity and trust.