Advertorial Strategy: How to Get 90% Cheaper Google Ads Traffic

An advertorial is a piece of content that looks and reads like an editorial article but subtly promotes your product. When combined with Google Ads, this strategy targets informational keywords instead of commercial keywords—capturing users earlier in their journey at dramatically lower costs.

The Cost Difference

Keyword Type	Example	Avg CPC
Commercial (traditional)	"buy collagen supplements"	$3.50-5.00
Informational (advertorial)	"how to improve skin elasticity"	$0.15-0.40
Cost Reduction		85-95%

Why This Works

• Lower competition: Most advertisers ignore informational keywords
• Higher click-through rates: Educational content gets more clicks than ads
• Trust building: Readers see you as an authority, not a salesperson
• Larger audience: Informational searches outnumber commercial 10:1

The key insight: people searching for information today become buyers tomorrow. By capturing them earlier, you build a relationship before competitors even see them.

Key Differences

Element	Traditional Landing Page	Advertorial Page
Primary goal	Immediate conversion	Education → soft conversion
Content style	Sales copy, CTAs everywhere	Editorial, journalistic tone
Length	Short, focused	Long-form (1,500-3,000 words)
Trust signals	Testimonials, guarantees	Research, statistics, expertise
CTA placement	Above fold, repeated	Natural, within content flow
Target audience	Ready to buy	Problem-aware, researching

When to Use Each

Use traditional landing pages when:

• Targeting high-intent keywords ("buy X", "best X for Y")
• Running retargeting campaigns
• Audience already knows your brand

Use advertorials when:

• Targeting informational keywords ("how to", "why does", "what causes")
• Reaching cold audiences who don't know you
• CPCs are too high on commercial keywords
• Building top-of-funnel awareness cost-effectively

The Informational Keyword Framework

Look for keywords that indicate someone has a problem your product solves, but they're not yet searching for a solution:

Question Keywords

• "How to [solve problem]"
• "Why does [symptom happen]"
• "What causes [problem]"
• "Can you [desired outcome]"

Problem Keywords

• "[problem] won't go away"
• "Struggling with [issue]"
• "[symptom] getting worse"

Research Keywords

• "[topic] research 2025"
• "Studies on [benefit]"
• "[ingredient/method] benefits"

Real Examples by Industry

Industry	Commercial Keyword	Advertorial Keyword
Skincare	"buy retinol serum"	"how to reduce wrinkles naturally"
Supplements	"best protein powder"	"why am I not building muscle"
Fitness	"home gym equipment"	"how to workout at home effectively"
Pet products	"dog anxiety treats"	"why is my dog anxious during storms"
Sleep	"buy weighted blanket"	"can't sleep through the night causes"

Keyword Research Process

1. List the problems your product solves
2. Use Google's "People Also Ask" for question variations
3. Check Answer the Public for question keywords
4. Filter for keywords with 1,000+ monthly searches
5. Verify CPC is under $0.50 in Google Keyword Planner

The Advertorial Structure

Follow this proven framework for advertorial content:

1. The Hook (First 100 words)

Open with a relatable problem or surprising statistic. Make readers feel understood.

Example: "If you've tried everything to improve your skin—expensive creams, strict routines, even dermatologist visits—and still wake up to the same problems, you're not alone. A 2024 study found that 73% of people who struggle with skin issues are addressing the wrong root cause."

2. The Problem Deep-Dive (300-500 words)

Explain the problem thoroughly. Show you understand it better than anyone:

• What causes the problem
• Why common solutions fail
• The hidden factors most people miss
• The real cost of not solving it

3. The Solution Introduction (200-300 words)

Transition naturally from problem to solution. Don't pitch yet—educate:

• Reference research or studies
• Explain the science/mechanism
• Build credibility through expertise

4. The Product Reveal (300-400 words)

Now introduce your product as ONE solution (not THE solution):

• Position as a natural extension of the education
• Focus on how it addresses the root cause
• Include social proof naturally
• Be honest about who it's for (and who it's not for)

5. The Soft CTA (100 words)

End with a low-pressure call to action:

• "Learn more about how this works"
• "See if this approach is right for you"
• "Explore the research behind this method"

Writing Tips

• Write in second person: "You" not "customers" or "people"
• Use short paragraphs: 2-3 sentences max
• Include real data: Studies, statistics, specific numbers
• Tell stories: Case studies and examples resonate
• Avoid hype: Educational tone, not salesy

Campaign Structure

Create a dedicated campaign for advertorial traffic—don't mix with your commercial campaigns:

Recommended Settings

Setting	Recommendation	Why
Campaign type	Search	Best control over keywords
Bidding	Maximize Clicks (initially)	Volume focus, optimize later
Budget	$20-50/day starting	Gather data quickly
Networks	Search only (no partners)	Higher quality traffic
Locations	Your target markets	Standard targeting

Ad Group Structure

Organize by topic clusters, not individual keywords:

• Ad Group 1: "How to [outcome]" questions
• Ad Group 2: "Why [problem]" questions
• Ad Group 3: "[Problem] solutions" research

Ad Copy That Works

Your ads should match the educational intent—not look like product ads:

Headline Examples

• "The Science Behind [Benefit] - 2025 Research"
• "Why [Problem] Happens (And What Actually Works)"
• "[Number] Proven Ways to [Desired Outcome]"

Description Examples

• "New research reveals the root cause most people miss. See what scientists discovered about [topic]."
• "Struggling with [problem]? Learn the method that helped 10,000+ people finally see results."

Bidding Strategy Progression

1. Week 1-2: Maximize Clicks to gather data
2. Week 3-4: Target CPA (set at 2x your goal)
3. Week 5+: Optimize CPA target based on actual performance

Essential Tracking Setup

Advertorial campaigns need different tracking than direct response:

Primary Metrics

Metric	Target	Why It Matters
CPC	Under $0.40	Cost efficiency is the strategy's advantage
CTR	Above 3%	Indicates ad-content relevance
Time on page	2+ minutes	Content engagement quality
Scroll depth	70%+	Reading the full article
CTA click rate	5-15%	Interest in product

Conversion Tracking

Track the full funnel, not just final purchases:

1. Micro-conversion 1: Scroll to product section
2. Micro-conversion 2: Click to product page
3. Micro-conversion 3: Add to cart
4. Macro-conversion: Purchase

Optimization Process

Week 1-2: Data Gathering

• Don't make changes—let data accumulate
• Monitor for any obvious issues (high bounce, zero engagement)
• Check search terms report for irrelevant queries

Week 3-4: First Optimizations

• Add negative keywords for irrelevant searches
• Pause keywords with CPC above $0.60
• Double down on keywords with best engagement

Week 5+: Scale What Works

• Increase budget on winning ad groups
• Create new advertorials for related topics
• Test different angles and hooks

Content Optimization

If engagement is low, improve the advertorial:

• High bounce rate: Improve the hook/opening
• Low scroll depth: Break up content, add visuals
• Low CTA clicks: Adjust product positioning

The Advertorial Funnel

Advertorials work best as top-of-funnel traffic sources feeding into your existing campaigns:

Traffic Flow

Informational Search → Advertorial Page → Product Page → Purchase
         ↓                    ↓
    Remarketing          Email Capture
         ↓                    ↓
   Product Ads           Nurture Sequence
         ↓                    ↓
      Purchase              Purchase
        

Remarketing Strategy

Create audience segments based on advertorial engagement:

Audience Segments

Segment	Definition	Next Step
Engaged readers	70%+ scroll depth, 2+ min on page	Product-focused retargeting
CTA clickers	Clicked through to product	Aggressive retargeting
Bouncers	Left quickly	Different advertorial or exclude

Email Integration

Capture emails from advertorial readers for long-term nurturing:

• Offer a related lead magnet (checklist, guide, quiz)
• Use exit-intent popups (non-aggressive)
• Include email signup as secondary CTA

Budget Allocation

Recommended split for mature accounts:

Campaign Type	Budget %	Goal
Brand campaigns	10-15%	Protect brand, high ROAS
Shopping/PMax	40-50%	Direct sales, scaling
Search (commercial)	20-25%	High-intent capture
Advertorial campaigns	15-20%	Top-of-funnel, list building

The Situation

A collagen supplement brand was struggling with rising CPCs on commercial keywords:

• Average CPC: $4.20
• Cost per acquisition: $85
• Monthly ad spend: $15,000
• Monthly new customers: 176

The Advertorial Approach

We created three advertorial pages targeting informational keywords:

1. "Why does skin lose elasticity with age" (12,000 monthly searches)
2. "How to improve skin from the inside out" (8,500 monthly searches)
3. "Collagen benefits for skin research" (4,200 monthly searches)

Campaign Performance After 90 Days

Metric	Before (Commercial Only)	After (With Advertorial)
Average CPC	$4.20	$0.35 (advertorial), $4.50 (commercial)
Monthly traffic	3,571 clicks	18,000+ clicks
Direct CPA	$85	$42 blended
New customers	176/month	340/month
Email list growth	+200/month	+1,400/month

Key Learnings

• Volume matters: Lower conversion rate was offset by 5x more traffic
• Remarketing compounds: Advertorial readers converted via remarketing at 3.2%
• Email value: Additional 15% of customers came through email nurture
• Brand awareness: Direct traffic increased 40% as more people learned the brand

Implementation Timeline

Week	Activity	Result
1-2	Keyword research, advertorial writing	3 articles ready
3-4	Campaign launch, initial data	5,000 clicks at $0.28 CPC
5-8	Optimization, remarketing setup	First conversions, funnel working
9-12	Scale winning topics, add new articles	Full results achieved

Content Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	What to Do Instead
Too salesy too fast	Readers came for information, not a pitch	Educate for 70% of content before mentioning product
Thin content	Doesn't build trust or authority	Write 1,500-3,000 words of genuine value
No personality	Feels like generic SEO content	Write like you're explaining to a friend
Fake urgency	Destroys trust with informed readers	Let the value speak for itself

Campaign Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	What to Do Instead
Using commercial keywords	Defeats the cost advantage	Stick to informational queries only
Expecting immediate ROAS	Advertorial is top-of-funnel	Measure blended attribution over 30-60 days
No remarketing	Missing the conversion step	Build audiences and retarget readers
Giving up too soon	Results compound over time	Commit to 90 days minimum

Tracking Mistakes

• Only measuring direct conversions: You'll miss remarketing and email conversions
• Not tracking engagement: Scroll depth and time on page predict success
• Ignoring assisted conversions: Advertorials often assist, not close