Effective and impactful online advertisements are often image-heavy, and this means having less room for ad copy. Therefore, it is important to make the most of the ad copy you create. Yes, in some cases, more copy is needed to impart adequate information – especially for more expensive products and services or offers that require detailed explanations. In general, good ad copy should support the images in your advertisement, inspiring viewers to complete your desired action. Do you want ad viewers to make a purchase, sign up for a service, enter a contest, provide their email address, or something else? Good ad copy should quickly capture consumer attention, make an impression, and lead to a call to action completion.
Eight Ways to Ensure Strong and Effective Ad Copy Writing
Consider the following tips the next time you sit down, either by yourself or with your team, to write ad copy.
1 – Create a strong headline.
Yes, the right images, carefully placed within ads, are compelling, but a good headline can draw viewers in just as well. Think of your headline as a first impression and an opportunity to deliver a simplified version of your message in just a few words.
2 – Write directly to your target audience.
Just because you are advertising on the platforms that they are likely to use does not guarantee that your advertisements will attract your ideal consumers. So, always create your ad copy with your target audience in mind, and make the message speak to their needs and interests.
3 – Focus on one main idea or concept.
Likely, there is a lot to say about your brand in general or even just a single product but keep individual ads simple and focused on one purpose.
4 – Do not lose sight of your main goal or objective.
Once you have determined the particular purpose of an ad, do not allow your brainstorming to crowd out your message. For example, if you are focusing on your company’s new email campaign, avoid the temptation to throw in something about your monthly specials or money-back guarantee.
5 – Use simple language.
Unless you are targeting Harvard Law professors exclusive, keep your ad copy language as simple as possible. Remember that even highly intelligent consumers probably do not wish to exert an excessive amount of mental energy on internet ads.
6 – Include a subtle or explicit guarantee.
How will a consumer benefit from your call to action? Make the answer to this question clear in your message. For example, make it clear that signing up for your emails can provide opportunities to save money or the ability to be the first to get information about new products and services.
7 – Avoid hyperboles and exaggerated language.
While you want your ad copy to read as excited and engaging, you do not want to go overboard into the absurd and alienate potential customers. For instance, avoid phrases like “These emails will change your life!” or “No one can say that they have truly lived until they try ______________!”
8 – Revise and rewrite to remove unnecessary words.
Once your ad seems complete and ready for publication, do not be afraid to revisit and reread it to see if there is any room to cut words out. With ad copy, less is (usually) more, and its effectiveness is normally tied to quality and not quantity. So, always ask yourself if there is a shorter, more impactful way to deliver your message before posting an advertisement.
Using Competitors as Resources
Stealing ad concepts is not good practice, but it is certainly okay to look at advertisements belonging to your most successful competitors. Then, you can get a feel for why their ads work and translate some of the elements they use into ad copy strategies that will work for you and your brand.
