Designing Good Advertisements
It is more difficult than ever to draw viewers in with online advertisements. Becausethe internet is saturated with ads, most consumers have taught themselves how to tune them out. Therefore, business owners and digital marketing professionals are challenged to create advertisements that stand out. These ads need to engage targeted audience members immediately, inspire action, and start conversations. But how do you create and post effective, eye-catching advertisements that do not get overlooked or ignored? There is no magic recipe that works perfectly, every single time, but there are a few tips that can help you consistently build good advertisements.
Eight Questions to Ask When Designing and Posting Online Ads
Whether you are creating ads for Facebook or other social media platforms, pop-up ads, or any other types of advertisements, simply throwing your logo out with some copy may not be enough (although, depending on the logo design and placement and quality of the text, it could be impactful). Yet, you never want to overwhelm your viewers by throwing too much at them at once. So, how can you strike a balance, grab viewers’ attention, and leave a lasting impression? Just ask yourself the following questions when creating your next advertisement.
1 – Is your message clear and simple?
Your images and copy should work in tandem to convey a simple, easy-to-grasp message about your product, service, or brand. Cluttered ads that do not deliver an instant message are easily ignored.
2 – Have you utilized effective typography?
Font sizes and styles matter, so don’t be afraid to play around with different versions of the same text until you find the one that is the most visually appealing.
3 – Have you minimized your copy?
Content is king, certainly. But, remember, most ad opportunities give you mere seconds (at most) to capture a viewer’s interest, so do not force them to read too much. Instead, keep your advertisements image-heavy with just enough text to support your message.
4 – Have you built an appropriate color story?
Again, you have a much better chance at winning a consumer’s attention if you create and post a visually appealing ad. So, use colors that compliment each other, the text, and your chosen images.
5 – Are your images unique?
Digital marketing professionals typically recognize popular stock images because they encounter them so frequently. But do you not suspect that consumers experience the same recognition? They do, and their brains often tune out images that they have seen several times. So, either create your own images or find a photo source that offers a wide variety of fresher, lesser-known options.6 – Have you considered a “before and after layout?”Our brains are drawn to opposites, so a “before and after” advertisement is often and effective way to make consumers slow down and take notice. For example, if your company cleans floors, offer images that show dirty floors vs. clean floors. Or, if you sell shampoo, offer an image of lackluster locks next to an image of healthy, glowing hair.7 – Is your call to action clear?Never waste a good advertisement by neglecting to give viewers a direction. What do you want them to do? Click a link? Purchase a product? Request a free sample? Enter a contest? Make sure that your ask is clear, and the desired activity is easy to accomplish.8 – Is your ad interactive?Allowing target market members to do something with your ad is a great way to promote engagement. Can they print the ad out and do something creative with it? Does it contain a poll? Does it ask for advise on how the next ad should look? Inspiring consumers to engage with the ad in an active way almost guarantees perked interest in your product, service, or brand.Good Advertisements Must EvolveFinally, if you find the perfect formula for your ads, get ready to change it up. Trendschange, consumer interest changes, and advertisements must keep up. So, always keep yourself open to and knowledgeable about the latest tools, practices, and strategies.
6 – Have you considered a “before and after layout?”
Our brains are drawn to opposites, so a “before and after” advertisement is often and effective way to make consumers slow down and take notice. For example, if your company cleans floors, offer images that show dirty floors vs. clean floors. Or, if you sell shampoo, offer an image of lackluster locks next to an image of healthy, glowing hair.
7 – Is your call to action clear?
Never waste a good advertisement by neglecting to give viewers a direction. What do you want them to do? Click a link? Purchase a product? Request a free sample? Enter a contest? Make sure that your ask is clear, and the desired activity is easy to accomplish.
8 – Is your ad interactive?
Allowing target market members to do something with your ad is a great way to promote engagement. Can they print the ad out and do something creative with it? Does it contain a poll? Does it ask for advise on how the next ad should look? Inspiring consumers to engage with the ad in an active way almost guarantees perked interest in your product, service, or brand.
Good Advertisements Must Evolve
Finally, if you find the perfect formula for your ads, get ready to change it up. Trendschange, consumer interest changes, and advertisements must keep up. So, always keep yourself open to and knowledgeable about the latest tools, practices, and strategies.
