Compelling ad copy extends your brand potential and reach. They are designed to influence your target audience to respond or take action. Customers research before they make buying information, therefore, ads need to be convincing as well as address consumers’ pain points and queries.
How to craft innovative and compelling ad copy?
Consider background elements before you start writing ad copy
There are things to consider before writing an effective ad. Identify your demographic and where they hang out. Work on these basics because they depend on one another. You must be aware of the people you are writing for and the place where they hang out more to display your ad.
Just like other copywriting elements do market research and identify your customer’s persona and the possibility of where they will hear or listen to your ad copy (eg. online media, radio, or print). Display location will determine the time or space you get for the ad. In this way, you get clarity of the ad copy direction and structure.
Craft enticiing headlines
You will have a maximum of 3 seconds to catch the attention of the target audience, so create a striking headline. Craft a funny headline or make a bold statement.
Use keywords in your online ad that resolves the searcher’s query. Create curiosity by asking through-provoking questions that resonate with consumers and make them want to know more.
Short & simple
You may have seen short slogans or lines used on billboards to grab people’s attention as they drive or walk by. Even your online message needs to be short and simple.
Use products or services’ unique selling points as a key message in your ad. Leave details on your landing page, which interested consumers will click on.
Concentrate on consumer's benefits
You need to research what your target consumer’s pain points are, and how your brand can address them efficiently. Focus on the findings while creating ad copy for your PPC campaign.
Tell how your brand will enhance their lives in an active voice. Using ‘You’ sounds more personal because ‘We’ can create a distance between your consumers and your brand. ‘We’ means your focus is on your business and not the target audience. Focusing on consumer needs rather than pointing to business performance makes the ad copy effective.
Evoke emotions
Tap consumers’ emotions because this can compel them to read the ad or click through. Using customer personas, write ad copy from their perception to provoke strong emotions. Make sure to balance the response you wish with the remaining message without inducing any negativity.
When you are considering fear, disgust, or anger for shock value then these negative emotions need careful handling. Ensure to use aspirational language or emphasise the benefits to balance the emotional response of your target audience.
Follow AIDA formula
- A- Attention– With the first sentence grab attention using a bold statement.
- I- Interest– In the second sentence share interesting and relevant information.
- D- Decision– In the third sentence, guide targets in making an informed decision For instance, offering an incentive or your product to be a solution to their query.
- A- Action– In conclusion, add a sense of urgency (Call to action).
Pro tip – If you are writing an ad copy then ensure to perform A/B testing using different CTA to identify the better one.
Use keywords for SEO
Consider search intent and use keywords naturally in the ad copy. Do some keyword research to find out what your potential consumer is searching for.
Customer personas and keyword research analysis can reveal a lot. Focus on usability and readability for better SEO performance. Find a balance between search intent and keywords to help you create an effective ad copy.
Ensure ad copy and design align
A coherent story and relevant visuals attract target audiences. Elements in the ad copy like headline, description as well as CTA need to be in sync with the graphics and key message you wish to convey.
Ensure that the team working on the ad copy is clear about the digital marketing strategy and goal. Clear collaboration between the designers and writers is essential to align the images and copy. This allows the visuals to deliver the right message and communicate correctly with the audience.
Add social proof
People get influenced by others and adjust their behaviour. Products celebrities or influencers endorse are easily accepted by the public. Thus, collaborating with influencers or celebrities is an effective strategy for social media advertising.
Ensure that the copy complements your brand and influencer’s tone. Adding business credentials such as certification or awards, and user testimonials to help build trust and credibility. Any positive mention in the press can also be added to your ad copy for better influence.
Apply FOMO
FOMO is an abbreviation for fear of missing out. It is dreadful when you feel left out or left behind. Use FOMO and create an ad copy that encourages customers to take action. A sense of scarcity can push potential consumers to purchase.
For example, special discounts and limited offers compel customers to buy because of the fear of missing out or FOMO. It is an approach that convinces them that it is their last chance to grab a great deal.
Ask Questions
You get just a couple of seconds to grab consumers’ attention before they scroll away. Start your ad with a question that creates curiosity and makes them read the entire ad to find the answer.
Resolution is the hook, so allow the potential consumers to read questions dotted across the ad copy. You can ask different questions based on the action you want from the target audience. You can ask –
- Literal questions that your prospect wants to learn about. Offer them solutions that emphasise the benefits.
- Rhetorical questions are asked when the resolution is clear. You direct the audience to obvious answers making them feel they made their own decision.
- Open-ended questions need careful planning because it prompts emotions and thoughts. Ensure not to ask broad questions, which can drive them away from your ad message.
- Yes or no is a simple question type but powerful to strengthen a point.
Create convincing & persuasive CTAs
Call-to-action is a section, where your ad directs the potential consumer to your landing page. The print ad tells audiences what steps to take next. Ensure the CTA created is understandable but not too simple.
Get creative and think about what you wish your target to do when they read the ad or click on it. Apply brand identity with compelling CTA exclusive to your brand transforming the ad text into branded content.
Strong action verbs like Subscribe, Join, or Download must be used exclusively. An innovative CTA offers a competitive edge over competitors that use general phrases like ‘Shop online today’ or ‘Buy Now’.
Perform A/B testing
A/B testing is essential to compare the ads and identify the target audience’s preferences. You need to create a few ad copies to test out which element works better. Use different headlines or CTA and run the test to choose the most effective one.
Testing allows checking different metrics. You can tweak some ads and drop the underperforming ones. You get to know what your target wants. You can use this insight to plan your next digital campaign.
