How Do You Write Good Ad Copy?
There are marketers who would rather sit on a hot grill than write ad copy. And, honestly… same. Have you ever tried to impress everyone on the internet in 30 characters or less?
Ad copy is one of the few forms of content that makes even the most enthusiastic writers groan. There’s no way to predict how any ad will perform, which campaigns will take off, and which keywords are really going to pay off.
While writing ad copy is never going to be fun or a guaranteed hole-in-one, there are a few ways you (or your favorite copywriter) can tweak your headlines for optimal performance and results.
Start With the Basics
Writing good ad copy starts with knowing both your audience and your intent. With any kind of copywriting, your message and delivery should always be catered to speak directly to your ideal audience in the clearest way possible.
Before you sit down and start comprising headlines, it’s usually a good idea to figure out two main things:
- Who is my ideal customer or client?
- What message do I want to deliver?
Once you’ve figured those two things out, hash out the details to give yourself and your team absolute clarity.
Speak to Your Audience
Once you know who your audience is, you need to figure out where your audience is. Are they looking for your services on Google, or are they browsing Facebook for their next idea or outing?
There’s no point in wasting time creating ads for Facebook if your ideal consumer isn’t using the platform. You want your ad money to payoff, so smart ad placement is crucial, as is the language you use when creating them. For example, how casual or formal you are in your copy weighs heavily on your audience preferences, and what’s going to appeal to them.
Deliver a Clear Message
Don’t use gimmicks or try to be mysterious in your ads. Be straightforward and upfront about where the ad is leading your user. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying for lots of clicks and no leads.
If your message is clear, it’s more likely to do the job you have intended it to, and consumers won’t feel that they’ve been “tricked” or “duped” when they click on your ad.
Don’t Skip Keyword Research
Seriously, we cannot stress how important this is. Keyword research is the backbone of ALL decent copywriting for a reason—it works. Doing keyword research means you’re putting in the effort to find out what terms people online are using to find your product or services (or your competition’s).
Use those keywords as frequently as possible in your ad copy, but be aware of the cost of each one. Popular, highly competitive keywords will always be the most expensive, and unfortunately also the hardest to land. Explore secondary keywords, and see how your copywriters can get creative to make them link up with your message!
Add In Some SEO
If you want to take things a step further, dive into some good SEO. Thorough SEO research can tell you which words you should use in your copy to attract users. It can also tell you which words or phrases will be most effective based on your website copy.
Sometimes, this means adjusting the copy on your website to create good sync between your site and your ads. Be careful with this though—you want your website to be evergreen, and truly reflect your services and brand. Don’t change your foundation to match your ads, but look at the bigger picture and how they work together.
Stay Focused
When you’re writing ad copy, it’s easy to get sucked into using catchy or cheesy phrases. Unfortunately, internet users, these days are becoming more avoidant of blatant advertising, which means your obnoxious sales pitches will backfire.
Stay focused on the goal and message of your campaign. If your campaign is to build brand awareness or to boost your men’s clothing line, don’t talk about your women’s wear (even if it’s the best out there). Keep your eyes on the prize.
Writing ad copy is a complicated process and one that really has no specific formula. However, if you focus on speaking directly to your intended audience, you’re clear about your message and you soak up those keywords, you’ll have a strong start in the right direction.
