By Catherine Morgan

The most popular time of year for advertisers is Super Bowl Sunday. While we are well past the Chiefs’ win and the best and worst ads, it’s safe to say that writing solid ad copy is the most challenging but most rewarding part of creating a memorable ad, written or broadcast. 

Wondering how to write the best copy for your ad campaign? Look no further.

Solve the Reader’s Problem

What’s the purpose of an ad if not to inform? The first step to gaining clientele is to identify their problem. 

What do they need? What do they want? What can you provide that other businesses cannot? These are just a few questions that can help focus your copy. 

It’s important to remember that consumers respond better to copy that isn’t overtly trying to sell them on a product or service. To satisfy the reader’s needs, focus on the benefits of the service rather than advertising the service itself. 

Lock in a Headline

It takes one-tenth of a second for a person to create a first impression. The headline is like the first impression of advertising. It’s where you curate consumer interest in your product or service. It’s where consumers decide if they want to go with your business or continue business with a competitor. 

What does it take to make a headline?

While some copy editors encourage writers to complete the outline before writing the headline, the order in which it is made doesn’t really matter. What matters is the way you present your headline. 

When in doubt, simplicity is the safest option. It may not be the most creative headline, but it gets the message across. 

For those who are feeling creative, keep in mind that being ambitious in your headline is great, but just make sure your business can follow through on its promises. Your headline needs to be short and sweet –roughly between 60 and 100 characters.

Use SEO Keywords

For online advertising, it seems every aspect of effective marketing comes back to SEO, or search engine optimization. Using keywords or phrases can target more specific consumer bases and increase internet traffic toward your website. 

Identifying which keywords are best for your business requires a deep, introspective dive into your business’ mission and the message you want to convey. Some of the best keywords are actually long-tailed key phrases that are roughly four words in length and are common phrases that Google users search on a somewhat regular basis. 

For more information about forming SEO keywords and interpreting the views, clicks and impressions it gives your business, click here.

Quantitative Data is a Must

Hard facts will never go out of style. In the era of source confusion, quantitative facts are a refreshing twist on common copy that seems convoluted or simply out of touch. 

Consumers want information that is supported by evidence. Your job, as a small business owner, is to provide the data to consumers. It is up to them to interpret the facts in terms of choosing your business over another.

Finding the data is a task itself. The data can be found in online industry reports, journals or even Google searches. For more data, holding focus groups or interviewing consumers that could have a stake in the company is a way to tailor the data for your specific business rather than the industry as a whole. 

While we can’t guarantee that these steps alone will ensure the best copy possible, using them will definitely give your copy an advantage that smaller agencies may not consider. 

Next Steps

It’s a daunting task to tackle alone. At 1893 Brand Studio, our team of skilled writers will work with you to create the best possible copy for your website or ad. We also have a talented multimedia team that can help with designing and photographing your business. We know the ins and outs of effective copywriting. Meet with our storytelling and campaigns team to get started today.