To achieve online business growth, one thing reigns supreme: Traffic. For a majority of businesses, the quickest path to increased traffic lies in advertising. The realm of digital advertising thrives on minute details. Even slight upticks in ad response rates can translate to substantial profit boosts. When every click from Google or Facebook comes with a hefty price tag, crafting compelling and persuasive ad copy becomes paramount. Prefer audio learning? Tune into our Goal Talk Podcast episode, “The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Effective Ad Copy.” This article will unveil four potent tactics to elevate your ad copywriting skills.

Crafting Exceptional Advertising Copy

1. Demonstrate Problem-Solving Prowess

When creating ad headlines, many businesses limit themselves to keyword insertion. After all, it’s the first thing that catches a visitor’s eye. While incorporating bid keywords is vital for Quality Score, when competitors follow suit, it dilutes your distinctiveness. To stand out, your ad headline should mirror the visitor’s ultimate objective, much like the “bridge after bridge” copywriting technique. People click ads because they promise solutions, not keyword conformity. Before crafting an ad, delve into the user’s desired outcome and how your headline can cater to that need. Consider the ads for the keyword “sell books”:

Beyond authors and publishers, this search term likely attracts college students and readers seeking quick cash for their books. The first ad addresses this directly: sell your books for cash. It refrains from pushing features and quality, instead assuring viewers they can get cash (the goal) for their books. Emulate this approach: emphasize the end-solution (cash for books) that alleviates customer pain points.

2. Integrate Emotional Triggers

While some visitors arrive with clear objectives, others browse casually, gathering information or exploring potential solutions. For these individuals, a nudge is necessary, often achievable through emotional triggers. The rationale is simple: logic alone doesn’t dictate decisions; emotions play a crucial role. Content evoking strong emotional responses (fear, anger, disgust) compels clicks. Observe these ads for trainers:

Most simply list services, lacking differentiation beyond location and price. This might suffice with minimal competition, but often, such ads fade into obscurity. Contrast this with an ad for a New York cosmetic surgeon:

This ad succeeds by addressing a primary concern for cosmetic surgery seekers: looking older, leading to diminished self-esteem. By highlighting how cosmetic surgery helps patients “look younger and feel great,” it elicits a stronger emotional response than the ad below (focused on “state-of-the-art facilities”). Here’s how to infuse emotion into ad copy:

• Define your target audience
• Craft a persona resonating with that audience
• Write emotional ad copy embodying that persona
• Utilize emotionally charged words and phrases Balance emotional appeal with the overall message, avoiding negative brand associations. Focus on fear and concern resolution.

3. Prioritize Benefits over Features

When writing the body of your ad, eschew self-promotion. Instead, inspire action by showcasing how your brand or product enhances lives. Your ad should be personalized (“you”) and demonstrate the value proposition for the visitor. Here’s an example from the pet insurance sector:

The first ad highlights benefits:

• Potential savings (5%)
• Cost reduction without compromising coverage (“you”)
• Compatibility with any licensed vet (convenience) The subsequent ad lacks clarity:
• “Save Big” - how much exactly?
• “Visit Today” - redundant if someone is already searching (indicating interest), wasting ad space. Similarly, compare these “lasik surgery NYC” ads:

Laser surgery patients prioritize speed, comfort, and accuracy (benefits) over equipment brands or technology (features). The first ad captures this: surgery that is more comfortable, faster & more precise. Benefits precede features like “best price guarantee” and “next day recovery.” The second ad omits benefits, instead relying on authority by citing the number of surgeries performed (irrelevant to most customers). Struggling to differentiate or showcase benefits concisely? Consider leveraging psychology to boost conversions, as explained below.

4. Implement FOMO

The fear of missing out is a potent conversion driver. Loss aversion is a real psychological force, easily harnessed in ads. Countdown timers, running in real time, are a simple yet effective online implementation. Here’s an example from an online TV retailer:

These ads capitalize on the human tendency towards losing out than gaining something. Time-limited offers create urgency, prompting action. This exemplifies scarcity, one of Robert Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion (from Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion). Impending sale deadlines foster scarcity, compelling action. In an increasingly competitive online landscape, compelling ad copy is crucial. While it demands time and effort, these tips can give you a competitive edge.

Seeking More Copywriting Insights?

Explore our collection of 24 creative, competitive, click-worthy ad copy examples. See you there!