If you are in the business world, you should know that to attract customers and collect results, you have to advertise. A good advertisement can attract attention, make people interested in your product, and stimulate consumers’ desire to buy. Start reading from Step 1 to learn how to write an engaging, effective ad!

Master the Basics

First, decide where you want to advertise. Will your ad be placed in a newspaper, in a magazine, on your website, or Renren? Where your ad appears will affect how your ad is written. Calculate the space to place your ad, including the required word count for the ad, how large the font size is, and whether you can add illustrations or video. Finally, traditional classified ads can be used in almost any media format, but you may need to make some tweaks to accommodate space constraints.

• If you’re running an ad in a local newspaper that takes up a quarter to a full page, you can break the slogan into one or more paragraphs.
• However, when advertising on Renren or other web pages, your slogan must be limited to one sentence or so.
• Either way, when you’re writing an ad, every word counts. An ad that is too vague or too long will make people want to scan it and not stop to read it. Therefore, no matter what kind of ad you write, the principles are the same.

Make your ads cater to your audience’s tastes. What kind of consumers are you dealing with? It would be ideal if everyone who read your ad would want to buy your product, but in reality, it would be better if your ad catered specifically to a subset of people who are more likely to buy. Use language and words to attract people who are attracted to your products. Although this may not be to the liking of another group of people at all, it is important to penetrate the hearts of people who may become your loyal customers.

• For example, if you want to promote a service for publishing your book, you can use literary, elegant language. In this way, your target audience (people who want to publish their works) will know that your company will be their right-hand man.
• If you’re promoting a product that appeals to a younger crowd, such as a new candy that turns your tongue the colors of the rainbow, drop the traditional etiquette, and use language that’s familiar to your target audience. Your target audience is children who want to use their pocket money to buy candy or parents who want to buy candy for their children.

Write a catchy title. This is the most important part of the ad because it is the first thing viewers of the ad notice. If your headline is vague, obscure, or boring, don’t expect people to take the time to read the copy you’ve put so much effort into writing. You’re telling the reader that your company is incapable of writing innovative ads—and it also makes the reader feel that your product is of poor quality, even if the product is actually good.

• When people take the subway, browse Renren, or flip through magazines, their attention will be distracted by many things other than your advertisement. How can you prevent readers from being distracted and only noticing your product? Think of a title that is so compelling that it compels the reader to pay attention.
• Your title can be something shocking, strange, attention-grabbing, or thrilling—anything will do, as long as it captivates the reader.
• Write something mysterious: “Don’t be happy, this is a terrible thing.”
• Write something people don’t want to miss: “25% off air tickets to Paris.”
• Write something touching: “She only had two weeks to live.”

Don’t start with a question. While a creative, catchy rhetorical question may successfully engage your audience, don’t open your ad with a standard question like “Do you need a new car?” Customers have read thousands of these ads, and they’re tired of asking. You need to dig deeper to grab the reader’s attention. Stop asking superficial questions and use a creative way to tell customers you have what they need.

Write an over-the-top paragraph to entice readers to continue reading. The line below your headline is your chance to create a lasting impression of your company in the mind of your audience. After writing your mysterious, shocking, and evocative headline, you need to write something substantive—otherwise, your headline will be viewed as nothing more than bragging. Use transitional words to tell the audience that your product is powerful and not just in vain.

• Remember, every word counts. Your transitional statement should be as catchy as your headline because you could lose your audience at any time before the ad is over.
• Mentioning the key benefits of the product in the advertisement will attract consumers. Your paragraph must mention the product’s biggest selling point.

Arouse the audience’s desire to buy your product. Your transitional language is also a powerful promotional opportunity for your product. This is your chance to “manipulate” your audience’s psychology into thinking that your product is what they want. Does this sound manipulative? But if your product works for your customers, there’s no shame in touching their heartstrings and making them buy something that improves their quality of life.

• Nostalgia is a great way to capture people’s hearts. For example, “We use the best heirloom peppers to make a sauce that’s as good as grandpa’s secret hot sauce.”
• Addressing people’s health issues in ads can also work well: “You’re working too hard – quit your job. Let us help you learn to enjoy life again.”
• Don’t forget to include the name of your company and your product in the ad.

Tell people how to buy your product. Finally, use this to add a finishing touch to your ad by telling the consumer what to do next. Give them some guidance to make it easier for them to purchase your product or contact you.

• You can also just list your web page and people will know where to buy your product.

Modify Your Ads

Carefully analyze bad ads. If you are new to writing ads, you need to analyze other ads and summarize what went wrong with them. Find a few bad ads (you’ll know which ones are bad just by looking at them) and try to figure out what makes them so unappealing. Is it the title? The excessive part? Or the tone of voice?

• Once you’ve pinpointed what’s bad about your ad, think about how you could make it better. Rewrite the ad to make it more effective.
• Also look at effective ads and try your best to determine what makes them great.

Make the ad sound natural. When you create your ad, try to make it sound as natural as possible. Write your ad with the same tone of voice as if you were speaking to a human being. People are attracted to a natural tone – stiff writing is unattractive and can come across as formal.

• Don’t be too rigid in your tone, and make sure your audience accepts and understands you.
• Don’t be too friendly either, as that will sound fake.

Make your ad shorter. No matter where you advertise, you should write it clearly and concisely. People will not spend more than 30 seconds reading an advertisement, and they are not even willing to spend less than 30 seconds. They see your ad while they’re doing something else, like riding their bikes, or getting off the train or bus. Your ad should be able to impress them with very few words.

• Don’t use long sentences, try to use short ones. Slightly longer sentences are difficult to understand in a short time.
• Play some word games to better convey what you mean. Just make your meaning clear, you don’t need to use complete sentences all the time.

Consider including customer testimonials in your ads. In recent times, people like to read product reviews and testimonials from other customers before buying a product. They won’t be satisfied until they know for sure that the product works for other people. Adding one or two testimonials to your ad will instantly gain your customers’ trust.

• If possible, choose a review from a reputable customer. For example, if you’re selling health supplements, use a doctor or health expert’s review.
• If you have limited space, you don’t have to put testimonials in your ads. You can always put testimonials on your website.

Use charts wisely. If you have the opportunity to use images or video in your ad, be sure to carefully plan the layout of the ad. Having an image can save you a lot of text. You don’t have to describe the features of your product or explain what it is in your ad. Instead, put an image or video next to the title or product slogan and your company’s website.

Read your ad and record it. After you’ve written your ad, record it or read it to someone else. Then play it to yourself. Does this ad sound like a conversation? Sound appealing? If someone told you this, would you be interested? Reading an ad out loud is a great way to discover fatal flaws.

Test your ads. Advertise in some places and see how people react. Maybe you could see sales of your product start to increase. By asking customers how they heard about your company, you can tell whether new sales are a direct result of advertising. If they quote your ad, you’ll know you’re successful!

Rewrite the ad until you get it right. If advertising doesn’t help your product sell more, don’t use it anymore. Rewrite your ad until you are confident it will attract more customers. A bad ad that doesn’t showcase the best things about your company can do more harm than good. When your advertisement has been used for some time, to add some new vitality, it should be rewritten and add some new products or new product performance.

Tips

• Collect advertising copy for similar products or businesses. You can also edit your favorite ads. Both methods can inspire you.