The good news for advertisers is that the general public doesn't shy away from these ads as much as their television counterparts. However, with the overwhelming amount of content bombarding users' news feeds, standing out is no easy feat.
The key lies in seamlessly blending into the news feed with captivating and personalized content that hooks your target audience and compels them to pause their endless scrolling. After all, if your ad goes unnoticed and remains unread, it's a clear indication of a lackluster campaign.
Discover the secrets to captivating social media ad copywriting that not only grabs attention but also keeps your audience engaged. Unleash the power of persuasive language, compelling storytelling, and irresistible hooks that leave an indelible mark on your viewers.
Join us on a journey to master the art of social media ad copywriting and unlock the potential to create ads that resonate, inspire, and drive results. It's time to harness the immense possibilities of digital advertising and make your brand shine in the ever-evolving social media landscape.
Never Pay For Page Likes and Always Pay For A Website Click.
In the dynamic world of digital marketing, it's essential to allocate your resources effectively to achieve the best return on investment (ROI) for your business. When it comes to promoting your brand online, it's crucial to adopt strategies that prioritize meaningful engagement and conversions. That's why we advocate for a simple yet powerful principle: "Always Pay For a Website Click. Never Pay For Page Likes."
In the realm of social media advertising, many businesses fall into the trap of obsessing over the number of likes on their pages. While a high number of page likes may seem appealing at first glance, it's essential to consider the value these likes truly bring to your business. Merely accumulating likes on your page does not guarantee a meaningful connection with your target audience or drive tangible business outcomes.
So, what do good social media ads look like? It's not just about what you say; it's also about how you say it and show it. There are two key elements to remember before diving into specific examples:
Firstly, it's crucial to target the correct audience. While I won't be discussing this aspect today, it's worth noting that the more specific your target audience is, the easier it becomes to craft an effective ad.
Secondly, you need to grab the attention of the individual scrolling through their feed. There are several ways to achieve this, but one of the simplest methods is by using a visually striking image. Once you've selected your image and narrowed down your targeting, you can proceed to write the copy for your ad.
Let's take a look at Facebook ads as an example. I'm sure most readers are already familiar with what Facebook ads typically look like, so we can dive right in. Below, you'll find a screenshot of a Udemy ad. Despite my infrequent visits to the Udemy site or any guitar-related content, this ad somehow knew that I had an interest in learning the guitar! This impressive level of targeting and retargeting allowed them to identify my preference accurately.
Instagram Ads
Instagram's ad platform, which is connected to Facebook, offers an incredibly visual way to advertise and reach your potential audience. If you have a product or service that aligns well with Instagram's user base, it should be your first choice for advertising. The targeting capabilities on Instagram also play a significant role in reaching the right audience. Let me give you an example of an ad I came across on my Instagram feed, which was a sponsored ad from Udemy promoting Gary Vaynerchuk's course.
Even though I follow Gary on Facebook, I don't follow him on Instagram, yet the ad was still served to me. On my fitness company's Instagram channel, we receive various types of ads, mainly promoting protein products or workout clothing. Although these ads are from our competition, they are highly relevant and seamlessly blend into the platform, appearing like real posts, with the only distinction being the "sponsored" tag.
The first key to a successful Instagram ad is having a clear and eye-catching image. Personally, I am drawn to ads that feature names or faces of individuals I know and like, such as Gary Vaynerchuk. The ad I saw had both, so it immediately grabbed my attention. The next important aspect is social interaction with the ad. Similar to Facebook, ads that receive more likes and comments tend to have better conversion rates. After all, you wouldn't be inclined to click on an ad with only one like, would you? There are numerous advertisers on Instagram who incorporate these elements into their ads and achieve great results.
In summary, Instagram's ad platform, connected to Facebook, provides a visually appealing way to advertise to your target audience. With its strong targeting capabilities and the ability to create engaging ads, Instagram should be considered a primary channel for reaching potential customers. By utilizing clear and captivating images, and encouraging social interaction with the ads, businesses can effectively leverage Instagram as a powerful advertising platform.
Twitter Ads
While generally considered a weaker advertising platform compared to Facebook, Twitter still provides a valuable way to reach a broad range of individuals with your advertisements. Similar to Facebook, Twitter offers targeting options, and the use of visually appealing ads with a primary focus on images is effective. However, on Twitter, humor plays a significant role in capturing users' attention, making it a winning strategy for Twitter ads. Let's take a look at a couple of examples:
Perfectbanner ad:
Perfectbanner has done an excellent job of incorporating relevance and value into their ad. As a marketer constantly seeking to optimize conversions, this ad appeared on my personal Twitter feed and caught my attention. It resonated perfectly with someone in my position, highlighting the potential benefits of their product.
Beast Technologies ad:
Beast Technologies' ad immediately grabbed my eye. Although the copy could have been improved, their simple tagline, "take the guesswork out of the weight room," combined with the compelling stats in the featured image, made this ad appealing to any serious weightlifter. The ability to measure the speed of reps and average power can provide a significant advantage in training. While they could have enhanced the ad by incorporating another powerful tagline instead of just "beast sensor," it still managed to generate 87 retweets for a relatively unknown company.
In summary, although Twitter may be perceived as a weaker advertising platform compared to Facebook, it still offers an effective way to reach a wide audience. By utilizing visually appealing ads and incorporating humor, you can create ads that stand out on Twitter. The examples provided demonstrate the power of relevance, value, and captivating taglines in capturing users' attention and generating engagement. With the right approach, Twitter can be a valuable platform for your advertising campaigns.
LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn ads offer a unique advertising experience compared to platforms like Facebook and Twitter. While some may perceive LinkedIn to be on the decline, its advertising platform remains the largest business-to-business marketing channel online. Leveraging the right ad types on LinkedIn can generate significant traction for your business.
The key to success on LinkedIn, as with any social advertising, lies in refining your target audience to the highest degree possible. Assuming you have already accomplished this, another important strategy is to align your business advertisements with relevant business or financial news. For instance, if a specific stock experiences a drop and it's pertinent to your business, incorporating this information into your ad can be effective. Allow me to provide an example that relates to the recent changes in the UK Budget:
This ad directs users to an article that discusses the budget changes from the perspective of a small business owner. Within the article, there is a call to action that promotes KPMG's accounting services. While this approach may not be suitable for all industries, it can be adapted to a wide range of businesses, potentially driving additional traffic. If you're interested, I have conducted a case study on this strategy, which you can find here [provide link if applicable].
By utilizing LinkedIn ads strategically and customizing them to align with relevant news or events, you can enhance your chances of capturing the attention of your target audience.
How to Write Social Media Copy – A Quick Guide
You now know all the background behind social ads but not how to go about writing an ad itself. For this brand new ad, I'll assume you already have an eye-catching image and have targeted a relevant audience. The next step is what to write in the headline (25 characters), text (90 characters), news feed link description, and display link. Below are a few quick social copy tips to keep in mind when writing these:
Text – Your text should contain at least 2 power words, 1 hyper-relevant keyword, and as many barrier breaking points as you can think of. Also, remember who you're writing the ad for. The style of writing and vocabulary used will vary depending on your target audience.
For example, “incredible” might be an effective power word for a younger demographic, but if you’re targeting males in their 50s, then this would be a poor choice. Instead, opt for a more fact-based power word, such as “proven,” “solution,” or “benefit.” More of these can be found in a great book by Frank Luntz, Words that Work.
The text itself appears above the headline, and as a result, is the first thing people see, so this should set the stage for your headline. But this shouldn't be overly promotional or gimmicky. For example, “Finally learn to conquer your xxxx” or “9 Steps to generate more xxxx.”
Headline – This should contain a new power word (use the most assertive or powerful one here) and another relevant keyword that’s very relevant to the individual (which you should know from your targeting). Taking the first Udemy ad above as an example, instead of “The Professional Guitar Masterclass,” I personally would have gone with “Your Professional Guitar Masterclass.” This adds some personality to the ad and calls on the individual already reading it.
News feed link description – This is where you should continue to talk about the benefits of the product and, more importantly, why people should check it out. For example, free trials, great reviews, money-back guarantee, or final 3 copies, etc.
Display link – This should be your website address, but don't be afraid to use a parameter with selected power words in it. For example, website.com/free-proven-strategy/.
Button – This depends on what you are selling, but I personally always recommend a button of some sort. If your product is free, you can use “sign up” or “learn more.” If there is a cost, I’d recommend going with “shop now.”
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