Eric van Hall
27 september ‘22 5 min. reading time

How do you write good ad copy?

Blogposts

Do you want to attract more visitors to your site? Strong ad copy is the way to go. But how do you write good ad copy

Writing ad copy that creates results is not something you just do. You have to think carefully about who you want to address, what you want to say, and how you convey the message as attractively as possible.

Writing ad copy that creates results is not something you just do.

And, of course, you need to do this with a limited number of characters. An advertisement usually contains few words, and small changes can have a big impact on its effect. So it’s vital to act carefully.

Aside from the cost of producing the ad, you probably pay a lot per click. It’s crucial that the right people click through on your ad. Paying a lot for clicks that don’t lead to a purchase is a waste of money!

So, let’s explore how to write catchy ad copy that convinces your target audience to click and converts those clicks into purchases.

How to write converting ad copy

Do you want to compose ad copy that is strong in all areas, from the title to body and the number of people it reaches? Then you have to take several things into account.

Solve a problem in your title

When writing titles, companies often choose to plug in keywords. After all, this is what the visitor is looking for.

Keywords are also important if you want to be found. But when everyone – including your competition – uses the same keywords, you’re not going to stand out.

If you want to get attention, the headline of your ad should state the end goal of the visitor. People click on an ad because they think you're going to solve their problem, not because the ad contains all the right keywords.

People click on an ad because they think you're going to solve their problem.

Think about what your target audience wants to achieve. What is the issue that they need a solution? How can you make clear in the title that you will meet that need?

Another tactic to make your ads stand out is asking a question in the headline. What questions arise from the search and trigger the reader? This one puts you in the spotlight. In the text you must offer the solution.

Add emotional triggers

Most people are surfing a bit randomly while looking for information or trying to solve a problem. These types of internet users were not directly looking for your website, so you have to encourage them to take action towards your offer.

A good way to do this is by using emotional triggers. People do not only make rational decisions, but are also strongly driven by emotions.

People are strongly driven by emotions.

When someone experiences an intense emotional reaction when they read something, such as fear, anger or relief, they are more likely to click through. Emphasise how handsome, fit or rich - just to name a few - your product or service will make them.

Just be careful that the rest of your message balances this emotional response. After all, you don't want your customers to associate your brand with a negative emotion. Therefore, focus mainly on solving the fear or worry.

Focus on the benefits of your offering, not the specifications

For the content of your ad, it is important that you do not focus too much on how fantastic your offer is. Most readers aren’t interested therein. Tell us how your company/product/service improves their lives a bit. Speak directly to your target audience and show them as concretely as possible the benefit of your offer.

Speak directly to your target audience and show them as concretely as possible the benefit of your offer.

You can also omit messages such as 'click here' or 'visit our site now'. Someone is already looking and therefore interested. Such announcements use unnecessary characters, which are better used for content information.

Trigger the FOMO

FOMO, fear of missing out. In other words, the fear of missing out. This can be an important psychological trigger to visit your site.

The easiest way to make people feel like they're about to miss something is to run a timer or indicate in text how much time they have left for that one unique deal. Think of 'You still have three hours to take advantage of this discount' or 'This offer is valid until midnight'.

A sense of scarcity prompts action.

People are simply more motivated by the idea that they are losing something than when they can gain something. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, also incorporated this into his six basic principles of persuasion. A sense of scarcity prompts action.

Highlight your USPs

What are your main unique selling points? What makes your products or services unique? As a text agency you can tell that your company delivers the best texts, written by excellent copywriters, but every other text agency says that too.

If your agency also works with a unique feedback system, very experienced final editing and also offers a free trial assignment, then these are unique points that make you stand out. Highlight these and you'll immediately distinguish yourself from the ads of your competitors.

Make a scroll stopper

It's also important that your ad is a scroll-stopper. Both textually and visually. Be bold and creative, be distinctive and dare to have an opinion. Trigger your target audience's curiosity with a strong promise.

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Of course, your ad must match your brand identity. But if you really want to stand out, it can be a bit edgy and original. Wanting to please as many people as possible is a dangerous pitfall. So choose a strong standpoint and stand for it. And don't be afraid to use question and exclamation marks if they reinforce your message.

Don't forget strong targeting

Once you have drawn up the perfect advertisement, it is of course very important that the targeting is also arranged well. Find out what your target audience looks like exactly and make sure only they see your ad. This way you avoid wasting your budget and increase your conversion.

Test, test, test

Of course you do your best to immediately put down the best advertisement, but sometimes you don't know exactly what works and what doesn't. Testing is the magic word here. Try out different titles, texts and formatting styles and monitor the results. By doing this, you will automatically discover what works well for your target audience.

Have good ad copy written

Do you want to be sure of strong ad copy that your target audience cannot possibly scroll past and attracts new visitors to your site? Then having the ad copy written by a professional is the perfect solution.

The experienced copywriters at CopyRobin are happy to take this work off your hands. We provide you with high-quality conversion-oriented ads. Are you curious about what our writers can do for your ad copy? Then use our free trial order!

We also have a handy tool to help you choose the best CopyRobin package:

Check out our rates

Eric van Hall

CopyRobin

Eric is the founder and owner of CopyRobin - 'copywriting as a service'. This online platform helps companies obtain excellent copy, and freelance copywriters get fulfilling assignments. Eric regularly blogs, podcasts and vlogs about digital marketing at CopyRobin and Emerce. Eric is also available as a presenter, moderator, interviewer and chairman for (online) events. He has been interviewed by Het FD, Het Parool, De Volkskrant, De Telegraaf, Het AD, Trouw, BNR and others. His mission is to help the world with better texts.