Thursday, February 26, 2009

Writing Online Advertising Copy

By Trevor Albers

Even the most fabulous product or most helpful service doesnt sell itself. Effective ad copy is what distinguishes lackluster, ineffective ads from ads that get the desired result. Whether you are renting a vacation property, selling merchandise, or trying to persuade consumers to try your product or service, the words that you choose in your ad do make a difference. This article will help to provide some tips to write ad copy that sells.

You cant write effective ad copy if you dont know who you are trying to target. Are you trying to sell your new restaurant to busy working families? If so, emphasize your creative childrens menu, the fact that you deliver, and that parents in a hurry can call ahead and have their dinner ready or ready to picked up, when they arrive. Maybe you are trying to cater to the vacation crowd. If so, emphasize that you feature unique, local cuisine, that kids eat free, etc. You might want to add that your restaurant is near popular attractions as well.

Every ad should contain essential things such as the name and address of your business, what exactly you are offering to the consumer in the way of products or services, and contact information. Some advertisers focus so much on flashy graphics and custom design that they actually neglect, or neglect to accurately explain these things and lose business because of it. Remember, it is better to have a simple ad with concise ad copy than a flashy ad with poorly written copy.

Your title is the first impression that readers of your ad will have so make sure that it is distinctive. Dont say Vacation Property For Rent when you could say Vacation Property For Rent"Steps From The Beach, Shopping And More. Generic titles are just that, generic. It is equally important to hook your reader in with the first sentence, which a lot of effective ads do by posing a question, i.e. Looking For Unique, Affordable Accommodations Just Steps From The Beach?

What should the rest of your ad contain? After the crucial title and the first sentence, you should spell out, concisely and clearly, exactly what type of products and services you can provide, and what makes you different from the competition. If this seems simple, it is because the formula really is, although you will probably find that you will need to run a few test ads before you find the one that really works for you. - 15615

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