Advertising copy or ad copy is a verbal or written component of an advertising message. Have You ever seen classified ads or other advertisements in newspapers? Well, the words in the ad are ad copy.
In digital advertising, this section is the main text of the ad that you can click. Text is usually in the second and third lines of advertisements that appear on search engine results pages or other web pages and is between the title and display URL.
Why it is important?
Ad copy is a crucial part of stimulating your audience to take the next step. Therefore, designing it as persuasively as possible will attract the reader. The more interested the reader, the more likely they will go to the next stage, for example, buying a product.
The copywriter writes ad copy to attract attention, encourage desire, inspire confidence, and sometimes be provocative.
Criteria for good advertising copy
Because it is one of the determinants of advertising success, advertisers must design the best possible copy. In general, a good ad copy usually has the following characteristics:
- Credible. Copies must showcase the element of reliability in advertising, so consumers are sure to go to the next stage. The credibility of an ad refers to the level of honesty and originality in the advertising message. Misleading and ambiguous advertisements, of course, can damage the advertiser’s reputation.
- Short and clear. The copywriter must focus on the core message. A clear copy is easy and fast to read by the reader. Understandably, they often won’t spend time just for reading advertisements.
- Interesting. Keywords, sentences, or phrases that attract the attention of potential consumers are essential. This section must stand out compared to other parts of a newspaper or website.
- Benefits guarantee. This section must contain promises of benefits to be obtained and in accordance with consumer needs.
How to write ad copy
There are several steps you must prepare to write good ad copy. The first step is to find the right target audience. Find out their needs and what makes them interest. Write down a few words that represent those needs and interests.
The next question is how to get your audiences to pay attention to ad copy. It might be very small; viewers won’t pay attention to your copy. Why? Because there are so many advertisements that they see every day, hundreds, or even thousands.
For this reason, to be effective, make your copy as prominent as possible. This stage requires your creativity.
You need to make your ad copy stand out with headlines that catch their attention. Short, clear, and easy to remember are the main points. For that, you need to sharpen your copy style. The combination of font types, font sizes, and colors are among the elements you need for the copy to stand out. How engaging the content of your copy is, it will not be attractive when written in a flat style.
Why does your Audience buy your product? Of course, the answer is to take the benefit of which their needs are satisfied. Therefore, the next element in a good copy is to focus on certain benefits.
You need to ensure that your writing shows a definite benefit for the audiences. You can also tell them what you want them to do, call, send a letter or visit your nearest store? For that, you need to write down phone numbers, Internet addresses, or physical addresses that are easy to find.
Take a breath, after you finish, you might need a moment before looking back at your writing. Do not immediately see the results of your work.
Keep your mind off the finished copy. One good alternative is to use your time to look at the ad copy that has been made by competitors. It will give you insight into what you can do with your copy.