The advertising copy is a written and spoken material and text which includes the main body, headlines, subheads and all other printed elements such as pictures, captions, slogans, brand names, trademarks, prices, logo, mascot, advertiser’s name or signature.
Advertising has to win its audience. The success of advertising copy is highly essential to convey the message to whom it is intended.
An ad copy is the heart, blood, and intellect of advertising.
How to Write Effective Advertising Copy
There are certain practical tips for writing effective advertising copy:
1. Interesting
The advertising copy must create interest for the readers. Interest should begin in the first sentence of the first or lead-in, paragraph.
To most people, the world’s most fascinating subject in itself.
They choose ads-just as they choose friends-that show a genuine interest in them. They like to hear “you” rather than “I” or “We“. They like to copy that makes them feel important.
It is also important to note that image provoking and fresh sounding words are more interesting than tired or overworked words.
2. Specific
A specific advertising copy is more effective because it can cover important features of a product fairly completely.
“Don’t waste time on generalities. The more specific the message, the more attention-getting and memorable it is.”
3. Simple
The language of the advertisement copy should be as simple as possible.
A good ad copy should use simple, short and understandable words and sentences so that even the casual and dull reader can get the advertising message without any difficulty.
Based on his long advertising experience, good advice to creative people to “write your copy to the sixth-grade level.”
He elaborates on this point as follows: Simple language is not resented by educated people. And simple language is the only kind that most people understand.
When you read over your copy to say to yourself, Will this be understood by my barber or by the machine who fixes my car?+
Related: 7 Simple Tactics for Writing Powerful Advertising Copy.
4. Concise
If the advertising copy is simple, the chances are that it is also concise.
Short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs must be used in advertising copy.
A brief copy saves time. It should not be longer than necessary.
Brevity is the soul of the ad copy.
The copywriter is to draft the copy carefully and after weighting every word and sentence.
5. Believable
Conviction is one of the primary objectives of advertising messages.
To accomplish this object, the copywriter should use the soft-sell approach. It must give facts, arguments, and proofs to create trust. It must give a convincing demonstration.
A claim backed by proof is more likely to impress people.
The skillful copywriter will emphasize the credible source to enhance the believability of his ad copy.
6. Language Relevant
Words, phrases, and sentences that are consistent with the film’s objectives should be included in the advertising copy.
To implement it into practice, alternative wordings must be tried and appropriate words must be decided.
Almost all copy has to be written and revised if it is to sparkle.
They suggested some ways of making the language sparkle:
- Use short rather than long words wherever possible, but do not discard the long words if it reflects your meaning more exactly.
- Use dynamic verbs and concise adjectives.
- Use the language your prospects might use in describing your product or service to their friends.
- The message must not waste words and must convey its message quickly and with impact.
- While taking care to write clearly and accurately when using language, copywriters must also develop skills for abusing language to achieve the results demanded by the brief.
Related: 13 Benefits and Limitations of Magazine Advertising.
7. Personal
There should be a personal touch in the ad copy.
It can be produced when the copywriter addresses the audience whenever possible as “you” and “your” rather than “we” or “they“.
8. Single Focus
In advertising copy, a single message must be delivered instead of one that makes too many points.
Focus on a single idea and support it.
9. Conversational
An advertising copy must use the language of everyday conversation.
The ad copy sounds like two friends talking to one another, so don’t say away from incomplete sentences, thought fragments, and contractions.
10. Original
To keep your ad copy forceful and persuasive, avoid stock advertising phrases, strings of superlatives and brag and most statements, and cliches.
More: 11 Different Types of Outdoor Advertising (With Examples).
11. Use Variety
To add appeal in both print and TV ads, avoid long blocks of copy in print ads.
Instead, break the copy into short paragraphs with subheads.
12. Create Surprise
Overly predictable advertising copy tends to be dull.
One common method of jogging readers and encouraging them to keep reading or listening is to work in a surprise.
13. Persuasive
There should be some imaginative uses of persuasion put in advertising copy.
It should motivate consumers to act just like “Don’t delay, act today“.
People cannot always be expected to react automatically the way you want them to.
Successful advertising copy usually states specifically what impression or action the ad expects of the reader or listener. It must sell, even if it only reminds.
14. Provides Solutions
The advertising copy is a salesman’s direct talk with prospects in written form.
Thus, the ad copy should convey the message of the product to the customers what they want to know about the product just like the salesman.
To create interest in the minds of the readers, the advertisement copy should deal with their problems and likings.
15. Matches Needs
An ad copy should match the needs of the prospects, It is the correlation that exists between the product features and the desires of prospects that determines the power of the ad copy.
Writing an ad copy is the art of putting in the words that create a strong desire to possess the product.
16. Confirming
The advertising copy should conform to the standards, rules, and regulations acceptable to the advertising media and the laws of the land.
Anywhere in the world, no copy is acceptable to any media that offend morality, declines decency and degrades the ethical values of society.
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