3 Easy Ways to make better Online Ads
Our easy-but-of-course-complex tip: Don’t treat online ads like press ads.
You know how you or your fanboy and fangirl friends accept there will be differences between the Lord of the Rings books versus the movie, or the between the Harry Potter movies versus the books, or even the difference between the 50 Shades of Grey film versus the book?
It’s called adaptation.
So too, you must accept that with a switch between media, there could and should be differences between a press ad versus an online ad. The messaging for online ads must be adapted.
1. Minus Verbosity
A book can spend pages describing a character’s state of mind. However, a movie must demonstrate that same character’s state of mind more succinctly with a look, dialog or action. So too an online ad must often be reduced to the essential hook, which can be expounded upon later.
2. Add Action
Most movie critics don’t look kindly on movies that rely on voiceover exposition. True film buffs know the point (and strength) of a movie is to show, not tell.
Passive exposition must be replaced with action – just as in your online advertising. Use your ads and their landing pages to demonstrate, through video, testimonials or joining a community, the benefits of your product.
3. Change Your Context
Right now, you’re interacting with a machine – you’re clicking a mouse, looking at a glowing piece of flat glass. In order to overcome the impersonality and coldness of interacting with a machine – the language and imagery on the web must be “warm.” Warmth comes from informality, personality and personalization.
To convey warmth online, you may need to change your language and images, “It is necessary to …” may become “You’ll need to…” A photo of your product may need to change to a photo of a person using your product. Numbers like “three,” should generally be replaced with numerals like 3.
To be a successful online marketer, remember you’ll need to think different.
