Marketing is what makes the business world go ‘round. And that means that your ads are invaluable – and they had better be, considering how much money is poured into them! You need to be aware of some basic marketing principles and techniques, in order to optimize your ads.

Hit the Right Emotional Notes

Ads are always meant to make the viewer feel something. That might be nostalgia, it might be envy, it might be inspiration – but there is always an emotional core behind the ad. Your ad needs to know exactly what it’s going for in order to hit the proverbial nail on the head, as forcefully and as efficiently as it can. Make sure the emotion you’re trying to invoke is one that matches your brand. What is it you want people to feel when they walk into your store, or when they have you come into their home to repaint? Make sure your ad contributes directly to how you want your customer to feel.

Know How to Target Them

Digital ads require targeting that can be extremely precise. While physical ads require targeting, in a broader sense (their location, how big they are, how legible, etc.), you’re going to need to sit down and figure out what demographic you are trying to reach as a customer base. Programmatic advertising relies on an algorithm to determine who to target and when. Ads on social media, for example, can be refined to target people based on age, gender, location, similar likes or interests, and more. Making ads specifically for these groups means that they will reach less people in total – but it also means that they will be much more effective for those that they do reach. You should be able to view metrics for how many people interact with an ad, relative to how much money you’ve given the ad (which corresponds directly to how often it is shown to said demographic).

Short, Sweet, and Eye-Catching

Ads that are long-winded are ads that fail. On social media especially, it has been demonstrated that people have a fantastically small attention span. You need to make your ad eye-catching, direct, memorable, emotional, clear, and under ten to fifteen seconds. While exceptions can be made (TV ads usually are a bit longer, for example) you should ask yourself what you would want to see while scrolling through a social media app. Or more importantly, what that demographic would want to see.

Marketing is tricky, there’s no doubt about it. But if you devote your energies into creating an ad that hits the right emotional mark, is targeted towards the right demographic, and is short and sweet, it’ll be hard for you to go wrong. Your next big customer wave is around the corner!

Check out this article on what you can do to reduce costs at your company!