Effective marketing has many moving parts, and it can be challenging to find that perfect balance of dynamic creative ads that make up the recipe for success. For instance, marketers want to capture their users' attention, engage with them on an emotional level, appeal to their power of reason, and motivate them to take a specific action — and all of this usually has to take place within the span of a few short seconds!
Remember, it takes five to seven impressions for consumers to recognize your brand, so the right creative is vital. Did you also know that color improves recognition by 80%, and consistent presentation of your brand across platforms drives revenue up by 23%?
With that in mind, it's easy to see why better creative digital marketing ads will reap the benefits of brand recognition and can result in better campaign performance. Of course, you need to develop ad creative that works to achieve optimal results from your marketing spend. Let's discuss how to create marketing materials and some marketing creative tips that can help you to do just that.
Use Clear, Compelling Headlines
Nowadays, the average person doesn't have the time (or inclination) to read long, wordy sales copy or big blocks of text. The principle that "briefer is better" also applies to sales copy headlines. Make re that your headlines are short, concise, engaging, and attention-grabbing. Avoid making them too "pushy" in terms of selling your product. When your headlines are clear and even have a conversational tone, your consumers will be more likely to continue reading.
Quality Images are Key
If you think that quality images aren't necessary for your advertising strategy, then consider this question: Would you hire a wedding photographer who only posted blurry, out-of-focus photos on their website? In the same way, customers will be less likely to do business with your brand if you don't present a consistently professional appearance to them in all aspects of your marketing — including images for your content and call to action images.
You should choose images directly related to your product or service, and ensure that they're the right size for the platform. You also want to make sure that your website is mobile-responsive so that your images render consistently across different devices.
In addition, look for pictures and photos that have artistic value. Interestingly, a classic study on the correlation between creativity and marketing performance found that elaboration (expanding the bounds of a core concept) and artistic significance (developing an ad to function as a de facto "piece of art") both played key roles in enhancing a campaign's effectiveness.
Create an Unmistakable CTA
The ultimate goal of your ad should be not just to attract people but to motivate them to take a specific action. To fulfill this objective, you must craft a clear, crisp, and compelling call to action (CTA).
Effective CTAs typically employ strong action words and often play on the user's emotions as a motivating force. According to Small Biz Genius, 64% of women and 68% of men have felt an emotional connection with a brand. For instance, many calls to action leverage FOMO ("fear of missing out") by indicating that the offer is only available for a limited time. Of course, your initial CTA may not be focused on buying one of your products. Creative ad campaigns often work better when the CTA leads to content consumption instead of a sale.
For example, your call to action may direct the consumer to follow your brand on social media or subscribe to your free blog. Even if no money changes hands, taking action can still be compelling if it encourages your audience to engage with your company on a deeper level.
Test Your Ad Creative
The importance of regularly testing and refining your ad creative can hardly be overstated. Even high-performing ads can be refined to deliver even greater value for your brand.
One of the most popular methods of testing ad creative is "split testing," or "A/B testing." This is when two options are presented to your consumers (or to a test audience), and based on their reaction, you can determine which option is more effective. In general, you should have A/B testing baked into your overall marketing strategy.
Some potential use cases of A/B testing include:
- Headlines. Perhaps one headline is shorter and more direct, and the other more conversational.
- Copy. Maybe one version of your ad copy uses one word, and the other uses a synonym in its place. Which one performs better?
- Images. Which image is more engaging to your audience: the one with the serious tone or the one that adds some humor to your message?
- CTAs. Is it better to say: "Sign up today" or "Join now?"
As you A/B test your ad creative and see which options generate the most leads, you'll be able to enjoy greater marketing success moving forward.
Partnering with a Digital Agency that Excels in Ad Creative Production
Your marketing creative is key to sustainable results. It's important to carefully manage all aspects of your marketing materials, including headlines, copy, images, and CTAs, and then continually refine those elements through A/B tests.
Many businesses have found that working with a reputable digital marketing agency is the key that unlocks their ad creative's full potential. When you partner with an agency that excels in ad creative production, you'll enjoy a higher ROI from your ad spend, and watch your business grow day after day.
