When most people think of writing, they think of novels, stories, and New York Times bestsellers. But about writing we see around us all the time and never think about. Ad copy. So what is ad copy?
Ad copy is all around us. Ad copy is the sales text you see on ads everywhere, online and offline –– social media, Google, website ads, display ads, television, streaming services, billboards, magazines, online, and virtually anywhere your eyes are open.
It’s the number one way writer’s can reach and sell to their target audience.
It’s the sales pitch designed to get you to buy a product or service. Furthermore, it’s one of the most lucrative writing skills you can acquire in today’s modern, remote workforce.
Let’s break down what ad copy is and how to write effective ad copy.
What is Ad Copy and Where you See it?
Ad copy is the text you see in any advertisement or marketing message.
Why is it so valuable?
It’s what sells a product, service, or idea to any consumer or audience.
No industry, business, product, and service can survive or thrive without ad copy.
The average consumer is inundated with tens of thousands of ad exposures or messages every day.
Key Components of a Great Ad
Effective, clickable headlines have a few critical components:
- A headline that grabs the reader’s attention. The most important part of the ad.
- Body text that explains the product or service and why it’s beneficial
- And a call-to-action (CTA) that tells the reader what to do next.
Ad copy is usually coupled with visual elements like images, carousels, videos, and designs to make a sales offering more captivating and compelling.
A qualified ad copywriter can take a complex product or service and distill it down to its essence, then craft a compelling message to pitch it perfectly in a way that gets people to take action and buy something.
The Value of Advertising Copy: How Much Does Ad Copywriting Pay?
Ad copywriters can start anywhere from $25 to $75 per hour, depending on their skill.
I’ve seen some recent ad copywriters online with only a handful of years of experience (3-5+) that charge up to $100-$200 per hour.
Yeah, and it’s not unreasonable for businesses to pay that.
Per word, ad copywriters can make anywhere from 0.10 on the absolute low end to $1 per word for experienced ad copywriters. The great news for new writers is that you only need 1-2 years of experience (or less) before you can start charging $0.20 – $0.40 per word.
Remember- One reason that writing is such a powerful field is that it’s as close to a true meritocracy as any job market gets.
You don’t have a “years of experience” minimum.
You don’t need a high school or college degree.
You don’t even need a certification.
You just need to show them great writing.
If you can create stellar ad copy that converts and drive sales –– and can show proof of that –– you’ll have job and client opportunities.
And, you can charge more. Lots more. No questions asked.
Education and YOE (years of experience) don’t matter.
Show great work and get paid.
Quality ad copy and results = $$$.
If you’re interested in becoming an ad copywriter, it’s important to learn as much as you can about what goes into great ad copy and how to improve your ad copy.
Study successful ads in your everyday life, everywhere you go –– as you browse the web, social media, magazines, billboards, TV, streaming services, etc. Take note of the differences between bad, okay, good, great, and exceptional ads.
Study and apply these tools, techniques, styles, and formulas in your own ad writing and get feedback from other writers and writer groups online to see how you’re doing.
Different Ad Platforms and Types of Ad Copy
There are many different types of ad copy, and each has its own set of best practices.
Here are some of the most common types of web-based ad copy you’ll come across:
- Social media ads: These ads appear on social media platforms. Facebook ad copy, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn are all super effective ways to reach an audience.
- Search engine ads: These are the ads that appear at the top of a search engine results page (SERP), like Google ads or Bing ads.
- Display ads: These are the banner ads you see on websites. They come in all different shapes and sizes and can be positioned virtually anywhere on a page.
- Email marketing: These ads appear in your inbox from companies you’re subscribed to. You can see ads and ad copy within email campaigns.
- Video ads: These are the ads you see before, during, or after a video. They can be skippable or non-skippable. You’ll see video ads across social media and the rest of the web as well.
- Native advertising: These ads blend in with the content on a page. They’re designed to look like they’re part of the article or post.
Each one of these platforms has different requirements and parameters for ads. This can include ad copy or character length, images, videos, calls to action (CTAs), ad type, and ad goal.
Ad goals on social media platforms can include:
- Awareness: To get your ad in front of as many people as possible.
- Traffic: To click through to your website or landing page.
- Engagement: To get people to interact with your ad –– like, comment, or share it.
- Conversions: to get people to take a desired action like sign up for a newsletter or make a purchase.
- Leads: To get people to provide their contact information for a free lead magnet or something of value so you can follow up with them later.
- App Promotion: To get people to download your app.
- Sales: To get people to make a purchase.
How to Write High-Performance Ad Copy that Sells
Want to write ad copy that sells? Here are a few things to keep in mind…
1. Write Irresistible Headlines and Ad Copy
The headline is the first and most crucial part of your ad. It’s what will make people stop and read what you have to say. So make sure it’s impossible to resist. Speak to your audience’s pain point or a specific challenge they’re facing for maximum stickability.
2. Use Images and Videos to Grab Attention
People are visual creatures. Use images and videos in your ads that grab attention and make your ad stand out.
3. Keep it short and sweet
People have infinitely dwindling attention spans.
You may get a full second of their attention before they decide to either click on your copy or swipe up to the next post.
Keep your ad copy short, sweet, and to the point. Always.
4. Use Power Words
Power words spice up your ad copy. They make your ad difficult or impossible to ignore and far more compelling for generating visibility, clicks, likes, comments, shares, and sales.
5. Use a Strong Call to Action
Your call to action (CTA) should be straightforward and concise.
You’ve already given your audience a compelling offer. Use your CTA to tell people what action to take to move forward. Make it easy for them, and don’t make it confusing.
- Click here
- Read this
- Subscribe
- Download
- Learn more
- Let’s do this!
Anything that fits your offer and gets them to take action.
6. Use Emotion and Empathy
Tapping into emotions is ideal for spurring your audience to take action. Using empathy in your ad copy can help people see themselves in the story of selling your product or service.
7. Use Keywords
Keywords are a vital part of writing compelling ad copy. Keywords are the words and phrases your target audience punches into search engines when their looking for answers to their questions, solutions to their problems, and products or services that make their life better or easier.
For more on keywords, be sure to read SEO Writing 101: SEO Basics for Writers.
8. Test, test, test
The only way to know for sure what works and what doesn’t is to test your ad copy. Try different headlines, images, and CTAs, and offer to see what gets the best results.
For more information on how to write ads that perform and sell, be sure to read:
- How to Write Eye-Catching Headlines
- Ad Copywriting: 7 Steps to Write Legendary Copy
- How to Write a Headline that Sticks
- SEO Copywriting: The Ultimate Guide
- Top 15 Copywriting Books for Every Writer
- How to Become a Freelance Copywriter
Ad Copy Generators and AI Writing Software
If you’re interested in becoming a copywriter and making money as quickly as possible, use an AI writing generator or AI writing software.
Learn more about this mind-blowing software in the Top 10: AI Writing Generator Software.
In Closing
Ad copy is a powerful tool that every writer should learn how to use. Use the methodology in this article and the resources in it as your own personal studyguide and to-do list for writing ad copy that sells.
Ready to learn more and launch your writing career or side hustle?
Download my free ebook on the Top 20 Highest Paying Jobs for Freelance Writers.
