The AIMCLEAR Guide To Holiday Promotions: Ad Creatives

If you’ve run ads before, you’re probably familiar with different channels, and the various file types and size outputs required for each. Instead of getting into the weeds on this, we’re going to talk about some broader tips to make sure your ads stand out and get people clicking.

Let’s Start With Video

According to Hubspot, more than 50% of consumers want to see videos from brands – more than any other type of content. Once they start watching videos, they end up purchasing more as well. The average CTR of video ads in mobile apps is 7.5 times higher than for display ads. For these reasons, video is king. Video ads merge movement and sound to capture attention. Make the first 3-5 seconds count. You need to stop users from scrolling to even have a chance. Try bright colors, and big, bold movements. People love video – you want them to know immediately (even with the sound off) that your ad is a video, and not an image. Not all channels support video, and video is often a heavier creative lift. So let’s talk about headlines, and other static banners and images.

Headlines

There are hundreds of books and blog posts detailing formulas and strategies for writing compelling headlines. Here’s the basics:

Write 10-15 headlines for each ad. Discard the weakest, improve the strongest.
Keep headlines short and sweet. Usually, the fewer words, the better.
If possible lean on emotions (joy, curiosity, trust, fear, anger) in your headlines.
Test headlines that contain specific numbers and data.

Button Copy

As simple as it sounds: Tell people what to do! Be direct. Try to avoid generalized call-to-action statements like “Click Here” and “Learn More” and instead, use stronger intent-based statements:

Buy Now
Shop Now
Sign Me Up
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Static Banners And Other Images

When it comes to visual design, the same concepts that apply to landing pages also apply here. Be smart, clear, and consistent in your design. Use high-contrast colors for your buttons so they really stand out. Sure, an entire banner is clickable, but people still love buttons. Test adding a thin border around your banners, so they stand out from the various pages where they’ll appear. Make sure your headline and other supporting copy is big enough to read! Remember, your resolution might be huge when you’re reviewing and approving banners, but not everyone who sees them will have the same luxury. When you view standard banner sizes (250×250, 468×60, 336×280, and 120×600) at 100% on a variety of screen/resolution sizes, you might be shocked at how small and difficult to read the copy renders! Static images with higher contrast (in LinkedIn and Facebook, for example) and images with borders around them (especially for display banners) can also create jumps in conversions, and are worth testing. Download the complete guide, continue on to “Landing Pages,” or browse through the chapters:

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