In 2021, businesses spent a staggering $450 billion on digital advertising. With the vast variety of advertising platforms and different types of ads, the challenge of creating great commercial ads is real.
It can get really frustrating when it seems as if you’re unable to capture consumer interest. It can get even worse when you realize your ads are not as effective as you planned. So, how do you make super awesome commercial ads and get them right the first time?
It definitely requires a lot of knowledge and skill, but with a few tips and tricks, you can get it right. This article will provide you with some top-of-the-line tips to help you make better ads:
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Choose a Target Audience
You need a well-defined target to effectively create an ad. If you know who’s going to be watching or listening—and what they care about—you can make messaging decisions accordingly. When you have a clear idea of your audience, you can start to consider how to build a narrative that resonates.
For instance, if your target is stay-at-home moms, it may be more effective to show real people using your product instead of actors or celebrities. You could also incorporate storylines about family life or other touchpoints relevant to them. Use this knowledge to create a narrative that will resonate with moms.
Conduct Market Research
Although much of your commercial ad campaign should be informed by your company’s unique brand story, you also need to keep the target audience in mind. Understanding what kinds of ads they respond well to can help guide how frequently and where you place your ads.
For instance, if you’re advertising a product geared toward kids or teens, you may want to choose a popular TV series and follow your ad with the show as it airs. If you’re promoting an energy drink, try pairing it with sporting events or another programming that appeals to young adults.
Know When To Use Live Action vs. Animation
There’s no “one size fits all” answer here. The correct format for your commercial advertising campaign will depend on several factors:
- The age and sophistication level of your target audience
- The product or service you’re promoting and what it does
- How familiar your brand is to consumers
- Who the competition is for that particular product, and how they advertise
Live-action video ads may be more effective in some cases because viewers can identify with the people on screen. In other instances, animated videos can tell a story and add a creative touch that resonates emotionally with an audience.
Create a Killer Message
Good commercial ads don’t just grab attention — they also provide a reason to care and stick around. The best way to make your commercial ad memorable is by providing a clear and engaging message. For instance, if you’re selling a dieting program or weight loss shake, make sure your ad highlights the unique benefits of that particular product.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to promote your new game console, ensure your message is more about the specific benefits of your device than keeping up with competitors. You can also show off exclusive content or announce special holiday sales.
Focus on the Product, Not the Company
People watch TV commercials because they want to see and learn about new things, whether it’s a car, phone, or kitchen appliance. The goal of your commercial ads is to showcase exactly why customers should be excited about what you’re selling.
In other words, don’t spend a lot of time or energy trying to promote your company’s brand. Focus on the product and what sets it apart from the competition. This will make it easier for viewers to distinguish between your business and others offering similar items or services.
Use the Right Call to Action
Although it’s crucial to create commercial ads that resonate with viewers and build brand awareness, you also need to think about your call-to-action strategy. This includes how you end your video ads and any landing pages or social media assets you use to drive traffic to the video.
Make sure you’re asking them to do something in your call-to-action. This could be by signing up for a newsletter, downloading an app, or visiting your website. If you want viewers to share the ad on social media, ask them to tag their friends in the comments section.
Choose Your Platforms Wisely
Nearly every major social media and video streaming service now has its own advertising platform. Platforms such as Facebook and YouTube can help you reach a broad audience. Understanding how those platforms work—and what kinds of ad formats they support—is key to getting the most out of your advertising campaign.
For example, you might be able to run a video ad on Facebook that starts playing automatically. However, the social network doesn’t support autoplay for ads running on Instagram. Twitter doesn’t allow advertisers to upload custom videos; they only display natively uploaded videos. So if you want to take advantage of all these platforms, you’ll need to look at third-party services for your video ads.
Use Music Wisely
If used appropriately, music has the potential to make commercial ads more memorable and reduce skip rates. However, it can also turn people off from commercials. Always have a backup plan in case music licensing fees are too expensive for the ad performance you’re expecting.
If you do decide to incorporate music into your commercial ads, be aware that copyright law prohibits using copyrighted material in an ad that will run on TV or radio. It’s more acceptable to use licensed music in digital campaigns where the audience has a longer attention span. Your production studio can help you get permission for licensed music.
Use High-Quality Video
People expect high-quality video ads on social media these days. If your commercial ads look like they were shot on a phone, you’re going to see lower view rates and higher bounce rates.
If the ads are longer, that’s even more reason to use high-quality production. Furthermore, viewers are less likely to watch ads if they don’t look professional.
A/B Test Your Video
Testing your video is a crucial step in the process of creating the best possible ad for your company. Through testing, you can determine if there are any gaps that could be addressed with improved communication or reworked elements.
Popular testing methods include using heat maps to measure engagement, A/B tests to compare two videos against each other, and Q & A sessions to uncover any questions viewers may have.
Creating Commercial Ads: The Ultimate Marketing Guide
Commercial ads are an excellent way for brands to communicate their message, build trust with consumers, and drive sales. But these ads don’t work if the right audience doesn’t see them. By knowing where your target demographic watches videos and using the proper ad formats, you can ensure your advertising campaign achieves the results you expect.
If you love our advertising guide, please head over to our blog, where we have so much more creative content.