The Anatomy of an Effective Online Advertisement

The Importance of Visibility in Online Advertising

Creating a visually stunning and engaging webpage for your product or service is only half the battle. The other half is ensuring that people actually visit your webpage to see and hear your message. Investing heavily in a webpage that garners no traffic is akin to placing a billboard on a busy highway, but with your ad on the back. You might catch the attention of a few passersby, but you're not effectively reaching your target audience.

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Ad

The ultimate goal of any advertising campaign is to design an ad that grabs attention. A good starting point for designing your online ad is to study classified ads in newspapers. Observe which ones run consistently and have a commercial nature. Over time, you'll start to notice common elements among these ads.

The Three Pillars of a Great Ad

All successful ads share three key components: an attention grabber, a tease, and a call to action.

• Attention Grabber: This is essentially the headline of your ad. It should contain powerful words that immediately catch the reader's attention. Examples include phrases like "FREE GIFT", "EARN WHILE YOU SLEEP", or "I WAS REALLY STUPID". However, avoid overused phrases promising big earnings, as they have lost their impact over time.

• The Tease: The purpose of the tease is not to make an immediate sale, but to pique the reader's curiosity and encourage them to seek more information. Provide just enough information to spark interest, but avoid trying to make a sale at this stage. You don't have enough space to present your offer properly, and you risk turning off potential customers if done incorrectly.

• Call to Action: This is what you want the reader to do next. Online, the options are limited but powerful. Encourage readers to email you, visit your website, or call your toll-free number. Avoid asking them to make long-distance calls or write to you for information, as these methods are less likely to elicit a response.

Evaluating the Success of Your Ad

A successful ad is one that generates responses. This doesn't necessarily mean sales, but rather engagement from potential customers. Remember, it typically takes 5 to 7 exposures in traditional advertising for a customer to take action. The same principle applies to online advertising. Consistency is key - keep your offer in front of your prospects regularly.

Don't be afraid to experiment with your ad copy. Keep a record of your ads and note which ones generate the most responses. Rotate your ads regularly to give each one a fair chance. Over time, you'll be able to identify which ads are most effective and focus on improving those.

Forbes and AdAge are great resources for further reading on effective online advertising strategies.