Here is a list of some of the most frequent mistakes that we come across in display advertising.
- Misunderstood target audience It never hurts to take a moment to stop and think about who you are speaking to and what that demographics values are. We may not realize it but speaking the right “ language” can make a huge difference.
- Too sales-y We’ve all heard it, “advertising is dead” or that the younger generations just cannot be advertised too. This isn’t exactly true. Younger generations are actually mostly looking for authenticity and as soon as they feel like they are listening to a sales pitch they turn the other way. Instead, focus on facts about how your product can help them or even better consider actually helping! Younger generations are hugely into philanthropy so many businesses are starting to make a charitable contribution every time someone purchases one of their products!
- Not testing multiple ad copies Leaving the same ad copy in for several weeks is very important, typically a person needs to see or hear an ad several times before they act. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be testing multiple ad copies. Sometimes minor changes can make a big difference. The great thing about paint is it can be fairly inexpensive to test multiple ad copies to get a feel for which ad is making the most impact.
- Not tracking or using a QR code I know, I know it seems obvious, but you won’t believe how many ads are placed that do not have a unique phone number or URL in the ad. Unique toll-free numbers can be purchased for a few dollars. As a side note, most people think they must have a vanity number. Even though any easy to remember number can work just as well. However, it is better to use a vanity number in a radio commercial and Not in a display or classified ad. The reason why is because while it may be easy to remember a vanity number when you hear it, trying to dial a vanity number when it’s written on paper can be a pain. Most of the time people do actually prefer just seeing the numbers they need to hit vs trying to decipher it on their keypad. The more work you make it for someone to contact you the less likely they are to do so! QR codes can be equally as valuable by giving people the opportunity to link to coupons, reviews, or contests fast and effectively.
- Not proofreading the ad I can’t count the number of times a week after an ad has run for the first time we get clients who call upset that they did not get any calls only to find out that they gave us the wrong number to run in the ad! It seems like such an amateur mistake and it definitely is but in today’s society we are also so busy most of the time that we try to put some things we think should be easy on autopilot. Taking a few extra moments to check the number, and even calling it to make sure it connects properly as well as proofreading your whole ad is all that it takes between calls and no calls.
No one expects advertising to be brain surgery, but that doesn’t mean you can skip over your due diligence. Slowing down a hair and taking a moment can make a big difference in how much work you have to do later on. For more tips for the ad creation process check out this blog with tips straight out of creative services!