With so many companies vying for audience attention, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. Today's ads have to be short, punchy and to the point in order to break through all the noise. But above all that, they need to have that extra something special in order to really make an impact and convince the audience to take action. The most successful advertising is that which pushes the audience to do something without them even realizing it.
But to achieve this isn’t always so straightforward. So to help, we asked 10 professionals from Ad Age Collective for their marketing insights. Here, they share what they consider to be the most effective strategies for making advertising and marketing stand out and entice consumers to take action.
1. See your brand through your audience's eyes.
Being able to see your brand through your audience's eyes is critical. Whether it's through talking with customers or using breakthrough technology like deep learning to get insights into the way your audience perceives your brand, the more data you get on how your message is resonating the more effective results you'll see. This applies to visual creative, as well as copy and verbal messaging. - Brennan White, Cortex
2. Be concise, clear and consistent.
Say fewer things. Remember that one thing is better than two. Be clear in your mind as to why and how your brand is different in its promise. Connect the unique brand promise to a unique brand visual element that immediately results in brand recognition. Auto insurance brands do a great job here. Have continuity. Internally, you may face fatigue from your ads, but your audience does not see them that often. - Arjun Sen, ZenMango
3. Truly understand your core customer.
Resonate deeply and specifically with your core customer. If a customer feels like you really get "their world," then you can break through. Understand their passions, emotions, colloquialisms and nuances in a detailed way. If you are fanatical about the same thing they are and can speak to it as an "insider," then your audience will react. - Reid Carr, Red Door Interactive
4. Focus on co-creating value with customers.
Value co-creation is key. When creating something of value from your brand, create it with those who will use it, not for them. By stepping back to first build solutions with your end user instead of trying to retrofit what is already built to their needs, your job as a marketer becomes easier. If the solution is truly what your audience wants, it speaks for itself and they will take action. - Holly Fearing, Filene Research Institute
5. Elicit the emotional response you desire.
Feelings and emotions capture attention and drive behavior more than the rational mind does. Make sure your copy elicits the emotional response you desire, and then the rational mind can take over and justify the behavior you hope to drive. - Dan Beltramo, Onclusive (formerly AirPR)
6. Subvert expectations at all costs.
Marketers can tend to get into a rhythm -- using stock-standard analogies or common turns of phrase that all start sounding the same. The key to avoid having your reader gloss over your copy is to use a technique known as pattern interrupt. When people's expectations are subverted, it creates a jarring sensation that leads to engagement and action. - Patrick Ward, Rootstrap
7. Focus on relevancy versus mass messaging.
To cut through the noise, you need to connect with your customer on a one-on-one basis with content that is hyper-relevant. A solid data strategy and the right tech partners can help you achieve this at scale. It’s also important to A/B test across multiple channels -- an inexpensive way to deliver useful insights that help build better connections with your customers. - Oz Etzioni, Clinch
8. Use powerful visuals.
Images, not words, are often the language of love, unity and breakthroughs when communicating -- particularly when communicating across cultures, generations and communities. Don't let words get in the way. - Lana McGilvray, Purpose Worldwide
9. Add power words.
Power words are words that have a proven impact on conversions, clicks and other marketing metrics. So, adding power words will improve your audience engagement. Another important step is to create emotions. Use your ad copy to build curiosity, excitement, joy and other positive emotions so that it makes your ads stand out. - Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
10. Make your audience feel like they're missing out.
While fear of missing out (FOMO) is modern slang, there's an old grain of truth to it. No one likes to feel excluded, and you can convince someone that they want to use your product. As an added bonus, this implements scarcity as a principle and can potentially increase the demand. - Duran Inci, Optimum7