I don’t know about you, but when I think about marketing, I think about ads. I think about obnoxious TV commercials and I think about Facebook posts that seem to appear out of nowhere and take over my News Feed.
Now is as good a time as any to talk about writing ads, because I’ve got some photos that perfectly illustrate the process.
The Evolution Of An Advertisement
When I first got a taste for the journalism world, ads weren’t even a consideration. I had a job writing stories for a newspaper and I didn’t really need to advertise. My regular customers knew exactly what kind of journalism I would produce and they came back time and time again. So it was a natural fit. The first few articles I wrote were for the fun of it and to help out a friend who needed some content for his blog. I didn’t really have a clear idea of what I was doing, but I knew enough to get the job done. And when it came to getting paid, I had enough experience from my college studies to know that I could freelance and take on bigger projects while still earning a comfortable income.
The Importance Of Pictures
The internet has changed all that. When I first got my hands on a digital camera, I found that I could instantly share my work with the world. And what’s more, I could do it for free. It was almost too easy. I started taking photos for fun and to save for later, but the more I did it, the more I found myself enjoying the creative process. The freedom of being able to experiment with different lighting and angles really unlocked something in me. Before long, I found myself spending far more time photographing and writing about things than I did actually doing my job. So it was time to adapt. I needed to get a job, or in this case, several jobs.
Marketing As A Service
When you’re starting out, it’s pretty easy to find jobs that suit your skill set. As a beginner, all you need to do is search for “content writer” and you’ll get picked up by dozens of different companies that need someone to write for them. You’re bound to hit on something that interests you, and if it doesn’t, then you can always find a different job. The good thing is that you’ll meet all kinds of people and learn a lot of valuable skills along the way.
It’s important to keep things in perspective, though. While there are plenty of opportunities available, finding a job as a professional photographer can still be tough. You’re competing with people with extensive portfolios and those who have been writing for publications all their life, so it can be a grind to try and prove yourself. That’s why I think the ability to write good advertisements is so valuable. It’s a skill that can help you get through any industry transition you might encounter. And as long as you learn the basics, the more specialized jobs you can find will easily fall into place.
The Difference In Quality
As an independent contractor, it’s up to you to learn how to write good advertisements. And believe it or not, there are plenty of bad examples out there. Some of them will even make you sick. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to learn how to filter out the bad examples and hone in on the good ones. This is where a lot of trial and error comes into play. You’ll start to see patterns and you can begin to form a clear idea of what to keep and what to ditch. But more than anything else, this is a process of education.
Know Your Product
One of the first things you’ll need to do to write a good advertisement is to know your product. Not your company’s product; your product. You’ll need to take a good look at what you’re trying to sell and learn the ins and outs of it. For example, if you’re writing an advertisement for baby products, you’ll need to be familiar with modern parenting styles and what kinds of accessories and products millennials and Gen Z want. More importantly, you’ll need to know what questions prospective buyers might have about your product. This requires a lot of research and, again, a lot of trial and error. But that’s what being a good copywriter is all about.
Write For The Reader
While your main goal is to get people to read your ads and convince them to purchase your product, you still need to write for the reader so that you can effectively engage your audience. This means that you need to put yourself in your reader’s shoes and think like them. If you can do this, you’ll be able to write effective ads that connect with your audience and get them to take action. To write for the reader, you first need to understand your target audience. Who are they, and what do they want? Once you’ve got this, you can begin to craft stories that they’ll value and benefit from. These are the types of stories that will keep them coming back for more.
Writing good advertisements is a learned skill. With a little bit of patience and the willingness to try new things, you’ll be able to take your skills and rapidly advance in the industry. And for those who are looking for some extra cash, or simply want to learn how to make money online, the ability to write good advertisements is a skill that can absolutely be monetized. All you need to do is search for affiliate marketing or click-based advertising, and you’ll be able to find hundreds of different opportunities that allow you to write and earn money off content you’ve created. So, while it might not seem like there’s much to learn in terms of writing good advertisements, I’m sure you’ll disagree. And if you’re looking for some inspiration, just take a look at some of the best print ads ever written and you’ll be greatly inspired to write something that good.