Advertisements: Your Idea-to-Execution Guide

Advertisements are everywhere in our lives, and have been for some time now, to the point that you encounter them everywhere you go — both online and in the real world.

In fact, the amount of ads that people are exposed to in just one day is estimated at around 5,000, reaching all the way up to 10,000 — that’s up from between 500 and 1,600 in the 1970s. While it’s true that we’ve grown accustomed to tuning a lot of them out, they’re still there, vying for our attention (and money), from TV commercials to the billboards we see while driving, and now the digital landscape that’s always finding innovative ways to reach us.

There’s a reason advertising is such a huge industry: When a campaign has all the right elements, it works. Sometimes even when it doesn’t, an ad will find a niche in pop culture and take off on its own as a meme or memorable phrase. As someone who’s been in the advertising world for two decades, I probably pay more attention to every ad I see than most people, and am always interested in the strategy and creative (or lack thereof) behind it. A good ad goes deeper than a catchy jingle, funny tagline, or eye-popping colors — these messages are carefully crafted to elicit thoughts, feelings, and ultimately actions out of the viewer.

Knowing all the moving parts of advertising is a valuable skill in today’s cluttered world, and not just for us ad nerds. Whether you’re looking to be more of a savvy consumer, thinking about advertising your own business, or just someone intrigued by how companies get their messages across, I’ve broken it down here to give you a holistic look at everything that makes an ad come to life.

What Is an Advertisement?

Starting at the heart of it all: At its core, an advertisement is a message that a business or organization pays to share with a particular audience. That message, which can take many forms, typically aims to promote a product, a service, or a general idea you want to get across. You want to target the demographic that’s most likely to take action, and the largest number of people within that group.

Why Are Advertisements Important?

You might gloss over hundreds of ads in a day, unaffected by most of them (though keep in mind, you also might not be their target.) I’ve been around campaigns that were so meticulously crafted that a test audience just one year outside the demographic didn’t respond to it, while the main group did. If advertising didn’t work, you’d certainly see a lot less of it, but it absolutely does, and that’s why businesses spend so much time and money on creating the right campaign to send out into the world. Ads play a crucial role for the companies creating them, the people who see them, and the product’s reputation.

Getting Noticed

I’ve not only been writing ads for my whole career, but have also seen things from the other side when doing advertising for myself — everything from copywriting services to the music I write and record. Being on that end of things provides a whole different perspective, and can be incredibly frustrating for any client who believes in their product, but isn’t breaking through the noise. Even for someone like me who’s spent years in the ad world, selling your own product and getting attention can be a whole different game.

When a new product hits the market, it might be life-changing for a certain subset of people, but how would those potential customers even know it exists? That’s where targeted advertising is still the best way to cut through and inform people, with the goal of encouraging them to make a purchase, click a link, sign up, or whatever the desired action is.

Brand-Building

Think about some of the brands you recognize instantly. Maybe they’ve been around your whole life, remind you of a happy moment, and have a distinct “feel” or “personality.” That’s branding, and companies spend lots of time, money, and research building their product’s persona. Whether it comes across as seeming fun, reliable, innovative, or caring, consistent advertising helps create and reinforce a brand’s identity in the minds of consumers. It reaches outside normal advertising channels, too: I once had a creative director tell me that in the age of social media and 24-hour news, “how a company behaves is its advertising nowadays.”

Standing Out

In lots of industries, there’s no shortage of companies offering similar things. Think about areas like drinks, insurance, and apparel: The sheer number of options can be instantly overwhelming even to those who are actively looking to buy. Advertising helps a business highlight what makes its products or services different (and ideally better), encouraging consumers to choose them over the competition.

Educating and Informing

Advertising is usually associated with sales, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, an ad is more informational, getting the word out about a new feature, explaining how a service works, or even raising awareness about a cause or issue.

Supporting Media Channels

Have you ever been watching a show or listening to a podcast when you’ve heard something like “support for this program” or “thanks to our sponsor today”? Many of the websites, TV channels, and radio stations we consume for free rely on that advertising revenue to keep operating, helping fund the entertainment and information we take for granted.

Highlighting Available Options

Ads can be a valuable source of information, and this knowledge helps consumers make more informed decisions about what to buy or use. They expose us to a wider range of options than we might otherwise encounter, leading us to discover those new products or services that better meet our needs, further our interests, or make life a little easier.

Not only that, but they often highlight sales, discounts, and special offers we may not have known about otherwise, giving consumers the chance — and motivation — to save money on the items they’ve been looking to buy anyway.

Understanding the Core Elements of an Ad

Every ad, regardless of its format or where you see it, has a story behind it. Assembling that final product was a process, composed of these components all working together in the hope that the ad delivers its message effectively:

The Message

This is where it all starts. Before the ideas even begin, identifying the core message you want to communicate is the center of everything. Whether it’s about the features of a product, the benefits of a service, or the core values of a brand, a clear and concise message is essential for the audience to understand what the ad is trying to say.

The Audience

There are a lot of people in this world, and your first instinct may be to cast the widest net possible to get the largest number of viewers. But, that’s not necessarily the most efficient way, and advertisers carefully think about who the audience you’re trying to reach is — the more specific the better. Understanding the target audience (such as their age, interests, needs, and habits) is a crucial part of hitting your sales goal, and advertisers tailor their message, visuals, and the channels they use to reach these niche groups.

The Medium

A target audience isn’t the only thing that advertisers have to narrow down — you also have to think about how the ad is going to reach them, and where they’ll see or hear it. Nowadays, there are plenty of options: They include traditional channels like TV, radio, and magazines, or digital platforms like social media, websites, podcasts, and email. Choosing the right medium depends heavily on who the advertiser is trying to reach, and how it’s going to help execute the creative idea and overall message.

The Goal

Every ad has a purpose. Reaching potential customers is the most obvious one, but it could also be driving traffic to a website, directly encouraging sales, or even just increasing brand awareness. No matter what, having a clear objective helps the advertiser see if their ad is successful during the campaign.

The Call to Action (CTA)

The CTA, or “call to action” is where this effort wraps up. It’s the final push to get viewers to take that last step. An effective ad will tell you exactly what the advertiser wants you to do next, such as “Visit our website,” “Call now for a free quote,” “Learn more,” or “Buy now.” It may seem like a no-brainer since it’s usually not the most clever or funny part of an ad, but a clear call to action guides and motivates the audience on what to do next if they’re interested.

Which Ad Format Should I Use?

Back before the internet days, you had your four main options for advertising, but the digital world has expanded the selection significantly. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ad formats:

TV

With a TV ad, especially during a widely televised event, you’ll be able to reach a large audience, but it can be seriously expensive to produce and broadcast.

Radio

A radio ad is generally much more affordable than TV, and can target specific geographic areas or listener demographics. But, with the advent of podcasts and music services, the number of radio listeners aren’t what they once were.

Print

Print, like newspapers and magazines, can reach even more niche audiences. Much like radio, though, it’s changed since the pre-internet days, as readership has generally declined or moved online.

Out-of-Home (OOH) (Billboards, Posters)

These are great for high visibility in specific locations, and can also be used in clever ways that enhance the creative message of your ad.

Search Engine Marketing

Unlike trying to blanket the widest audience possible, search engine marketing (SEM) ads target users who are actively searching for specific keywords related to the product or service. It’s an excellent option for pinpointing the right potential customers and getting them to click through.

Social Media Ads

Another great option for honing in on your target audience, social media can narrow it down by age, interests, demographics, online behavior, and more.

Display Ads (Banner Ads)

The earliest ads on the internet were display ads, and they’re still active as ever today. These visual ads appear on websites and apps, often rotating through slides or an eye-catching animation with a CTA at the end. Find out more about display ads here.

Video Ads

With a similar format to a TV ad, video ads often play right before a YouTube or social media video. They can be an excellent and creative way to deliver a message quickly, but can also be invasive to a viewer and create a negative association with your brand.

Email Marketing

For people who have signed up for an advertiser’s email list, this direct communication reaches an audience you know wants to hear from you, and is on the lookout for the latest sales, offers, and updates.

Native Advertising

If you’ve ever seen an ad that doesn’t quite look like an ad, that’s native advertising. These are designed to blend in with the surrounding content on a website or platform, making them less invasive and distracting.

Influencer Marketing

Influencers are people on social media who have a dedicated online following. Collaborating with them to promote products or services gives advertisers a trusted spokesperson with a built-in target audience who can give their fanbase a more personal review. It’s a more authentic feel hearing it from the influencers, rather than from the company via a traditional ad.

Podcast Advertising

Podcasts are more popular than ever, and also more loaded up with ads. That’s because they’re a solid option for reaching engaged listeners within specific topic areas. Having the podcast host read ad copy increases the chances that it’ll be heard by their fanbase, and it’s trusted since it’s a familiar voice. The hosts often riff off-script, too, making it less rigid and corporate-sounding, and keeping the listeners interested and tuned in. Pre-produced advertisements that run on their commercial breaks still work, too — even if listeners hit the 15-second skip button, they’ll most likely still catch the tail end of the ad (or it’ll catch them at a time when skipping isn’t possible, like while driving).

Interactive Ads

Old-school advertising media like TV and radio were passive, meaning you sat there and got advertised to. But, with current constant connectivity, ads allow users to interact with them, such as through polls, quizzes, or previewing a game.

How to Create an Ad Which Will Meet Your Marketing Goals (8 Steps)

When you see a simple billboard or banner ad, it may not seem like a whole process went on to get it up and running. Creating an effective advertisement involves a journey that goes through multiple rounds, though, and involves different departments and teams. Here’s a look at some of the key steps along the way:

Step 1: Clearly Define Your Goals

This is the main point the entire campaign hinges on, and the central message that everything needs to come back to if it’s going to work. The goal is everything that advertisers hope to achieve with this campaign, and the more specific the better. For example, is the goal to increase brand awareness by a certain percentage? Or drive a specific number of sales? Get a certain number of people to visit their website? No matter what, it all starts here.

Step 2: Thoroughly Understand Your Target Audience

Next up, advertisers think about who you’re trying to reach — and not just who, but what about them, such as their needs, wants, and pain points (and how this product can solve those). Thinking about behaviors like where they spend their time online and offline can be enormously helpful when trying to reach the right crowd, as the more you know about your audience, the better you can tailor your message. This is why ad platforms that utilize AI to predict user intent — going way beyond basic demographics and interests to deliver truly personalized ad experiences — are likely to see more success.

Step 3: Develop a Compelling and Clear Message

Once an audience is identified, advertisers can think about what you want to say. It needs to be quick in order to cut through the clutter and compete with people’s short attention spans: An ad should be easy to understand, memorable, and highlight the benefits of a product or service, focusing on the problem it solves for them, or how it can make their lives better.

Step 4: Choose the Right Advertising Formats and Channels

Even if you narrow your audience down to the exact group that’s most likely to buy, the next obstacle is figuring out where to reach them, and that can be a challenge. The good news is that there are a ton of different ways to do that nowadays. Selecting the ad formats and platforms that align with your strategy and budget are a crucial part of a campaign, and when done right, really pay off.

Step 5: Create Engaging and Effective Ad Creative

This is where the creative team comes in and works their magic. Copywriters, art directors, and designers will think up a few different ideas, and present them to the creative director, who selects one (or more) ad creatives they think works best for hitting the main message and resonating with the audience. It needs to be attention-grabbing, visually appealing (if applicable), and consistent with the brand’s overall look and feel.

Step 6: Set Your Budget and Determine Your Campaign Timeline

Decide how much you’re willing to spend on your advertising campaign and how long you want it to run. Even if you don’t have a huge budget like a major corporation, you can still create and launch an effective ad campaign by using the right channels and tools.

Step 7: Implement and Launch Your Advertising Campaign

The launch is your campaign’s big moment that all these other steps have been building up to. Once your ad is ready, it’ll go out into the world on the platforms you’ve chosen. But, that’s not where it ends! In fact, this is the start of when you’ll…

Step 8: Monitor Performance and Make Necessary Optimizations

Once your ad is live, you won’t just sit back and hope it works. Instead, you’ll track key metrics (like clicks, views, and conversions) to see how it’s performing in the real world. For online ads, be prepared to make adjustments on the fly to improve their effectiveness — it’s a crucial part of what helps you understand which parts are working and what needs to be altered, both now and for future campaigns.

To this end, be sure to choose an ad platform that offers deep insights into user engagement and the overall effectiveness of your campaigns, tracking lower-funnel, performance metrics, as well as a series of other helpful indicators to see how users are interacting with your ads and the content around them.

Evaluating the Effectiveness and Impact of Your Ad

Using analytic tools helps you keep up on what’s working and what’s not, so you can always be uncovering valuable insights into how to fine-tune your ads for even better results. Here are a few things to know on how to assess the effectiveness of your online ads:

Keeping Up with KPIs: Numbers That Matter

So, how can you tell if your online ads are actually doing their job? Important metrics, often called key performance indicators (KPIs) are measures that tell you how well your ad is performing. An important one to keep an eye on is impressions, which is how many times your ad popped up on screens. Another is click-through rate (CTR), which tells you what percentage of people who saw your ad actually clicked on it. A higher number here generally means your ad was a success, caught their eye, and prompted action.

Conversions

Conversions are also a big one. Did your ad lead to the desired action? Did people make a purchase? Did they sign up for a newsletter? Did they fill out a contact form? Conversions directly link your ad to your marketing goals, i.e., the actions you want people to take after clicking, such as buying something or signing up for an email list. The conversion rate tells you what percentage of those clicks actually turned into the goal you wanted users to complete.

CPC/CPA

Cost per click (CPC) is how much you pay each time someone clicks, and cost per acquisition (CPA) tells you how much it’s costing you to get someone to complete that click (or whatever the desired action is that you want them to take).

Return on Ad Spend

Return on ad spend (ROAS) helps you see if the money you’re spending on ads is actually bringing in more money than it’s costing. Reviewing these numbers regularly in your ad platforms gives you a pretty good idea of how things are going.

Return on Investment

Did you make more money from the ad than you spent on running it? Similar to ROAS, return on investment (ROI) is a key indicator of the financial success of your advertising efforts.

Brand Awareness and Recall

Did your ad increase awareness of your brand? Do people remember seeing your ad later on? While this one’s definitely harder to measure directly, brand awareness is a long-term benefit of advertising.

Key Takeaways

An advertisement is a paid message from an identified sponsor aimed at promoting a product, service, or campaign, and they’re crucial for businesses to raise awareness, build brands, and drive sales. Understanding the core elements of an ad (message, audience, medium, objective, CTA, etc.) is an essential part of creating effective campaigns, as is choosing the right ad format, which depends on your specific goals, target audience, and budget. A structured approach to creating ads, from defining goals to tracking results, is necessary for success, along with evaluating the effectiveness of your ads through key metrics, which allows for optimization and insights to keep improving it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What persuasive techniques exist for ads?

Advertisers can use different methods to persuade audiences, including appealing to emotions, celebrity endorsements, creating a sense of urgency or scarcity, leveraging social proof (i.e. showing that others like and use the product), and presenting logical arguments or data.

How do you identify your target audience’s needs?

Simply put: Research and analysis. This can include conducting surveys and focus groups, analyzing competitor audiences, creating detailed profiles of your ideal customers (buyer personas), examining website and social media analytics, and actively listening to conversations online related to your industry and potential customers. Having a well-researched profile of your typical target audience is going to help all departments make decisions along the way.

How do you A/B test your ads?

A/B testing, also known as split testing, involves creating two or more slightly different versions of your ad and showing them to similar segments of your audience. By tracking which version performs better (such as by getting more clicks, views, conversions, etc.), you can identify which elements of your ad are most effective and use that information to optimize your campaigns.

You can also supercharge the process with platforms that offer AI-powered A/B testing, which lets you automatically test multiple variations of your ad creative, headlines, and other elements across different audience segments, and optimize in real time. This approach to A/B testing helps you quickly identify the highest-performing ad combinations, saving you time and resources while maximizing your advertising results.