New advertisers and veterans alike seem to have the same problem when it comes to running their ad campaigns. Whether it is the excitement of large audiences, or making a quick sale, these advertisers are entering into the fray somewhat unprepared.
In this article, you’ll learn the 3 keys to ALL successful ad campaigns. Skipping any of these steps is just like having a table with just two legs. You may get it to balance for a while, but eventually, it will topple.
So, let’s start with a proper foundation…
PROPER CAMPAIGN STRUCTURE
Depending on the platform you’re using, there might be different names for each of these, but there are essentially 3 levels to an ad campaign…the CAMPAIGN level itself, the AD SET level, and the AD level.
The CAMPAIGN level is where you set the main objective, like getting traffic to a specific offer.
The AD SET level is where you decide on budget, schedule, placement, bidding strategy, and the like.
The AD level should be set up specifically for split-testing ONE variable only. Note in the image that there are only two ads in each set. This allows for proper A/B split testing….a control, and one variable. This is the only way to properly determine a winning ad.
WHAT TO TEST
The possibilities for testing are literally endless, especially if you are sending traffic to a landing page and an offer. On the campaign side, there are a few tests that are very important to finding good, predictable, scalable traffic…
HEADLINES
There are many different types of headlines, but good copywriters understand that the headline and the image are the 2 main components of attracting your audience. You literally have less than 2 seconds to capture someone’s attention. Whether it’s humor, intrigue, how-to, or any other style, make sure you are trying different variations to see what your audience resonates with.
IMAGES
Images (even those thumbnails fronting videos ads) are crucial to capturing your prospect’s attention. Make sure to use bright colors and shapes, or people’s faces that represent the exact emotion you’re trying to elicit. Learning which images your niche responds to is important to the success of your campaigns.
BODY TEXT
Do not underestimate the power of a well written story or article. Remember, people are selfish. Make it about THEM, not about your company. The body text should let them know what they are getting of of the click.
CTA
The link that your viewer clicks to take the desired action is called a CTA or CALL TO ACTION. The language you use can vary widely, but it should always represent an obvious way for them to move to the next step. Commands, benefits, achievements, and receiving are all keys to the language you should be testing in your CTA’s.
DEVICE
Knowing where your traffic comes from is an important test. Are your prospects clicking via desktop, mobile, or tablet? Was the placement of the ad directly in the newsfeed, or was it placed like a banner on the side?
AFFINITY AUDIENCES
Sure, you’ve identified the general demographics of your main Avatar, but what other interest groups might they fit into. Affinity marketing is big business right now. Many corporations pay large sums of money to find out what ELSE their buyers and prospects are doing. Testing related interest groups is crucial to scaling up your ad budget. For a more in-depth discussion of this strategy, read the article The Secret To Affinity Marketing
PROPER TRACKING
Before flipping the on-switch for your campaign, make sure are able to fully track the effectiveness of your advertising. Install Google Analytics (it’s free) on any of the sites you are sending traffic to. Understanding exactly where your traffic is coming from, and who is buying your products or services completely takes the guesswork out of future campaigns.
Most major ad platforms will also give you the ability to install tracking pixels. This is a way for both you and your advertiser to better understand who is taking the desired actions on your site. Once some data has been gathered, it’s then becomes very easy for them to give you customized or “lookalike” audiences that you can advertise to, thereby increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Given the technology that is available today in tracking and creating audiences, this is no longer an optional step. Any savvy advertiser understands that this knowledge fosters the ability to confidently scale up on any of the major ad platforms.
Yes, knowledge is power. But, applied knowledge is more profitable. Make sure your ad campaigns are built on a solid foundation by using ALL 3 of these strategies, and you’ll vastly improve your odds of success.
Happy Advertising!
Jeff Schechter
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2 Comments
Mark
January 17, 2016Great article guys straight to the points that’s how us Aussies like it. Cheers
W. K. Little
April 7, 2016You guys really rock with the simplicity & transparency of the info.
Learned alot as always form you & Curt.
Thanks,
Warren Little
http://WarrenLittle.Net