5 tips for writing better paid social ad copy
Today, there are increasingly more distractions, which means that capturing an audience’s attention before they scroll or swipe past an ad is not an easy feat. While imagery and video creative play a significant part in winning attention and driving strong ad performance, it’s important not to overlook the part the text elements play. Use these five tips to help write successful social ad copy that will leave audiences wanting to learn more.
1. Customize text for each placement
Social platforms often serve ads in several different placements. Meta especially displays ads in different formats with different character counts. This makes writing one single ad version that fits all placements to avoid truncation very difficult. Some placements also don’t include all text elements (headline, description, CTA button, etc.), so it’s important to make sure the copy still makes sense and matches the image/video, even if all elements aren’t present. Crafting custom text for each placement will ensure the copy still pairs well with the asset and doesn’t get cut off.
The example below demonstrates that the character counts shown before truncating can vary by placement. Additionally, some placements (like the Facebook newsfeed) include a headline, whereas the Instagram newsfeed placement doesn’t include that element.
There are a few ways marketers can optimize this need for customization. Using the platform’s creative preview tools is very helpful when figuring out exactly how the text will show on a specific placement. Crafting multiple versions of copy certainly takes more time, but it’s worth it to ensure each brand feels as native as possible wherever it serves.
Source: Facebook
2. Use the AI-generated suggestions for idea generation
Many social platforms — Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, etc. — are quickly rolling out generative AI capabilities to help marketers find efficiencies when building and managing campaigns; a common application of this is AI-generated copy suggestions. Platforms will digest past and active copy while scanning the website to come up with new copy elements to easily apply to ads.
While wholesale adding every AI-created element comes with brand voice, legal, and comprehension concerns, at minimum, the copy can be used for idea generation and to help spark creativity.
3. Keep copy short and concise
Attention spans are short. Research shows that users decide within three seconds whether they will engage with a brand’s content or scroll past, so marketers must capture attention and promote further action as quickly as possible. If the ad copy is too long, there is a risk of losing interest and forfeiting that click or video view. Plus, copy that is too long will be truncated or cut off depending on the placement. For best practice, focus on the “why” and “what” within ad copy. By keeping the text short and the message clear, it’s easier to quickly communicate what a brand is offering. Here’s an example:
Original copy: We have an entire lineup of scents you’ll love. Get to know our iconic fragrances and find out which ones you can’t live without. Shop online now!
Shortened copy: Get to know our iconic fragrances and find out which ones you can’t live without.
Not only will the shorter copy fit more placements without being cut, but it’s easier for the potential customer to read and understand the value proposition of the brand while the key points are still conveyed.
4. Tailor ads to the audience
Brands are most likely not targeting just one audience within campaigns, so why run just one ad copy version? Different selling points and brand values will likely appeal more to some audience segments than others. Brands may also find that promotional offers or product sets perform differently across audiences. Trying using learnings or known characteristics about each target segment to tailor ad copy by audience. And if there’s uncertainty about what ad copy performs best, test it!
For example, try serving more lower funnel, direct response messaging to past site visitors or engagers who are already familiar with a brand (compared to a broader prospecting audience who may not know what a brand offers yet). Speaking directly to an audience as much as possible is a way to quickly grab users’ attention before they scroll.
5. Test, test, and test again!
Each time a new ad is written, aim to learn one thing that can help with future ad copy creation. Think about brand goals, and test variations based on what may help achieve them. Then, try to eliminate other variables (uneven ad serving, diverse audience distribution, different run times, etc.) within each test to know what influenced the change. Platform A/B tests are a valuable way to execute ad copy tests and determine a winner. Remember, the smaller the test variation, the longer it will take to determine a winner. This means trying to avoid one-word changes that are minimally noticed as they are also less likely to make a notable impact on performance.
Tests to consider:
- Highlighting different brand value propositions
- Using different offer language
- Promoting various services or products
- Comparing seasonal versus evergreen messaging
What marketers need to know
Capturing audiences’ attention quickly on social platforms is key if brands want to win the video view or click in today’s cluttered landscape. The imagery and videos brands promote in their ads are important, but ad copy should not be overlooked. If finding inspiration for the copy or knowing an audience’s needs feels daunting, leverage these tips to guide copywriting efforts to get one step closer to hitting and exceeding performance goals.
