How can I write an irresistible social media advertising headline that converts like magic?
As a copywriter, one of the most essential tasks you are charged with is coming up with advertising headlines which are impactful and engaging: after all, you are a salesman with the written word.
Advertising on social media is an important aspect of an effective marketing campaign. Indeed, with social media’s reach, it is perhaps the most vital aspect of an effective marketing campaign, and with social platforms so inundated with posts and banners, how can you ensure that it is your copy that is noticed, and ultimately converted? What does the perfect social media ad headline look like?
Steps to Writing an Effective Social Media Advertising Headline That Converts
It’s tailored to your chosen platform
It’s a mistake to think that the same headline will work on all mediums. In fact, it’s a mistake to think that the same headline will work on all social media channels. The fact is that different audiences engage on different social media sites (Facebook is more popular with the over-30s audience, while Instagram appeals to the teen market and those in their 20s, for example, while LinkedIn is obviously more business-focused).
“Knowing your audience means knowing the social media channel your audience mostly frequents, and from there you can tailor your headline accordingly (appealing to the target demographic). If your demographic is wide enough to frequent differing social media platforms, then tweak your headline (and your copy in general) accordingly. That’s just smart marketing,” says Bobby Newsome, a social media marketer at LastMinuteWriting and Writinity.
It’s conversational
An ideal headline needs to appeal directly to an individual audience member, and the best way to do that is to use a conversational tone which is obviously not too formal and full of words such as ‘you’ and ‘your’ – pronouns which speak directly to an individual and their needs. A conversational tone also helps strike up a friendly approach which is more likely to see engagement.
It’s not too long
The modern attention span is getting shorter, which is hardly surprising. Even less surprising is that if your headline is too long, people simply won’t bother to read it as there is simply too much-competing copy for them to pay attention too. Grab their attention quickly, and don’t lose it again with just too many words.
It’s urgent
You must add urgency to the headline, implying that the target audience must act fast in order to avail of what you’re offering.
“It’s best to give your audience the idea that they could miss out if they don’t act quickly: after all, who cares about a special offer that they can take advantage of for six months? Urgency requires action, and action is exactly what you want from your audience,” suggests Ronnie Talbot, a marketing blogger at DraftBeyond and ResearchPapersUK.
It’s useful
Can you imply in your headline that your product or service is going to make a difference to an individual’s life? That’s why, for example, brands focus so much more on being ‘cool’ than simply fulfilling a function, for example, because that is useful to the audience member (they will be cool by association). If your product or service can do something for them, and do it pretty much immediately, and you can express that succinctly in your headline, you are on to a winner.
It’s unique
Once again, with so many competing messages, what is an individual going to remember: something which just says the same old thing or something which says something they have never heard before? The message must be unique and impactful: something they are not likely to forget. That, of course, is a major challenge, and no one said this is easy, but just think clearly about what you would respond to, and that is really the only place to start. The best ideas are the simple one where you think “why didn’t I think of that?” It’s exactly like that with the best ad headlines.
It’s specific
As well as keeping it simply, try to keep it specific too, which means avoid generalizations. Make it relevant to your particular niche, and leave little doubt who you are and what you are selling. Ambiguity is likely to lose attention unless you can be so masterfully ambiguous that they simply need to know more. That could work too.
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Nix and helpful article thanks