Welcome to Advertising Tips 101. The following nine tips cover the basics needed to create and effective ad. For more marketing and advertising know-how, see the links after the tips.
1. Figure our what you want the viewer to know about you.
Ads will fail if they are not developed strategically. You must decide the purpose of the ad, what kind of company you are and how you want to be perceived by the consumer. These points will help you narrow down your concept, and will make your ad that much more effective.
2. Keep it simple.
The ad should communicate one message clearly to the consumer. Both words and visuals should reinforce a single message.
3. Be as clear as possible.
The best way to get any message across is to make sure it is clear and concise. Brevity is best when talking to a consumer.
4. Impactful headlines are a must.
On average, five times as many people read the headlines as read the body copy. If you don’t grab them in the headline, they will not read the body copy. The best headlines are between eight and ten words.
5. Select fonts carefully.
Be very careful in selecting typefaces for the ad. Make sure the viewer can easily read the type. Use no more than 3 fonts in an ad, because too many fonts will make the ad look disorganized and cluttered.
6. Select an impactful image.
Generally, photographs work better than drawings. They attract more readers, generate more appeal, are more believable, and are better remembered. If you use a photo, make sure it is a high-quality photo. Keep in mind that photos don’t always work well in newspapers.
7. What about white space?
If you use white space in your ad, also use a border of white space around the ad. If you do not use white space, make sure the copy is clearly readable since it will be on top of an image.
8. Check the specifications.
Before producing any print ad, check the specifications with the publication. When publications go to press, they may not have time to notify you of errors in your ad, so make sure you fully understand all the sizes and file requirements. Ask if the ad is vertical or horizontal. Bleed or non-bleed. Ask about the line screen and preferred format such as disk, film or velox.
9. Watch your colors.
When producing an ad, select your colors carefully. Color and black-and-white ads can become darker on press. Remember that the color you see from a print-out may not be what you see on press. Work very closely with your vendors and printers to make sure the colors in the ad turn out right.
For more marketing and advertising know-how, see Creating Advertisements under the Co-Marketing Partnership Program section.
