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All businesses need to get the word out about what they do, whether it’s fixing sewers or selling digital marketing services. (Yes, even digital marketers have to tell people about their business). The problem is that some business owners are not skillful at writing copy or planning marketing campaigns and end up making advertising mistakes that could be avoided. Though it takes some practice and trial and error to get good at executing quality advertising, there are some simple things to avoid. Take a look at the following mistakes.
Mistake #1: Using Hard to Read Fonts or Colors
If someone can’t read your copy because it’s too small, awkward or a scrolling script, you’re likely going to lose a few customers. Some people might stick around because they want what you have, but browsers will go elsewhere. Additionally, putting the copy in difficult to read or distracting colors can also have a negative effect on potential customers. Create an ad like you would decorate a room. Keep it balanced, flowing, and appealing to the eye.
Mistake #2: Spamming Links
Starting a new business is always a challenge. You have to battle every step of the way to get noticed, and it’s usually only after a couple of years that you begin to get real traction. There’s a temptation, as Gotch SEO points out, to spam links. The problem with this approach, though, is that it not only makes you look less credible, but it can also violate Google rules. The search giant wants to send its users to legitimate sites with proper links, not a spam site full of poor quality copy and dodgy services.
Mistake #3: Failing to Use Commas in Your Copy
Unfortunately, many business owners wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to deploying commas correctly in their writing. That said, the vast majority of people still miss them when they’re gone. An absence of commas makes it much more challenging to understand what is actually being said and can lead to poor communication and missed sales.
Thus advertising copy needs to be grammatically correct and well-written. Make sure you have at least two people read through all copy before it gets posted or printed. Proofreading is a must for all businesses no matter how small.
Mistake #4: Using Emojis
Emojis are great when you want to let that guy from the office know you like him, but I don’t recommend using them for ad copy. Emojis look unprofessional in some cases and can turn off potential buyers. Though they might be appropriate for some types of ads and copy, such as that in an email newsletter, I would still use them sparingly. Keep those little cuties for your personal communication.
Mistake #5: Overuse of Exclamation Points
The humble exclamation point wasn’t used a great deal throughout the majority of history. Novels were written, songs were sung, and the world managed to get by using the odd “!” after a sentence for emphasis. Then Whatsapp emerged, and the exclamation point had a new lease on life. Never before has the phrase “OMG” been accompanied by so many exclamation marks.
Granted, texting like this is a lot of fun, but if you’re trying to market your services online, you might want to hold off on this aberration of punctuation. One exclamation mark will suffice. Ten is overkill.
Mistake #6: Confusing Homophones
No, homophones have nothing to do with identity politics: it’s just the name given to words that sound the same but mean different things. “Their”, “there”, and “they’re” are homophones: one is a possessive, one an adverb, and the other a contraction. Confusing these words and ones like them can not only change the entire meaning of your ad but could also offend someone. Also, believe it or not, there are people out there who wouldn’t buy from you simply because you can’t spell and don’t take time to proofread your copy.
Overall, keep your ad copy simple, straight forward and tight. Don’t use unnecessary jargon or words that don’t add anything. Always have someone proofread your work and take suggestions from your staff. Consider hiring a copywriter or marketing coach if you need extra help.
