Advertising Layouts that Work

The difference between a well-written and designed display ad and a bad one comes down to one test. Does the reader understand the product offering in just one second…does something in the ad capture their attention long enough to get them to read the ad, and even better, act on it? Whether you're advertising in a magazine or newspaper, you have to attract your audience with magnetic ad copy and layout. A great ad will:

1.     Grab the readers' attention.

2.     Pique customer interest.

3.     Build brand awareness.

4.     Talk benefits of your product or service.

5.     Identify your unique selling position.

6.     Have a call to action.

Keep it simple Many beginning advertisers make the mistake of trying to say too much and filling up the white space with too much copy. A better approach is to keep your ad short and simple. Great ad copy tends to follow a spare formula that includes these basic elements: a catchy headline, a compelling lead, a proving statement, a close and your contact information.

Tell them what’s for sale Use a large Dominant Illustration … Studies have shown that an ad with an illustration that takes up 50% or more of the ad space increases readership by as much as 37%.  (NAA) When designing your ad layout, remember that research shows that the image is the first thing readers look at, followed by the headline and then body copy.

Write headlines that grab David Ogilvy said… “If your headline does not include a selling message, you may be wasting 80% of your dollars.”  A headline is the make-or-break element of your ad. It's what either draws the reader in. The best headlines are clear and concise, and they mention a key benefit of your product or service, provide solutions for a common problem or generate curiosity.

Design your layout with one reader in mind Design your layout to speak to the one ideal prospect for your product offering, (hopefully there are many of them), people read ads that speak to them… not the mass market. 

Improve your copywriting skills You can make words jump off the page if you arm yourself with the fundamental rules of copywriting. No matter what you're selling, your ad should be conversational and directed to ideal client you want to reach… use short sentences and be free of any spelling or grammatical errors. 

Armature The layout should carry the reader’s eye through the message easily and in proper sequence: from headline to illustration to explanatory copy to price to the store name. 

Get to know the Ogilvy basic ad layout The Ogilvy & Mather ad agency has created some of the world's most successful ads. Many of those ads follow a simple layout formula; a strong visual at the top of the page, for photos include a descriptive caption, use a strong selling headline, create desire with effective ad copy & place your contact information (signature) in the lower right corner. That's generally the last place a reader's eye gravitates to when reading an ad.

Simplicity is key, avoid overuse of typefaces, overly decorative borders and large areas of reverse type or reverse areas with small-point type. These devices are distracting will reduce the number of readers who receive the entire advertising message.

The same principals apply to online display design. Here are a few additional tips; Choose colors for your banner ad that get attention and will contrast to the background color of your website or landing page. Stick to brief, concise content for banner ads. Use legible fonts, Make it easy by asking them to “Click Here” to get more information by clicking through to the clients’ site. Try not to include animation for animation’s sake… remember simplicity sells.