We all know that visual storytelling is a creative space to explore for your promotional campaign. But as we slowly enter an era of all things digital, perhaps it’s time to evolve from a standard billboard advertisement into a modern Instagram ad.
Instagram is the perfect platform for marketers that are looking to advertise their products and services to a young and growing audience. But because of how crowded it can get, designing a powerful Instagram ad that’s worth one’s time and attention is a challenge that many advertisers struggle with. So in this article, we’ll discuss the basics of a good Instagram ad along with a few guidelines on how to create one.
Here are the key elements of a successful Instagram ad:
1. Eye-Catching Visual: If Twitter is a social network centered on words, then Instagram is a platform driven by visual content. Anything you publish on Instagram will be viewed, and possibly criticized, by your followers and random page visitors. Thus, the key is to build engagement by prompting an emotional interaction through your ads. A simple like or comment on your photos depicts user engagement. This is something you must aim for with your both your organic and sponsored posts.
2. Attention-Grabbing Caption: Even though Instagram is a visual haven, you can also use words to add value to your visuals. This will help solidify the point you are trying to convey for viewers to connect with it. It’s best to speak in the language of your audience. That way, people would spend more time on your ad before they scroll to the next post on their feed. This will also encourage them to click on the CTA or leave a comment on your ad. You may also see famous brand marketing examples.
3. Clear Call to Action: These are a words or phrases that invite users to click on the button of your ad. Fortunately, Instagram already has a special button for your CTA, which is consistent in every sponsored post published on the network. Your CTA may vary depending on how you expect users to respond to your ad. Some examples include the words Install Now, Download, Buy Tickets, Contact Us, Sign Up, and many more.
Mobile commerce has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to the continuous advancements in technology. As one of the prime platforms for social networking, getting Instagram right has turned into the holy grail for many marketers. However, the magic of visual storytelling goes beyond the development of simple advertisements. These days, it takes a lot of skill to create a compelling Instagram ad.
1. Define your goal: Every successful ad begins with a strong concept and a clear objective. Are you trying to boost your market’s brand awareness? Do you want to see better numbers in terms of website conversions? Or perhaps you want to advertise a new application that users should download? Whatever it is, the general concept of your ad should center around this marketing goal. This will help you tailor your content according to what you aim to achieve.
2. Develop a visually compelling campaign: A defined goal will give you a creative direction to follow. With this, you can create a marketing campaign that’s in line with your brand identity. Start by studying different requirements and considerations that need to be made. This includes information on ad dimensions, text limits, color patterns, and more. Once these factors have been determined, you can slowly build your ad and incorporate your brand. Make sure that the elements included in the ad remain consistent with any kind of material you put out, digital ads or not.
3. Create a call to action: CTAs are a key aspect of any advertisement. They serve as a guide for viewers to know how they may engage with your ad through specific actions. Fortunately, Instagram offers a couple of options for you to choose from, some of which include Apply Now, Book Now, Contact Us, Learn More, and Shop Now. This should motivate your audience to respond the way you want them to in a clear and direct manner.
4. Use hashtags: Once you have finished with the content of your ad, remember to use hashtags in your caption. Hashtags are an essential tool in the world of social media marketing. For one, they make it easier for you to categorize your ad and target your audience. You can take advantage of popular hashtags that are relevant to your ad in order to insert yourself into news feeds that are often visited by a particular group of users. Creating your own trend-worthy hashtag may also increase brand awareness, especially when hosting a contest for your online customers.
You’ve probably spent countless hours preparing a series of social media posts for an upcoming campaign. With the time and effort spent on production alone, you obviously want your ad to reach your audience in a way that it is intended to. This means capturing their attention and keeping them engaged. To help you do so, refer to the following tips:
With Instagram ads gradually evolving, finding a suitable type of Instagram ad to increase brand awareness, boost website visits, and improve offline sales is crucial to your company’s success. That being said, here are the different types of Instagram ads to consider trying:
Long gone are the days when every single ad on the platform was filtered. Nowadays, even companies selling fake shoes, clothes, and electronics have managed to make a profit by posting misleading advertisements on the network. Although these ads are usually reported and flagged as being unsafe, you can never be too careful. Thus, as an advertiser, earning the public’s trust through your Instagram ad is crucial to your company’s success.
Apart from making an eye-catching ad, there are other ways to increase your social media presence online. For one, you can host an Instagram contest where participants can re-post your ad, tag their friends in the comment section, or share your post in their Instagram stories. Using catchy hashtags on your posts, directing visitors to your product page, and posting discount vouchers and coupons are other ways to conduct a successful Instagram marketing campaign.
Studies that look into the standard user activity on the app show a trend that might help you gain the best possible results for your Instagram ads. For instance, customer interaction is more frequent during Thursdays, making it the best time to post your ad. Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. are safe zones to take note of. However, since most users are likely to spending their Sundays binge watching movies, spending time with their loved ones, or even doing homework, it’s known to be the least engaging day for Instagram.
So there you have it! Get creative with your Instagram ads today with the help of the templates and design ideas provided in this article.