The importance of body copy in advertising (and how to create compelling ad copy)

Table of contents

1. What is body copy in advertising?
2. The importance of body copy in advertising
   1. Helps position the selling points
   2. Nurtures positive relationships with readers
   3. Creates a sense of urgency
   4. Helps you stand out from the crowd
3. How to write compelling ad copy (short-form)
4. How to write an advertorial (long-form)
5. Takeaway

What is body copy in advertising?

Body copy is the main chunk of copy that you use on a piece of advertising to describe or position a product or service. It could be short or long-form depending on the type of content you’re creating, such as a billboard ad, an advertorial or a high-converting sales page. It encapsulates the reason you should buy this product or service, usually by positioning one or more features and benefits (depending on the advertising medium used). 

These words should motivate customers to purchase a product or service by discussing key features and benefits in a way that relates to the reader. This can take the form of appealing to their emotions or their logic but ultimately it compels them to want the product or service. Another approach is to create an attention-grabbing hook that draws in readers.

What body copy shouldn't be is filler text – instead, every word should build and sustain an argument your reader can’t refuse.

Body copy is often paired with other aspects of an advertising campaign, such as taglines, headlines, logos and images to reinforce the ideas and concepts found in the body copy.

All of these elements work together to effectively communicate with audiences and generate interest in the company or the products and services they offer. That’s why getting your body copy right is so important – it’s often the lynchpin that encourages a sale or reinforces the notion that a brand is an industry expert.

Read More: What is a hook in writing? How to grab your audience from the get-go

The importance of body copy in advertising

When it comes down to it, body copy is one of the main vehicles companies use to reach customers and provide them with useful information about their offerings. That's why copywriting is important in an advertisement: it’s a prime opportunity to show customers why choosing your brand over the competition makes sense.

There are plenty of other reasons why it’s important to create compelling body copy in advertising:

1. Helps position the selling points

Advertising body copy is a perfect platform to inform, educate and entertain your audience in a way that really resonates with them. Ideally, it also acts as a call to action so that it encourages the reader to purchase your offerings. Appealing content will draw the reader in and compelling copy should be able to persuade them that your products or services are greatly beneficial to their life.

Every business has its own unique audience, so it’s important to tailor the message to appeal to your core audience. There are different ways that you can incorporate sales tactics into body copy, so you should take the time to find the right tactic that works for your business. The best way to do this is by trying different approaches and measuring their effectiveness. That way, you’ll know what approach best resonates with your customers.

Read More: The ultimate guide to persuasive online copywriting

2. Nurtures positive relationships with readers

According to research, 56% of customers are loyal to brands that ‘get them’. Body copy in advertising s your chance to convey all that hard work you’ve done on your branding. It can be used to show customers that you relate with them, which in turn fosters a sense that your brand understands their needs. Whether it’s answering questions they have about what you offer or information that helps them get the most out of your products or services, body copy can help nurture a positive relationship between customers and brands.

Over time, your long-term customers will even begin to champion your brand and act as informal ambassadors for your business. They can raise brand awareness, reinforce your brand authority and even help diversify your audience simply by pointing them to your quality content. All of this leads to more sales and greater revenue, which every business can get behind.

3. Creates a sense of urgency

Body copy can be used to showcase products and services in a way that makes them appear essential, or must-have items. Every business that launches a new product or service will try to convince customers that their new offerings are worthy of at least trying out. Nailing body copy so that it’s results-focused can help tremendously here as it highlights the unique features and benefits that are on offer.

It’s important to frame the copy in a way that makes the products on offer seem essential, which can usually be achieved by showcasing some new unique features or benefits. For example, if a company is launching a new type of coffee that’s both strong and smooth, the body copy might think about positioning the drink as great for energising with the added benefit of no bad taste or harsh coffee breath! This opens up the market to target coffee aficionados and those who wouldn’t usually buy coffee.

4. Helps you stand out from the crowd

If your brand is associated with exceptionally good copy, then you’ll quickly stand out from the competition. Most industries are filled with businesses that say a lot without actually bringing any value to customers. If you craft compelling body copy that provides inherent value to the people reading it, then you’ll make a lasting impression that makes your brand more memorable and easier to relate to.

In short, compelling body copy works to make your brand more identifiable, appealing and relatable. If you can get those aspects of your advertising campaign right, then you’re already on the right track to converting readers into customers.

How to write compelling ad copy (short-form)

Writing compelling short-form ad copy is crucial to capturing the attention of your target audience and encouraging them to take action. Here are some tips for writing effective short-form ad copy:

1. Know your audience: Research your target audience thoroughly, and tailor your ad copy to their needs, preferences, and interests. Use language that resonates with them and addresses their pain points.

2. Define the goal: Knowing your objective is key to writing short-form copy as you have far fewer words to play with. If you're aiming to raise brand awareness, you'll want to push the USPs. If you're aiming to sell a product, you'll want to push the main benefit to the user.

3. Use emotive, persuasive language: With only a handful of words, the language you use needs to be impactful. Use action-oriented language that encourages your audience to take action and emotional triggers to elicit a response.

4. Be concise: Keep your ad copy brief and to the point. Use short sentences and paragraphs and avoid jargon and technical terms.

5. Work with the visuals: Short-form copy usually pivots around strong imagery so think about the interplay between the words on the ad and the graphics or media accompanying them.

6. Use a strong call to action: End your ad copy with a clear call to action that tells your audience what to do next. Use urgent language to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate action.

7. Test and iterate: Continuously test and refine your ad copy to improve its effectiveness. Use A/B testing to compare different versions of your ad copy and see which one performs best.

How to write an advertorial (long-form)

A long-form type of ad is called an advertorial. An advertorial is a type of advertisement that is designed to look like editorial content (albeit with a disclaimer explaining it is paid advertising). It is a form of advertising that provides information about a product or service in a way that is intended to be informative and engaging to the reader. 

Here are the steps to follow when writing an advertorial:

1. Define your target audience: Before you start writing an advertorial, it's important to know who your target audience is. You need to understand their interests, their needs, and their pain points. This will help you tailor your message to appeal to them.

2. Find your perfect publishing partner: Once you know who your audience is, you can find the best media partner is to approach with your advertorial. Traditionally these were newspapers and magazines, but many digital news outlets also take advertorials.

3. Choose your topic: Once you have identified your audience and outlet, choose a topic that will be of interest to them and fit in with the publishing platform's content. This topic should also be related to your product or service and serve all parties.

4. Write an attention-grabbing headline: Your headline should be attention-grabbing and convey the main message of your advertorial.

5. Provide valuable information: Just because you're crafting an advertorial doesn't mean it should be full of sales waffle. In the body of the advertorial, provide valuable information about the topic. This information should be helpful to your target audience and demonstrate your expertise in the area.

6. Highlight the benefits: After providing valuable information, highlight the benefits of your product or service. Explain how it can help your target audience and solve their problems.

7. Include a call to action: Finally, include a call to action that encourages your target audience to take action. This could be to visit your website, sign up for a free trial, or contact you for more information.

8. Edit and proofread: Once you have written your advertorial, make sure to edit and proofread it carefully to ensure that it is error-free and communicates your message clearly. Check whether there are any submission guidelines that the publishing platform requires and ensure you meet these.

HubSpot offers some useful examples of advertorials on online media sites if you need some guidance.

Takeaway

Advertising is nothing if not powerful and persuasive. When you invest in your ads, make sure that you're using the best creative talent within your budget to position your products and services directly to your audience. 

Header: Sincerely Media

Embedded images: Tobias Moore, Giulia May, Malvestida, Tim Mossholder