Ads are everywhere. They are on every social media platform and now that everyone is focusing on moving their business online, ads will only become more rampant. Online ad strategies will need to be optimized to stay competitive and win customers over in a crowded marketplace. However, there are some cheap promotional tactics you shouldn’t use, as they can leave a sour taste in your audience’s mouth. These are some things that you should do to promote your business.
False Projections
While false advertising is unethical and can inspire legal trouble, projecting unrealistic results for a product or service based on anecdotal evidence is especially worrying for brands and consumers. It feeds into an idea that does not exist and gives consumers a false look at reality. If you want to promote the results of a product or service stay on the factual side.
Obvious Clickbait
Ads typically have titles or jarring headlines that grab attention, but clickbait usually veers towards deliberately misleading text or imagery. Why is this dishonest? Well, it’s false advertising, but it doesn’t appeal to your target. It’s just a cry for attention that disappears when viewers understand that they have been had. It can actually have a negative effect on your brand reputation. It’s a quick way to devalue your business and ruin the trust you have built with your audience.
Flashing Money
Lots of businesses that are set up to help others create businesses flash money as a means of showing success. It’s actually quite popular with multi-level marketing schemes (MLMs) and investment schemes. It’s a surefire way to prey on the unsuspecting by appealing to their need for money. It’s a tactic that businesses use to lure those who are financially vulnerable. No ethical business should be advertising themselves the same way as an MLM. If you are a legitimate business, you can showcase results that don’t scream “500k in 5 weeks!”. Explain how you help people become financially successful.
Stop Scaring People
Scarcity is not new as a tactic, but taking your leads on a wild ride to buy or die is not a way to gain favor. It makes your audience associate you and your brand with fear, anxiety, and dread. These are the things consumers feel when they are being offered something with a scare. This could be anything from pushing a time-sensitive offer to insisting that they absolutely need something that is non-essential.
These are cheap tricks that can do more harm to a business. It doesn’t take much for the average consumer to spot these tactics because they are obvious. They may work for some of the shortsighted sales, but they cannot maintain the integrity of the same sales over time. A good ad strategy comes from understanding your target’s interests and appealing to them.
