8 Copywriting techniques with examples to make winning ads

What's up, Marketers! This is Aazar.

This newsletter is about leveling up your paid growth marketing skills by analyzing the best brands' paid strategy, tactics, positioning, and value props.

This newsletter is divided into:

• Sharing what I've learned

• Sometimes sharing some other performance marketers’ lessons with you (this issue)

• And I analyze & compare the best ads on the internet

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BEST LINKS OF THE WEEK (on popular demand)

My favorite finds

• Use these 10 common fears in your ads

• The 17 key rules for writing static ad copy that works

• 10 reasons your CRO efforts fail

• 5 habit-forming tactics to increase subscription revenue

Imagine this: You did all the research for a client. When you finally tried to write your ad copy, you completely blank out.

You’re like where should I begin? 

Well, this post will help you.

I even created a swipe file for you to refer to these ads.

Technique #1 – Find a bad guy

This is the easiest. As marketers, we can easily find the bad alternative and position ourselves against them.

The insight is not to find a brand to compete against. Find a villain that can’t be harmed so your campaign is seen as playful.

For example, Coffee could sack sleep. Beer could kick wine in the grapes.

I took this example from Katelyn Bourgin’s recent course PAIN KILLERS (which is very aptly named) for this example.

They aren’t comparing themselves with other sleep products, they are comparing themselves with wine. One is bad for you, and one is good for you.

Here are some examples from Export Dry.

Technique #2 – Embrace the dirt

Pick the most common complaint against you. And then embrace it.

Why it works?

• Makes your brand more human

• It tells your product isn’t for everyone

• It steals the critic’s thunder

You might have seen this ad before, but to hit this point home, I need to share it again here.

Here's another self-explanatory one:

Technique #3 – Be refreshingly honest

Honest ads: Straightforward without exaggeration.

Refreshingly honest ads: Straightforward with exaggeration.

Here you use self-deprecating humor. 

Example: Carlsberg admitted their beer's quality had declined and announced a commitment to improvement, stating, “We focused on brewing quantity, not quality; we became one of the cheapest, not the best.”

Here are some more examples.

Here is Patagonia’s print ad example:

Technique #4 – Twisted Visual. Straight Line.

If you have a strong visual idea, the pay off line should be straight. If you have a strong headline, the visual should be straight. You want to keep the focus on the most compelling aspect of your ad.

Remember: Twisted visual, straight line. Twisted line, straight visual.

Some examples:

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Technique #5 – Manipulate letters, words or punctuation

Slow things down. Speed things up. Break things. And make things louder.

Technique #6 – Headline that makes you smile

Get your straighter business message upfront and then add a little smile.

You can use this technique when you offer a sale, when you have little time to turn around, or when you are working with a conservative client.

I found a sale offer example.

Example here

Technique #7 – Twist a popular phrase or quote

Make a list of popular phrases and use it in your ads.

Example here:

Technique #8 – Exaggerate the benefit

Self explanatory.

That’s all from this issue.

I learned these from Dan Nelken’s copywriting book, which you should check out. All credits to him. There were many more techniques, I just picked the ones that stood out to me.

Happy Growing with Paid Social,

Aazar Shad

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