How does advertising work? You know that ads are annoying and you don’t like them. But do you really understand how they work?
We created this guide to help you understand how advertising works, so the next time an ad pops up on your screen, it doesn’t seem as strange or mysterious as before. We also offer a more detailed step-by-step guide for those who want to learn more about online marketing.
Advertising is a form of communication between consumers and producers that are trying to convince consumers to buy their products or services. Since it’s an indirect way of persuading people to change their buying habits, the advertiser tries to grab the attention of potential customers by using techniques such as slogans, logos, product placement, celebrity endorsements, etc.
Why Use Advertising?
Advertising is used to inform the public of the existence of certain types of products/services. Advertisers hope that consumers become aware of their product and, ultimately, persuade them to buy it.
Advertising also helps in brand awareness since potential customers are made more familiar with a company’s name or logo through slogans, logos, etc. This may lead to brand loyalty over time.
Advertising is also used as a means of competition in order to gain publicity and attract customers. It gives the company a more reliable image in the eyes of consumers and eventually increases sales.
How Does Advertising Work?
Advertising works by using different psychological techniques to change the way people think and feel about a product. These techniques take advantage of certain desires, fears, or needs that people might have in order to make them buy the product.
It also uses different forms of influence (i.e. authority, group consensus, reciprocation, social proof, testimonials) to make people more open to persuasion.
Examples of Psychological Techniques Used in Advertising
Scarcity – Advertising uses this technique to make people believe that the product is scarce. One of the most common examples is commercials showing a limited number of units left. This technique is used to create a sense of urgency and generate the need to buy the product. It also appeals to people’s fear of missing out or regret.
Social Proof – This psychological technique makes people think that since other people are buying the product, it must be good and they should own it immediately.
Types of advertising
To get the most advertising, you should combine some of these types of advertising.
Print Advertising
Print Advertising is done through newspapers, magazines. Other printed products are also included brochures, directories, and flyers. Magazines, newspapers are regularly printed publications that contain various forms of media including editorials, journalism, advertisements, and other forms of information. They are generally categorized by the audience they target. Posters are used for a specific advertising campaign within a specific time frame.
Billboards and Public Transit Ads
Include outdoor/billboard advertising, television advertisements, online advertisements (including display ads), sponsorships, product placement (a form of embedded marketing), in-store marketing, and in-game advertising.
These advertisements are intended to raise brand awareness, they also provide a brand name or phone number (versus a website).
TV Commercials ads
Television advertising can be done by buying a commercial time slot on TV or sponsoring a program/show. It is a sort of broadcast advertising, that companies sell their products or services using 20s, 30s, or 60 second TV ads. It is costly, but it allows businesses to repeat their adverts on a regular basis, and target more customers.
Radio ads
Radio advertisements are a traditional way to connect with audiences through voices. Your ads can be purchased to air on radio stations, and the cost is based on how many people will hear them.
Event Advertising
Event marketing can be a conference, webinar, event, roundtable, or luncheon, held by your business or many organizations. It also can be a booth at a conference or trade fair to advertise your brand. This is less expensive than holding your own event, yet it still allows you to interact with attendees and promote your company
Direct Mail Advertising
Direct mail advertising is an old form of advertising. It involves sending advertisements through the postal system instead of other forms like newspapers and magazines. Many people don’t like direct mail because it’s annoying to get these ads clogging up their mailbox.
Digital Advertising
Digital advertising is a form of advertising where the advertisement is displayed on a computer or other digital device. There are many types of digital advertisements, including pop-ups, banners, and ads that display when you watch YouTube videos.
Other forms of advertising are classified by the media used to deliver the ad message. These include public relations, guerilla marketing, viral marketing, word of mouth, stealth marketing, and sponsorships.
How is a good advertisement?
The definition of a good advertisement is to catch the attention of the audience. According to Ginzan Onsen (2014), it should be able to grab one’s attention quickly and also “sets up expectations as to what will come next” (para 1).
It must be clear, concise, short, and eye-catching. Moreover, it should also have a “positive effect on attitudes of the customer” (Ginzan Onsen, 2014, para 1).
F.A.Q
How does advertisement work in marketing?
Advertising is a form of marketing that involves the use of paid messages to promote or persuade an organization, business, product. Advertising encourages people to buy products, ideas, or services by explaining the unique selling points to entice consumers.
How does it work? It works in different ways, through various communication tools, including Internet, radio, television, newspapers, magazines, telephone.
How do advertisements attract attention?
The advertisements themselves are attention-grabbing (e.g., a scantily clad model), and/or the content of the advertisement is attention-grabbing (e.g., how well it is written, whether the advertisement has a catchy slogan or jingle).
The advantages of advertising
The benefits of a good advertisement are that it is able to “provide information to influence purchase decisions” (Ginzan Onsen, 2014, para 1). It does this by informing the consumer about the product, its location, price range, advantages, and disadvantages, etc.
This can also result in “consumers having greater feelings of satisfaction with the product they buy, and more positive attitudes toward it” (Ginzan Onsen, 2014, para 1).
In addition to this, a good advertisement also contributes to high customer satisfaction. This is because the message of the advertisement was communicated clearly and accurately.
One of the most important things to understand is that advertising works on two levels. The first level targets our conscious minds, which are engaged when we see or hear an advertisement and decide whether it’s worth paying attention to. On a second level, ads work unconsciously by triggering thoughts within us about products without us even realizing they’ve occurred. This is why so many people report buying something because they saw it advertised somewhere else before – they just don’t remember consciously seeing the ad! Understanding how this process works will help you create better advertisements in your own marketing strategy – let’s chat!