In affiliate marketing, and paid advertising in general, where everyone is fighting for attention while the user’s attention spans are short thanks to platforms like TikTok, SnapChat, and Youtube Shorts, there’s only one thing that really can stand out and make a massive difference in performance, and that is: GOOD CREATIVES!
So if you are struggling with finding profitable campaigns, or if you are not happy with the results and want to make more money, what you need is better ads!
Making better ads = making more money, it’s as simple as that.
In this article we’re going to share our best tips, tricks and strategies to make your creatives convert and make more money.
What Do You Need To Know To Make Good Creatives
Don’t Be a CopyCat
You don’t want to be the average ‘rip’n runner’ affiliate who just copies other’s ads and launches them as their own ads. If you do that you might see some small success at the beginning, but it’s very unlikely that you will be able to scale.
That’s because in that case you will compete with other affiliates who are already using the same ads at scale (otherwise it won’t show up in spy tools) and you probably won’t be able to outscale them.
Affiliates who create their own ads tend to scale more effectively, which leads to much higher earnings and ROI.
Creating your own ads also allows you to differentiate yourself and stand out from the competition to capture the attention of your target audience.
How Create Video Ads That Convert
Video is king, you probably have heard that before, but it’s true, video ads are working very well both on Youtube, Facebook and TikTok Ads.
There are different video ad formats that are working great on these traffic sources such as:
- Long VSL: These are typically 20-60 minutes long. YES, you heard that right. They basically present what used to be on an advertorial as a video with B Roll clips and animation.
- Short VSL: These are typically less than 3 minutes long, and feature a ‘warm up’ to a product in a story like sense. Often made up of a HOOK, a PROBLEM and a SOLUTION suggestion, which leads into a LONG FORM VSL or an ADVERTORIAL landing page.
- Vertical Ads: These are usually 9:16 format and you can see them on Facebook & Instagram Stories & Reels, Youtube Shorts, and TikToks. These ads take advantage of the way people naturally interact with their phones, especially when scrolling through social media feeds or using apps.
- Horizontal ads: Horizontal Ads are 16:9 ‘letterbox’ style, and these ads are designed and optimized for viewing on horizontal screens, such as computer monitors, TVs, and some tablets. Unlike vertical video ads that are tailored for mobile devices held in a vertical orientation, horizontal video ads are formatted to fit the wider aspect ratio of traditional screens.
- Newer trendy VSL: Newer trendy VSL ads are videos made to grab your attention and convince you to do something, like buy something or sign up for something. They use pictures, sound, and words to tell a convincing story and get you to take action.
- Lead ads to VSL: In this ad type lead generation ads are used to capture potential customers’ information, such as their name and email address, and then these leads are directed to a Video Sales Letter (VSL). The VSL is a video presentation that aims to persuade and convert these leads into paying customers by showcasing the benefits of a product or service and encouraging them to make a purchase or take a specific action.
But the key factors that make an ad convert well, are basically the same no matter if it’s a 30 second TikTok ad, or a 30 minutes long VSL on Youtube.
Structure of a Good Video Ad
The HOOK:
Hooks are crucial when it comes to video ads because they capture the viewer’s attention and encourage them to continue watching the video.
In today’s world, where attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, hooks serve as the initial attraction that draws viewers in and keeps them engaged throughout the ad.
One of the primary reasons hooks are important is that they create curiosity and intrigue. A good hook sparks viewer’s interest by posing a question, showing a problem, or teasing a quick solution.
Hook Examples:
- “Stop Scrolling!”
- “You wouldn’t believe this!”
- “This is how I X”
- “This is what X doesn’t want you to know!”
- “You won’t believe what I discovered…”
- “Tag someone who needs to see this!”
- “I bet you didn’t know this trick…”
- “I don’t know why nobody is talking about X”
You can use many different hooks, and they don’t have to be just words or a short sentence. They can also be pictures, videos, or sounds that make people curious about what’s coming next.
PROBLEMS and SOLUTION
In any kind of video ad you should focus on the problem or pain point that your target audience is facing. First you need to highlight the pain point in your video, make it relatable and compelling.
After presenting the problem, introduce your product or service as the solution to everything. Explain how it addresses the pain point and improves the audience’s situation.
Highlight the key benefits and features of your product or service that make it unique and valuable. Show how it can solve the problem effectively and improve the lives of your audience.
Then end your video ad with a clear and compelling call to action (CTA). Encourage viewers to take the next step, such as visiting your website, signing up for a trial, or making a purchase.
Here’s the structure:
- Preroll about a specific angle
- Problems people face
- Emotional relatability
- Different solutions needed for each problem
- Narrating how you found these solutions
- Pitching the product as the solution for everything
- Benefits of having your product
- Problems of not solving your problems (scarcity and urgency)
Spokesperson / UGC Content
When it comes to video ads, UGC (User Generated Content) works the best in almost every case. That is because people want to look at a real person speaking instead of watching a regular advertisement. So you need to make your ads feel organic/user generated.
UGC videos are often more relatable to the target audience because they showcase real experiences, opinions, and interactions. This makes them more engaging and compelling for the viewers.
When a user sees a real person using and endorsing a product or service in a UGC video ad, it provides social proof of its effectiveness and value. This can influence their purchasing decisions positively.
UGC video ads also have the potential to go viral as users share and engage with content that resonates with them. This can significantly increase brand exposure and reach within the target audience.
UGC Examples:
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Tips For Editing Videos
Whether you are going to edit your own videos, or you are going to hire a video editor to create ads for you, it’s important to know what are the best practices when it comes to editing ads, so you can either edit your videos using these practices or tell you editor how you want to video to be.
So here are some tips and best practices to make your video ads convert better:
Video Captions
The best option is to use dynamic captions that change colors, synchronized with the speech. You can easily create captions with most video editors, but for us CapCut works the best, since it has a great auto-caption feature that will create captions automatically based on the audio file.
Sound Effects:
Follow the latest trends and add popular sound effects to your videos.
Animations and Transitions:
Add transitions between scenes, effects, and animate scenes to get a more dynamic video that holds attention.
GIFs and Stickers:
Following the topic and captions add stickers or gifs to make it more fun and interesting
Music:
Music is a very important part of every creative, because it should evoke an emotion, following the topic, following the dynamic of the video.
You need to try to organize clips and speed according to the music, following the music beats basically.
Make sure to do your research to find what’s trending and always follow the latest trends to beat the competition.
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How to create multiple videos fast for testing
Once you have your video ad or ads you need to test them to find winners. The best way to create multiple videos for testing is by creating different hooks for your main video.
This also applies when you find your first winning ad. You should never stop testing, you should always try to beat your top videos to improve.
So basically you can start by adding different hooks to each of your videos. For example if you have 3 videos and you just change the hook on each you have 6 videos, if you create 3 new hooks and add them to each that’s already 12 new videos.
That’s how you create multiple ad variants fast for testing.
Examples:
“Stop Scrolling!”
“You wouldn’t believe this!”
“This is how I X”
(see more examples in the Hook section of the guide above)
You can also try to add a random video that plays along your video (split screen) to catch and hold attention.
Examples:
As you can see with this strategy you can create a bunch of ad variants for testing in literally no time. You just need to create and test as many variants as you can.
How To Create Image Ads That Convert
To create banner ads that convert viewers into leads or customers, you need to focus eye-catching visuals, relevant content, and a clear and compelling call to action.
Keep Your Ads Simple
Just like with video ads you need to keep in mind that viewers have an incredibly short attention span, so you need to keep your ads simple. You can’t overload your audience with too much info on your ad image, because they will just skip your ad.
Avoid Generic Images (stock photos)
The image you choose for your ad is crucial. Make sure it’s high quality, clear, and relevant to your offer. Avoid using generic stock photos that don’t stand out. Choose images that evoke emotions and capture attention.
Write Compelling Headlines
Your headline is what grabs people’s attention and entices them to click. Keep it clear, concise, and compelling. Highlight the benefits or solutions your product or service offers. Use action words to prompt action.
Include a Strong CTA
A strong CTA is important to encourage users to take action. Make sure your CTA stands out and is easy to click on. You can add a CTA ‘’button’’ or text on your ad image that looks clickable to make them click on your ad image.
Test Different Variations
Last but not least, you need to TEST as many different variations as you possibly can. Test different variations to see what works best. Try different images, headlines, CTAs, and even ad formats. Use A/B testing to identify the most effective elements and optimize your ads accordingly.
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How to Create Many Image Ad Variations Fast
Just like we learn with video ads, small changes can make a big difference in performance. You don’t need to create completely new ad images every time when you are testing, looking for the winner ad.
You can start by creating 3-5 different ad images, and then create many variations and angles simply by changing the text or headline. Then you can do the opposite, for example when you find an angle that is working you can just add different images with the same text.
Here are some examples:
So basically you can easily create many ad variations when it comes to image ads, simply by changing the image or text or buttons on already existing ads.
You can also play around with changing colors, buttons on the images which will also create more variations in no time:
Example:
More Ad Variation Examples:
With this strategy you will be able to speed up your testing by a lot, and you will find winning creatives much faster, then if you would try to create completely new creatives for every single test.
Conclusion
By following these tips and strategies, you’ll be well on your way to creating ads that not only grab attention but also drive conversions, aka convert!
Remember, understanding your audience, using eye catching images, crafting compelling headlines and CTAs, testing different variations all the time, monitoring and optimizing by following data are the key to success in affiliate marketing.
Start implementing these strategies today and watch your conversion rates go up! Good luck!
