Advertising is not the easiest field to work in. Most people are often annoyed by ads and do everything in their power to avoid them. Whether that means installing an ad-blocker on their internet browser or paying a little extra to avoid commercials when watching shows online, it’s worth it to keep those annoying advertisements from infiltrating your peace. 

Every now and then, however, we encounter marketing that’s so brilliant, we don’t even mind the fact that it’s advertising a product. After all, we all need to buy things, so we might as well support companies that we think advertise well! That’s why this subreddit dedicated to sharing amazing ads exists. This community has over 461k members, and it’s the perfect place to go if you spot an incredible ad that you’ve just got to share!

As with anything else in life, what makes for a great ad is subjective and can depend on many factors. But according to strategic growth advisor James Cole, step one is understanding your target audience. Marketing to Gen Z is going to be very different from creating an ad that targets boomers. So it’s important to understand how your audience speaks, where they like to get their information and what appeals to them.

Step two is knowing your competition. Find out exactly how they’re advertising and whether it’s working for them or not. You can learn from their successes or their failures and work to create an ad that’s even better. You want to stand out, while still managing to grab the attention of the same audience. 

When advertising, James Cole says it’s also key to know all the ins and outs of the product or service you’re providing. Understanding all of the key features and benefits is crucial, so you can highlight them in any ads. And you’ll need clearly defined objectives as well. Whether you want to reach a more international audience, a younger audience, etc., you need to tailor your advertising specifically to that goal. But always remember to be honest. False advertising is a quick way to create a terrible ad, and sometimes even a lawsuit, so it’s important to avoid the temptation to bend the truth. 

While some advertisers might be brilliant at what they do, it’s important for anyone marketing to test, test and test again, James Cole says. Test your ads on small audiences and get feedback about what they liked and didn’t like. Make some changes and keep repeating the process until you’re happy with what you hear. Launching an ad that will be seen by the entire country, or perhaps all around the world, can be very costly, so it’s important to make sure you have the perfect ad ready to go when you finally share it with the world.

Forbes also has their own recipe for creating the perfect advertisement. After it’s been confirmed that you know your audience, they recommend creating a captivating headline. This might include making a promise, including statistics about your brand and making a personal pitch to your target audience. It can also be wise to assure your potential customer base that you can solve a problem they have. Don’t just boast about how great your product is, but explain what exactly it can do for them. 

Including a call to action can also be helpful in advertising. Let your audience know exactly what they need to do to get their hands on your product. Should they call to make an appointment, hop online to place an order or go to their local grocery store to pick it up? Forbes explains that by providing customers with options for purchase, it makes it easier for their minds to jump from seeing an ad to actually making a purchase, without requiring much thought in between.