10 Best Practices For Engaging ABM Ads [6sense]
Hey, @Nikki Gloudeman from the 6sense Ad Ops team at 6sense here.
Here’s a rundown of my talk from Inspire UK on 10 creative best practices to unlock engaging ABM ads (plus a bonus tip).
1. Choose the Right Ad Sizes
Choose the right ad sizes to achieve both sizable reach and strong engagement. For example, the popular long skinny ads (160 x 600) usually show low engagement. And while 320 x 480 or 1024 x 786 can perform well, they often lack reach due to limited placement options.
If you're strapped for bandwidth (who isn’t!), we’d recommend focusing on the following ad sizes: 300 x 250, 320 x 50, 728 x 90, and 300 x 600.
2. Always be A/B testing!
A/B test different ad creatives to identify winning variations and improve engagement over time. To increase CTR, set up at least two distinct ad groups with one isolated creative variable and test them against each other.
Once you reach around 50,000 impressions for each ad group, deactivate the losing ad group and iterate on the winning ads.
3. Keep Your Copy Short
If you take away one thing from these recommendations: Don't exceed ten words max for heading copy or 15 words max for heading and subheading copy combined. Cut any text that isn’t essential!
4. Emphasize Your Value Prop
Along with keeping ad copy short, a clear focus on what you’re offering and why it’s valuable is crucial. Where applicable, use stats and social proof to back up your value.
5. Spark Curiosity & Excitement
In B2B, you don't want to be too dry. This can be tough because sometimes these products are very technical. Aim to spark curiosity and excitement using power verbs, second person, and a sense of urgency.
6. Color is Your Friend – Use it!
Using bold colors and strong color contrasts can help make ads stand out and grab attention. With visuals, the best lever you have to pull is color. This isn't the time for gray, beige, tan or white – embrace bold colors.
7. Choose Compelling Photos
If using photos, make sure there’s a clear, single focus and an editorial quality. A photo of a person staring directly at the camera with a relaxed and friendly expression often works really well. Candid photos of people with relaxed expressions beat cheesy, posed photos. Also avoid screenshots or visuals that could present readability issues.
8. Consider Hierarchy & Composition
Establish a clear hierarchy of importance and make sure your composition is balanced and comfortable. Too small copy, or too much white space between visual elements leaves ads looking imbalanced.
9. CTA copy
Keep CTAs short – don’t exceed two to three words. Cut extraneous words like “the” or “a.” Work back from the landing page and keep it simple – tell the audience what it is. Examples of strong CTAs include: Learn More, Learn How, Find Out Why, See How, Watch Now, Download Now.
10. Choose the Right CTA Visual Approach
Use appropriate sizing, compelling colors, and visual cues to make your CTA stand out on your ad.
11. Bonus tip: Tailor ad creative to campaign objectives and audiences
Consider campaign objectives, audience, buying stage, and regional targeting when developing ad creatives. There should be a thoughtful dialogue around the purpose of each campaign and how it influences the creative process.
I’d love to hear how you’re approaching your ad creative. Any questions let me know!
**** To view all Inspire UK sessions, click here.
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