How to Design better print ads
1. Headline: On the average, five times more people read the headline than the body copy. If consumers like the Headline they will go on to read the body copy. The Headline is what brings them in. The headline must be easy to understand and state the reason why the consumer should continue on and read the body copy.
2. News and headlines: Readers buy consumer magazines and newspapers to read the articles. If you have real news such as updates to your product or service or recent innovations make sure you put them in the headline.
3. Localize headlines: In local advertising, sometimes it pays to include the name of the city in your headline.
4. Talk to Your Prospects: When a specific group consumes your product; Speak to them in your headline - Travelers, Brides, business owners?
5. Buyers Will Read Long Copy: Readership falls off rapidly up to 50 words, but drops very little between 50 and 500 words. Potential buyers will read longer into an ad. Peak their interest with the headline, and then sell them in the copy.
6. Before and After Ads: Before and after advertisements get better than average readership. The contrast seems to work well. Consumers tend to comprehend them well.
7. Photos vs. Art: Photos work better than drawings most of the time. Consumers prefer to feel things are “genuine.” The photo should help pull readers in. It must be related to the benefit of to the goods you are selling. The photograph has to have story appeal.
8. Captions: Twice as many people read the captions under photographs as read the body copies. Never place a photo without a caption. Because Associated Press Style calls for captions under photos people expect it.
9. Editorial layout vs. Art Layout The more an advertisement looks like the editorial in the magazine the higher the readership on most occasions. The art layout is much easier to get by the President of the company you are representing. A good agency will take the time to convince the CEO that he knows much more about their product that the consumer.
10. Test and Retest Readership has been known to increase with repetition. Continually test new ads against the old ones and run the winner.