Advertisements of every kind have become a part of daily life for millions across the globe. As time goes on, advertising and marketing professionals must always work to keep up with consumer trends and develop creative, new advertisements to engage the target audience. Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes one advertisement more effective than another, here are a few key attributes of many successful advertisements seen today.

Identify a Target Audience
In order for an advertisement to be effective it must be able to engage potential customers and keep them interested. For any business to develop an effective advertising or marketing campaign, it’s essential to focus on the customer profile that makes up the bulk of revenues. For laptops this may be college students while those looking for affordable cell phone plans for the entire family are likely older. Understanding the concerns, values and interests of your target audience is the first step to connecting with your client base.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Funny                                                                                                        
The best advertising campaigns have one thing in common: A little bit of humor. Everyone loves to laugh and it’s a great way to introduce people to a business or product. Funny commercials or videos online have made otherwise unknown businesses renowned virtually overnight. Employing just a little bit of humor can make a huge difference in how a target audience receives an advertisement.

Think Outside the Box
Sometimes the best approach to developing an advertisement that garners attention is to brainstorm new or innovative approaches. For your display advertising campaign consider an image that is engaging and attractive. Encouraging creativity is a vital component to creating an ad that speaks to potential customers or investors. With so many businesses competing for attention, advertisements that stand out tend to be the ones that aren’t afraid to try something new.

Spread the Word
There are a myriad of mediums for advertising and the most successful businesses will not hesitate to spend the cash needed to take advantage of them all. However, you may not always need to break the bank in order to create an effective advertisement.

Sometimes the most expensive place to put an ad may not be the best for your brand or product. The Internet has fast become one of the most affordable and effective ways to advertise and can often generate better results than a commercial on TV. If your budget allows you to explore multiple advertising mediums, though, this is certainly something to pursue. Relying strictly on one advertising medium can often have disappointing results.

Brevity and Simplicity
Of course an advertisement will only hold someone’s attention for so long, regardless of how fascinating a product or service may be. Keeping an ad concise and to the point will ensure that only the most important pieces of information are being conveyed to the customer. An advertisement too full of white noise or fluff will cause many people to change the channel or move on to another website.

Social Media Marketing
No matter what medium you decide to advertise in, social media marketing is an indispensable tool for connecting customers to your business. With the help of social media it’s much easier for businesses to network with customers or other businesses and also receive free word of mouth advertising in the process.

You can gauge customer sentiments, evaluate market trends and let people know about the latest news with the click of a few buttons. Sharing an advertising video or link via a social media outlet is also a great way to get a sense of how a marketing campaign should go forward. For example, if viewers are raving about an informational video your business created and posted online, it may be a good idea to think about creating a TV commercial as well.

On the other hand, if a particular idea does not appear to attract many visitors or get people talking, it is probably best to start thinking of an alternative advertisement.

Developing an advertisement that keeps these key points are vital components to generating the growth your business deserves. By applying just a few of these tips to your marketing campaign or advertising endeavors, remaining a contender in today’s highly competitive marketplace becomes a much less daunting task.