3 Truths and a Lie on Why Your Ads Aren’t Converting
By: Liana Buenaventura
Tags: Facebook Marketing, Advertising, PPC Marketing, Google Ads, Digital Marketing

Truth #1: You’re Forgettable

Let’s say you’re a small business that creates one-of-a-kind eco-friendly artisan yoga mats. (And, if you are, please send me your website/Insta; I need a new mat. Namaste!)

You’ve identified that your core audience is women, ages 25–34, who live in larger cities throughout the USA and are into yoga. Guess what? So have hundreds of other brands from fitness apps to sportswear apparel, skincare lines, and organic juices. They likely have very similar messaging and creativity as you. Many have much bigger advertising budgets resulting in more reach, more ad variations, and more testing — and all target the same people you’re targeting.

Add to this that anyone with a credit card or PayPal can now launch a digital ad campaign in minutes, and you’re swimming in some pretty polluted waters.

So how do you make yourself memorable when you’re competing against big budgets like Lululemon and Alo Moves and trying to prove you’re better than the subpar competition out there?

By being remarkable through a unique position that is communicated with consistency, clarity, connection, and intention.

Facing the truth

If you don’t already have a clear brand strategy/position and a product marketing strategy, I highly recommend investing in one (preferably with a marketing specialist).

If that’s not a possibility, then guide yourself through a self-discovery session. Ask yourself some deeper, more insightful strategic questions — and be honest when answering them.

For example: Why does my brand exist? What makes it different than my competition? Who am I serving? What insight about them outside of the usual demographics (like age, household income, geography can I glean)? What do they value? What keeps them up at night? How do I want my brand to make them feel? How does my product or service create value for them? What is the behavior I’m trying to change? What does my brand stand for? Does the current tone and personality match this expectation? Does the visual creative match it?

It may seem like a lot of introspection, but doing so creates a brand that is driven by intention instead of profit, and is distinct instead of the same.

Just like personal journaling, this type of work is key in creating self-awareness and understanding of who your brand is, what it stands for, and most importantly: why people should care.

Once you’re done, share your findings and strategy with every person* working to help grow your business. You are your brand’s primary brand ambassador, and ultimately it’s your responsibility to ensure every person that is helping grow your business understands your underlying intentions, motivations, and vision. When everyone is aligned, you naturally start creating more consistent messaging, a distinct visual identity — and a memorable brand experience that people begin to trust.

*Side note: if you’re hiring a specialist (whether it be a Google Ads specialist or an app development team) and they haven’t asked about your brand strategy, look somewhere else.

Only after this work is done should you even start to entertain the idea of creating and spending money on ads.