Writing Safelists Ads is different…

1.  Subject line

 It needs to draw attention, and get them interested, but not give any details. If you give it all away in the subject line, they will pre-judge your product / services, and possibly dismiss it before learning more.

2.  The Ad Body

When writing safelist ads you need to make some adjustments. The ad body for Safelists and TAE’s [Traffic Ad Exchanges] needs to be short, sweet, and easy to read. Bullet points work well to list features and can be scanned quickly. Remember you have only a few seconds to make an impression.

You should always create a text format and an HTML format for each ad you write. While TAE’s allow HTML, not all Safelists do, or they require an upgrade for that feature.

You may have read that your should have your link listed 3 times in your ad to increase conversions. While this is likely to help if you are sending solo ads, with Safelists people are clicking for credits and will click that link regardless.

For every product or service I promote I create a folder on my desktop. I then create a text document for each ad I create for that product. Each text document contains a few different subject lines to choose from, a text & HTML version for Safelists, and a text & HTML version for TAE’s. At the bottom I put both the full link to the page I am sending traffic to and the shortened tracker code for it. Very few sites don’t allow tracker codes, but I like to be prepared.

You will need a HTML editor to create your HTML ads. An easy, quick, and free way is to join List Insomnia. This safe list has a full feature HTML editor which can be used even with a free membership. Create your ad here, copy & paste the HTML code to a text document [to use on other safelists and TAE’s] and then send the ad out from there as well. List Insomnia is one of my top performers for both traffic and conversions so you might want to consider joining and upgrading.

Colors can attract attention if used well, however, they can also make it difficult to read if overdone. A bold color for the first line will grab them. The bulk of the text should be a dark color: black, navy blue, dark purple, etc. You can bold, use red, change the font, or highlight specific words, phrases, or sentences.

Most products/services have many good points. You don’t need to, and should not mention all of them. Think about your audience when deciding which points to highlight in your ad.

3.  Signature

A signature can be used for branding. Many people use a screen name, however, if you want to be known use your name. This will help assure people that you are a real person and build trust.

If you use and believe in the product/service, you should have no problem connecting your name with it. If you have not done your research on the product/service you should not be promoting it.

Make your signature noticeable and consistent. You can put your title if you want.

4.  P.S.

The P.S. can be a very compelling call to action. Most people do look at it since it’s near the credit link. Tell them what you want them to do when they get to your link. ( Ex: enter email address for free gift. )

5.  Leaving empty space at the bottom of ad

Some marketers leave a lot of space after their ad because they want them to click on multiple links. Most marketers will not take the time to click on more than one link at Safelists. Their main objective is to get credits. If you skip a line or two, the credit link will show more, which is good. A lot of space is spammy.

6.  Mailing

Now that you are done, post your ad like crazy. Monitor your results and tweak one thing at a time until it is perfect. 🙂

Happy Marketing!

~ Karen ~