“Everything I Need to Know About Creative for Digital Advertising, I Learned from Tinder”
Before you jump to conclusions that we’ve spent one too many late nights at the office, hear us out. If the average business person or marketer used the same strategies to achieve their goals as the average single does on Tinder, the result would be eye-catching creative that appeals to the target audience and is the start of a beautiful relationship with that brand or product moving forward. While this model can work for all types of advertising, digital advertising, in particular, is most likely to mirror the context and frame of mind of Tinder because of a few key parallels. For instance, instead of swiping right to make a match, consumers swipe up or down on search results, news articles or social media newsfeeds where digital ads live out the duration of their lives pixel by pixel. Enjoy this compilation of the tricks from Tinder that just might give you the clicks and conversions you’ve been waiting for.
- Peacocking Is a Good Thing
In the wild, the male peacock attracts his mate by ruffling a few feathers, striking a pose and outshining the competition. It’s an analogy we have culturally adapted quite readily to reflect the showy nature some daters take on when they are trying to attract a significant other. On Tinder, there is such vast competition that singles know they need to stand out in order to get a swipe. Some of the best tactics include using dogs, gym selfies, saying you’re looking for “something real” and posting a photo with cute kids, so long as they aren’t your own.
Creative for digital advertising should do the same thing: peacock. The digital advertising landscape is completely saturated with ads, more so than any other medium, and the attention span of consumers online is shorter than anywhere else. So if your digital advertising doesn’t jump out and grab someone with just a passing glance, it’s a failure. Pack a punch with every word of your copy and a jaw-dropping image because on digital, a picture is worth more than the average thousand words. - Tell People What You Want
Nothing is more frustrating to the savvy swiper than a match who says they want a serious relationship but are actually afraid of commitment. Or that they love cats, but are actually allergic. Or that they’re a woman, but are actually a man (beware of catfish). Honesty and transparency are just as important to consumers as it is to singles on Tinder.When it comes to digital advertising, people want to know what you’re trying to sell them and how they can get it. If you’re going to have clever creative, make sure you also have a clear call to action or your great work will be for nothing when it comes to the actual conversions. General “click here” or “learn more” calls to action can work well for digital advertising because they’re concise, but they should read with the rest of the messaging and never feel tacked on with a lack of effort. Don’t catfish your customers with catchy hooks that promise something your business can’t deliver. Instead, reel them in with genuine benefits of your product either on the ad itself or on a custom campaign landing page. - Cast a Wide Net
On Tinder, the more swipes you power through, the more matches you’ll make. It’s simple math. You can choose to be picky and settle for a few chances at finding a very specific type of person, or you can branch out and keep an open mind to match with a lot of different people in the hopes that you’ll find “the one.”
Successful digital advertising campaigns embrace the masses. Digital advertising impressions are sold in quantities of millions for a reason: you have to metaphorically kiss a lot of frogs to find your best customers. It’s no secret that on average, it takes more impressions to convince a consumer to click on a digital ad or to digitally reach the right consumer in the right moment with the right message. But don’t worry about the impressions that don’t connect, take advantage of the ones that do to leave a lasting impression. Digital advertising provides a lot of targeting capabilities marketers simply can’t get from other mediums but that doesn’t mean microtargeting is the right approach. Hammering too few people too many times with the same ad can be flat out annoying (we’ve all been there), and digital advertising lets you stretch your budget far enough to reach a healthy-sized audience with a strong number of impressions so over time you find the customers you need.
If you’re interested in an analysis on how your own digital advertising creative could be performing better or if you’re new to digital and don’t know where to begin, our team is happy to speak with you any time about making digital work for your business. Just click here to get in touch!