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SEO

6 Phrases You Should Never Use In Your Ad Copy

By
stephanne
May 11, 2023
5 min read
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The most crucial facet of running effective advertising campaigns is being aware of what types of content are allowed and not allowed on various social media and search platforms. Contrary to popular belief, most illegal and restricted content (political ads, alcohol, etc.) adhere to broadly similar standards across platforms.

However, those in charge of marketing must also check certain words, phrases, or jargon used in advertising because doing so can be a hazardous occupation. Cluttering your sentences with unnecessary words and phrases can appear as a sign of incompetence or a lack of effort to communicate clearly.

A common practice among all marketers is writing to promote a product or service they sell. All marketers engage in activities like writing to sell a product. It could be the product description in an online store, a landing page designed to generate leads, or even a blog post written to sell you an idea. Moreover, other writers use words and phrases that annoy our readers.

The goal of copywriting is to elicit an emotional response from the reader, which prompts action. You have most likely encountered a large number of examples of the use of emotion in copywriting, such as examples of fear, pity, and hope.

Increasing the amount of emotion that our audience experiences through the use of emotional triggers in your copy are helpful to us in selling your products. It's important to remember that the last thing you want is for your audience to leave feeling annoyed or even enraged that they wasted their time.

Ultimately, marketers are creating more and more online content, especially with the help of AI writing tools like WordHero; this trend will continue in the future. If you want your ad copy to stand out from others, you should favor your audience by showing respect for their time and intelligence. 

One way to show this respect is to remove the following filler phrases and clichés from your writing.

"Are You Looking For.." or "Do You Need/ Need...For your"

Phrases like "Are you interested in exploring new flooring options for your house?" Or, 'Want to increase your company's revenue?' Alternately, you may say, "Need a new appearance to level up your game." This type of approach is common in cold emails. 

They typically share the trait of having no pizzazz, benefit, or unique selling proposition (USP). This kind of marketing tells you what's on offer most directly and straightforwardly possible and asks you if you want it.

This strategy ignores the fact that most individuals have no idea what they want or need, and it is the responsibility of the marketing material to change their minds.

If you're an expert in marketing, you'll be able to get people excited about a product because it resonates with what they've already been thinking about. However, it shows how the product might fit into their world; and it works hard to make the prospect of having it in their lives feel good. Consequently, nobody finds the question "Looking for a new flooring solution?" particularly helpful.

"Today, more than ever."

We could find this phrase in every advertisement, whether it was on social media or on the television stations in our local area. One example is the following: "Today, more than ever, we continue to be an industry leader in innovation."

If you're a copywriter, you've probably heard this phrase a million times. It must be because, in most cases, this is the motivation behind why they want you to purchase their product or service. The problem is that they frequently do not have anything substantial enough to insert helpful ways or valuable insights, and as a result, the whole thing sounds relatively empty.

"In Today's Fast-Pacing World/ In Today's World"

When you search for "today's fast-moving/fast-pacing world" on Google, sixty-one thousand one hundred results come up. It's a phrase that consultants, software developers, and personal development companies use frequently.

It's well-known that the world is constantly changing, from software upgrades and new gadgets to news about Donald Trump, drones, AI, and other technology-related developments. As a result, it could be interpreted as somewhat complicated, resulting in discomfort for all of us.

However, considering that everyone uses the exact phrase and some marketing copywriters do not indicate that they have any unique insights to carry to endure this uncertainty, we assume they cannot wrap their heads around it. Or, perhaps, they're too lazy to say anything more significant because the world will change again, rendering their remarks irrelevant before they've even been published.

"We do understand that…."

When we see advertisements across various social media platforms, one of the phrases we typically hear is "we understand that your time is valuable." What can one say about this well-known advertising copywriting construction, which comes across as excessive, condescending, dubious, or uninteresting – and often all at once?

When unnecessary words are omitted, the sentence's clarity and flow are immediately enhanced. Find a platform to describe or assert that you comprehend something rather than just stating or telling it, for example, by using proof points, testimonial quotes, or other credible content that showcases your expertise in the area.

"A leader in the industry/Leading in the Industry"

This phrase appears on nearly every company's "About Us" page.

Not only is this an inconsiderate way to introduce your business or brand to a website visitor who is kind enough to click on your link, but it also provides no information about the nature of your company. As an "industry leader," what does it matter to him? That means lower prices, but does it also mean better service?

Because of its widespread use, this expression has lost all meaning, is hyperbolic, and is now considered a pointless cliche.

"State of the Art"

People claim to be 'state of the art' these days. There is nothing here to support the claim. Furthermore, the phrase is just a fancy synonym for "up to the minute" or "the most recent," which is not very descriptive. If you don't claim that your product is up to date, it gives the impression that you're making an excessive effort to pretend that you're still relevant in the industry. So you're saying that your offering hasn't become obsolete.

You need to get back to the specifics and focus on showing, not telling, to correct the issue. Concentrate on a single or a few aspects that demonstrate your ability to keep up with the times.

Conclusion

Hence, these are the six key phrases that every writer and marketing copywriter should be familiar with. Although it may seem counterintuitive, this could be useful if you want to include phrases in your content that are both familiar and new, vibrant, and inspiring to your readers or customers.

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