42 Deadly Ad Copy Sins That Ive Made

I have read thousands of ad copies online and offline over my lifetime. I have read excellent ad copies that made me buy right away and some that may have had a decent product, but had a poor ad copy that turned me away.

Now that I am in business, I have written some of my own ad copies. Some of them have worked, some of them have bombed. The key is to keep changing and testing your ad copy, don't just write one and then stop. I don't have a college degree in copywriting, but I know to learn from the mistakes and never give up.

Below I've made a list of 42 deadly ad copy sins that I've made over the years and that you can learn from:

  • no compelling headline
  • no believable testimonials
  • no sub headlines
  • no attractive benefits
  • no features
  • no strong guarantees
  • no asking or answering questions
  • no proof of benefits offered
  • no contact information for questions
  • no endorsements
  • no conversational writing
  • too long of sentences
  • no deadline to order
  • no free trials
  • spelling mistakes
  • grammar mistakes
  • too light of text
  • too dark of background
  • ad copy doesn't blend together
  • no breaks in ad copy
  • no bullets
  • ad copy in all CAPS
  • few ordering options
  • no visual aids
  • no comparison to competition
  • no reminding of benefits or deadlines
  • no information about your business
  • no appealing adjectives
  • no appealing phrases
  • too large of text
  • too small of text
  • no emotional appeal
  • too large of paragraphs
  • no story telling
  • no underlining or bolding of keywords
  • too short of ad copy
  • too long of ad copy
  • no facts or case studies
  • hard to understand jargon
  • no free bonuses
  • too low of price
  • too high of price

    Don't get me wrong, not all 42 of my ad copy sins will apply to each and every ad you write. It is just a list you can use in the future. If you currently have an ad copy, compare it to the list right now. Your ad copy could make or break your sales.

    Good Luck with your online ad copies:)

    Tim B. Miller
    Get My FREE eBook Profitable Web Traffic Generators
    Proven And Free Ways To Get More Traffic For Your Online Business!
    http://www.discoverebooks.com/TrafficGen erators.html

    In The News:


    Google News
    Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:49:19 GMT

    Frerotte leads Vikings to Monday night victory - FOXSports.com


    Boston Globe
    Frerotte leads Vikings to Monday night victory
    FOXSports.com - 1 hour ago
    by Alex Marvez Alex Marvez is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com. He's covered the NFL for 14 seasons as a beat writer and is the president of the Pro Football Writers of America.
    Frerotte proves mettle against sloppy Saints SportingNews.com
    National Football League Game Capsules Sports Network
    Minneapolis Star Tribune - Boston Herald - Philadelphia Inquirer - Newsday
    all 1,172 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:39:53 GMT

    Turkey hits PKK targets in n. Iraq on Tuesday - International Herald Tribune


    Voice of America
    Turkey hits PKK targets in n. Iraq on Tuesday
    International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago
    ANKARA: Turkish warplanes pounded suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq for a second straight day on Tuesday, stepping up a bombing campaign after the death of 17 Turkish soldiers in a cross-border ambush.
    Turkish warplanes bomb 21 PKK targets in N Iraq People's Daily Online
    Turkish airstrikes target Kurdish rebels CNN
    United Press International - Aljazeera.net - AFP - The Associated Press
    all 1,633 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:30:40 GMT

    Red Sox roar into AL title series - Boston Globe

    Red Sox roar into AL title series
    Boston Globe - 1 hour ago
    By Dan Shaughnessy Bring on the Rays. Bring on the Dodgers or Phillies if you like. There is plenty of champagne left in New England and Mayor Menino has sent the duck boats to have their tires rotated.
    Red Sox not taking Rays lightly in next round of postseason MLB.com
    Red Sox squeeze past Angels, advance to ALCS Washington Post
    SI.com - ESPN - Boston Herald - FOXSports.com
    all 3,162 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:49:29 GMT

    Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death - New York Times


    InjuryBoard.com
    Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death
    New York Times - 5 hours ago
    By TARA PARKER-POPE Sleeping in a room with a fan lowers a baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome by 72 percent, a new study has found.
    Study Suggests Fan Use Cuts SIDS Risk in Babies Wall Street Journal
    Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS San Jose Mercury News
    U.S. News & World Report - WebMD - USA Today - Medgadget.com
    all 424 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:22:40 GMT

    McCain, Obama introduce newly sharp tone amid major news events - Los Angeles Times


    Washington Post
    McCain, Obama introduce newly sharp tone amid major news events
    Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago
    McCain intensifies his attack on Obama's past and character, and Obama returns the favor. The tactics may not resonate with voters in a time of crisis.
    Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress
    McCain, Obama unleash another round of attacks Reuters
    New York Times - Chicago Tribune - Dallas Morning News - The Miami Herald
    all 4,436 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:25 GMT

    Man with financial woes kills family, self - San Francisco Chronicle


    Sydney Morning Herald
    Man with financial woes kills family, self
    San Francisco Chronicle - 1 hour ago
    An unemployed financial adviser apparently despondent over his troubles shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and three children before taking his own life in a gated community, Los Angeles police said Monday.
    Video: 6 Die in Family Murder-suicide in Upscale Home AssociatedPress
    California: Six Bodies Found in Los Angeles Home New York Times
    CNN - Reuters - Los Angeles Daily News - FOXNews
    all 557 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:38:59 GMT

    Sri Lanka: international probe called into killing - International Herald Tribune


    ABC News
    Sri Lanka: international probe called into killing
    International Herald Tribune - 29 minutes ago
    AP COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's top opposition party called Tuesday for an international investigation into a bomb attack the previous day that killed a popular former army general and 26 others.
    Video: Sri Lanka army closes in on Tamil Tigers - 07 Oct 08 AlJazeeraEnglish
    Former Tamil rebel fighter named as member of parliament Monsters and Critics.com
    guardian.co.uk - The Associated Press - ABC Online - Radio Australia
    all 1,419 news articles

    Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:19:30 GMT

    Automatic Blogging
    Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages


  • PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

    Adsense websites

    Freelance Copywriters on the Internet: How to Tell the Difference Between Heaven-sent and Hack

    If you're hunting for a good freelance copywriter and have... Read More

    Hooks, Lines & Sinkers

    Hands up if the title to this article made you... Read More

    Lapsed Donors: How to Write a Fundraising Letter That Wins Them Back

    Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor... Read More

    Getting Over Copy Shock

    A few weeks ago I wrote some copy for a... Read More

    Can You Become a Freelance Copywriter in Los Angeles?

    Is it out there? The chance to be a freelance... Read More

    How You Can Find Freelance Copy Editing Jobs

    Even for those with the skills needed, finding copy editing... Read More

    SEO Copywriting: 7 Tips

    So you finally built a website for your home-based business.... Read More

    Keeping It Real: The Only Copywriting Trick That Works

    Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books... Read More

    Write Hard-Hitting Headlines With Magic Words That Sell

    Writing a killer headline for your copy is simple! You... Read More

    Six Reasons You Don?t Need a Technical Writer (and Why They?re Dead Wrong!)

    I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to... Read More

    Some Important Tips On Proposals And Price

    Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing... Read More

    Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?

    It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by... Read More

    Making a Living as a Copywriter; Freelancing Versus Agency

    So You Want To be A Copywriter?Wannabe copywriters often check... Read More

    5 Critical Mistakes Most Freelance Copywriters Make

    Think you have what it takes to be a freelance... Read More

    Are You Losing Customers Because of Typos?

    Overlooking simple steps such as proofreading and grammar can affect... Read More

    How To Write An Effective Ad

    A letter or postcard allows you to "talk" one-on-one to... Read More

    Copywriting: Drafting Rules for Professionals

    As a professional contractor who wears many hats, you owe... Read More

    No-Holds-Barred Conversation with Dan Lok - Part 1

    Question: If you were starting out and had no references... Read More

    Writing Great Website Sales Copy

    Many small businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough... Read More

    Beyond Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales arent the Only Thing Needing Catchy Openings

    Once a upon a recent time in a galaxy not... Read More

    Website Advertising: 10 Tactics To Make Your Ad Copy More Impactful

    If your ad is not generating a lot of sales,... Read More

    Professional Copywriting Services - How to Provide Your Own

    Just because you're running a small business doesn't mean you... Read More

    How To Find A Copywriting School

    Have you heard the good things about the field of... Read More

    Five Tips for Writing Eyeball-Grabbing Headlines

    If you made it this far, the headline for this... Read More

    Writing For Sex Markets

    Many professional freelancers will go their entire career without ever... Read More