Unlock the power of creative: A guide for every stage of the funnel

Personalized ad experiences require smart advertising. As platforms evolve and new trends emerge, marketers must stay agile and responsive to remain relevant. Why does this matter, you may ask? 

About 70% of digital advertising success depends on creatives. We know that great ads cut through the noise. They stand out, reaching and capturing audiences while delivering relevant and engaging content. In today’s competitive digital landscape, it’s important to meet your customers where they are (hint: on social!). 

Discover how you can stay ahead of the curve, and reshape the way you connect with your audience - drive scale, effectiveness and relevance through creative consistency and value at each stage of the funnel! 

Let’s dive in!

1. Top of the Funnel: Make a great first impression: capture attention and engagement
   In the upper funnel, the key is to deliver content that resonates with your target audience on a personal level. Capturing their attention and driving meaningful engagement across multiple platforms is vital. Here are the creative formats that can help you achieve this.

• Short video: With the rise of platforms like TikTok and Meta’s Reels, these entertaining snippets are perfect for capturing attention in the social media feed of those who are not familiar with your brand yet. 
• Connected TV (CTV): with the rise of streaming platforms, CTV ads provide a great opportunity to connect with your audience through emotion and storytelling- make users feel compelled to act! 
• Filter (Augmented Reality and Lenses): interactive and immersive experiences allow users to engage with your brand in a fun and memorable way, leaving a long lasting impression. 
• Playable ads: Gamification is a powerful tactic to unleash the potential of your creatives. They allow users to interact with the brand while building on the excitement to know more.

2. Mid Funnel: Stay true to your brand identity and nurture audiences 
   Once you have captured your audience’s attention, it’s time to nurture their interests. In this stage, stay true to your brand identity and provide a simple yet immersive experience. Here’s how:

• Video ads for social: Consider your core message and design your videos to get to that idea as quickly as possible. 
• Instant experience: with this mobile optimized, and super-dynamic environment, users are provided with an immersive experience- hooked with valuable information that gives them a reason to see more, aka. drive engagement. 

3. Lower Funnel: Convert Clicks into Conversion
   This is where the real magic of marketing happens- turning clicks into conversions. This is a great place for tailored messages that entice audiences through value-based content and calls to action. Here’s how to engage your audience effectively:

• Dynamic videos: Personalization is key to driving and boosting conversions. It allows you to tailor your message to individual users, increasing relevancy and driving action.
• Carousel: With more space to play within one ad, carousel formats lets you test multiple pieces of creative at once, and allow you to rank them based on performance. 
• Shopping/ collection ads: Showcase your products, highlight key features, and make it easy for users to make a purchase directly from the ad.
• Maps, Search and Google: Google Ads are successful as they blend so seamlessly into a user’s browsing experience. Hook them with a clear messaging that reflects your brand. 

Remember, the key to success lies in understanding your audience and selecting the right creative formats to effectively navigate each stage of the customer journey. Stay ahead of the curve and reshape the way you connect with your target through Smartly.io creative.

For more valuable tips to harness the power of creative across all stages of the journey, download our latest eBook!