In the business world, where everything seems to come down to the bottom line, it can be really hard to try to run an ethical business.
However, there are thousands of big and small business owners out there trying to make the world better, and these businesses can only continue to do so if they have enough people supporting them. And while there are many ways of doing this, one way of bringing in more people to your ethical business is through paid advertising.
Today, I’m going to be chatting about how you can write copy for Facebook Ads, specifically for ethical businesses. Think of this as your how-to guide for becoming an ethical copywriter
Think about whether the ethical aspect drives sales
First, you need to be honest with yourself. Is the ethical element of your business – whether that is sustainability, eco-friendliness, or charity – the main reason why people would want to support you?
If the answer is yes, it’s worth trying to make that the main focus of your ads. However, I would caution against only taking this approach. Instead, test two different copies against each other – one focusing on the ethical side of things, and the other less so. See what works.
The harsh truth: people are selfish
As mentioned, if the main or only reason people would want to support your business is that it’s an ethical business, then go for that angle! In this case, ethical copywriting is a great approach.
But in general, you need to keep in mind that people tend to be quite selfish. They’re likely not going to spend money on your business just because it’s ethical. Thinking that this is the case is one of the common pitfalls I’ve seen in ethical businesses. Your potential customers want to know that they’re getting something out of it as well. So, what does this mean?
Sell them on your business first
Unless you’re the rare exception mentioned above, you need to sell ad viewers on your product or service, regardless of the ethical element. You should try to effectively communicate to your target audience, or your potential clients, what you can do for them. Show them which pain points you can help them solve. This is one of the most helpful tips I’ve given some of my ethical business clients, and the results have shown success.
Show them what your product can do for them, and make them want it rather than only focusing on ethical copywriting. Leave that for your social media channels or your next blog post. If you have engaging content, your ads will do well – even if you don’t take the ethical approach.
Drive it home with the ethical side
Once you’ve shown them the benefits of your product for them, drive it home with the ethical side. Make them feel good about themselves for supporting an ethical business.
The fact that you’re an ethical business may not be enough to get people to click on your ad and support you, but it can be the thing that makes them select you above another company, and it might just be the cherry on top, so don’t leave it out entirely.
Write good copy
In the end, writing copy for ethical businesses isn’t all that different from writing copy for any other business.
If you have good copy, your ads will likely do well, regardless of what it is you’re selling or whether your business is ethical or not. I recently wrote a post all about this, so click here to give that a read and see how you can use it in your ethical copy. Alternatively, consider hiring a professional copywriter to help you.
Use resources
If you really have no idea how to approach writing copy for Facebook Ads, there are loads of resources out there with tips from others who have been there, done that. Look at YouTube videos or blog posts. Check out similar businesses to see how they’re writing their ad copy.
We also have a Copy Bible, so send an email to company@snowballcreations.com asking for it and we’ll send a free copy your way!
Use an ads agency
Advertising for ethical businesses can be quite tricky, so consider hiring professionals to help you. Snowball Creations is an ad company specialising in sustainable businesses and any other business trying to make the world a better place, so go ahead and fill in the form below if you need some help running ads for your ethical business!