Crafting Life Insurance Ads: The Process And Strategy

Life insurance advertisements are a tricky business. With the right mix of creative and innovative marketing strategies, insurance companies can increase brand awareness and secure more policyholders. However, it's important to remember that a 30-second commercial might not be able to explain the pros and cons of a life insurance product effectively. So, how do companies go about creating these ads?

Well, they might use emotional marketing value to create compelling content that evokes fear or a sense of missing out. They might also use county-specific ads to target certain demographics. Additionally, some companies use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach a wider audience.

It's also essential to be mindful of the design of the company website, which should have a well-designed landing page that is both engaging and informative.

Using emotional marketing value

When creating life insurance advertisements, it's important to establish an emotional connection with the target audience. This can be achieved through various strategies that evoke emotions and create a sense of trust and empathy. Here are some ways to utilise emotional marketing value effectively:

Evoke Fear and a Sense of Urgency

Creating a sense of urgency or evoking fear can be a powerful tactic in life insurance advertisements. Using phrases like "avoid", "before it's too late", or "mistake" can make people feel scared of missing out. For example, an ad about funeral costs that loved ones might be left with can be a powerful motivator for potential customers. Playing on people's fears of making a mistake or missing out on necessary coverage can be an effective strategy.

Appeal to Love and Compassion

Another approach is to remind people that taking action and purchasing life insurance is an act of love and responsibility for their families. By eliciting feelings of love and compassion, you can encourage viewers to consider how life insurance protects their loved ones financially. This strategy tugs at the heartstrings and creates an emotional connection with the audience.

Use Emotional Visuals and Empathic Scenes

Visuals are a powerful tool in advertising. A single image or video can convey a complex message and evoke strong emotions. Don't be afraid to use stock images or create visual content that depicts emotional or empathetic scenes. These visuals can encourage web traffic and spark a connection with your audience, especially when combined with compelling wording.

Share Real Customer Stories

Featuring real customer stories in your advertisements can be impactful. Sharing the stories of actual customers who have benefited from life insurance can make your message more authentic and relatable. It also helps potential customers relate to the individuals in the ads, creating an emotional connection.

Use Emotional Words and Phrases

The choice of words and phrases in your advertisements is crucial. Using emotional words and phrases that resonate with your target audience can be very effective. For example, words like "national", "American", "family", "spouse", "loved ones", "senior", "benefit", "care", and "trust" can evoke feelings of patriotism, family values, and the desire to provide for and protect one's loved ones.

Address Common Concerns and Objections

Addressing common concerns and objections that people might have about life insurance can also evoke emotions. For example, highlighting features like "no waiting period", "guaranteed approval", "no medical exam", and "payments never increase" can alleviate worries about the hassle and privacy invasion often associated with insurance policies.

By incorporating these strategies, life insurance advertisements can effectively utilise emotional marketing value to create compelling and persuasive messages that resonate with the target audience.

Creating a content strategy

Identify the type of content to share

The first step in creating a content strategy is to identify the type of outcome you want to achieve with your content. Do you want to improve brand recognition, launch a new product, or educate the market? The type of content you share will depend on your goals. For example, if you want to improve brand recognition, consider using catchy quotes or eye-catching images with your logo. If you're launching a new product, you'll need informational flyers or infographics, and if you want to educate the market, visual advertisements can be a powerful tool.

Create the content

Once you know the type of content you want to share, it's time to create it. This can be a challenging part of the process, as it's not easy to create captivating and professional-looking content. Consider hiring a graphic designer to help with the visual aspects of your content, such as your logo, banners, flyer templates, and social media posts.

Identify distribution channels

Before distributing your content, it's important to identify the best platforms and channels to reach your target audience. Some of the channels you can use include email marketing, social media advertising (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), local radio stations, flyer distribution, and roadside banners or billboards. Research which channels your target audience uses and build your distribution strategy accordingly.

Distribute your content

When your content is ready and you've identified the best places to share it, it's time to start publishing. It's important to be consistent in your publishing schedule, but also to avoid over-saturating your audience with too many advertisements. Find a balance that allows you to regularly reach your audience without overwhelming them.

Measure and adjust

Finally, don't be afraid to make changes to your content strategy as you go along. Advertising is often a process of trial and error, and you may need to adjust your approach based on the response you receive. Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content and make data-driven decisions about what's working well and what needs to be improved.

Identifying distribution channels

Before you start sharing your advertisements, it is important to identify the best platforms and channels to share them on. Marketing can be expensive, especially if you want to boost certain posts so they reach people who are most likely to invest in your company or services. It can also take a lot of time to post on a huge variety of channels. To save time and money, it is best to focus on the most successful and popular distribution channels, and particularly the channels that your intended customers use.

• Email (including Gmail ads)
• Facebook Advertising
• Local radio stations
• Flyer distribution through the postal boxes and/or newspapers
• Roadside banners and billboards

It is important to research the effectiveness of these distribution channels. Advertising in your local newspaper can be great for reaching locals and for brand recognition but you won’t be able to reach prospective clients that might live in another city. Adding flyers to a postal box won’t help you much if no one ever reads these flyers.

Some social media channels or groups are also much more successful than others. Facebook and LinkedIn, for example, might be more successful for business advertising in your industry compared to Twitter and Instagram. Research what your customers use and build your advertisements based on your results. You should also research the best times for posting or sharing your advertisements.

Using video marketing

Video marketing is an effective way to advertise life insurance. Here are some tips for creating a successful video marketing campaign:

Know your target audience:

Conduct market research to understand your target demographic. This will help you create content that resonates with them. For example, if your target audience is seniors, you can create videos that address their specific concerns and needs.

Utilize social media:

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are great for video marketing. Create a content strategy that includes a mix of videos, such as product launches, educational content, and testimonials. Share these videos on your social media pages and groups relevant to your target audience.

Connect with people's emotions:

Life insurance is an emotional topic, and video is a powerful medium to evoke emotions. Create videos that tell a story and appeal to your audience's emotions. For example, you can showcase the impact of life insurance on a family after the loss of a loved one.

Use compelling wording:

Just like in other forms of advertising, the right words can make a big difference in video marketing. Use simple and exciting phrases to encourage a response. For instance, highlight benefits such as "no medical exam" or "guaranteed approval."

Collaborate with influencers or celebrities:

Consider partnering with influencers or celebrities who have a strong online presence and a large following. This can help you reach a wider audience and build trust with potential customers. For example, AIG's "Amazing Mom" campaign featured an actual mother and daughter, evoking emotions and creating a human connection with viewers.

Be mindful of length and frequency:

Keep in mind that people's attention spans are short, especially online. Create videos that are concise and engaging. Also, be mindful of how often you distribute your content. You don't want to overwhelm your audience with too many videos or publish so infrequently that they forget about your brand.

Optimize for search engines:

When uploading videos to your website or YouTube, use relevant keywords and tags to ensure your content appears in search results. This will increase the visibility of your videos and make it easier for your target audience to find them.

Video marketing is a powerful tool to promote life insurance and build connections with your audience. By following these steps and continuously analyzing your campaign's performance, you can effectively reach and engage potential customers.

Researching and gaining insights

Competitor Analysis

Firstly, identify which of your competitors are actively advertising. Study their campaigns and strategies to understand what approaches are being used in the market. Look at their websites, social media presence, and advertising materials to gain insights into their positioning, messaging, and target audience. This will help you differentiate your brand and develop unique selling points.

Keyword Research

Conduct keyword research to identify the terms that your target audience is using when searching for life insurance. This will inform your campaign messaging and ensure that your advertisements are optimized for search engines. Tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner or SEMrush can assist in finding relevant keywords and analyzing their search volumes and competition levels.

Website Analytics

Analyze your current website traffic and market reach. Tools like Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into user behaviour on your website, including page views, bounce rates, and conversion rates. This information will help you understand what content resonates with your audience and identify areas for improvement.

Target Audience Analysis

Take the time to deeply understand your target audience. Develop buyer personas that represent your ideal customers, considering their demographics, needs, pain points, and preferences. This will enable you to create advertisements that resonate with them. Consider conducting surveys, focus groups, or interviews to gather insights directly from your target audience.

Social Media Channel Selection

Research the best social media channels to reach your target audience. Different platforms cater to different demographics and interests. For example, Facebook and Instagram are widely used and offer targeted advertising options, while LinkedIn may be more suitable for business-focused campaigns. Analyze the user base and engagement metrics of each platform to determine the most effective channels for your campaigns.

Market Size Estimation

Estimate the size of the market you can advertise your products to. This will help you understand the potential reach and scope of your campaigns. Consider factors such as geographic location, demographic characteristics, and the prevalence of life insurance adoption in your target market. This information will guide your budgeting and resource allocation decisions.

Goal Setting

Set clear and measurable goals for your advertising campaigns. Define short-term and long-term objectives, such as increasing brand awareness, generating a certain number of leads, or achieving a specific return on investment (ROI). These goals will provide a framework for measuring the success of your campaigns and allow you to make data-driven adjustments.

Frequently asked questions