Untapped Potential: 5 Types of Small Ads on X For Greater Reach And Faster Responses

Dear Business Owner and Entrepreneur:

A week before the Canadian Bitcoin Conference in May 16th-18th 2024, I ran a test campaign to sell tickets to the conference.

It consisted of a series of 7 small ads—each with a different topic and concern. What I learnt was that a certain appeal proved to be the most popular: self-custody.

Meaning, what people were most interested in were the rights of self-custody of their money in Canada. The ad got more impressions (3.9K), more reposts (8) and likes (18) than the other posts.

Certainly not ground breaking numbers, but compared to the other topics like “Would Jesus have been a Bitcoiner?” (533 impressions, 8 likes, 3 reposts) or “What happened to the Freedom Convoy Funds” (757 impressions, 7 likes, 4 reposts) the numbers spoke for themselves.

This short test campaign gave me a much better idea of what the people were interested in learning most about.

But more importantly it revealed that Canadians are concerned about protecting their wealth and opting out of an inflation-based monetary system (can anybody explain why is there a target 2% inflation rate?)

Running ads on X is a great way to run a test campaign.

Working off real-world data eliminates guesswork. It brings you closer to the best appeal. Once you have that, you can run the same ads to increase your reach and make more sales.

There are 5 types of X Ads that you can run:

1. Text Ads: You get 280 characters (253 if you use an external link) to reach an audience beyond your followers to your target audience. Text ads look like regular posts with likes, replies, bookmarks and reposts. A telegraphic, concise and direct style of writing works best.

2. Image Ads: Adding an image is more effective in capturing attention. Especially if the image is relevant and striking. I use Mid Journey to generate images because I can tailor the prompt to depict a scene that correlates to the topic. This is powerful and immensely useful in todays over-saturated social media landscape. PNG or JPG at 5MB max. GIFS will be static and BMP or TIFFS won’t work.

3. Video Ads: Bring your brand to life with video storytelling. Make sure to add your logo in the upper right corner. The longer a video is, the better the algorithm boost it receives. The idea is to keep users engaged. You can upload up to 1GB max, but keeping it under 30MB is ideal. A 16:9 aspect ratio at 1920x1080 pixels is recommended.

4. Carousel Ads: Add more than one image or video to draw people deeper into your story. Up to 6 images are allowed. Highlight the most significant points and aspects of your brand. Be precise and direct. Users can click on the link that will take them to your app or website.

5. Moments Ads: Advertisers and publishers can curate posts that go beyond the standard 280 characters. Extend your story and create an immersive experience. Expand your reach and promote posts that keep the user engaged.

It costs nothing to post ads, but you can add a budget for greater reach.

You can get started NOW for FREE.  If you already haven an X account, go to the [composer], and click on “Compose” in the menu at the top. You will see the following 6 pieces of information that needs to be filled out or checked:

1. Ad name: An optional field but I recommend that you “key” your ad so that you can measure it’s reach. An example of a key would be something like “JK-X01-06032024”. “JK” are the company initials, “X01” is the first ad on X, and “06032024” is the date it was posted.

2. Product Category: You want to target specific groups by picking a category. Examples include but are not limited to: Animals & Pet Supplies, Apparel & Accessories, Arts & Entertainment, Business & Industrial, Electronics, Media, Software, and lots more!

3. Destination: The “action” part of your ad. This is where the user will be taken if they click on the ad. It can be a website, an app or no destination at all.

4. Ad Copy: You get 280 characters (253 if you use a destination). A short telgraphic style of writing is the most effective. Be simple and direct.

5. Media: Add images or videos. Can be singular or multiple (up to 6). Media pulls more readers than straight text ads.

6. Promoted Only: If checked, the ad will be shown to targeted users in your ad campaigns. However, they won’t show up in your timeline even though they are live and look like regular posts.

What can you promote using X Ads?

John Caples, one my copywriting heroes, advocated using small ads because it can be a great cost-effective method of generating leads and sales. If you own a business or you are trying to reach more potential customers, you can use small ads for the following reasons:

• Distributing free literature: a lead magnet to drive people to your landing page where people can download an eBook by signing up to your newsletter. This is a great way to build trust and qualify leads so you’re only dealing with the right crowd.

• Selling merchandise: Promote a digital or physical offer directly. Second-hand items, or niche markets work well if you run a campaign.

• Generating leads: Those who are interested will engage with the post giving you valuable intel on what is the most appealing message. Using this information, you can modify the headline to increase engagement.

• Measuring seasonal variations: Best if you have products that will only sell according to season like summer dresses, halloween costumes, school supplies, etc.

• Testing media: Using video and images can increase engagement because it is eye-catchy. I always make sure to use relevant media and use keywords in the AI prompts.

So why X over other platforms?

When Elon Musk bought Twitter, his main motivation was to protect free speech.

This became a serious issue during the 2020 election when the company was run by Jack Dorsey. The far left censorship of any conflicting opinions (especially from those who leaned right) became a serious concern.

The suspension of Donald Trump right after the January 6th riots being the most infamous.

Whether you agree with his politics or not, it goes to show that there are decision-makers behind the scenes who are pulling the levers and decide who has a platform or not.

The problem with centralized social media companies is that they can censor those with whom they disagree.  If an opinion is opposed to the narrative, accounts are banned and speech is suppressed.

But the recent changes to the platform (rebranding, layoffs, etc.) initiated by Elon Musk, have resulted in reversing bans for polarizing personalities like Alex Jones and Donald Trump.

And as a business owner, you will find more authentic and longer-lasting connections when are able to express yourself freely, provided it’s not promoting violence or illegal activity.

Small Ads on X can be a game changer for your business.

You will gain more impressions and engagement as a result of running ads. This means more eyeballs, more leads and eventually more sales.

You don’t need to spend any money to get started, but spending even just a little bit can boost your reach exponentially!

Writing direct response copy is the key to getting people to take action.

After all a business without customers is no business at all. And writing generic copy will do more damage than good.

Use THIS Notion template to build a content strategy for X. It’s completely FREE. If you need an action plan, give me a shout and I would be happy to provide a quick short consultation to point you in the right direction. There is no obligation or strings attached.

Truly Yours, Jay Khan

P.S. If you need some help in writing direct response copy for X ads, send me a MESSAGE or an EMAIL. Alternatively, if you wish to speak over video, book a call HERE.