Hello Everybody!

“How Do I Improve the Performance of my Female Campaigns??” Funny you should ask…

Many of our advertisers often press me for tips on how to capture the ever-elusive female demographic. We notoriously click less than our male counterparts, but tend to convert better. This leaves a window of opportunity that remains largely untapped by our advertisers. This is where I come in. It’s time for this male dominated industry to gain some insight on what ads will work for women, from a woman.

Having worked on the ad approval side of POF for over a year, I have seen the majority of creatives and campaigns that have passed through our platform. So, despite being just one woman, hopefully my experience and perspective as a female will inspire you to try some new angles when catering ads to the fairer sex.

My tips are as follows:

1. Personalize my experience. The core of Plentyoffish is about creating connections between people, so an advertisement should make an immediate emotional impression. While an ad that screams “MEN LOOKING FOR SINGLE MOMS” could be interpreted as blunt, insensitive, or even predatory, an ad that reads, “THESE GUYS LOVE KIDS,” will probably not be interpreted the same way. Even a small amount of positive emotional weight can take a user from feeling like she is being blatantly singled out, to feeling like she is pursuing the opportunity to make a connection with a real person on her own terms. The same idea goes for images. A guy wearing sunglasses and hiding his eyes may suggest emotional unavailability, while a guy giving me an inquisitive look, a playful smile, or an eyebrow raise means he wants to connect with me.

2. Give me choices. Variety is the spice of life, so make sure you are providing it for our female users. Pose a question, and give her the option to answer it, because chances are she will – with a click. EX/ “WANT A MAN WHO WILL TAKE YOU SHOPPING?” is worded in a way that puts the power and the choice in the users hands. Also be sure to split test and rotate your images to remain competitive. You never know what small subtlety in a photo will prove to be the next big thing, so cover all of your bases. Guys with shaved heads and tattoos for women who like the bad boys, and athletes standing with trophies, or college grads with their diplomas for women who are seeking achievers and providers.

3. Make me feel important. Every woman likes to feel like she is getting an exclusive deal or scoop on something, and we are nosy social creatures. I will admit that I visit a handful of celebrity and gossip websites daily, and part of the intrigue is the impression that I am privy to private information. Write your ads in a way that conveys urgency and exclusivity to our user. EX/ “SPOTTED: WE FOUND SOMEONE TO SPOIL YOU.” To support this angle with your images, look for candid looking photos that will peak her curiosity to capture the click. We do not allow celebrity images to appear in our advertisements, so find some amateur photos of guys that look as though they could have been snapped by the paparazzi!

I will add 3 more tips on the blog next week, so stay tuned! In the meantime I have also included some research conducted by Web Ad.Vantage about the advertising experience for a woman. No huge surprises, but it really reiterates the importance for strong images and ad text that speaks to the user.



For any feedback or further questions you have about female reaction to any specific ads or campaigns, you can contact me directly at Shannon@pof.com

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