Tapping into success.

Words.

Words, words, words.

We use them every day. In our modern lives, we are bombarded by them. Messages, all vying for our attention, shouting at us to make us notice their messages.
But in today's media fragmented world, the world of online is where everyone is. Even you, right now.
People don't really read newspapers any more. Sitting on the train, next to the businessman who had unfolded his big broadsheet newspaper, banging your elbows as he did it, is yesterday's, uh, news. People read. But they read it on tablets. They scroll their fingers across their phones.
People don't send letters. They send texts or punch PMs into Facebook.
Writing an ad involves arithmetic now. Creating the perfect ad on Facebook takes skill. It takes editing.
Writing copy is about making sure every word is working as effectively as possible.
Writing Facebook ad copy is about making sure every character is working as effectively as possible.
Headlines of 25 characters. No more.
Body copy of 135 characters. Don't even think about any extra ones. No, sir.

Write the ad. Say why you have to say. Quickly. Effectively. And to the point.

Never before have words and characters in advertising been so measured.

Actually, that's a big fat lie.

Classified advertising. In the back section of the newspaper. Remember the newspaper?

You have a measured number of words there.

There was the woman, who, after reading the words of her husband's obituary notice to the woman at the newspaper office, realised she had 3 words left.

She added

'Car for sale'.