How Alibaba.com improves Ad Copywriting: 3 Proven Tips With Examples

How to Write Great Copy: 3 Copywriting Tips

Many copywriters dream of creating viral or award-winning ads, but the most successful copy isn't about creativity for creativity's sake—it's about clarity, directness, and impact. The best ad copy puts the audience's needs first, speaking directly to their challenges and guiding them toward a solution.

1. Write for Your Audience, Not Yourself

Many ad copywriters envision creating that flawless message capable of going viral, winning accolades, or sparking boardroom debates. Yet, the most successful copy remains clear, direct, and succinct, achieved by truly understanding the target audience’s perspective to meet client KPIs and customer needs.

Solve Their Problem, Not Yours

While many brands concentrate on listing product capabilities, effective copy shifts focus to benefits by asking, 'How can we solve your problem?' rather than merely outlining what they do.

For example, Monday.com’s CRM ad, targeted at users searching for 'CRM for small-medium business,' doesn’t just enumerate features—instead, it immediately showcases how it streamlines lead tracking, deal management, and workflow automation.

The headline instantly signals that Shopify Plus is designed for enterprises, while the description acknowledges core business challenges:

• "CRM for Small-Medium Business - That's Actually Easy to Use" →Directly counters a major pain point: most CRMs are complex and difficult to use. This reassures SMBs looking for a simple solution.
• "An Intuitive CRM to Better Track & Manage Leads, and Close Deals Faster." →Focuses on solving efficiency problems: tracking leads and closing deals without frustration.
• "Try For Free. Get Started in Less Than 2 Minutes!" →Removes adoption barriers by making the decision risk-free and effortless.

Instead of simply showcasing features, this ad positions the CRM as a direct solution to the user's challenges, making it more relevant and compelling.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

Even the most powerful message can fall flat if it's buried in a messy or poorly organized ad, making the way you present your copy just as vital as the words themselves.

Lead with Your Strongest Copy

Research by the Nielsen Norman Group shows that 79% of users skim webpages, with only 16% reading fully, indicating that ads are more likely to be scanned than read in detail.

Similarly, Penn State research found that over 75% of people share links on social media without even clicking on them. (Source: Penn State Study)

This behavior emphasizes why your strongest message should come first; burying key benefits, solution statements, or credibility boosts later in the ad risks them being completely overlooked.

3. The Power of Word Choice

Choosing the right words can transform your ad into something more personal, urgent, and engaging, with the proper tone making the difference between high conversion and being ignored.

Start with action verbs

Using powerful action verbs—such as 'discover,' 'explore,' or 'get'—can distinguish your ad from the rest by infusing it with urgency and excitement that spurs immediate action.

Take a look at this Upwork ad, which effectively uses action verbs to drive engagement:

Upwork’s ad is a prime example; by employing phrases like 'Hire Experts' and 'Hire Someone for Work Today,' it stresses efficiency in finding freelancers. Rather than simply listing features, it motivates immediate action, seamlessly guiding users to their next step while clearly emphasizing the platform’s value.

If you want your ad copy to feel more compelling, start by replacing passive phrasing with action-driven alternatives. Instead of "We provide expert freelancers for your project", use "Find expert freelancers to bring your project to life". Instead of "Upwork connects businesses with professionals", use "Connect with top professionals and get your job done faster". By leading with clear, action-driven language, your ad instantly feels more engaging and encourages higher conversion rates.

Alibaba.com's Ad Copy: Tips in Action

We've covered key tips to keep in mind. Now, let's take a look at real examples from Alibaba.com to see how these tips are applied in actual Google paid ads.

1. Writing for the Audience, Not Yourself

The ad copy effectively addresses the needs of B2B buyers by highlighting clear benefits such as streamlined sourcing and cost reduction. It communicates a customer-centric message that focuses on solving the buyer's problem rather than simply listing features, aligning with Alibaba.com's mission to connect buyers with reliable suppliers globally.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

The structure starts with a strong, benefit-driven headline that captures attention immediately, following the sub tip of leading with your strongest copy. It logically flows from identifying quality products and verified suppliers to emphasizing significant cost savings, ensuring that each part of the message builds on the next in a way that's easy to scan and understand.

3. The Power of Word Choice

The use of action-oriented language such as 'Find' and 'Reduce Costs' energizes the ad copy. These verbs not only create urgency but also clearly demonstrate how using Alibaba.com's marketplace improves business operations, resonating with the suggested strategy of replacing passive phrasing with dynamic, benefit-driven language.

1. Writing for the Audience, Not Yourself

The ad copy clearly targets SMEs, speaking directly to their need for streamlined and flexible sourcing solutions. By focusing on the benefit of easily connecting with a vast network of suppliers, the ad addresses the audience’s specific problem, rather than just showcasing what Alibaba.com does. This aligns well with the sub tip 'Write for Your Audience, Not Yourself' and 'Solve Their Problem, Not Yours', ensuring that the message is tailored to address real business challenges that SMEs face.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

The ad’s structure is strategically crafted to grab attention immediately by targeting a specific audience (SMEs) and hinting at a comprehensive solution with a global reach. By front-loading the key benefit of modernizing sourcing practices, the ad ensures that the most compelling information is seen first. This approach follows the sub tip 'Content Matters, but So Does Structure', prompting a strong, benefit-focused call-to-action that encourages immediate engagement, and ultimately aligns with the advice to lead with your strongest copy.

3. The Power of Word Choice

Dynamic action verbs such as 'Find' and 'Contact' evoke immediacy and relevance, which is in line with the sub tip 'The Power of Word Choice: start with action verbs'. The use of words like 'anywhere' places emphasis on the global, accessible nature of the sourcing solution, reinforcing the benefit-driven approach. This clear, conversational language not only reflects the everyday challenges and aspirations of SMEs but also makes the ad copy both compelling and action-oriented.

Conclusion

Great ad copy isn't just about being clever—it's about understanding your audience, structuring your message effectively, and using the right words to drive action. The examples from Alibaba.com demonstrate how well-crafted copy can make an ad more engaging, easy to understand, and conversion-focused.

Key Takeaways:

• ✅Write for Your Audience

  Focus on their needs, not features. Align with their goals and search intent.

• ✅Structure Matters

  Lead with your strongest copy. Keep it short, scannable, and benefit-focused.

• ✅Use the Right Words

  Start with action verbs, personalize with "you", and keep language simple.

By applying these principles, you can craft ad copy that grabs attention, builds trust, and drives higher conversions—just like Alibaba.com.