Lately, I’ve been diving into insurance advertising, mostly because I’ve been helping a friend with their small insurance business. At first, I thought it would be straightforward—just put your services out there and people will respond. Turns out, there’s a lot more to it than I imagined, and honestly, some of the mistakes I saw made me scratch my head.
One thing I noticed early on is that it’s really easy to focus too much on the product itself rather than what people actually care about. I’ve seen ads loaded with policy details, percentages, and coverage limits. On paper, it seems informative, right? But in reality, I noticed that most people just scroll past it. It didn’t connect with the real concerns people have, like protecting their family, saving for the future, or just having peace of mind. That’s been a huge takeaway for me: knowing your audience is more important than showcasing every tiny detail.
Another tricky part is assuming everyone understands insurance jargon. I made this mistake myself when brainstorming ideas. I thought, “Well, people should know what a deductible is.” But, honestly, most don’t. Using big insurance terms or complex explanations can make an ad feel distant or confusing. I realized that keeping language simple and relatable is way more effective. Even a small tweak like explaining a term in everyday words can make a big difference in how people respond.
I also noticed that visuals matter more than I expected. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to images or videos. But when I started looking at ads that actually grabbed attention, they all had something visually compelling. A simple infographic about how claims work or a short video with a real person sharing a story tends to stick with people longer than paragraphs of text. It made me think about how important storytelling is, even in something as numbers-heavy as insurance.
Something else that surprised me is how inconsistent messaging can hurt your ads. I saw campaigns where the headlines promised one thing, the image suggested another, and the fine print said something completely different. It felt messy, and I can see why people might ignore it. Keeping a consistent message across your ad, landing page, and even social media posts seems basic, but it’s easy to overlook. I’ve learned to double-check that everything tells the same story before publishing anything.
Testing is another thing I underestimated. I used to think you could just create one ad, post it, and that’s it. But seeing how different headlines, images, or calls-to-action perform differently was eye-opening. A small change in wording or color sometimes made a big difference in engagement. I started experimenting with A/B testing, and it’s become clear that nothing should be assumed—what works in theory might not work in practice.
If you’re curious about some of the more specific pitfalls I learned about, I came across this guide on Mistakes to Avoid in Insurance Advertising. It goes into detail about common missteps like neglecting mobile users, overloading with info, or failing to focus on benefits, and honestly, it confirmed a lot of what I was figuring out on my own. Reading it made me feel like I wasn’t alone in getting some of these things wrong at first.
Overall, my experience has been a mix of trial and error. I’ve learned that good insurance advertising isn’t about cramming in all the information or using flashy graphics alone. It’s about connecting with real people, understanding what matters to them, and testing different approaches to see what actually works. Keeping things clear, visual, and consistent seems to go a long way. And being willing to learn from mistakes—both my own and the examples others share—makes the whole process less stressful.
If you’re just starting out or even if you’ve been doing this a while, paying attention to these common mistakes can save a lot of headaches. Sometimes, it’s the small tweaks and insights that end up making the biggest difference in how people respond to your ads.