A MediaMind study shows that click-through rates on mobile ads are nine times higher than click-through rates on online banner ads. As retailers expand into the world of mobile advertising, they want to know what works and what doesn’t to obtain that elusive tap. Follow these three tips to make sure that your message gets across to your customers via their mobile device.

1) Send a single, well-worded message

Mobile ads are small, which means that your words have to be few and to-the-point. The language should also communicate value to your customers so that they can answer the question “What’s in it for me?” According to some studies, words that rhyme or words that make a play on a cliche are most effective at grabbing a customer’s attention – just be careful not to make your language patronizing. Also, think beyond catchy slogans and offer an incentive for tapping on the ad.

2) Use images that captivate

A Nielsen media report found that people are 26 percent more likely to tap an ad that contains video. However, you don’t have to embed video to create images that attract attention. Use a light but vivid shade for the background of the ad. Avoid black and other dark colors so that your text pops against the background color. Also, when you add images, make the images simple and easy to see. Don’t require customers to pinch or expand so that they can navigate your ad.

3) Make shopping easy

Best Buy recently ran an ad campaign offering free Geek Squad data transfer with the purchase of a new laptop. Many retailers’ mobile ads direct customers back to the retailer’s mobile website or, even worse, to a website that is not mobile-optimized. The Best Buy mobile ad, on the other hand, not only directed customers back to Best Buy’s mobile site but also specifically routed them to a landing page to shop the company’s selection of premium laptops. By linking the ad directly to the shopping cart, Best Buy also gave itself an easy way to track ROI on its mobile advertising campaign.