The first element of the advertisement that a viewer looks at is called the entry point. This can be anything, but its only goal is to draw readers to the advertisement. It is most often the largest element, such as a photo or large line of text. The absence of content can also be a point of entry, since the neighboring ads will often have a lot of content; something that breaks this pattern can draw a reader's eye.
The layout of a newspaper ad has a large effect on how a viewer reads it. Normal ads can be skinny vertical columns or an entire page spread, and everything in between. The amount of space available will dictate your ability to lay out text. Readers' eyes will generally bounce to the areas of most contrast or is larger, which is typically large, bold text or an image. Next, if they are still interested, they will return to areas of less contrast, which normally contains the details. The design of the actual elements in the ad has a large effect as well. Negative space, the space without content, can either be the death or the lifeblood of an ad. Your ad's style should reflect an appropriate amount of negative space and text arrangement.
"Copy" is a media term that means the word content of an ad; these are the words your readers will read. Copy's role is to stylize your ad and make it appeal to its particular demographic. It can do this by using clever wording, projecting a sense of sophistication, or using jargon. On the most basic level, it should include information the reader can use to learn more about the product or service.
Some advertisers offer special elements in their ads. Coupons, for example, is one technique. An ad may become more effective when readers have the ability to physically take something away. Some web-savvy companies may now include QR codes, which are special bar codes that can be decoded by smart phones. This will cause information about the product or service to appear on the phone.