With more than 2.7 billion users per month, Facebook is a haven for brands looking to thrive on social media. Because here is the thing about the social media platform: While you may assume it is the place where your best friend leaves cryptic comments on your latest selfie, it is also a place for audiences to connect with businesses, both – big and small.
With any business audience, there is a strong chance they are already active on Facebook and Facebook’s ad targeting protocol is incredibly powerful. It creates a strong case to use Facebook adverts.
This does not mean that Facebook ads are completely infallible. They are a challenge on their own. And in this guide, we will help you solve the puzzle by breaking down the best Facebook ads practices. Let’s dive into the details.
Define Your Target Audience
One of the great benefits of Facebook ads is the ad targeting feature that allows marketers to target specific people who are most likely to convert to a paying customer. Unlike other forms of traditional marketing campaigns, there is no one protocol for Facebook Ads. Instead, you can define your specific audience with markers, including age, marital status, interest, location, income, etc.
Niche down your audiences based on your target audience and their interest. For example, Airbnb ads are usually shown to people who desire to travel. Their ad works because the marketers have specifically set their ‘target audience’ to people who fit leisure, travel, and vacation audiences. This is ideal because as you are planning your vacation, the ad with excellent accommodation places will be served to you.
Match Your Ad Copy With The Visuals
We all know that visuals grab the viewer’s attention and compel them to look at your space longer. However, many marketers don’t have tons of visuals in hand. When the time comes to run an ad, they struggle to find the ‘right’ image and simply add any available one.
This results in an image and copy that do not mesh together. It delivers a ‘confusing’ experience to the user. When the ad copy and visuals do not match together, the viewer will wonder what the ad is about and reduces the clickthrough rate.
When it comes to ad images, the rule of the thumb is to opt for images that are high-quality and relevant to the ad copy. Whether you choose to go with custom pictures or purchase stock photographs, the images should resonate with the text.
Take a look at the example ad from Pura Vida below. The fashion jewellery maker showcases colourful images of their collection in a carousel ad format. The pictures they use in their ads show what they offer, allowing the customers to clearly see what they will be getting when they order.
Use Simple Language
When it comes to copywriting, there is no need for fancy vocabulary. Instead, use simple and easy-to-understand language to convey your message. In fact, a winning Facebook ad should be understood by anyone – even a 5th grader. When someone sees your ad, they should immediately know what you are offering, the benefits they will get, and what action they should take next.
This is why we love this Facebook ad by SoFi, which helps people fund loans for their dream home. Their tag line is sweet and simple: You dream it, we fund it! It makes use of simple words that even a young reader will understand!
Add Videos
Video marketing is the future of digital marketing, and the future is now! When it comes to Facebook ads, images do great, but videos do it better.
In fact, studies show that 54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. And Facebook is the best place to start integrating videos in your marketing strategy.
We especially liked this video by Cielo Wigle, where they showcased the effect of snow falling to highlight their AC/Heat controller feature. Whilst an image advert could have worked, the falling snow effect adds a refreshing touch to the whole concept, making the ad more enticing and eye-catching.
Gain Perspective
Take a comprehensive look at the Facebook ads that appear on your own timeline and see which ad makes you stop. What advert engages you enough to click? And which ones do you simply ignore to get an idea of what works on the social media network?
If you have your ad ready, it’s a good idea to bounce it around to a few colleagues, friends, and industry connection members that are outside the marketing business and take their perspective. Sometimes, a second pair of eyes will help you find the key element missing from your ad.
Test, Test, And Test
Creating the most effective ad copy is an experiment, and you will never know what will work or not until you try out a few different strategies. This is why we recommend that you test different copies of your ad to find out what resonates with the audience.
A while back, Post Planner did the same by running two ads simultaneously. Both the ads used the same illustration and end goal but had different ad content. One ad campaign focused more on asking a question, while the other had a more statement-type ad copy.
To discover what works the best for your brand, follow the same protocol and test out two different ad copies for the same message. This way, you will have a better idea of what works on the social media platform and what doesn’t.
Final Thoughts On Facebook Ad Campaigns
These were just some tips to get you started on your Facebook ad journey. Try them out and see what works for your brand!
For some tips on what Facebook social media advertising strategies ‘to do’ check out these recent Marketing.com.au articles:
Jonathan Gorham is the Founder of Engine Scout Digital Marketing based in Melbourne, Australia. He oversees all aspects of his customer's digital marketing needs including content, SEO, paid search, and social media marketing.
