We have all seen a Facebook ad. They appear on our timelines and often get scrolled past without a second glance. We have become so used to seeing advertisements on a daily basis, that many of us have evolved to a point of disinterest or complete numbness when presented with an ad.
As a marketer, this can make it very difficult to grab the attention of users with advertisements. Difficult but not impossible. Let’s take this as a challenge to engage with our audience in new and interesting ways.
Think of this blog as your guide through the somewhat intimidating territory of Facebook ads. We hope to lead you to the nirvana of your final, killer advertisement.
Let’s jump in, shall we?
What are your goals?
Before writing any copy, before finding the perfect photo, before even thinking about making a Facebook ad, it is important that you define your goals.
What are you hoping to achieve with this advertisement? Are you attempting to increase brand awareness? Inform people about a contest you’re running? Encouraging your target to signup for your newsletter? Whatever it is, make sure you have a clearly defined goal at the start of this process!
Catchy Headline!
Sometimes words can be your most powerful weapon. We’ve all probably fallen prey to a catchy headline before. Sometimes, a headline is almost too good and grabs your attention immediately.
Whether it be an engaging question, a humorous phrase or a tantalizing teaser, you should pay attention to what sorts of headlines attract your attention and leverage those techniques in your own advertisements.
Have fun with it too! Depending on your brand voice, you can play around with the tone. Sometimes showing off your unique brand personality is all it takes to stand out!
Show, Don’t Tell
Now, I know I said words can be your most powerful weapon, but so can your visuals. There are many different types of ads including photo ads, video ads, stories ads, and carousel ads which will affect the types of visual you should be using.
Each type has its merits. Photo ads are probably the most common and include 125 characters of text, a headline, link description, plus a call-to-action button such as Send Message or Shop Now.
Video ads are great because they are more visually persuasive and tend to have high completion rates, making it easier to get your message across to viewers. Stories ads are very timely as they only last 24 hours and would be effective for communicating limited time offers. They are also quick pieces of bite-sized content, so your audience is more likely to pay attention for the duration of your ad.
Finally, carousel ads allow you to include 10 images or videos, each with their own link. This is a great opportunity to tell a story or convey a unified message.
Identifying which ad type you’re using will help you plan engaging visuals that will help your message stand out to users.
A/B Testing
When in doubt, test everything! Facebook allows you to test a range of variables including the headline, creatives, CTA, ad copy, and targeting.
Testing allows you to see what users are interested in and will make your life a whole lot easier. There is no guessing involved when you can see which versions of your ad the target market is most frequently engaging with.
These were just a few pointers for making your next Facebook ad a success. What are your go-to techniques? What types of ads work best with your target?
Still not sure how to get started with advertising on Facebook? Contact us today and let us know how we can make the experience easier for you!
