What Makes a Good Facebook Ad Creative?

Facebook Advertising is a crucial marketing tactic when looking to reach a specific audience. It can be the most effective way to advertise your brand, service or products if it’s done right.  

However, having a budget and knowing which demographics of the audience to get in front of is not enough. Facebook’s algorithm favours pushing organic, relevant and engaging content in the news feed. Don’t get disheartened by this, Facebook Ads do work and still offer stellar ROI, the highest of all social media platforms. Your efforts should go into creating a Facebook Ad that stops the audience from scrolling their feed in order to engage with it.  

So, let’s explore three important components that will help you produce a winning Facebook Ad creative.  

Facebook Ad Visuals

Whether it’s a still image or a video, having an eye-catching visual is a must. But most importantly, the visuals should come across as organic as possible in the audience’s feed. Your Facebook Ad creative needs to tell a story about your business that your audience can resonate with.  

Remember, your audience is not on Facebook to buy products. So while selecting visuals, keep in mind that the audience is more likely to associate with brands that genuinely understand their values and interests. You can successfully achieve this by making your ad familiar. Showcase real people (not models) benefiting from your product or brand. 

We do not recommend businesses to use stock images for one simple reason – your Facebook Ad will lack a personal touch. Ads that feel organic are more likely to get noticed and less likely to interfere with the browsing experience of your audience. Keep it authentic and original by producing your images in-house.  

Let’s say you are a florist looking to advertise on Facebook. Why not use images from your recent work at an engagement party or a corporate event? This allows your audience to get insight into your work, and it’s an effective way to influence them on Facebook. Plus, who doesn’t like to stop to see flowers in their feed? 

Here’s a glimpse of WeWork using a series of visuals to highlight its various benefits:  

If you manage to connect with your customers on a personal level, then sales will automatically follow. Another important factor to remember, always use high-resolution images if you want your ad to stand out and get noticed. No one likes to engage with low quality, pixelated images.  

Facebook Ad Text

Your Facebook Ad copy is as important as your striking visuals, so do not disregard compelling copy when creating an ad. People on Facebook and Instagram scan news feeds quickly, with a short attention span, so ad copy that’s short and sweet is key. Great Facebook Ad copy can boost your ad’s success by a huge margin, especially when it aligns well with your visual.   

Here’s another example: Dollar Shave Club breaks gender stereotypes through their strong visual storytelling while presenting their own product.  

You need to tell a story, grab the user’s attention, and inform them about your product in a few words. Sounds hard? Let’s make it easier.  

Here are our tips on writing compelling copy:  

• Keep it short and on point 
• Keep your message straightforward 
• Use relevant emojis depending on the message 
• Design your copy keeping your audience in mind. What’s that one important message or a benefit you would like to highlight?  
• Ensure your ad copy goes with your visual 
• Use simple language that is easy to understand  

Another great example is this ad for ClassPass app, laying out the benefit of their product. The message is: try a different type of fitness class without having to commit to one. 

Although ClassPass has overlayed the catchy tagline on the image, we don’t always recommend this strategy. Your main image should have little to no text, so the text doesn’t interfere with the main visual element of your ad. 

Depending on your business type and the product that you are advertising, a classic copywriting tip is to straightaway engage your audience by asking a question. If we were to create a simple ad for ReachLocal, a question I would have in my copy is, “Do you want more leads?” 

Facebook Ad Call-to-Action

Call-to-action is the final step when creating your Facebook Ad. Your audience needs to know what to do after they have engaged with your ad. This is where CTA comes in handy. A great call-to-action encourages the audience to take action by visiting your website, calling you or ultimately making a purchase.   

A few examples of CTA buttons would be: Shop Now, Learn More, 1 Week of Free Trial, or Book Now. 

Facebook is a great platform to advertise your business, to drive sales and increase your brand image. Just know the Facebook Ads that perform best feel organic to the platform. If you need help to get in front of your audience on Facebook, then get in touch with a ReachLocal consultant today.