How Your Facebook Ad Creative Could Be Holding You Back
Facebook ad creative is an art form and nothing is wrong or right. There is a lot to consider though so here are some additional questions you should be asking yourself.
Do you have clearly defined buyer personas?
If you haven’t created an avatar of ‘who’ you’re trying to talk to, now’s the time. Not knowing your ideal buyer, is one of the first things in Facebook ad creative that holds you back. Facebook ads have to speak to your buyers. Without knowing their demographic and interests, that makes it hard to move forward. Understand how you can help your buyers and define the reason for wanting to reach them. Before designing any Facebook ads, identify who you want to target. Facebook ad creative needs to target the reason your audience should engage.
What will get users to stop scrolling?
When you’re engaging with social media, think about what gets you to stop scrolling. The ad copy and ad design have to be creative and if your ads are unique, they will stand out. Consider what catches the eye. Our brains can process images as we’re scrolling online in as little as 13 milliseconds. There are many ways to adjust Facebook ad creative to address this. Try to contrast with the newsfeed and be eye-catching. Use relevant emojis. Have a captivating image in the ad. Pick bright colors, even if they’re off-brand. Include movement or animations. Video also works great because most users will stop scrolling to watch. There are many things you can try with Facebook as creative to grab user attention.
Does my ad trigger any emotion?
People often make emotional purchases. Speak to what you’re trying to sell and what might trigger your ideal client to buy. Consider all the types of options for ads and how those can be used to speak to your target buyers at different stages of the funnel. Always use Facebook ad creative that speaks directly to who you’re trying to target. Keep in mind that emotions are different at the various stages of the funnel. Top of funnel is typically more explanatory for those who don’t know your brand. Testimonials used in Facebook ad creative are good for remarketing to those who may have been to your site before. The way the algorithm works, once a user interacts with an ad, they will start to see similar ads. Research to see what kinds of ads your competitors are doing. Your ads should look and sound different. To stand apart, they should target buyer emotions.
Are you testing different types of ads?
Facebook ad creative might not be working if you’re not trying different types of ads. There are several to choose from including image, animation, carousel, a carousel with video, and video. Just trying one type of ad limits the potential reach and engagement. But keep in mind that even within those Facebook ad creative types, there are standards for sizing. Be sure to use the right size for images and videos according to placement. There are over 14 different placements or places that ads could be displayed on Facebook. Whether those creatives work perfectly or appear to be cut off depends on the different sizes. There is also the ability to use certain types of ads that are responsive and work in different placements. And, if you make it too particular, ads might be cut off in different placements.
Is the ad creative sending the right message?
Make sure your ad is engaging and offering something useful. Offering free estimates, for example, when it’s an industry standard is not unique enough. Make yourself stand out by using copy that speaks to why your business is different and why what being offered is special. Also, using text within the Facebook ad creative can be good or bad. Sometimes there’s a limit on ad reach if there’s too much text on the image. Other times, ads with text get through and can be very effective. Lastly, always make sure there’s a clear call to action. Being specific about what you want users to do always improves Facebook ad creative.
Does the ad look and sound like an ad?
People get on Facebook for socializing and keeping in touch with friends and family. They want to be entertained—they’re not on the platform looking to be sold to. If the ad looks too much like an ad, it is boring and people won’t pay attention to it. Especially for the bottom of the funnel Facebook ad creative, always attempt to entertain first. Once a user gets to your website or engages with an ad, the rest of the marketing can do its job.
How do you know what’s working?
Use the data! Keep your Facebook as creative fresh by trying different things. Understand that there’s no right or wrong answer and there are endless possibilities you can try. If that data shows that your Facebook ad creative is not working… try something else! What’s most important overall, is to track the data and use it to decide what to do next.
