How to make Facebook ads that work
Facebook can be a hugely useful tool for businesses to find and connect with their audience online. The platform – which has more than 2 billion active monthly users globally* − allows business owners to run ad campaigns and monitor response in order to get their message to the people who matter.
Of course, not all Facebook ads are created equal, and there are some tricks of the trade that can boost the reach and performance of your ads. We spoke to one of our VAs, social media expert Isil, to find out the most essential elements of making Facebook ads that work.
1. Choose the right objective
When you’re creating an ad, there are 11 ‘objectives’ to choose from that will tailor how your ad performs on Facebook. For example, if you want people to click through to your website, then choose the ‘Traffic’ objective. Or if you simply want to reach as many people as possible, then go for ‘Reach’. It’s important that you choose the right objective for each ad you post, as it will work with Facebook’s algorithm to deliver the results you want.
2. Know your audience
Any Facebook ad is only as strong as the audience it’s reaching. You may be offering the best product out there, but if you’re promoting it to the wrong people then the ad will not be a success. Before you run any ad, make sure you understand exactly who you’re hoping to reach, and use Facebook’s Audience tools to target your ad by location, age, gender and so on.
3. Use strong copy and creative
For any ad to work it has to be attention-grabbing, and this comes down to having good copy (the words you use) and creative (other elements such as images and videos). We recommend testing different versions of your ads to see what your audience responds to best. You could try one ad with long copy and one with short copy, or post two versions of the same ad with different images – gathering this data will allow you to keep making better and better ads for your particular audience.
4. Have a clear call to action
Your ad should end with a ‘call to action’ – something you’re asking the reader to do, such as share the post, sign up for a newsletter or click through to your store. The call to action will be closely linked to your original objective, and if you include an external link then the page you’re directing people towards must be fast-loading, mobile-friendly and congruent with the message of the ad. So, if you’re promoting a sale, make sure you link directly to the sale page on your website. It’s all about making it as easy as possible for readers to respond to your ad.
Do you need expert help with your business’s social media? Get Ahead VA has a number of professional VAs with the social media management expertise you need to get your business noticed online. We’d love to chat with you and find out exactly how we can help, so please give Get Ahead VA a call on 01483 332220 or email us at office@getaheadva.com. We pride ourselves on being the staff you don’t see, but the difference you do.
* https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statistics/
