Making Facebook & Instagram Ads That Get Clicks, Clicks, Clicks.

Basic fact: for a social media ad to be successful, viewers have to click through to your content. So, how do you make compelling ads for Facebook and Instagram that actually get clicks?

Here’s what we’ve learned delivering Facebook & Instagram ads for our clients.

Know your audience.

Before creating an ad, you need be familiar with the characteristics and motivations of your target audience. The Ladder of Product Awareness demonstrates precisely how aware of and in need an audience is for your product.

You should then write copy specifically to those at the top of the ladder because they require less time and energy to be converted into customers.

Understand the importance of copy & creative.

Now that your audience is defined, it’s time to create compelling ad copy (text) and supplement it with creative media (images & videos). Getting the right balance of these two components is key to delivering truly successful, scalable ad campaigns. A high CTR isn’t the answer to all your needs but it will give you a foundation upon which to achieve your campaigns’ commercial goals.

Write the perfect ad copy.

Granted, writing perfect ad copy isn’t easy, but it’s imperative for your CTR. For your social media ads to convert, your copy must:

• Clearly identify your product’s range of benefits, tailored to the concerns and needs of your audience.
• Include a pitch that directly addresses each of these needs. This pitch must be both compelling and accurate.
• Be concise, to the point, and free from superfluous detail.

An example of an ad that meets all of our criteria

Consider one of the following copywriting frameworks to help write more impactful ads:

• Pronounce the problem, solution, and benefit. This leaves your audience in no doubt about their need for your product or service.
• Stress your differentiation. How do you differ from your competition and why should your audience buy from you? Tell them what makes you unique and back it up with proof.
• Posit a pressing question. Make your audience think. ‘Did you know that you can save up to 20% on rail fare if you’re between the ages of 16 and 25?’ You want to pose a question that makes them stop and think, ‘No, I didn’t know that!’
• Personalize your value proposition. If your audience can imagine themselves in your copy, they’re more likely to engage with the ad. For instance, ‘The only award-winning memory foam mattress under $500 for people who struggle with back pain.’

Improve your copy.

Don’t be content with your first draft of copy. Before posting your ad, play around with your words and ensure that the phrase highlighting your product is at the start of the copy. For example:

Good: ‘Looking for affordable storage space? Rent these perfectly located storage lock-ups in your area by day, week, month, or year.’

Bad: ‘Daily, monthly, weekly, or annual rental options — that’s what helps our perfectly located storage lock-ups stand out from the crowd.’

Once you’ve re-ordered your words, it’s time to add a hook. You need to compel your audience to find out more about your offer. You can do this either by making them curious or offering them unbeatable value. You could try something like:

“Our CRM software is 30% cheaper than the industry standard, and we’re offering a thirty-day free trial to all new users this month.”

Common copywriting errors to avoid.

Copywriting isn’t easy, and you should avoid the following common errors if you’re to make a lasting impression on your audience:

• Failing to ‘twist the knife’ — don’t hold back on introducing the pain point and make sure your customers know that you can solve it.
• Rambling sentences that don’t have an obvious flow or purpose in the copy.
• Nebulous value propositions without clear rationale and reasoning.
• Too much superfluous copy — you need to be concise.

Add social proof and a CTA.

If you can, include external endorsement in your ad to build trust with your potential customers and show them how great your product or service is. You can do this by showing off your customer count, promoting marquee clients or plugging awesome reviews from trusted external sources.

For instance, ‘Trusted payment partner of McDonald’s, Starbucks, and more than 10,000 retailers in all fifty states.’

Want to know more about using social proof to drive performance in your ads? Read our article on the subject here.

A CTA is crucial as it identifies the next steps for your customers. The best calls to action start with a verb that propels your audience into action. For example, ‘Browse our unique selection of Arabica coffee beans.’

Design, more important than copy?

Here are some simple rules and tips to follow when designing a compelling ad for Facebook and Instagram:

• Portray your product in action: Make it abundantly clear what you’re marketing — your clients shouldn’t have to read between the lines. Use professional images or edited screenshots that show the best bits of your product in action.
• Articulate what the product actually is: Don’t be too abstract with your design. Supplement any images with text captions that concisely explain what you’re selling.
• Be decisive: Stock images won’t help your cause. Select images that carry purpose and meaning for your brand and include your logo if possible.
• Match the aesthetic of your platform: Design your ad with its publication in mind. Include bold imagery that is subtle at the same time; you don’t want to get dismissed as an ad before your audience has the chance to engage.

In summary.

Begin by defining and understanding your audience. Work on your copy by utilizing an appropriate framework that clearly establishes your offer in relation to the needs of your audience. Then refine your copy with hooks and a kickass CTA. Finish it up by putting together a purposeful and attention-grabbing creative element and the end result is the perfect ad that will encourage your audience to click through to your site.