If there’s anything about Facebook ads that will make or break your results, it will be the Facebook ad creatives themselves. There are some really great ads out there, while others may fall into what we like to call the not-so-great category. Ultimately, ads in the first category are the ones that will convert.
We also understand that creating ads in the hopes of gaining conversions can sometimes become a painstaking guessing game of trial and error (emphasis on the errors). As masters of that game, we are here to help!
Whether you are new to Facebook ads, not-so-great at making them, or very curious as to how our team works its magic (hint: not with spells), this guide is for you! Here are five easy to follow ad creatives that actually convert, each accompanied by video and photo examples!
If you prefer consuming this content in a video format, we’ve made a video on the subject (see below).
Before Starting…
Here are some great tips that will optimize your conversions:
- Use Facebook Ads Library : We always like to say that a Facebook ad is like a wheel… you don’t have to reinvent it! Typing facebook.com/ads/library into your URL search bar can give you some great ideas of what is actually working! Simply enter in the brand of your choice and check out what kind of ads they are running. You’ll also see that the top brands are using the strategies in this article. You can even take a look at your competitors’ advertisements, or check out campaigns that attract similar users.
- Create mobile first content : Make sure what you are making is suitable for mobile users. It is extremely important to cater to the majority of users, which means creating ads that are mobile phone friendly. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, or you would like to perfect your ads, here is a quick guide.
- Keep it short and sweet: be mindful of the person’s attention span.
- Treat your consumers like real people: have you ever been harassed by a door-to-door salesman or an old acquaintance from high school who wants you to join their pyramid scheme? People tend to forget that this uncomfortable aggressiveness is just as tacky online, only it’s easier for a user to skip past it.
- Understand who your buyer persona is: The main reason someone will be interested in your ad is if it resonates with them. You can identify your buyer persona with this free buyer persona worksheet! Use this information to create engaging, relevant ads.
Now, let’s get creative. Here are five Facebook ads that convert!
1. User Generated Content
What’s interesting about Facebook right now is that you don’t need a really intense production, paid actors and explosions to see great results. In fact, some of the best and most effective creatives in the current industry can be made on your cell phone! Below are some different ways it can be done:
Unboxing Video
An unboxing of the product can be exciting and attention grabbing. It also shows a customer what to expect.
This can be done in front of the camera as you explain each product, with a stop motion ad, or through a view of the product with your phone in your hands. You’ll want to remember these tips to optimize conversions:
- Find your most eye catching product and make sure the packaging is attractive to the user.
- Use a kit or a simulated order containing multiple items to showcase and entertain.
- Make sure the user understands what they are looking at: Add music and descriptive titles, or even a voice over that can double as a review (see Honest Review section)
- Keep the camera steady or stand it up somewhere. If you are filming from above, a tripod that points the camera down or an adjustable holder can be very useful!
- Make sure the lighting isn’t too low or too harsh. You want to be able to see the intricacies of the product while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look.
- Unbox and show one product at a time to keep suspense. Tissue paper is great for hiding the remaining items.
We are seeing that, with many successful brands, the experience of the packaging is now becoming part of the product. It can make your videos feel like a mini birthday present, and it’s great if you are a camera-shy creative!
Honest Review
An honest review in front of the camera will build trust. Here is how you can make it:
- The person reviewing can talk about their experience with the product so far, the benefits it has brought and the features they love!
- Avoid overly praising or bashing the product. Keep it honest and genuine.
- Using a real customer’s review or getting someone who has never used the product before to give it a try is ideal.
Try to speed up the slow parts: Users have very short attention spans and their attention is what you want to grab!
This is especially true for unboxing videos, which you can put on 2-5X speed and/or edit.
Anticipation is great, but less is more. Imagine watching the birthday boy take 30 minutes to read the card…Yeah, we wouldn’t want to watch that either… not even for free cake!
2. Testimonials
Users usually trust the customer more than the seller, which is why it’s important to prove customer satisfaction. The following ways to do so can also be used alongside user generated content, so you can mix and match strategies.
Taking a real testimonial and placing it on your post can go a long way, whether it’s a comment or a review on your Facebook Page, Google reviews, your Website, etc. You can take multiple testimonials and lay them across any video or image. We usually blur out the last name. It’s also good to ask permission to use it if it’s a private message.
You can also copy and paste real testimonials onto the post, which tends to look more elegant.
The only downfall with this is that certain users can be skeptical, since the maker of the post can type what they want and the comment is basically anonymous.
Try to use genuine sounding comments from real customers!
2. Benefits Overlay
Overlaying the benefits on an image or video of the product from your organic content is great!
Try to pick an image or video that looks professional or is performing well and simply overlay the main benefit a user would get from it in text format on top of the image.
An animation may also be added to an image or the text to catch more attention. This technique is simple, easy and performs really well.
4. Features Point-out
Features pointed out on an image can show how valuable a product is. A benefit can basically be defined as a way in which the product will make the user’s life better, while a feature is something great a product can have!
Just take one of your best performing images or videos, and point out the features that your user would get from using the product or service that you’re selling. Use lines or arrows to point to the area where you’d see that feature and type it out!
Show them what it is. If it’s a purse that you’re selling, maybe it has a leather foam strap, ten different pockets and it comfortably seats at least two teacup chihuahuas.
This strategy is really great for re-targeting; if they have seen the product and haven’t bought it, they’ll want to after that, especially if they need a place to put their tiny dogs. They may not have seen these features when they were on the website, or they could be reminded of how awesome they are!
5. Carousel
A carousel is an ad we always love to test out. When a user’s attention is caught by the first ad, they can’t help but swipe out of curiosity. The content of your carousel can be any of the strategies mentioned above, too. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. Below are the ways you can use them effectively.
Create a catalog sales campaign to re-target. This will entice users to hit that call to action button if they’ve shown interest in the product or service.
Show a benefit/feature per slide for a single product to give it more attention. This can also be used for products that have multiple sides and details.
Showcase multiple products if it’s too hard to pick just one! The carousels of multiple products can capture a wider variety of audiences that may be interested in the different things you are showing, which is part of what makes the conversions so abundant.
First impressions matter: Make sure that the first post on the carousel is attention grabbing and leaves the user wanting more.
Your post’s relevance will compete with the other interesting posts that keep people on their social media for hours. Users can usually tell if it’s an ad or not, but what makes them stay is how interesting it looks!
Don’t be afraid to mix and match different ads featured in this article. A great ad to grab attention could be a video of user generated content.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it; these five creatives can generate an infinite amount of Facebook ads and it’s up to you to make them great! Try and put yourself in the user’s shoes and think to yourself: would this grab my attention?
If the answer is no, try combining the creatives in this article, favoring videos and allowing it to blend in with the rest of the content on a user’s feed. Nobody likes ads, so don’t make it feel like one! If the ad still fails to catch your eye, we recommend glasses.
The world of marketing has taken a serious turn since the dawn of social media. People have shorter attention spans, more niche entertainment and content creators that resemble them. In a world where anyone can get famous from their mom’s basement using a ring light and a phone camera, not much production is needed to create a solid ad. In fact, less is more.
It’s also useful to remember the goal: a conversion. Your ad should scream “CLICK THIS BECAUSE IT LOOKS INTERESTING”, but not literally, of course… Avoid screaming.
We hope that this article has been helpful!
