For most business owners just getting started with Facebook or Instagram ads, the “Boost Post” option can be very tempting. It takes less than a minute and you can start with a budget as little as just $1/day.
However, if the only thing you’re doing to advertise on Facebook is boosting your posts, you are missing out on all the powerful features that the platform offers to help you grow your business and reach your goals.
So how do you get the most out of Facebook and Instagram ads for your business?
The outcome of your ads will depend on a handful of factors such as your targeting, image, copy, and even your landing page. But at the end of the day it all starts with having a solid foundation of how Facebook Ads really work.
Let’s start by first taking a look at the difference between boosting a post vs creating an ad within the Ads Manager on Facebook….
Boosted Posts vs. Ads Manager
Boosted posts are the easiest and most simple way for brands to advertise using posts from your page on Facebook or Instagram. Boosted posts can be effective when the goal is to achieve audience engagement such as post likes, shares and comments. However, if you’re interesting in getting more meaningful results for your business, this is where creating ads from within the Ads Manager can be very helpful.
The ads manager is a free tool that allows you to set up, manage, and analyze your ads in one place. Since Facebook also owns Instagram, you can even use the ads manager to setup your Instagram ads both in the newsfeed and on Instagram stories.
In comparison to a boosted post where you can only run one ad to one audience, the ads manager allows you to run multiple ads to multiple different audiences. You’ll also find a handful of campaign objectives designed to help you reach your business goals such as video views, traffic, lead generation, app engagement and website conversions.
To get to the ads manager simply visit Facebook on your browser (Google Chrome is best), click the triangle in the top right corner and scroll down to Manage ads.
The 6 Elements of a High Performing Facebook Ad
Now that you’ve discovered the basic features of the Ads Manager and are aware of the differences between a Boosted Post and a Facebook Ad, let’s examine a high converting Facebook Ad and the key elements behind it:
1. Image - Your image is your first impression and it’s your job to make sure it’s eye-catching enough to get your audience to stop and pay attention. Focus on showing off your product or services and the top benefits that it provides. Images with faces and people in them also tend to perform. Another big thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the image you use matches the placement of your ad. For the facebook desktop and mobile newsfeed, it's best to stick to the standard 1,200 x 628 pixels. For Instagram, square images typically perform the best. Make sure to think about what placements you plan to run your ad on as you pick out your image or have it designed.
2. Attention Grabbing Statement - Once your image has stopped your ideal customer from scrolling, it’s up to your copy to keep them engaged and inspired them to take action. A great way to grab people's attention is to start by leading with a Yes or No question because our brains are automatically programmed to want to answer. So you might start off your ad by saying something like…”Are you a bride looking for a wedding planner in Austin?” Leading with a question will also help to qualify your prospects and only attract the right people who really need what it is you sell or offer.
3. Explain The Offer or Subject of the Ad - Explain what it is that you are offering to your audience. It could be a helpful blog post packed with wedding planning tips, a guide on the best wedding venues in Southern California, or page where they can sign up for a free consultation to work with you. When deciding on the offer or subject of your ad think about your audience and what would be the most interesting and helpful to them.
4. Talk About The Benefits - Many businesses make the mistake of talking about the features of their product or service instead of answering the question of, “What’s in it for them?” It’s important to remember that people aren’t on Facebook to or Instagram to buy things, so it’s important to talk about how you can help benefit or add value to their life.
5. Call To Action - Before you wrap up your ad, make sure to include a Call To Action. What is the next step that you want your audience to take? Do you want them to click and read more? Register with their email? Sign up for more information? Never assume that your audience knows what to do. By telling them exactly what step to take next, they are that much more likely to do it. It also helps to include time sensitive words like “today” or “now” to add urgency.
6. Headline - Last but not least is your headline. I like to use this as a place to not only grab attention but also restate my offer again so it’s really clear what value someone is going to get if they click on my ad. You may want to experiment with using brackets, all caps, and emoji’s when appropriate for your audience. While these elements make up the anatomy of a high performing Facebook Ad, for the most part these same concepts can be applied when you are running an ad on the Instagram as well. Remember, the goal of advertising at the end of the day is not to just get more eyeballs on your brand. It’s also about helping your target audience solve a problem and finding new ways to inspire them to take action through your ads.
To help remember these 6 elements of a high performing Facebook Ad I’ve put together a free downloadable template, click here to grab your copy now!
About the Author
