Ah, the sweet magic of better converting Facebook and Instagram ads!
Here’s the deal on Facebook and Instagram ads… you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em, but for any business owner out there building an audience and selling products and services online, social media ads can be an immensely powerful tool to get your offers in front of your ideal customers almost instantly. All it takes is a few taps on your phone or clicks on your computer and boom! Before you know it, you have your very own advertising campaign totally accessible to the masses.
Even better, Facebook’s advanced targeting tools allow virtually any entrepreneur to get their offer in front of someone who’s actively looking for the solution they provide. (Note, the targeting specifications are ever-changing. Be sure to check on the latest details within the platform you’re using.) Ever notice that when you take literally one second to browse online for a new phone case during your lunch break, your Facebook feed gets sprinkled with ads for phone cases for days after? And it’s not just any old phone cases, it’s the sleek kind with that special wallet backing—exactly what you were looking for.
Automation is Key to Better Converting Facebook and Instagram Ads
Tools for automation are more accessible than ever these days. If you have an incredible tool like HoneyBook saving you tons of time in the backend of your business, why not explore automating your marketing with social media advertising?
As a social media ad strategist, I may be biased, but I find Facebook’s advertising algorithm incredibly convenient as a user and wildly useful as a business owner. And after having run hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of campaigns for my own ads clients, I’ve noticed there are a few key elements to every high-converting social media ad I’ve ever run (and they’re probably not as predictable as you might think).
Let’s walk through the five keys to better converting Facebook and Instagram ads.
Key #1: The Test-Driven Offer
You may be surprised, but the first thing we’re going to talk about in this guide to paid ads is… organic traffic. Regardless of whether your offer is paid or free, it’s incredibly important that you test-drive and prove that your offer is viable before running paid ads to promote it. No matter how small your audience is, no matter how new the offer is, it’s always best to share it with an organic audience in some way shape or form FIRST.
You want to see if people will purchase the offer or download your freebie without putting a single cent behind the promotion. While running ads to new offers isn’t unheard of, it’s one of the riskiest things you can do. If your ad results are poor, but your offer was never proven in the first place, you won’t know whether your ads are what needs to be adjusted or if it’s actually your offer that is simply not desired and therefore causing your campaign to fail regardless.
Key #2: The Instant Yes
The goal of social media ads is often just to get your audience to click through to their next step. Therefore, it’s important that the copy (a.k.a the written words) in any ad includes an instant yes. An “instant yes” is a question that your potential client can say a no-brainer “yes” to. This becomes the first step to saying YES to your actual offer.
This helps to make the action of clicking through your ad automatic for the reader. For example, if your ad is for a weight loss program that helps your clients fight food cravings, an “instant yes” question would be: “Ready to stop those pesky food cravings before they even start?” The answer for your client is YES! Then, here’s the kicker… follow that question immediately with an action you want them to take, so your next statement would be “Click the link to join now.”
Key #3: The Deep Desire
Many offers out there help people to learn how to do something or accomplish a certain goal. This is often something concrete, maybe like a productivity course helping someone to structure their calendar better or maybe a free crocheting guide to help someone learn a new kind of stitch. When promoting these offers in an ad, it’s important to talk about
what your client actually gets. HOWEVER, it’s equally important to touch on a deeper desire. Why does someone want a productivity course or more time in their calendar? Maybe so they can spend more time with their kids! Why does someone want to learn a new crochet stitch? Maybe to sew a new sweater for a friend and see the excited look on their face when they receive it! How can you touch on the EMOTION of what your potential client truly wants beyond the actual deliverable?
Key #4: The Scroll-Stopping Visual
Our Instagram and Facebook feeds are FULL of entertaining, dynamic content. When you create an ad, it’s important to remember you are competing with new funny videos and viral memes daily. Your graphics have to STAND OUT and instantly tell your audience why they should stop what they’re doing to click through to your offer.
There are three major components to scroll-stopping visuals: a strong photo, a catchy headline and a call-to-action (CTA). To set yourself up for success, pick a bright, colorful photo (avoid Facebook’s blue and white if you can), share your offer in headline no longer than five to six words and include a CTA such as “Download Now,” “Sign Up Now,” “Join Today,” etc.
Facebook used to not allow ad graphics that incorporated a large amount of text, but now, advertisers are free to include as much text as their marketing hearts desire! That being said, there’s no need to go crazy making your ad graphics extra wordy. However, as one final tip, consider including an occasional testimonial quote or happy customer comment directly in an ad visual. Social proof can be incredibly powerful for drawing interest to your offers.
Key #5: The Roadmap Beyond The Ad
This is one of the most (if not THE most) essential pieces of a successful social media ad campaign: what happens after someone clicks on your ad? There should be a clear, easy-to-follow path for your potential customer to take after they click through. Running a profitable campaign goes beyond good targeting, copy and graphics. The return on your investment comes from a CLEAR customer journey.
Your ad’s tone, look, and feel should cohesively connect with your landing pages, your offer messaging, your emails, and your live interactions. Having these pieces connect well can build immediate credibility and trust. Using similar color schemes, design elements, and recurring words and phrases will help your potential clients to subconsciously connect the dots and build familiarity with you and your offers more quickly.
Map the Customer Journey for Better Converting Facebook and Instagram Ads
Before you run a single ad, map out the steps you want your customer to take from A-Z. Make sure that process is easy to navigate, understand and complete. Don’t be afraid to get granular!
After they click through, what page do they go to? What will they see next? How does your site look on mobile vs. desktop? How many steps are there? What questions can you answer along the way?
This will ensure that more people who come across your offers will actually convert into paying customers and benefit from your incredible gifts!
So there you have it, the keys to the better converting Facebook and Instagram Ads kingdom…
That’s it! I hope this unlocks all sorts of new doors for you and your social media ad strategy. Don’t forget to check for each of these elements whenever you plan a new campaign. Now that we’ve gone on this journey together, I’d love to support you even further. If you’re looking for more help in the realm of Facebook and Instagram ads, I’m just a few taps away on Instagram: @pixelanddelight.
May the algorithm be ever in your favor!
