How to Create Facebook Ads that Work (and what we can all learn from Oprah.)

How to Create Facebooks Ads that Work

Digital Marketing experts estimate the average human is exposed to between 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements each day. With all of that noise, potential customers do not have the bandwidth to stop and view every ad they come across. Facebook users will decide in a split second if your ad is worthy of their time. So how can you create eye-catching ads that will stop your potential customer in their tracks? Here are four points to consider everytime you create a Facebook Ad.

1.) Simplicity is key.

Facebook is a platform that gives its audience control. The user decides when scrolling through their feed what they want to view and engage with. So, when creating a Facebook Ad remember how much time you have to capture the attention of your viewer – literally seconds (if you’re lucky). In order to be successful, your message needs to be simple and clear. How do you decide what to say? You must first know who your person is, and who you are.

2.) Know who your person is.

An age-old but timeless principle. Many businesses make the mistake of trying to cater to a target audience that is too broad. They end up with a vague message targeted towards a vague audience because they are scared of alienating potential customers. Instead, narrow the demographic of your target customer. Doing so will lay a solid foundation for creating a clear message.

Oprah is a supreme example of knowing your person. Her daytime talk show successfully captured the hearts of millions of viewers for more than 25 years. Who was her target audience? A fictional character described as the “token suburban woman” named Suzie. Oprah’s team constantly compared show ideas against this imaginary person. When discussing possible content, the team always came back to, “What would Suzie think?” Suzie was given an age, race, education, income, marital status, religion, political views, interests, etc. Oprah believes this was the key to creating content that reached viewers on such an emotional level. Don’t be afraid to narrow your target audience. If you establish this from the start, your message will stay consistent, and you will reach the hearts of customers that have the potential of becoming raging advocates of your brand. Remember the famous “You get a car” scene?

3.) Know who you are.

Now that you know who you want to help, it is imperative to understand who you are. Having a business identity crisis? Answer these questions to help you gain clarity. What services or products do you offer? What problems do you solve? What sets you apart from your competitors? What is your company’s voice? Fun, serious, playful, professional? What is your mission statement? Customers are more likely to be interested in your message if they trust you. How do you build trust? By conveying a clear and consistent message. Facebook ads with a look and message that is constantly changing, or worse, is inconsistent within a single ad (mixed fonts, color palettes or an unclear message) tells the audience you don’t know who you are. Take the time to establish your identity as a company and use that foundation to guide the content of your ads

4.) Know your goal.

With your person and your company identity in mind, it’s time to build your ad! So what do you want? Here are some potential goals to consider… Build brand awareness Capture email addresses Take viewers to your website Advertise an upcoming event Advertise an upcoming webinar Advertise a product or service Knowing your goal will help you build a clear path by creating a purpose-driven Facebook Ad, and onto the final action, you hope your customer will take. See the ad objectively through your customer’s eyes and ask yourself if you are creating an ad that is worthy of their precious time. After you’ve established these four pillars of success, you are ready to build your Ad!

With Facebook Ads, you have seven areas that allow for customization.

Text – This appears above the image
Image
Title
Link Description
Call to Action Button
Audience – Decide the potential viewing audience based on age, gender, location, and interests.

Here are hundreds of examples to help you jump-start the process! https://adespresso.com/ads-examples/

Still stuck? We have successfully created, tested and refined successful Facebook ads for dozens of small and medium-sized businesses. Let’s get together and brainstorm how your business can reach the right audience with the right message and get the results you want. Contact us today!