To write effective Facebook ad text, you’ll need to identify your goals, your audience, what they need and how the product you’re selling fills that need.
Facebook advertising can bring you increased traffic and higher conversion rates, but that doesn’t mean every ad you create will be successful. You can make your ads more compelling by improving your ad copy.
With around 2.9 billion monthly active users around the globe, Facebook can connect you with massive audiences. The platform offers a wide range of targeting options to get your message in front of the right people and help ensure your advertising budget is used to convert them into customers. Advertisers are taking note, with 64 per cent of social media marketers making plans to increase their Facebook ad activities over the next year.
Without the right copy, however, your advertising could fall flat. Learning how to write more effective Facebook ads will help you convert more customers and bring you a better return on your ad spending.
How to write Facebook ad text
- Write ad copy that appeals to real people
- Clarify your audience
- Include calls-to-action (CTAs)
- Review your ad’s appearance
- Use urgency as motivation
- Appeal to emotions
- Use language to target your audience
- Use voice of the customer data
- Provide social proof
- Be specific when making claims
- Keep it concise
Parts of a Facebook ad
Writing ad copy for Facebook isn’t just about the main caption or body text you’ll write for every ad. These may be where you have the most space to communicate important information, but every part of a Facebook ad is important.
Here are the parts of a Facebook ad, and how many characters you have to get your message across:
- Headline – 25 characters
- Body text – 125 characters
- Link description – 30 characters
- Call to action – choose from options
Tips for writing better Facebook ad text
Successful advertising on Facebook happens when marketers pair the right messaging with the right creative and manage to get it in front of their target audiences for maximum impact. Sound complicated? It doesn’t have to be!
Here are tips on how to write ads that will catch the attention of your target customers on Facebook:
Write for humans
Remember, the point of advertising is to appeal to real people. Use clear language and keep your copy conversational. You should use headlines to connect with your customers, not just deliver a strong sales pitch. If you aren’t sure how to hit a casual note, look at what others are doing that gains traction. You’ll probably notice most great ads sound like someone talking to a friend rather than always selling.
Clarify your audience
Knowing who you are writing for and what they care about are the most important factors in writing strong ad copy. If your marketing department has created buyer personas, use these to guide your copywriting. Feedback from existing customers can also be helpful, giving you insight into how they describe their problems and what kind of relief they’re seeking. Use similar language to write your ads.
Include calls to action (CTAs)
CTAs are clear directions for your customers telling them what to do after seeing your ad. These desired actions should align with your marketing goals. It’s a good idea to target customers at a particular stage of the buyer’s journey and make sure the CTA is the next logical step. You can add text in the description section of the CTA to help smooth over any anticipated objections.
Review your ad’s appearance
As you create and launch ads, you’ll notice Facebook shows your headline under your ad creative. It’s not usually read first like a typical headline would be. Your customer will read your text caption first, then view the image and, finally, read the headline. If you’re putting your CTA in the body text, you might be rushing your customer. Consider making the headline your CTA, so customers read your message first to pique their interest, followed by a prompt to act.
Use urgency as motivation
A sense of urgency can help motivate potential customers to act now instead of waiting. For example, when people fear they might miss out on a promotion, they’re more likely to act.
Appeal to emotions
Connect with your customers emotionally. You need your ads to captivate audiences and inspire them to remember you and take action to engage with your brand. Making people feel something is a good way to be memorable and build trust.
Use language to target your audience
Help people self-select by making it clear your ad is for them. Ask a question that nudges them to realize they are experiencing the problem you solve. Then, write copy that targets them directly with language describing them or their needs.
Use voice of the customer data
Mine your customer feedback to find out how they describe their pain points and challenges. Voice of the customer data can be beneficial when writing ad copy to ensure you use the correct language and address their real concerns.
Provide social proof
Reassure people by allowing them to see how you’ve helped others with the same problems. Use testimonials and reviews to help build trust and move hesitant buyers forward.
Be specific when making claims
If you promise your customer something in an ad, be transparent and make sure you’re offering accurate information. Will your customers save money? Tell them how much. If buying your product will benefit them, tell them how but don’t make wild claims. Nobody likes to be hoodwinked into a click only to find you’ve misled them.
Keep it concise
People are unlikely to read long passages of text. Get to the point quickly and put a clear CTA in front of them so they can absorb your message and act. If you aren’t sure what will work for your audience, do an A/B test to check.
Other best practices for Facebook ads
Ad copy is important, but it’s not the only element that will affect how your ads perform. Once you’ve improved your Facebook ad text, make sure you’re using best practices for these elements.
Creative visuals
Get creative with your images. Stock office photos with artificial-looking employees in suits are easy for people to skim past, but something unexpected can be fun and memorable. Mix up graphic and playful elements to add levity to your ads. In a welcome change, Facebook has removed its restrictions on the amount of text you can show in an ad image, so don’t be afraid to try different options.
Audience targeting
Facebook offers precise audience targeting to help you get your ads in front of the right people. Use these targeting parameters to test your ads, repeat what works and refine what doesn’t. You can also serve ads to look-alike audiences that share characteristics with your existing customers for better traction.
Metrics
How you measure a successful ad depends on your goals. If you learn how to monitor and analyze your Facebook ad metrics in a few key areas, you can work to improve the ones that have the most impact on your marketing goals.
Here are some metrics you’ll want to learn more about as you track your progress:
- Click-through rate
- Cost per click
- Impressions
- Conversion rates
- Cost per action
Learning how to write effective Facebook ads isn’t a simple task, but it’s manageable once you better understand why some ads perform well and others don’t. Well-written copy can elevate your ads, making your Facebook advertising a much more effective part of your marketing strategy.
Ready to tackle your Facebook ads with everything you’ve learned?
