Some people still think that Facebook ads are not a good channel for generating conversions, but they drive many low-value impressions and clicks.
This stereotype stems from the fact that Facebook is still seen as a platform that people primarily use to connect with friends and family, rather than where we “do business.”
As a result, many brands underestimate the importance and potential of Facebook advertising as a key acquisition channel.
Part of the reason is that maybe we should start to better define what a transformation is.
The problem is that we often categorize conversions as the final step in the acquisition funnel—so, for most people, a conversion is a sale or transaction with revenue value attached.
The reality, however, is that conversions — or, should we say, conversion points — can be much more than that, and identifying them requires us to look beyond sales or leads.
In the modern world – where the relationship between users and brands is so complex due to the multitude of ways and channels that can be used to communicate and interact – each touchpoint is (or could be) as important as the last.
Therefore, every interaction can be defined as a conversion, which means savvy marketers and businesses must plan, track and measure accordingly.
So now that we have a clearer picture of what conversions are, how can you take advantage of Facebook’s powerful medium and create conversion ads?
To that end, we have nine proven tips guaranteed to help.
1. Thoroughly segment your target audience and frame it with AIDA
First, you should always take advantage of Facebook’s audience targeting capabilities.
This requires mapping and planning your campaigns and ad sets to target different users with highly relevant ads that capture their attention, generate genuine interest, convert them into desire, and ultimately take action.
Where possible, a smaller audience will allow you to create more relevant and compelling ad copy that resonates with your target audience.
The trick here is to find the right balance between audience size and the platform’s ability to collect enough data to optimize.
That is, the Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA) framework – some of which definition As “the four stages consumers go through before making a buying decision” – should be the foundation of your strategic approach and bring it all together.
2. Build audience personas and use them to define your (conversion) goals
A clear audience profile is always helpful, so if possible, you should create personas that represent your key segments.
You must understand what motivates your customers and what triggers you can leverage to drive them to action and convert.
What are their needs? What is important to them?
How can you help them?
Are they moved by emotions, or are they more of a rational type that resonates with numbers and facts?
Knowing and answering these questions will allow you to create more effective ads and copy that are more likely to convert.
3. Use psychological triggers
Emotions move people.
We act because we have an intention, whether it’s for a need or for simple gratification such as entertainment.
But to do this, we need to create a connection. Therefore, we need a trigger.
In the examples below, it’s hard not to feel connected!
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Screenshot of Facebook Ad Library, June 2022
Additionally, one of the most powerful triggers is fear of missing out (FOMO).
When relevant, highlight scarcity, time-sensitive offers, or any element that might be too good to ignore in your ad copy.
4. Address your audience’s pain points and highlight the benefits you can offer
Once you have a thorough understanding of your target audience, there is an opportunity to clearly address their pain points in your ad copy and highlight the benefits your solution will bring them.
If you do a good job of segmenting and narrowing down your target audience, you can use empathy to connect and engage with them.
Letting your potential customers know that you understand their problems and can help them is a surefire way to reach users who are more likely to respond to your ad and may be ready to convert.
Once you’ve captured their attention and clearly (and concisely) state how you’re going to help, you should focus on enticing them to take action.
A strong call to action (CTA) is highly recommended.
The example below shows how Nike is taking advantage of one of the biggest pain points people have when they want to exercise: motivation.
Also watch out for the strong CTA: “Run With Us”. Clear, direct and effective.
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Screenshot of Facebook Ad Library, June 2022
See the CTA below for more information.
5 Options for those who may be less emotionally driven
While emotional triggering works for most people, a more rational approach may drive others.
For those who stick to the facts, using numbers and statistics may be most effective and drive conversions rather than emotional triggers – which may also be more relevant to some industries than others.
For example, while you can see how some people might resonate with numbers and statistics when they’re talking about a home loan or mortgage, if you’re selling a packaged vacation, that’s probably not the case for the travel industry.
6. Always have a (strong) CTA
Regardless of the ad’s goal, whether it’s to attract attention, instill desire, or trigger action, ad copy should always have a clear, strong, and unique CTA.
Even in advertisements, people respond to instructions – probably because they don’t want to think about what to do.
Guiding them to a decision is more likely to lead to success than leaving them wondering.
7. Test, test, do more testing
Going back to the example above and the importance of thoroughly segmenting your target audience, it goes without saying that a solid testing framework should always complement segmentation.
The key to the success of any campaign is not just experimenting with different messaging and targeting settings, but also developing and proactively updating creatives, especially in your case, copy.
This way, ads stay fresh and relevant, increasing your chances of converting.
8. If possible, always tell a good story with your ad
When it comes to advertising over time, I firmly believe that advertisers often miss out on deep engagement with their audience in favor of something that (to me) is more of an instant gratification.
As marketers, we’re often so focused on getting “that” conversion that we ignore the fact that, for most of our audiences, the first job is to help them get through the funnel.
Yes, we’ve discussed audience segmentation and the need for advertising relevant to each stage, but how do you connect all of these stages with consistent communications and messages that evolve?
In short, what about storytelling?
If you can create ads and copy that tell a meaningful story that resonates with your audience, your chances of converting will definitely increase.
In a storytelling format, you can address pain points, provide solutions that benefit your audience, validate them with social proof, address barriers and retention that your audience may have that prevent them from converting, and more.
9. Use ad format-specific creative and copy
This is also often overlooked.
To become efficient and effective over time, we often misuse or adapt the same creative and copy to fit different ad formats.
But the reality is that different ad formats work in different contexts and therefore offer the opportunity to communicate with customers in different ways.
For example, Facebook and Instagram stories are very different from carousel ads and require a different approach.
For stories, it’s important that the copy is just right and complements the image or video, which may not necessarily be the case if the copy accompanies a single image, carousel, or video ad.
For the latter, ad copy can be more of a hero, helping to address some of the issues we mentioned earlier (i.e. pain points, benefits, etc.) while supporting the creative.
in conclusion
While many of the techniques we discussed today are great for improving our Facebook ad copy and can be transferred to other platforms as well, mastering the art of copywriting is a delicate skill that requires flair, perseverance, and tenacity.
What may work for some people may not work for others.
Our solid tips for writing convertible Facebook ad copy are like good ingredients for a good recipe, but it takes a good chef and hard work to do that.
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Featured image: Alissa Kumarova/Shutterstock