Are your Facebook ads getting you the results you want?
My guess is, they’re not. Otherwise, why would you be reading this blog post on Facebook ads? You may think that the secret to running great ads is to throw a bunch of money out there. The more you spend, the more conversions you’ll have. Right?
Wrong.
The more relevant the ad is to your audience, the better the conversion rate will be. If your Facebook ads aren’t working for you, it’s time to make some changes. Keep reading to find out what you could be doing wrong, and how to fix it.
Your Headline Isn’t Catchy.
The headline is one of the most critical aspects of any Facebook ad. This one sentence is meant to grab the attention of the reader and make them want to read more. If your headline is boring or irrelevant to the reader, your ad won’t work. They’ll keep scrolling by and won’t give you, or your company, a second thought.
So, how can you create a headline that speaks to your reader?
Focus on the one significant pain your ideal customer stresses about and mention that in the headline. By doing so, you’ll create curiosity about your product or service. If the reader is curious enough, they’ll click your link to learn more.
It doesn’t provoke emotion.
I refuse to watch ASPCA ads. You know the ones I’m talking about. “In the Arms of an Angel” is softly playing in the background. A shivering, dirty dog stares at the cameraman. Secretly begging you to break him out of the shelter he now calls home.
Yep, I just can’t watch!
The reason being the emotions I feel when I watch. I instantly feel the need to rescue a dog. If I were to bring home more animals, my husband would kill me!
The reason ads like this work are because they give the reader an overwhelming desire to do something. Your ads need to evoke that same emotion from your audience. Make them get passionate about the message of your ad. The more emotion they feel, the more willing they will be to promote your business.
The ad isn’t customer focused.
How many times do you mention yourself in your most recent Facebook ad?
Let’s face it, your customers don’t really care about you like that. They don’t care where you went to school or what you ate for breakfast yesterday. They just want to know how you can help them.
When you write ads for Facebook, keep the focus on the potential customer. Use the word “you” in your writing more than you use the word “I.” When you put the emphasis on your reader, they will relate to what you're saying.
What happens when people connect with you?
They trust you. If they trust you, they’re more likely to spend money on you.
Your ad isn’t relevant to your potential customer.
Writing an ad that has nothing to do with your customer or your product will never work. Here’s why. The reader won’t be able to relate to the ad. If they don’t connect to your message, they won’t buy your stuff.
Make sure to you use language your reader would use. If you want to target a specific group of people, make sure the products you’re advertising meet their needs. The best way to do this is to write a “customer persona” on paper before working on ads. When you understand the pains and pleasures of your target customer, you’ll write more relevant ads.
You didn’t write a call to action.
Someone just read your ad. Now what? Your call-to-action at the end of the ad should let your customer know what you want them to do next.
Keep your call-to-action simple. Only ask your reader to do one thing after reading the ad. If you want to get leads for your newsletter, ask them to “SIGN UP TODAY.” If you want them to purchase something, ask them to “BUY NOW.” I promise, if you don’t create a call to action, no action will be taken on your ads.
Your lead form is lacking.
A lead generation form is anything you use to collect a customer’s personal information. Having a customer’s name and email is gold in the land of online business. You can send more targeted ads to their email. And, the best part, it’s FREE!
Facebook has given you the option of creating a form on their platform. You fill in the information, and the form is linked to your ad. You can also create a form on your website and link that form to your ad. Make sure you tell the reader what they will get when they sign up.
And, don't lie about it to get people to click. Be clear and concise about what you have to offer.
You’re using broken links.
Not all ads require your reader to stay on Facebook. Some ads allow you to link to your website or a landing page. If these links aren’t working, that’s the end of the road for your potential customer. And, the possible sale.
Check all ad links before and after running the ad. Click all the buttons. Fill out all the forms. Check the storage database and make sure all the information you need is there. You want all links to be in working order when customers try to use them.
You sent the ad to the wrong audience.
Running an ad to the wrong audience is almost like dialing the wrong phone number. When you dial the wrong number, and someone else picks up, you’ve just wasted your time. Once you realize your mistake and try to call the right person, it could be too late. Maybe they don’t answer. Maybe what you needed to say isn’t relevant anymore.
The same can happen for ads that aren’t sent to the right people. Make sure that the audience you wrote for is the same audience that will be seeing your ads. If you aren’t sure how to set up the audience in the Facebook Ads Manager, ask a professional for help.
Your writing is too formal for Facebook.
Facebook is a place to chat with friends and share funny memes. It isn’t the place to carry on formal business conversations. Even though you’re using Facebook for business, your ads don’t need to be formal. Keep things casual in your ads.
Use language that your ideal customer will understand and use. Just make sure you don’t get overly cutesy or “hip.” Keep the language and conversation casual and friendly. Write the ad as if you were speaking to a good friend.
Creating Facebook ads that actually work is possible. All you need to do is follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to more conversions and more money in your bank account.