Learning how to write ad copy is multi-faceted. And while your approach could change depending on the audience you’re trying to reach, the same best practices remain; consistency, avoiding a hard sell, specificity, and testing.
How to Write Ad Copy for Facebook
Writing ad copy for Facebook is somewhat of an art. In just a few sentences–sometimes a few words–you need to make someone stop scrolling and entice them enough to click. Like we said, it’s an art.
Whether you’ve never done it before or have ads that need a little help, don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here’s how to write ad copy for Facebook.
Be Consistent
Having an easily recognizable brand is one of the pillars of building a successful business, and a key to this is consistency in your branding. Consistency helps you build a strong association between the visual elements of your brand and the core messages you wish to pass on to your customers.
Take Nike, for example, the swoosh logo has become synonymous with athletes pushing limits, and their slogans “Just Do It” and “There Is No Finish Line” spread the same message. The consistency in their branding has made them one of the most recognizable companies worldwide.
The same applies to Facebook ad copy. Staying consistent with your branding builds trust and familiarity between you and customers, so you should ensure that your ad copy's tone, colors, and images reflect your Facebook page and overall brand.
Be Punchy, Not Salesy
Just about every guide and article you come across online about how to write ad copy will tell you it’s important to be concise and grab your readers’ attention as quickly as you can. However, being concise doesn't mean your ad copy should be a hard sell. Making it a big sales pitch is a common mistake by many Facebook marketers.
Instead, an ad should serve as a hook enticing your audience to investigate more–whether that means visiting your page, website, or clicking on the ad itself. Consider these best practices:
- For a promotion or sale- Don't overdo it with all caps and emojis everywhere. Keep it classy and reference the limitation of the sale to create urgency.
- For length- Don't write novels. Not only is FB encouraging you to keep it light, but remember that ads are just a 'taste' of what's to come. We are enticing users to understand the brand and be excited to buy later, not expecting people to write blank checks at any old FB ad they see. A lighter touch allows for more mystery and excitement buildup. It allows the ad to be confident and not over sell.
- For headlines- You have two options;
- 1. Either be boring and say exactly what the product is–because we have about 3 seconds of someone's attention who is flying through their social media accounts at any given time.
- 2. OR "sell the hole, not the drill bit". ie, mint.com would not say literally "a personal financial management website and mobile app", instead they'd say "Managing money, made simple".
Headlines are typically read before 'top copy' so use headlines as the big swinging hammer, and the top copy as the reinforcement (ie mint.com again "#1 most downloaded personal finance app")
Be Specific In Your Messaging
The attention span of the average social media user is 15 seconds. That’s how little time you have to convince customers to stay on your page. This gives precedence to being direct and specific with your messaging.
Specificity on your ads is easier said than done. There's much to say and not a lot of space to fit it all in. With that said, customers value brevity and precision a lot more than many marketers realize.
Take a look at these three headlines, for example:
- How To Make $2,350 in 7 days
- How To Make Over $2,000 in a Week
- How To Make a Lot Of Money In a Week
These three headlines convey the same message, but which will generate the most interest? Most customers would be inclined to click on the first one, then the second, and finally the third one in that order because the former paints a clearer picture than the next. This illustration conveys the power of specificity in ad copy. Customers search for precise details and delivered promises over walls of text and loose information.
Here are a few helpful tips to increase the specificity of your ad copy
Have a Concise Headline
An intriguing headline is arguably one of the most important components of writing ad copy. As seen from the examples above, it determines if customers will read your ad in the first place. Your headline should generate interest and tell your readers precisely what they'll gain from reading your ad.
Use Short, and Impactful Sentences
Fluff is the enemy of specificity. Every sentence of your ad should be a contribution to the general message you're trying to pass onto your readers. The moment a reader feels you've stopped churning out helpful information, you begin to lose their interest and potentially a sale. To mitigate this, focus on using short and informative texts to carry them along.
Focus On Your Unique Selling Point
Customers have an endless pool of options and want to know what makes your brand a better choice than your competitors. Your brand’s unique selling point (USP) is what makes it unique and should be the focus of your ad copy.
For example, snacks company Pipcorn is into the business of selling packaged popcorn to customers. However, you could get popcorn from any local store near you. Why order from Pipcorn? On Pipcorn’s website and the packaging of their products, you will find phrases like “whole grain,” “gluten-free,” and “low sugar.” They sell healthy popcorn, and this is their USP which separates them from other vendors on the market.
Find the link between what customers want and what your brand does better than the competition. That's your USP. Strategically incorporating it into your ad increases specificity on your Facebook ad.
Know How To Use Emojis…Tastefully
Emojis are usually associated with casual conversations. But did you know that emojis are no longer just digital smiley faces and are being used as marketing tools? According to research by WordStream, using emojis on your Facebook post increases engagement by 57%. However, it's not so much about using emojis as how you use them.
Don’t Replace Words With Emojis
Emojis should be used to emphasize your points and not as a replacement for words, no matter how descriptive or clear their meaning is. Using emojis without words leaves room for misinterpretation. Words provide valuable context to them and what they mean in each situation.
Use Emojis Sparingly
Too many emojis in a text can fatigue your readers. When a paragraph is already busy with lots of information, using emojis to break up words could ruin the continuity and make your ad tedious to read, which is the opposite of what emojis are for.
Only use emojis where necessary and when it doesn't detract from the message you're sending. Also, put emojis at the end of sentences and not in the middle of words.
Use Them Only to Convey Positive Thoughts
There are countless emojis of sad faces and other emojis that portray negative feelings online; however, while writing ad copy, it's advisable to stay away from them. The emojis on your copy should only be light-hearted, like a thumbs up and a smiley face.
Don't Use Emojis When the Tone is Serious
Emojis should only be used when you can afford to lighten up the tone with your readers. Using them to oversimplify complex information could harm your ad and could even be interpreted as tone-deaf when discussing triggering topics.
It is imperative to determine the overall tone of your ad and your potential audience to avoid watering down the seriousness of your content.
Test, Test, Test
Can you write one ad and call it a day? Sure. But in a highly competitive marketing space like Facebook, you need to know your ad is the best version of itself helping you better understand what resonates with your targeted audience.
Thankfully, Facebook makes it easy for marketers to achieve through their split testing feature. Split tests (A/B Tests) allow you to test two variations of your ad against each other to see which one produces better outcomes. This enables you to fine-tune your ad copy as much as you need before publishing the final draft on the site.
Save Your Time
You know your business better than anyone. Effective ad copy ensures that those values, passion, and knowledge translate to your desired audience, encouraging them to take action.
That’s what Social Ktchn is all about. We’re the mom-and-pop shop of paid social ads. Our passion is making sure we convey your brand’s message to your audience in a way that generates engagement and increases conversion.
The optimization of your brand is our goal. We are transparent, straightforward, and view ourselves as an extension of your team. The task of writing ad copy can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
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