7 Ways to Create Kick-Ass Social Ads

Last year, I finally caved in and started spending money to advertise on social media. This kills me. I started using social media for marketing when everything was free and updates from business pages showed up in news feeds.

I’ve started singing a different tune, though, because social ads are delivering – for us and our clients.

Here’s what we’ve learned about creating kick-ass social ads

1. Keep it simple

Because ads are small, you have very little space for copy. Keep your message super simple, super straightforward, and super compelling (more on that below). The best way to do this: choose one goal for your ad.

2. Choose a photo that tugs at emotions

Great photography jumps out in a crowded newsfeed, even on Instagram and Pinterest. Whether you use a stock photo or a photo from your own library, pick an image that’s more than beautiful. Pick one that elicits an emotional response – awe, love, jealousy, fear.

3. Promote videos

People love video. Love it. Since I started doing Facebook Live, we’ve been boosting every video (well, most of them – see below) and the results continue to exceed our expectations. Even the ones that don’t get boosted generate a lot of engagement!

4. Tap into FOMO

Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is a powerful driver of human behavior. People don’t want to miss out on anything that will make their life better, save them money, or otherwise help them reach their goals. You know your target audience and what they care most about. Speak to those challenges.

5. Don’t swear

I have a potty mouth, something that Facebook doesn’t view favorably – at least when it comes to boosting ads. Two of my Facebook Live videos have been rejected, because one contained “shitty” in the title and the other contained “kick ass.” Learn from my mistakes and don’t use swear words anywhere near your ads.

6. Use a button for your CTA

Can you add a button for your call-to-action? Great – use that option. People are more likely to click on a button than a link.

7. Experiment with your target audience

Marketing is all about experimenting, so play around with your target audience. For example, on Facebook you can choose “friends and friends of friends” or you can create your own audience. The more specific you get, the better.

Hitting it out of the park with social ads (or social media marketing!) from the get-go is very hard if you’re not an expert. If you’d like to make your efforts on social media pay off, give us a ring! We’d love to help you.

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This post was sourced from the Jansen Communications Just Write Blog: 7 Ways to Create Kick-Ass Social Ads