Popular social media platform Facebook was born in February of 2004 and is still going very strong. It remains one of the most-used platforms and has about 2.45 billion active users every month. This makes it a great place to advertise, and we will look at some of the most successful Facebook ad examples.
From these examples, social media marketers will be able to discern which approaches work and which fail. With $16.6 billion in ad revenue for the second quarter of 2019, it is almost unnecessary to explain why Facebook is so popular for ads.
Important Facts About Facebook Ads
Although only about 10% of Facebook’s users reside in America or Canada, almost half of the platform’s ad revenue comes from these countries alone. Facebook offers companies and brands with interest in the US and Canada – and many other countries – a great chance to reach audiences.
Facebook’s users are high-income earners, with 74% of them being people who fall into this category. It surpasses LinkedIn, which reaches only about 49% of users who earn more than $75, 000.
Every day, 1.62 billion people use Facebook, which makes it a massively big opportunity for advertising. This is a number that is constantly rising.
Almost all Facebook Ad revenue comes from mobile use – an impressive 94% in total.
On average, the cost per click for a Facebook Ad estimated at $1.72. This is according to a study by Wordstream. The average is estimated across all industries and gives marketers the info they need to get a good Return On Income.
Silence is golden – about 85% of Facebook users prefer to watch videos in silence. If you’re using a video in your social media marketing strategy, this is important to know. Your focus should be on imagery so you can grab the attention of viewers without any sound necessary. Captions play an important role and the appearance matters as well. Use square videos – these get 35% more views than their landscape counterparts.
Facebook Ad Examples That You Can Learn From
When approaching your social media marketing strategy, there are many directions to take. You can make use of free images that are available in surprisingly high quality or choose some interesting user-generated content. From these Facebook ad examples, you will learn that having a creative approach is very important. Many businesses miss the bullseye because their Facebook ads are boring and forgettable. Make sure you don’t join these ads and rather stand out, pulling in curious Facebook users.
Facebook Ad Example 1 – ‘Bates Motel’ by A&E
Holidays give companies great opportunities to create themed Facebook ad campaigns. With a smart approach, your brand can shine with a well-planned social media marketing plan. This is exactly what cable network A&E did with their Facebook ad when Mother’s Day rolled around.
Why was this ad so successful?
The ad refers in a subtle way to Norman Bates’ devotion to his mother. Because the film Psycho made Norman so famous, even people who didn’t see the series ‘Bates Motel’ would get their humour. Because it’s subtle, the reference isn’t upsetting, but rather funny.
A&E used an age-old tradition – sending mothers a Mother’s Day card with a handwritten message. With Mother’s Day messages flooding Facebook users, this ad was very popular.
What Can You Learn From This Facebook Ad?
Using pop-culture references is always seen as a really good idea, especially amongst younger audiences. If you include a memorable hashtag that can encourage more social media promotion, it would increase the success of your ad. Use humour and simplistic visuals that catch the eye and enjoy increased brand awareness as Facebook users appreciate your creative ad.
Facebook Ad Example 2 – Google’s ‘Build What’s Next’
It will come as no surprise to anyone that Google knows how to nail social media and online marketing. They often have very compelling ads running on Facebook and wherever else they’re running ad campaigns. Google used good visuals for their ‘Build What’s Next’ Facebook ad.
Why was this ad so successful?
This ad has won on so many levels – the images, the language used and even the colours. There is a visual continuity between the ad and the rest of Google’s brand that is very appealing. The marketing team used the right kind of aspirational language with exciting verbs to create interest in Google’s cloud computing platform.
With the focus on ‘building what’s next’, Google had viewers thinking about what they could achieve. This is a great way to get people interested in your product. By making use of a vivid and colourful palette that even fit in well with Facebook’s theme, Google created an emotional impact. The colour blue is subconsciously associated with stability and trust. Although aimed primarily at professional developers, the ad still got attention from non-developers.
What Can You Learn From This Facebook Ad?
Using active verbs and engaging language is always recommended, especially in social media marketing. Make use of colours that are associated with positive feelings but keep it simple.
Facebook Ad Example 3 – ‘Make Work Better’ With Slack
This ad managed to catch users’ eyes without being intrusive or annoying. By delivering a service that many people actually need, Slack is able to make people go ‘Yes, I want that’. Add to that an interesting ad and you’ve got a winning combination.
Why was this ad so successful?
Slack’s Facebook ad is visually pleasing and a bit playful by using a meme-style unicorn. The Call To Action is positioned well. The focus is on what you can get from Slack while surrounded by an air of ‘fun’.
With a memorable tagline, the ad draws attention and keeps it. Slack spoke to potential customers and gave them enough information to want to at least check out what the messaging site has on offer.
What Can You Learn From This Facebook Ad?
Focus on how your users will feel after they’ve used your product or service and portray it in a fun way. Make people eager to experience what you’re offering them – this is one of the basics of advertising, actually. When selecting images and videos, be as creative as possible.
Use snappy and memorable taglines and phrases to create a lasting impression.
Facebook Ad Example 4 – Athos
Athos’ Facebook ad for its Smart Fitness Apparel was a hit. In this case, it was a combination of good ad copy and a great image that sealed the deal for Athos.
Why was this ad so successful?
Thanks to the images used by Athos, it can successfully sell its app and smart clothing. The ad makes it clear what Athos does without any explanation needed. If people had just seen the app on its own, the ad may not have been as efficient. However, by having the right positioning and using images that work well together, Athos can pique interest enough to get users interested.
What Can You Learn From This Facebook Ad?
The images that you use for your Facebook ad will make or break it. In this case, the images were spot-on. Examine the images you plan to use and determine whether it would hit ‘the spot’ with viewers with no ad copy added. You need strong visuals that are enhanced by words, not explained by them.
Facebook Ad Example 5 – Dollar Shave Club’s ‘Smarter Way To Shave’
This ad had a smart approach – rather than having a focus on men, it focused on women. The ad also poked fun at other grooming products and set itself apart from them. With their tongue-in-cheek ad, Dollar Shave Club was able to get the attention of Facebook users.
Why was this ad so successful?
Humour is applied very well here, while the ad still manages to explain what the product is for. It also shows that the company is forward-thinking and progressive – an important element in modern society. The ad also seems to have taken a fresh look at buyer personas and zoomed in on a new point of view on it. Rather than targeting men and their grooming habits, the ladies are pulled in for this one.
What Can You Learn From This Facebook Ad?
Again, making use of well-prepared humour that isn’t below the belt or in-your-face is a good marketing strategy. A whole new audience – women – were targeted with this ad and it worked. Examine your brand and determine if you can find a way to pull in a new audience. This will help you grow and get more sales, which is the point of doing business.
Facebook Ads – Why Yours Can Get Rejected
There are a number of reasons for Facebook ads getting rejected. To prevent any disappointment, check out this brief discussion of what Facebook will look at before approving your planned ad:
Target Audience
Facebook knows that you’re paying money for your ad and wants to help you achieve your goals. If you’re not targeting your audience with your audience, your ad will get rejected. No point in running an ad that will completely miss the point.
Grammar
Having the right grammar makes a difference – grammatical mistakes will make you come across as unprofessional. But in this case, it’s more about not capitalizing every single word. It is considered inappropriate to do so because you’ll get an unfair advantage over your competition and will result in your ad getting rejected. Complete, coherent sentences with correct spelling are also checked for.
Inappropriate Language
This shouldn’t need any explanation – keep your ads clean.
Destination URLs
Facebook does not tolerate ads that have links that direct to downloads such as PDFs or Word documents etc. Links should lead to the same landing page and not be pop-ups or anything related. A link must indicate where it will direct users and be honest – don’t think you can hide links in text that is misleading. Not playing by the rules can see your Facebook account terminated, so make sure you’re informed of all the policies.
Inaccurate Ad Text
Your ad has to clearly state the company name, what’s on offer and what the product is if there is one. If everything isn’t completely accurate, your ad could be rejected.
‘Screaming Words’
Using capital letters when you’re ‘screaming’ at your friends on WhatsApp may be okay, but it’s not acceptable on Facebook Ads. Screaming at people is a cheap advertising gimmick and doesn’t even work. If your ad is filled with capital letter words, it’s going to look like spam. Facebook won’t accept that kind of advertising.
Using Numbers And Symbols For Words
This is not something that will work on Facebook. It may be the norm to replace words with all kinds of interesting symbols or numbers, it’s not acceptable for Facebook Ads. Using the letter ‘4’ to replace the word ‘for’ is an example of this.
Inappropriate Images
This refers to not only images that could be seen as rated R, but also images that have nothing to do with your product, brand, service or company. Facebook wants to keep its environment clean and appropriate. Avoid using images that are irrelevant or aimed at causing shock and upset.
Deceptive Information
Promising discounts, offers or prices that are deceptive will have your Facebook ad rejected. Make sure that what you’re saying in your ad is accurate and true. No one likes an ad that takes you for a fool.
Taking users to a landing page that is completely different to what is promised in the ad will likely see your Facebook account getting a lot of scrutiny as well. In short, don’t be a slimy salesman but rather rope in users by being interesting and original.
Conclusion
These Facebook ad examples – a few of many – should be able to show you how to approach this marketing strategy. When you’ve got a good idea of the kind of content that makes an ad stand out, you can plan better. All successful social media marketing campaigns manage to pull off something new while learning from the old. Using a Facebook ad to promote your brand or service is smart – it is likely that millions of people will see it. As long as you do it right, you will come back to using this platform again and again.