What The Best Facebook Ad Campaigns Do Differently

There are some Facebook ad campaigns that stay with us long after they are created. On the other end of the spectrum are campaigns that are forgotten easily or remembered for the wrong reasons.

While these successful campaigns come from entirely different companies and industries, there is a tie that binds them - some common characteristics that make them successful.

Let’s look at the similarities in these Facebook ad campaigns that make them so different:

1. These campaigns are built on the pillar of effective storytelling

A common feature of great ad campaigns is that they have a very effective storytelling element. These ads don’t just give the information directly but knit them into a meaningful journey so once the user undertakes it, he feels compelled to make the purchase.

And this art of storytelling isn’t just limited to a particular content format. It can be made to work effectively through images, GIFs, memes or videos.

This means your Facebook ad won’t sell your product directly but still keep it at its core through powerful messaging.

2. These ads have relatable characters

Relatability makes understanding easier. In fact, creating relatable characters is a crucial factor in film-making - it works well because explaining a concept is easier when you are showcasing how it fits into the life of your potential or existing consumer.

Creating relatable characters often stems from your knowledge of your audience because it ultimately decides how you create buyer personas. And those buyer personas play a huge role in the way your ad impacts your user.

So when you present an image with a character with similar traits, your understanding of the product is then happening with a certain perspective that the subject also shares.

MuscleBlaze executed a successful campaign with some such relatable characters. With their “Tum Nahi Samjhoge” meaning “You won’t understand” video ad, they resonated with their audience because their characters mimicked the circumstances their users generally go through. Result? The campaign was a hit and the brand experienced a 20-30% month-over-month revenue growth.

3. These ads are platform optimized

Without platform optimization, even good ads may fall flat - simply because they didn’t follow the platform's best practices. In terms of content, there really are no fixed rules to follow. But when it comes to optimization fixed rules exist because there is data to support the conclusion. Ad optimization can mean a number of things, like -

• Including subtitles in video increases reach by 16%.
• People are 5 times more likely to watch a Facebook video on a mobile phone than on desktop.
• The most effective length for an ad title is 4 words, and the best campaigns stick to it.

4. They stop users from scrolling further

If there’s something that unites all the best Facebook ad campaigns, it is their power to stop users from scrolling further.

When the user is scrolling, your time window to catch their attention is often limited. As a result, your ad’s success is dependent on how attention-grabbing your content is. So let’s talk about some techniques you can use to create instant engagement.

For picture ads, the first hook is the visual appeal and the core brand message. For video content, the inclusion of subtitles works wonders. It acts as an instant hook because most of the video viewing on Facebook happens without sound, and having captions makes the video understandable to the viewer.

Take cues from this strategy followed by Loreal; note that it works with subtitles.

With this campaign, Loreal wanted to connect with women aged 25-54 to increase sales of their product, La-Roche Posay Toleriane, while boosting brand awareness. With their targeted video ads, they were able to increase their sales by 16%.

5. They have a compelling call to action

The best ad campaigns aren’t just memorable or informative; they also create great results for brands. And they do this through an effective call to action.

For an in-feed ad, this CTA would be the ad headline along with the CTA button that takes the user to the intended destination. For instance, in this ad below, NatureBox creates a very compelling message by saying “You Know You’re Going to Snack, Get Smart About It”. This line resonates with the viewers and works effectively because it presents the pain point as well as the solution in the same advert.

For a Facebook video ad, again, your call is made through a button, but ultimately, what drives the user to click on it depends on your ad content and particularly your story. On social channels, sales elements rarely work well. What works is influence and persuasion. If your ad can do that with effective CTAs, it will drive the results for you.

6. Consistent messaging through ads and landing pages

How successful your ad campaigns become for your brand doesn’t solely depend on your ad; you must create a uniform journey to get results from it.

One way of doing it is by ensuring that your ad and the destination where that ad takes the user to, have a consistent message. This is easier to achieve when you are selling a product since your landing page will showcase the product with its buying link.

But when offering something else, like an ebook, you need to ensure that the page your ad leads to is optimized. This means catchy messaging and clear directions to the download link. A good page loading time is essential to drive the purchase in both scenarios.

It is also great to have a consistent layout and a uniform color palette in your landing page design to reinforce brand messaging.

Closing thoughts:

The most effective Facebook ad campaigns are ones that help brands achieve their set targets. To execute their campaigns successfully, these brands rely on good storytelling, compelling call-to-action, relatable characters, consistent messaging and platform optimization. These factors, alone or combined, can help you achieve your goals.

Now that you know what the best Facebook ad campaigns do differently, are you prepared to write your own Facebook success story? Let us know in the comments.

Subscribe to weekly updates

You’ll also receive some of our best posts today