Since the pandemic, a lot has changed. But one thing hasn't: Facebook is still the most-used social media site in the world.
At the beginning of the year, there were 2.85 billion monthly active users, which was a record high. Most of these users spend about an hour a day on the platform. All of this makes perfect conditions for advertising.
eCommerce companies are spending more and more on ads on the platform. And there's a good reason for that: Facebook ads can reach more than 2.1 billion people. Among those people are some of your target customers who use Facebook to learn about and buy new products.
But advertising on Facebook has both pros and cons. While advertising brings customers, the low cost also introduces a lot of competition.
Also read: Facebook Ad mistakes to avoid
Here’s a primer on how you can make the best out of Facebook Ads with ad examples for a more practical perspective. Read on to know more about the best practices for Facebook ads in 2023
What are the different types of ads on Facebook?
Every Facebook advertising campaign has a unique goal. For brand awareness, leads, and conversions, eCommerce brands advertise on the platform. This campaign goal affects ad formats and copy.
For example, top-of-funnel Facebook users want carousels and video ads that introduce the product and its benefits. They may not know your brand and need to see your products.
Customers enter the middle of the funnel after becoming familiar with your brand. It's when someone seriously considers buying a solution. Retargeting ads—those that bring website visitors or previous ad audiences back to your landing page—can be prioritized here.
Finally, at the bottom of the funnel, your Facebook ad campaign's end goal is to convert leads into customers. This audience prefers product catalog ads.
How do you make good Facebook ads?
Crafting compelling ads requires more than just clever copy; your ad graphics play an important role in capturing attention and effectively communicating your message. The key to successful Facebook ads lies in creating high-quality visuals that resonate with your audience, from maintaining brand coherence to selecting the right ad format for your goals.
- High-quality graphics: Your ad graphics play a crucial role in grabbing the attention of your audience. It is important to ensure that your graphics meet high standards and are visually appealing. Low-quality or "scammy" looking images or videos can negatively impact your ad's credibility.
- Ad copy and creative alignment: Your ad copy and creative should work together coherently. The creative elements should align with your brand's overall theme and design, maintaining brand coherence. This consistency helps establish trust and familiarity with your audience.
- Goal-oriented approach: Determine the specific goal of your ad, such as generating clicks, video views, or conversions. Based on your objective, choose an ad format that best supports that goal. For instance, if you want to showcase how your product works, a video may be more effective than a static image. Consider the medium that will help convey your message most effectively.
- Tailor ad formats to content: Facebook offers a range of ad types and formats. Choose the ad format that suits your content best. For example, single-image carousel ads can be useful for displaying multiple products, while video ads can be great for storytelling or demonstrating product features.
- Professional software tools: Creating high-quality ads can be challenging, especially for teams without dedicated graphic design resources. Using proper tools to manage and create artwork, brands can easily make high-quality ads and scale them creatively.
Also read: Facebook Ad sizes and Specs for 2023
1. Carousel Ads
Carousel ads capitalize on your desire to swipe, click, and move your finger (or mouse) around a screen. When done correctly, it can pique your audience's curiosity and compel them to participate.
Carousel ads are made up of two or more images or videos that feature product imagery, a video demo, or a combination of the two. Carousel advertising is popular with fitness, fashion, and eCommerce firms. Here are some Facebook ad examples.
1. SnackSurprise
A carousel ad format is an excellent approach to telling a story about the people loving the products you are promoting. Consider SnackSurprise, a subscription snack box brand that drives revenue through Facebook. The carousel's slides show genuine customers unwrapping the goody box. SnackSurprise achieved a 3.24 Return on Ad Spend for its Facebook advertising when combined with a description emphasizing the brand's USPs.
2. BarkBox
BarkBox, a prominent eCommerce brand in the subscription box industry for dogs, demonstrates effective advertising strategies with its Bark Bright line of dental products. Utilizing a carousel ad format, they engage viewers by stretching the ad across two images, while also offering a free item to entice customers. Leveraging the popularity of the Yeti brand as a complimentary gift further increases their chances of making sales. These compelling offers make it a high-converting Facebook ad.
3. Circular & Co.
Consider Circular & Co's carousel ad as an example. This particular retailer utilizes a series of images to showcase the diverse array of products they offer for purchase. Each image within the carousel is accompanied by a product description, its price, and a compelling call-to-action urging viewers to "Shop now."
4. Dr. Maartens
This unique ad focuses on affirming the core values and culture of the company rather than directly selling a product. It stands out with its vibrant colors, storytelling approach, and association with an LGBTQ creator and the Trevor Project. By highlighting their involvement in important causes, the ad effectively promotes the brand without being overly promotional, appealing to consumers who prioritize a brand's values alongside its products.
5. WATT
WATT, a Dutch electric bike brand, effectively engages viewers by distributing the product image across numerous slides in their carousel advertising, enticing them to scroll through and find the additional components. This method is useful for products or designs that require more horizontal area. WATT takes a minimalist approach, limiting the amount of text on each slide to highlight a single significant feature or value of the product. Additionally, the ad subtitles are succinct and engaging, catering to the needs of the targeted population in their search for a new bike. WATT grabs attention, provides targeted messaging, and connects with potential clients using these strategies.
2. Story Ads
With the growing popularity of Stories among Facebook users, Story ads can be a powerful tool for businesses to expand their reach and generate meaningful results. Stories can be videos, images, or even interactive content.
6. Datadog
While overly simple, this ad from Datadog gets a lot of things right about Facebook and Instagram stories. This ad is well-designed and has a 9:16 aspect ratio that fills the screen almost entirely. When it comes to lead generation and promoting gated content, the inclusion of an eBook cover adds tangible value to the offer. With a precise and relevant call-to-action (CTA) of "Download," this ad prompts you to take action and seize the opportunity. Since stories are temporary, it is unlikely that you will get another chance to download this free book on any other day.
Also read: Updated Instagram Ad Sizes for 2023 [Cheat Sheet]
7. SamCart
This ad from SamCart adopts a casual tone of voice, creating a down-to-earth and personal feel. What sets it apart is the self-awareness expressed in the copy, acknowledging that it is a paid ad designed to grab your attention. Furthermore, the ad prioritizes accessibility by including subtitles for all spoken audio, ensuring it can be enjoyed and understood even without sound. If your ads have spoken words, adding subtitles can increase viewership and engagement.
8. Biossance
Product demos and tutorials are frequently monotonous and uninteresting, but Biossance took a different approach with its commercial design. They added energy and information to their sales content by adding user-generated content in video format. In contrast to sterile studio conditions, their film included a real individual utilizing the product in a familiar home situation. They not only demonstrated how to use the goods, but they also introduced their whole product line, providing buyers with a varied choice of possibilities to personalize their purchases. This method is ideal for showing a large product collection and may be extended to comparable groupings of products.
9. Athleta
Given Athleta's prominent status as a brand, it comes as no shock that their stories consistently excel. They effectively utilize the "Shoppable Posts" feature within their Stories, enabling users to click on product tags and seamlessly navigate to the respective online product page for easy purchase. However, what sets them apart is their approach of not solely relying on images to convey the message. They go the extra mile by demonstrating different ways to style the shorts, emphasizing their value and versatility. This approach enhances the likelihood that individuals can envision themselves wearing the product, ultimately boosting engagement and potential sales.
10. The Bouqs Co
Sometimes, the most effective approach to drive conversions is to rely on others to do the convincing on your behalf. The Bouqs Co recently shared a captivating story featuring someone else interacting with their beautiful wreath. The individual expressed how seasonal it felt and highlighted its incredible scent. This third-party endorsement and personal experience are highly persuasive, making potential customers more inclined to make a purchase. By leveraging the power of someone else's testimony, The Bouqs Co successfully generates interest and boosts conversion rates.
3. Single photo ads
Facebook single-photo ads are the easiest to make. Start with a clear idea, then find or build a spectacular image, copy, and CTA. These ads can be used across most Facebook positions, making them useful for brand awareness, engagement, reach, and store visit goals.
11. Tropicfeel
This Tropicfeel shoes ad strategically instills a sense of urgency by emphasizing a "last chance" opportunity and highlighting a discount, compelling viewers to take swift action. The call-to-action (CTA) leverages social proof by mentioning "+2,000 5-star reviews," establishing trust, particularly for those who may be unfamiliar with the brand. The ad copy focuses on the brand's offerings, which have likely been validated through other channels like search ads, highlighting benefits such as express shipping, a 30% discount, and eight high-tech product features. This comprehensive approach aims to capture viewers' attention, build trust, and communicate the value proposition effectively.
12. Toptal
Toptal.com's ad employs a well-known marketing template in its caption: addressing the audience with the promise to solve problem X, enabling them to achieve goal Y. The call-to-action (CTA) in the ad image and copy remains consistent and specific, urging users to "hire now" and "hire top talent now." The ad stands out with its cheeky copy and clever image design, playfully mentioning its capability to handle more projects than can be accommodated in the post itself, effectively capturing attention. This combination of persuasive elements makes the ad compelling and engaging for viewers.
13. Butternut Box
Not all Facebook ad campaigns need to focus on hard selling, and Butternut Box exemplifies an effective approach to engage top-of-funnel audiences. Their ad cleverly utilizes a simple meme that resonates with the target audience, evoking laughter and encouraging sharing among friends. By employing this humorous Facebook ad strategy, Butternut Box successfully establishes brand recognition among potential customers, all while avoiding the typical sales pitch, creating a more organic and relatable connection.
14. BURGA
In their ad strategy, BURGA, a company specializing in premium phone cases, demonstrates the effectiveness of using minimal copy and focusing on the photo itself. According to Jonas Brazys, BURGA's media buying strategist, this ad, which debuted last spring, is still performing exceptionally well. Its success can be attributed to its simplicity, appealing color palette, and the presence of three cases with similar designs, all of which combine to create a chic and elegant aesthetic that appeals to the target audience. The one-liner "Protection with Style" adds to the brand's value proposition. The advertisement also includes a "Buy 2 Get 2" deal and a clear call to action.
4. Video Ads
Video ads are a highly effective means of capturing attention and building brand or product awareness. By incorporating video ad campaigns into your marketing strategy, you can expand your reach and potentially increase website traffic. With over four billion daily video views on Facebook and users spending more than 100 hours watching video content, the platform offers immense potential for engagement. When creating your Facebook video ad, it's important to align the topic with your objectives and advertisement content. Whether your goal is to educate, entertain, or promote, ensure that your videos are of high quality, concise, and effectively convey your brand message.
15. Grind
Grind, a brand specializing in coffee demonstrates the effective use of vertical videos in their Facebook ad. Rather than adopting a traditional hard sell approach, they choose to create an educational video. What makes this ad particularly compelling is that it addresses a key pain point of its target audience: how to make barista-style coffee at home. This resonates with individuals who frequently purchase coffee from major chains like Starbucks or Costa. By offering a solution and showcasing the cost-effectiveness of brewing coffee at home, Grind subtly encourages viewers to consider purchasing their product. This educational approach not only establishes the brand's expertise but also appeals to the audience's desire for convenience and savings.
16. Curology
Influencer marketing has proven to be a lucrative strategy for eCommerce brands, generating an average of $6.50 in revenue for every $1 spent. Curology, the personalized skincare brand, follows suit by incorporating user-generated content into its ad campaign. Notably, they effectively showcase their product by featuring a real-life example and customer, connecting with their audience on a relatable level. Leveraging the power of video, Curology takes viewers on a journey, addressing the struggles their audience can relate to and providing a step-by-step tutorial for obtaining their personalized skincare box. The ad concludes with a compelling special offer.
17. Love Leggings
Utilizing customer reviews in Facebook video ads can significantly influence purchase decisions, considering that 95% of people rely on such reviews. Love Leggings effectively showcases this strategy in the following ad. Love Leggings instills confidence in its target audience by featuring a customer wearing their products and highlighting a 5-star rating with an "Excellent" review. By prominently displaying positive feedback, they keep potential customers from leaving to look for reviews elsewhere, keeping them engaged and interested in their offerings. The use of social proof assures viewers that if others enjoy the products, they will most likely have a similar positive experience.
18. Quip
Quip leverages a key unique selling point of its toothbrush, which is its ability to guide users in proper teeth brushing techniques. In a lively cartoon video ad, they creatively highlight this feature. The accompanying copy highlights additional benefits of their product, emphasizing its simplicity, affordability, and enjoyable user experience. To further distinguish themselves, Quip addresses a potential objection by proudly stating that their toothbrush is "created by dentists and designers," showcasing the expertise behind their brand.
5. Lead Ads
Lead ads on Facebook are an effective way for businesses to collect valuable customer information. These ads are specifically designed to make the lead-generation process easier by providing a streamlined and user-friendly experience. Lead ads eliminate the need for users to manually enter their details by using pre-filled forms, making it easier and more convenient for them to submit their information. This leads to higher conversion rates and allows brands to collect leads more efficiently, expand their customer base, and nurture potential prospects for future marketing efforts.
19. Namogoo
Namogoo, a digital journey continuity software as a service platform, strategically utilizes visual elements in its ad to grab attention. The contrast between bright colors and dark background makes the eBook cover and call-to-action stand out. Additionally, the image aspect ratio is optimized for mobile, ensuring a seamless viewing experience. Namogoo also prioritizes lead quality by structuring the lead form to ask for key information first, such as the online store's domain, before requesting an email address. This approach acts as a filter, ensuring that leads have an online store and increasing the chances of attracting qualified prospects.
20. Boux Avenue
Boux Avenue's lead ad effectively showcases the perks of subscribing to their newsletter and entices users with a tempting offer of 20% off their first order. To take advantage of this offer, simply click the "Sign Up" call-to-action button and submit the pre-filled form. The company ensures a seamless browsing experience by displaying the discount code directly on Facebook upon form completion, eliminating any need to navigate away from the platform.
21. Sendinblue
The design of the Sendinblue ad effectively highlights the value proposition of a "Free eBook" by using a contrasting accent color that catches the viewer's attention. The ad caption is concise and strategically placed "above the fold." Every element of the design serves a purpose, from the logo to the compelling hook of "Boost your Email Marketing deliverability" and the enticing value proposition of a "Free eBook."
Wrap up
With ads on Facebook getting more competitive each day, incorporating a creative intelligence tool like Artwork Flow into your Facebook Ads strategy can significantly enhance your campaign's efficiency and effectiveness. To maximize your reach, engage your audience, and drive conversions with Artwork Flow, get a demo from our experts today!