Back when e-commerce was relatively new, one of the go-to best practices for improving usability and conversion was to consistently tell visitors what would happen next. So you would: write embedded links so that visitors could reliably tell where they...
Rocket Science? No. Scientific? Yes.
So I saw this “meh” ad on my wife’s Facebook page, and thought it would make a pretty good example of “Things to Test on Your Facebook Ads.” But before I list off everything that could probably be improved or...
Visually Striking + Emotionally Compelling
For an image to grab eyeballs it has to be visually striking. But visually striking images won’t keep attention unless they have a compelling emotional content (also called “story appeal”). Combining the two practically guarantees a unignorable ad image. That’s...
Great Facebook Ads Start With “WHO”
Imagine you have to write a Facebook ad for the Christian organization, Focus on the Family. What kind of ad would you make? Now, if you’re any good at writing ads, you’re probably already asking me: who am I writing...
Facebook Ads and “The Sale Before the Sale”
Even more than most ads, Facebook Ads are tasked not so much with making the sale, but in making “the sale before the sale.” In other words, your Facebook ads have to sell the prospect on giving you an audience....
Continue Reading Facebook Ads and “The Sale Before the Sale”
Sponsored Stories as Social Proof
Do you have 5 or 10 minutes for an incredibly funny video? What if I promise you it will deliver not only one but three Facebook Advertising secrets? Or if I told you all those secrets were on display within...
The Hidden Gem of Facebook Advertising
My brilliant colleague at BoostCTR, Noran Shinnawy recently hosted a Rountable at SES Chicago titled: Facebook Ad Formats — so titled specifically to broaden beyond Facebook Ads to include the use of Sponsored Stories. And in speaking to Noran about the...
Working Together Non-Redundently
If I had to choose between a boring ad image with a great headline and a great ad image with a boring headline, I’d take the boring headline matched to an intriguing, eye-catching image. I think most people would. And...
Is Your Headline the “Ticket on the Meat”?
“The headline is the ‘ticket on the meat.’ Use it to flag down readers who are prospects for the kind of product you are advertising.” – David Ogilvy I couldn’t help but think of this quote when I came across...
Are Stock Images Really That Bad?
As Conversion Rate Optimization professionals already know, stock photos almost always test worse than authentic photos. Does the same hold true for Facebook Ads? Before I answer that, it's important to realize that, for conversion rate optimization, the "stock" in...
Sometimes It’s an Ad…
“The real fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes it’s an ad.” ~ Howard Gossage So here’s the deal, anytime you’re creating a facebook ad, you can opt for either: a straightforward,...
Co-Branded Facebook Ads
Not everyone has a brand that’s both instantly recognizable and loved. That’s not to say your brand doesn’t have its own fans, just that it may not inspire a smile of instant recognition and interest. That works against you when...
