All About a Facebook Ad
Crafting an eye-capturing, compelling Facebook advertisement that reaches a broad audience through Facebook’s algorithm can be a daunting task. Yet, comprising this piece can be tackled in a systematic way. First, consider the main elements of a Facebook Ad: copy, art, keywords, links, and audience. Below is an explanation of each element and practical ways to incorporate them into your next Facebook Ad. In this post, we will discuss the elements of a mock post for a FREE dental exam offer.
Copy
The number of words and the sentiment of the words that you use on your Facebook Ad can attract or detract potential patients from clicking on your ad. Starting from the top of the ad, ensure that your description expresses the main point of the ad. Consider using rounded numbers and dollar signs to capture patient’s attention. Use precise numbers to build credibility. Next, write the headline. The best headlines are between four to seven words. Even though this headline is short, bear in mind that the phrase should still encompass the central message. Lastly, if you create an offer, create a code that is fun yet easy to remember.
Art
The most successful Facebook advertisements capture the audience’s attention through imagery or video. There are multiple design options on Facebook such as a carousel, a single image, or a single video. The most effective formats are a single image or a single video. For the content of the image, the subject of the photograph should emulate the person that your patients aspire to be. Put the product, such as healthy teeth, front-and-center. For more engagement, make sure the model in the image is close to the camera making eye-contact with the audience.
Dennis Yu, the former head analytics director of Yahoo! and international Facebook lecturer, reminds us that focusing on the incremental differences of the Facebook algorithm is not as important as directing attention to the fundamentals: “engagement, awareness, and conversion”. Capture content that embodies the story of your practice. Dennis Yu recommends to post one-minute videos and boost them with $1 a day. Use frequently asked questions as your guide. Why did you become a dentist? Who are your staff? What do you like to do in your city? Sparking genuine conversation will lead to conversions.
Keywords and Links
Keywords, links, and settings within your advertisement tell Facebook who to show the Ad to, how many times, and when to show the ad. Once you begin to create your ad, there are three main categories that you can build your ad with: awareness, consideration, and conversions. To drive more patients to your website, use the conversions option. To generate more website visits, set an offer. For example, ‘FREE exam for all new patients’. To track the performance of the ad, create a unique code that can be redeemed in office, such as, ‘SummerSmile’. Lastly, add a call to action (CTA) at the bottom of the ad. Common CTAs are ‘Learn More’, ‘Call Today’, or ‘Get Offer’. If you create an offer for a free exam for new patients, link the CTA to a landing page where the potential patient can schedule an appointment. For more information on how to do this, click here.
Audience
Besides the imagery, the audience is arguably one of the most important parts of setting-up your advertisement. Aim for an audience size between narrow and broad. Facebook indicates this area as green in the speedometer on the side of the page. If you live in a dense city, the range set around the targeted geographic area may be smaller, such as 10 miles. The opposite is true for rural areas. Next, think of your average new patient and build the audience description around them. To get started, answer these first few questions: How old are they? What do they do on the weekends? What is their profession? Do they have children or a spouse? What is their yearly income?
Facebook expert, Justin Lofton, who has over 20 years of online selling experience, recommends focusing on the psychographic interests of patients. This includes traits such as ‘being a baseball fan’ or ‘enjoying online shopping’. His advice is that when targeting a Facebook , designate 2% of the audience as a look-alike audience.
Creating an effective Facebook ad begins with understanding the basic elements of the ad and knowing your audience. Most Facebook experts built their success on trial-and-error and persistence. However, if you want to build your presence fast through Facebook Ads, contact Lucent Spot Marketing.