Facebook has been really making some changes to their advertising tool lately. Here are a few tips to help you adapt and leverage the power of Facebook Ads.

Tip 1: Know Your Ad Sizes

Ads on Facebook can be created to send traffic to a Facebook page for increased page Likes or to a website for a direct sale. Today the ads not only appear on the right side of Facebook, they also appear in the popular newsfeed area. Both desktop and mobile users view this area and the image size makes all the difference. Facebook recommends that you prepare your ads to be 1200×627 pixels. Facebook then adjusts these sizes for the different ad types. For example “offer ads” scale the image to 400x209px for desktop ads and mobile and 100x72px for the right column. Where “page like” ads use a desktop image of 400x150px, mobile is 560x210px and the right column is resized to 100x72px.

Tip 2: Follow the 20% Rule

When it comes to running a successful Facebook ad, your visual is the most important piece. You can get a bit more out of your visual by adding text to it, but ensure that the message on your ad lines up with the goal you are trying to achieve with it. Also be sure that your text does not make up more than 20% of the image. This rule was imposed on page covers back in 2013 and then removed. It is however an enforceable rule when running your ads. If you exceed the 20% rule Facebook’s ad team will disapprove your ad.

Tip 3: Create an Audience

If you have clients, you have an audience. Take some time to put together your list of past and present clients. Upload them to the audience area in Facebook. This will give you the ability to target your ads to people who know you and continue to stay in front of them. Take this a step further and use the PowerEditor to make a Look-a-like audience. This is an audience of people you do not know. Facebook will use their algorithm to create an audience based on similarities in the profiles of your current audience. This look-a-like audience will be created by country and you can narrow it further from there based on your ad selections.

Tip 4: Track Conversions

Facebook provided users with a way to add tracking code to their website some time ago. This tracking code should be placed where the visitor has reached success. For example, the code should be placed on the thank you page of a form or the success page for your shopping cart. By adding this code, you will be able to see what ads are converting browsers to buyers.

If you’ve been using Facebook Ads, but haven’t been seeing the results you’re looking for, these tips will help you take your ads to the next level. Need additional help with your Facebook ad campaign or your overall social media strategy? Book a consultation today.