Facebook – ad copy that converts

#1: Be yourself

Facebook is not the place to be scientific. Instead, be authentic. An ad that reads like a real person beats copy that sounds overly ‘copywritten’.

Facebook is a social network that people use to see what’s going on – pictures of cats… friends on holiday. Almost all posts are written in an informal voice.

So, to appeal to a Facebook user, you should write like that!

#2: Simplify your copy

We live in a 280-character world so keep your copy short and simple. (Not always short, I will come to that in #12)

Grab your audience’s attention with a question – it compels the reader to answer it in their head!

Don’t write “Do you want sell fast?” – write “Want to sell fast?” which gets to the point faster and it’s punchier.

Tightly written copy, with no unnecessary words, grabs the prospect’s attention.

 #3: Write for Homer, not Hawking

When writing ads, write for Homer (Simpson), not for Hawking (astrophysicist).

Nothing turns people off more than words they have to look up in the dictionary. Instead, use short, simple words that are easy to read and understand.

#4: Frontload the benefits

Think about what you do when you scroll through a newsfeed. When you see an ad, do you read every single word, every time? Probably not. People might only read one line of your ad (the first). So, whatever you want to say, say it ASAP!

#5: Start with a question

A great way to grab your audience’s attention is with a question. Questions compel the reader to answer it in their head. If their answer is “Yes”… you’ve instantly put them in a positive frame of mind. This can be as simple as writing the word “Want,” followed by the benefit that your service delivers:

• Want to sell your house in 90 days? 
• Want a tenant that pays on time, every month?

#6: Answer that question immediately

You’ve asked a question, now answer it immediately in the very next line, eg: Want to increase the rent for your BTL? Download our Notice of Rent Increase template.

See how the second sentence instantly gives you a way to get the benefit that was promised in the question?

#7: Use revealing words

You can’t stop readers in their tracks by using weak, watered down words. Instead, whenever possible, use powerful, evocative words such as Discover, Reveal, Astonishing, Secret, Free and Instant.

One of the very best words to use in marketing is ‘new.’ Everybody loves something new.

#8: “You” rules

Use the word ‘you’ more often in your ad copy.

The more you write ‘you’, the more likely you are to write ads from your customer’s perspective… rather than your own.

#9: Brackets

One of the limitations of Facebook ads is that you can’t format the text – make key phrases stand out to the reader, use symbols (such as brackets).

Most posts contain only text, so when they scroll past something set off in brackets like this: [FREE Download!] it stands out.

#10: Capitalise

Use caution when writing in all caps. After all, YOU DON’T WANT TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE, DO YOU? But when used sparingly, it can be a great way to make certain words stand out in the newsfeed, for example the word FREE works well capitalised in copy.

#11: Love the ellipsis

An ellipsis is what you call when you put three full stops in a row… like this…

Informally, an ellipsis can be used to indicate that a sentence trails off, when you put one at the end of a sentence, it gives readers the impression that there’s more to come.

This gives the impression that your copy is not yet concluded, which makes the reader want to learn the rest of the story… by clicking on your ad.

 #12: Mix up your length

You want your copy to be simple (by using short, punchy words) and you want it to be tight. But well-written long copy can convert well too, especially when you’re offering something that involves a bigger investment of time or money.

#13: Test Facebook CTAs

Facebook gives you the option to test different Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons. And your choice of button can have a big impact on the performance of your ad.

There’s no one button that will always perform best. It depends on your offer, so the best approach is to test a few different variations of your ads with different CTAs.

To learn more about Facebook Ads go to [highlight]www.lonelymarketer.co.uk[/highlight] or to find out how you can attract more leads via Facebook [highlight]book a free consultation with Nelly[/highlight].