About 42 percent of the world’s population, or 3.2 billion people, use social media, and the average user spends 2-3 hours a day on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Businesses have recognized the value of engaging with this massive online audience and social media ads have become an essential piece of modern marketing.
There is an overwhelming amount of demand for user attention on social media websites and apps. The average social media user sees between 6,000 and 10,000 ads per day and is inundated with content. That means that it is more important than ever for businesses to be smart about the advertising content they produce.
Here are 10 tips for creating better, more compelling social media ads.
- Choose the right platform. Different social media platforms cater to different audiences. For example, members of Generation Z (16-24 year olds) are more likely to be active on apps like TikTok than they are to spend time on Facebook. Don’t waste time and money on social media ads that aren’t popular with your target demographic.
- Focus on audience values. Effective social media ads offer an instant promise to meet the values and priorities of their audience. Identity your target demographic’s key values and create a list of ad keywords that speak to those values.
- Include engaging photos and graphics. Most social media platforms are largely visual. If you want to quickly capture the attention of a user who is scrolling through social media, you need bold, engaging photos and graphics that will pause them in their tracks and encourage them to read your content.
- Simplify your copy. Attention spans on social media platforms are incredibly short. Users are typically scrolling quickly and mindlessly through their feeds and don’t want to do more work than is necessary to read advertisements. To make it easier for your audience, simplify your ad copy by removing jargon, long words, adverbs and most adjectives.
- Use a creative hook. A hook is the first line of your ad copy that catches the attention of a reader. A social media user may or may not even read your hook, but if they do, you want to make sure you are pulling them in with an intriguing question, a bold statement, a useful fact or a keyword that resonates with them.
- Create a straightforward call to action. The call to action (CTA) is the next step you want someone to take after they read your ad. For the purpose of social media ads, CTAs should be short, simple and compelling. Try using motivating action words such as “create,” “discover,” “get,” and “try.”
- Build a sense of urgency. You want to give your audience a reason to take action after reading your social media ad. Creating a sense of urgency will help motivate them to engage further with your brand and take the next step in the marketing funnel. For example, creating a special deal or discount with a time limit can persuade users to take action now instead of later.
- Personalize your ads. Users are more likely to pay attention to ads that feel personal to them. Try including your audience’s city name in your ad headline or call out their demographic by name, such as “parents,” “college students” or “entrepreneurs.”
- Maintain consistency between ads and landing pages. Consistency is key when it comes to online branding and the user experience. If your social ad is directing users to a landing page or website, make sure your colors, fonts, graphic design and content tone remain consistent between pages.
- Collect data and experiment. To a certain extent, social media advertising is a giant experiment. What works well for one company may not work for yours—even if you fall within the same industry or cater to a similar audience. The most important part of social media marketing is to collect data on user behavior and engagement and modify your approach regularly to prioritize the type of copy and design that works for your audience.
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