Nailing a campaign’s design can be the difference between tiny reach and a powerful viral campaign that blows away expectations.
Catching the users eye and having them engage as they scroll through the News Feed isn’t easy. To even get to that stage though, you need to know how to play by Facebook’s rules. There are mandatory requirements that are non-negotiables, and then there are plenty of tips and tricks to make campaigns work more effectively.
Let’s take a look.
01. Mandatory: A Minimum Viable Creation
The first necessary step is that all Facebook ad campaigns are reviewed before they go live. Approval is based on Facebook’s Advertising Policies, which are not draconian, but must be obeyed. Mostly the policies include obvious no-nos. For example, there are limits on prohibited content, such as sensational content, sexually suggestive content, and much more. Before you start with your campaign, take a look through the various sections in the policy, along with Facebook’s Community Standards. That’s even if your campaign is normal G-rated activity.
02. Image and video size requirements and formats
Basic ad spec requirements are necessary for Facebook ads, and including appropriate sizing, following the guidelines on text in images, and use of logos. The (official) Facebook Ad guide walks you through images and/or video specs, depending on placements, along with Facebook carousel and Facebook collection ad placements which can hold multiple images and cards. There’s also a mockup tool for getting hands-on, ensuring your ads meet the standards of your Facebook account..
Facebook’s image ad specs are straightforward in terms of sizing and aspect ratios, but they have changed over the years so you’re best off heading straight to the source before you start designing. Now, you are free to upload any image size you’d like, but ignoring the guidelines means images may end up looking like hot garbage. That’ll then crush your reach, so pay attention to these basics!
It’s essential to remember that Facebook ads can be pushed onto Instagram as well, so it’s another must to check a guide to Instagram’s ad spec to avoid unintended problems.
03. Text in Images
Facebook is particular about how much text is included in images, meaning you’ll need to adhere to the “Text in image” guidelines and learn what the exceptions are. Facebook’s own rule of thumb is that images that consist of more than 20% text may “experience reduced delivery”. That means your ad just won’t be seen without you having to spend significantly more to achieve desired reach, resulting in higher costs per clicks on campaigns.
As mentioned, there are relaxations to this rule where a book, product shot, or a poster with text may qualify for an exception.
See More Event Flyer Design Ideas and Examples
04. Logos
Don’t include logos from Facebook or Instagram in your images unless you adhere to their brand representation guidelines. Facebook will not approve your images if it is seen as misrepresenting their brand. Like all big corporates, they’re particular about this so get it right or you’ll waste your time in the approval process.
Recommended for maximum viable creations
With the mandatory elements towards getting your ad approved by Facebook covered, figuring out how your campaign can be more effective is the next step. This is where a few tips and tricks can go a long way.
05. Quality ad design
It’s no secret that good design is essential to catch the users eye in the News Feed. Use bold colours and aim for simple but striking design.
06. Polish up your links
It’s important to ensure your company Facebook page has a suitable logo image, cover photo, has at least some quality posts, and has sufficient details uploaded so that ads look trustworthy and can be clearly attributed to your brand.
In addition, make sure your Facebook ad images are consistent with your landing page if it is outside of Facebook, so that any products, offer or even visual identity can be easily connected.
If your Facebook page don’t have these yet you can use an online logo maker like BrandCrowd – or source one from a freelancer using a community like DesignCrowd, or check out facebook logo maker> or the instagram logo maker in case you are on a tight budget.
Make Your Own Logo
07. Split Testing
A/B or split test your image creatives to see what kind of design works best. Facebook has this built-in, and steps you through the process, but there’s a lot to this field. If you want to temporarily dabble in data and KPIs, it’s a highly valuable tool to keep campaign costs low and deliver maximum bang for buck. You can also use spreadsheets or build visualized dashboards with all your Facebook ads metrics to measure and analyze your A/B tests. Once you’ve identified which campaigns perform well, you can explore strategies to grow them further. Learning how to scale Facebook ads can help you expand your reach while keeping campaigns efficient, whether through audience adjustments, increased budgets, or optimizing creatives.
You can find a free split test template spreadsheet that offers a fast track to success here:
08. Test different ad objectives depending on your goal.
Facebook’s platform is designed with Facebook in mind, which means they are keen to keep traffic on their platform. That often means that Facebook will give more reach to posts that promote content which doesn’t link to an external webpage.
With that in mind, while this may not be suitable for your conversion goal, it can be a great approach to raise awareness to special offers or your brand in general. To maximize visibility, consider using a mockup tool to create ads that align with your goals, ensuring broader reach and engagement.
09. Target mobile users
Design a Facebook Instant Experience (formerly canvas ads) to target mobile users. You can post images and video, and also integrate your product catalogue if you have an e-commerce store.
Facebook has a range of case studies on these here and we’ve found 8 amazing examples to check out here.
10. Facebook Dynamic Product Ads, plus Remarketing
E-commerce store owners and designers can have great success using Facebook’s dynamic product ads. If you have product pack shots, you can use your product catalogue for dynamic product ads which automatically pull images of your products into Facebook.
Then, using remarketing audiences, you can show users ads for products that they have browsed. It’s a proven strategy for conversions, and it’s worth checking out a guide to learn how to setup this type of ad but fair warning that it’ll take some time to setup and perfect.
You’re ready to go!
The best way to proceed is to use the built-in Facebook Mockup tool to quickly create your own ad mockup for both the Facebook or Instagram platforms. That way you’ll be triple-checking you’re in line with the current ad spec requirements. Ensuring you follow the mandatory and recommended guidelines will get your campaigns flowing, and make the final challenge how to create that killer ad.
Guest post from Simon Pilkington from social media agency Hello Social.
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Written by DesignCrowd on Monday, January 28, 2019
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.