7 Facebook Ads Trends for 2021
Facebook is a platform that is constantly changing. Whether it’s new policies, new partnerships, or current events, the way companies run ads and the way Facebook chooses to show ads to consumers is constantly changing. After analyzing several industry reports from a variety of sources, we put together this list of 7 Facebook Ads trends for local businesses in 2021.
TOC
Organic-Feeling Content
Simple Grammar
Video Ads
Split Testing
Using Emojis
Direct Call-To-Action
Short, Concise Headlines
Facebook Ad trends are constantly changing. Staying up to date will help you reduce your costs, improve your ROAS, and drive more sales.
Content Feels Organic
Consumers are feeling increasingly exhausted from the overwhelming amount of content they see online everyday. Posts that are personable and authentic see a much higher rate of engagement versus posts that sound scripted or self-focused.
Imagery that includes people smiling or enjoying themselves is much more likely to stop a scroll than stock photos and basic graphics. Finding new, personal ways to connect with your audience will help increase engagement dramatically.
The best example for this is when advertisers use a picture of themselves in their ad. It is almost instinctive to stop scrolling when you come across a selfie of someone smiling with an interesting view in the background. It can often make the user wonder who this person is or how they know them, before noticing the “sponsored” tag below their name.
If imagery like this would not be relevant to your brand, using other images of organic environments and scenery would work too. If you’re a restaurant, post an appealing image of your dining area or food. If you’re a mechanic, use images of a person standing by a classic car. Find what scenery is relevant to your brand and your audience and use it to make an organic-feeling post.
Another way you can identify organic post ideas is by going through your social media and finding content with the most engagement. From there, make an ad with similar content that falls into your overall campaign objective. Social media is a great source for finding organic content opportunities, so find what engages your audience and use it to your advantage.
Simple Grammar
There are a few good guidelines to follow when writing an advertisement.
Use words that are familiar to your audience
Speak the way they speak
Use short words and sentences
Avoid using jargon and industry-specific terms
Don’t be over-detailed
Convey one idea at a time
Stay on topic - leave no room for confusion
Often when writing about a topic you are familiar with, you explain it in terms that you understand and have come to use routinely. The problem this creates is a disconnect in the reader’s mind between what your product or service does and what that means for them. If you get lost in the explanation of what your product or service is, users will quickly lose interest and find your ad irrelevant.
For example, if you own a gym and are trying to attract people that want to lose weight, you may talk about how your gym has the latest cardio equipment. Your ad may say something like, “Recently renovated cardio room updated with the latest, equipment. Check out our new treadmills, which have up to 12 different speed settings, a mounted 4k tv, and surround sound speakers.”
The user could read this and fail to make the connection between how this new treadmill with 12 different speed settings could help them start out at their own pace and work their way up. It could also fail to mention how just 30 minutes on the lowest speed could help them burn 2,000 calories. There are a lot of loose ends left here which only leaves the reader confused and with more questions.”
The best ads explain in a simple way what the features of their offer are and how those features benefit their audience. They avoid technical terms that not every user would understand. The best ads are also obtainable and actionable, and often spoken using present tense.
The only industry that could get away with using technical jargon is the restaurant industry. Upscale restaurants can actually leverage industry jargon to create a level of luxury and desirability for their business. In this circumstance, a longer description with authentic names could help improve your performance.
Video Ads
Video ads have a dramatic advantage over using static images. They are exponentially more engaging and offer an opportunity to explain your product or service in-depth using visuals and graphics rather than an essay of words.
When we tested out the same headline, same copy, and same offer in one of our ad sets, all we changed was the visual. After two weeks, the static image had a 1.25% CTR and a cost per result of $1.35. The video ad on the other hand produced a 5.32% CTR and a cost per result of $0.88. While both ads performed better than the industry average, the video ad was nearly four times as likely to encourage users to take action.
Not only are video ads more engaging, but they also allow advertisers to retarget users that watched a certain amount of their videos. This can help bring costs down by using a custom audience that is already familiar with your brand.
Overall, the largest benefits from using a video ad include:
Reduced costs
Increased results
Higher-value actions
More engagement
Building a retargeting audience
Conveying an informational and entertaining message
15 to 60 seconds of educating your audience
Test Creative
Split testing different creative elements of your ads allows you to find the most effective offer, visual, sales copy, call-to-action, bid strategy, and target audience. Testing also allows you to waste less ad spend by identifying issues within your strategy before launching a full scale campaign.
When testing ads, it is important to change just one component at a time and ensure that each ad has enough budget available to fully optimize. Depending on your objective and your industry, each ad should have the opportunity to drive at least 2 - 5 desired actions per day. If your ads do not have enough budget to accomplish this, you can let each ad run alone for a few days before switching to another ad.
Testing creative will ultimately allow you to get the most out of your budget and avoid missing issues that could negatively impact the performance of your campaign.
Use Emojis
Using emojis in Facebook Ads can add a colorful and eye-catching element to an otherwise plain text. They can also be used to break up long paragraphs and highlight support points. Just like anything else, they can be overdone, but using between 3 - 5 emojis for longer copy and 1 - 3 for shorter copy should prove beneficial. Testing out this element can also help you find where your emojis are best used, how many of them to use, and if your audience reacts to them at all.
Call To Action
Your call-to-action should be direct and relevant to your offer. If you have a lead magnet, using the Sign Up or Download CTA has helped service providers see great success in their ads. The most popular CTA is Shop Now, but should only be used if your ad features a product. Learn More is the second most common CTA, perhaps because it allows room for interpretation and does not prompt an immediate action.
Most Common CTA:
Shop Now (ecommerce)
Learn More (general)
Sign Up (lead magnets)
Download (lead magnets)
Get Offer (promotional discounts)
Headlines Are Short and Sweet
The content of your headlines should be clear and concise. Facebook Ads have a general limit of 40 characters for headlines, with anything longer than that being cut off. Most headlines on Facebook have between 3 - 5 words that directly outline the content of the offer. Basic, actionable words are the most common, especially words that represent excitement and emotion.
Top 5 Most Common Headline Words:
You
Free
Instantly
New
Get
Keeping your headlines short can help users stay more engaged and be more inclined to read the body copy. As long as the headline inspires curiosity, you can encourage more viewers to read the sales copy and click on your link to find out more.
Takeaways
As users spend more time on social media, their preferences constantly evolve and become more complex. That’s why it’s important to stay up to date on Facebook Ad trends for local businesses, so you can improve your strategy and get the most results for your budget.
Test different content ideas, strategy elements, and targeting requirements. Find ways to make your copy more engaging by using emojis and simple grammar. Keep your copy concise and descriptive, and make sure it always outlines what the benefits of your product or service mean for the reader.
Utilize video ads and content with an organic feel to make your ads more genuine and eye-catching. Give users a reason to stop and look at your ad more in-depth. The visual component of yours ads is critical for catching a user’s attention, but the words you use are vital for retaining it. Staying up to date with the latest trends for Facebook Ads can help you stay ahead of your competitors and keep your costs down. You can subscribe to our digital marketing blog to stay updated on the latest trends in digital advertising, social media, and digital marketing strategies.
