7 Tips on How to Write Killer Call to Actions for Facebook ads

As an eCommerce store owner, you’re probably using Facebook ads all the time. The question is, are you doing it right? Many shop owners approach Facebook ads and Google Adwords in the same way. They’ll create an ad for Google and then copy and paste it to Facebook. If you’re one of those people, you had better stop now. This couldn’t be more wrong! The problem lies in the difference between these two ad types – while Adwords ads are displayed on the screens of people who are actively searching for something, Facebook ads are not. You may be able to target your audience so as to show your ads to people who are potentially interested in your product, but when people are browsing Facebook, let me assure you, they are not specifically looking to buy anything.

Based on this fundamental difference, you need to approach Facebook ads differently than you would ads on Google. A Google ad has the luxury of being slightly more subtle and detailed. Users are already searching for something, so, although you need a call to action, you don’t necessarily need to put as much effort into grabbing their attention. Facebook is the opposite. The users are not looking for anything, so what you say has to stop them dead in their tracks!

We’re going to look at 7 quick tips to take your Facebook CTA’s (call to action) to the next level.

1. Action Words

Your CTA should be convincing and assertive. By telling the users to act, you can motivate them to actually do so by putting the idea of action in their heads.

A few examples

• Start working on your ____ today
• Find a new ____
• Get the ____ of your dreams

2. Create a sense of urgency

A great way to stop someone while they are browsing through Facebook is by showing them something with a deadline. “SALE TODAY ONLY” will get more people to click on your ad than just “SALE.” The reason for this is because people are prone to delaying things. By providing a deadline, you’re giving them the push they need in order to do something.

A few examples

• Last chance to ____
• Get ____ while supplies last
• Special deal on ____ TODAY

3. Ask Questions

Questions are conversational, and, when done well, can also be exactly what your targeted audience is thinking about.

Tax day is coming up in the US, so the question, “Are your taxes done?” is bound to be on the mind of a lot of people. When someone is thinking about their taxes, even if they’re not looking for any help, they will at very least stop and read the ad, if not click on it and check out your website.

A few examples

• Want to improve your____?
• Tired of____?
• Need help with ____?

4. Offer something

People love to get things, so if you want to catch their eye, then offer them something. Create an ad that offers a prize in a competition, a sale on merchandise, or just includes the word FREE (free is always an attention grabber!).

A few examples

• Enter now to win a ____
• Free ____
• 50% off ____

5. Make it exclusive

By setting your ad to be seen only by your fans you can use a very effective phrase – “exclusively.” Tell your fans that “This deal is exclusively for our fans,” in order to make them feel included and valued. A customer that feels like a valued insider will be more attentive to what you have to say.

A few examples

• “Discount for our fans only”
• “Exclusively for fans, first look at ____”

6. Make a bold statement

Making a bold statement like “Increase your productivity by 40%” can be very effective. This can pique your users’ interest by using a “tabloid-like” call to action. There is a risk with this kind of statement of crossing into sounding spammy. Avoid this by not making too bold a statement (“Grow back all of your hair in just one day!”). But if you have a good product, don’t be afraid to flaunt it.

 

 

 

 

A few examples

• “The best ____ you can find”
• “Improve your ____ in just a week”

7. Keep it clear

This tip really applies to all of the previous tips that we have discussed – you always need to make your purpose and what you can provide clear from the CTA. When browsing Facebook, most people will spend a very short period of time looking at the ads. For that reason you need to be 100% sure that during those milliseconds that your ad is seen, users can understand what the value of the ad is.

It’s blatantly clear what the purpose of this ad is, meaning a potential viewer could quickly scan this ad, and decide if they are interested or not. This next ad on the other hand, is less obvious.

I personally don’t know what Indochino is, and therefore the fact that it is coming to New York doesn’t particularly interest me. What does that mean for the ad? Well, it means that I won’t click on it, because I simply don’t care enough. Now, if I don’t know what it is, then there are definitely a lot of other people out there like me. That means that this is not an effective ad. (Were Indochino a more recognized brand, I would definitely feel differently about this ad).

How to fix Indochino’s ad

Using the tips from this post, I am going to provide 5 different ways that Indochino could have written this post. (I looked Indochino up and found out that it’s a custom made menswear company.)

1. “Get a suit made just for you”
2. “Don’t miss the Opening day sale TODAY”
3. “Is it time for a new suit?”
4. “20% discount on all pants!”
5.  “The best suit you’ll ever have”

By following these tips and by keeping things clear, this ad could improve its CTA tremendously. For some tips on what to write on your Facebook page check out our Talk to the Wall series.

Let us know what you think. Do you have any tips or personal experiences that you would like to share? Please share with us in the comments below.

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