How to advertise on Facebook in 2023
When Facebook first hit the scene in 2004, few people could have predicted the impact it would have on modern society. In addition to its social repercussions, Facebook transformed the nature of online marketing. Nearly 20 years later, you can leverage this power and use Facebook Ads to boost your business.
If you’re not sure how to advertise on Facebook, don’t worry. VistaCreate makes it simple to bring beautiful ads to life. This guide offers step-by-step instructions to get started.
How to advertise on Facebook
Before you run an ad on Facebook, you should understand how Facebook Ads work. When Facebook was just a social network for college kids, users could pay to place a digital “flyer” on the home page of the site.
Once Facebook’s popularity exploded, though, the need for a more streamlined marketing platform became clear. The Facebook Ads system thus emerged in 2007, allowing advertisers to more easily manage their marketing campaigns on the site.
The value of Facebook Ads
What makes a sponsored ad on Facebook unique? Is advertising on Facebook still a good investment? These are questions that you might ask when you’re considering your marketing campaign.
It’s true that Facebook has lost the monopoly it once held over social media advertising. New platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest have taken their piece of the pie, and some may question whether Facebook is still relevant at all.
Good news — it is. Facebook offers a worldwide marketing audience of 2.168 billion people. That’s 73.9% of the site’s active users and about 27.7% of the world. You read that right — more than a quarter of the world’s inhabitants comprise Facebook’s marketing audience.
Flashy new social media platforms might come and go, but it’s unlikely that any of them will dethrone Facebook from its dominant position.
Facebook’s demographics
Of course, when you’re running a sponsored ad on Facebook, you need to consider what audience you’re hoping to reach. The aforementioned platforms such as Pinterest and TikTok all represent unique audiences. The baking tips and home décor commonly found on Pinterest appeal to moms and millennials, while the hyper-stylized, bite-sized content of TikTok is best suited to Gen Z. Who does Facebook speak to, then — and how can you speak to them, too?
Facebook’s demographics represent a unique portion of the population. According to research, the majority of the site’s users are men between the ages of 25 and 34. This group comprises 19% of Facebook’s active users, while women of the same age comprise 15% of its active users.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of Facebook’s demographics, though, is its uniquely international composition. Facebook is the most popular social media platform used around the world, which means that advertisers (that’s you!) can reach more people globally through Facebook Ads.
➡️ Learn more about Facebook marketing in our guide.
Return on investment
As you plan your marketing, you need to know if Facebook Ads offer a favorable return on investment. Data indicates that an ad campaign on Facebook costs about $12.07 for every 1,000 impressions — is this really worth the time and effort that you’ll pour into your ads?
The answer depends on many factors, including the quality of your ad and the strength of your marketing strategy. There are several strategies that can improve your likelihood of a great return on investment. When you run a Facebook paid ad, be sure to do the following:
- Create graphics that appeal to users
- Use language that’s inviting
- Identify the audience you want to reach
- Balance your budget before advertising
An ad that you create using a high-quality design template is more likely to generate clicks and thus more likely to generate a return on investment. An ad that’s unengaging, on the other hand, may not improve your profitability at all.
Marketing strategy
When you’re developing a design for your Facebook ad, you need to back it up with a solid marketing strategy. This strategy should explicate who you want to reach, how you plan to reach them, and what results you want to see from your ads. It should also include these elements:
- Value proposition: A statement indicating the value you bring to customers
- Profitability plan: Analysis of the cost of ads vs. the expected return
- Promotional schedule: Breakdown of your long-term plan for advertising
Your marketing strategy is an integral component of success when you’re creating Facebook business ads. Without a clear strategy, you’ll be shooting in the dark.
The Facebook Ads platform makes it easy to implement your strategy by offering built-in tools for managing your ads, customizing their audience, and tailoring your promotions to specific users.
How to get started with Facebook Ads
Now that you understand the history and basic principles of Facebook Ads, you’re ready to hit the ground running, right? Not so fast. If you’re still figuring out how to advertise on Facebook, there are a few more steps before you can launch your ad.
Remember that planning is a key component of success when it comes to marketing. You can plan more effectively by paying attention to the following factors.
Identify your target clientele
Identifying your target clientele is one of the first steps toward advertising on Facebook successfully. The global reach that Facebook offers can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because it enables advertisers to connect with an international audience in a way that no other platform can.
It’s a challenge, though, because it demands that advertisers identify the specific audience that they hope to reach with their campaign — and a miscalculation could easily compromise its success.
Correctly identifying your target audience, then, is an important precursor to launching your campaign. When you’re considering who this is, you should ask questions such as the following:
- How old, on average, is my ideal customer?
- How much money will my customers spend on my products?
- Where are my ideal customers located?
- Why does my ideal customer benefit from my product?
These questions will help you narrow down the audience you’re marketing to.
Moreover, you might want to map out your customers’ journey. Learn how to do that effectively in our guide to customer journey mapping.
A specific audience is often a more effective target than a general one.
Determine your budget
The importance of your budget must not be overlooked. The price of a sponsored ad on Facebook can vary widely, so it’s imperative to set a clear budget for your marketing and decide how you’ll spend that budget over time.
First, though, you must understand the cost structure of Facebook Ads. Unlike other platforms which charge based on how many clicks an ad gets or how many impressions it receives, Facebook employs a hybrid model of pricing that charges based on both. In other words, advertisers should expect to pay per click and pay per view — and your budget must account for both of these costs.
When you’re determining your budget, you also must remember that the raw price to post an ad on Facebook is just one component of your expenses. You may need to hire a marketing strategist or enlist help from a graphic designer who can help you create visually appealing ads.
➡️ When outsourcing social media marketing is the best solution? Find out in our article!
There are a few ways to cut down on these additional expenses, though. VistaCreate offers creative solutions for professional designs you can make yourself, and a starter subscription is totally free.
Create engaging visuals
You’re trying to figure out how to run Facebook Ads that look great and grab users’ attention. There are plenty of templates to choose from, and you can easily craft ads that look great. Why are visuals so important, though? Isn’t it enough to offer a high-quality product and get your company’s name in front of customers?
The truth is, consumers are inundated with marketing — the average person sees up to 10,000 advertisements in the span of a single day. You have to find a way to engage users, and visuals are the most effective way to do so.
Consider this: A whopping 90% of all the information your brain receives is transmitted visually. Humans are programmed to prioritize visual stimuli above all other senses. When it comes to making an impact with your marketing, then, you can trust science.
Visual presentation is the most effective route to take. Capitalize on this potential by creating ads that look great and stand out.
➡️ 15 tips on optimizing visual content for lead generation
➡️ How to use design to sell more: A practical guide to boosting your business
How to make your Facebook Ads stand out
How can you possibly stand out in a marketing landscape that’s as saturated as Facebook? Advertising on Facebook is a great way to attract new customers to your business, but it’s only as effective as the effort you put into it.
Analyze the Facebook ads your competitors run. See what works for them and what doesn’t — you can access this information in the Facebook ad library.
Then, create an ad of your own. Consider these strategies to ensure that your ads get the attention they deserve.
Establish clear branding
You already know that great visuals are imperative to the success of your Facebook Ads — but what makes a visual “great”? It’s easy to recognize great advertising when you see it, but the qualities that make an ad effective are often difficult to identify.
Luckily, the secret isn’t really a secret at all. It’s called branding, and it’s the most important ingredient in your marketing recipe. Your Facebook Ads will fall flat if they don’t communicate a clear brand identity to your audience.
Your branding should incorporate the following elements:
- Colors: Colors are one of the most essential aspects of a brand’s visual identity. It’s essential that you choose the right colors for your Facebook ad and stay color consistent.
- Text: The words and phrases that you use in marketing materials will send a clear message to your audience. The fonts you go for will reinforce it. Choose wisely.
- Logo: If you don’t already have a logo to represent your brand, now is the time to create one. Learn how to create a custom Logo with the Logomaker in VistaCreate in our guide.
Add branding elements to your designs in a matter of seconds with VistaCreate’s Brand Kit feature.
If you’re still not convinced that branding is important, listen to this — 46% of consumers say that they’re willing to pay more for a product if it comes from a brand they know and trust. With the right visuals and ad formats on Facebook, your business can become this brand.
➡️ Building a Brand: How to build a brand from scratch in 2022
Design high-quality graphics
You know that visuals are important. You know that branding is essential. You know that you need both of these elements if you want your Facebook ad campaign to be successful.
Do you know how to create Facebook Ads that truly engage your audience? Where can you get the high-quality graphics that will grab their attention? If not, it’s OK — you’re a business owner, not a graphic designer!
With VistaCreate tutorials, you can be both. Get started on your Facebook ad unit with the following beginner-friendly steps:
1. Open a VistaCreate template. VistaCreate’s easy-to-use templates automatically include the presets you need to craft an ad specifically for Facebook. The template artboard is sized to 1200×628 pixels, which adheres to the standard Facebook guide for advertising.
2. Find the right template for your brand. Branding — remember that magical word? The right signature visuals can represent your company’s identity in any advertisement. Now’s the time to put your brand to use and select a template that works well for your business.
➡️ Learn which designs work best in our guide to growing business on Facebook.
Is your brand all about feminine and floral aesthetics? Great, choose a VistaCreate template that incorporates these elements. Does your brand draw on the appeal of classic, retro graphics? You’ll find plenty of templates for that, too.
3. Start editing. With your template selected, you can start editing it to bring your vision to life. Search the VistaCreate photo database to add images that align with your messaging, or if you have your own picture to use, easily insert it with the upload tool.
➡️ How to make your designs unique if you work with templates
➡️ How to use VistaCreate: A guide to creating designs in minutes
Would you rather use a video or add music to the ad? No problem. Making a Facebook ad with multimedia extras is easy with VistaCreate templates.
4. Download your creation. You did it — you created your first Facebook ad. Too bad you can’t frame it and hang it on the wall, but downloading the completed file to post is the next best thing. You’re now ready to enact your Facebook advertising strategy and bring your new ad to users around the world — wherever your target audience is located.
Psst! You can export your design straight to Facebook Ads, too!
5. Post your shiny new ad on Facebook. You’re finally ready for the hard launch. If you’re still wondering how to place ads on Facebook, you can consult Facebook’s own guidelines to get started.
You’ll need to set up a business profile, create a Facebook Business Ads Manager account, and specify details such as your objective, your budget, and your target audience. Once you’ve done this, you can upload your ad to the site and start monitoring its metrics.
How to maximize the impact of Facebook Ads
As is the case with any new endeavor, you’ll get better at Facebook Ads the more time you spend working on them. Your first ad campaign might be the most exciting, but it probably won’t be the most successful. As you learn the ropes and see what works, you’ll be able to refine your efforts and yield better results.
In the meantime, there are a few tricks that can help you maximize the impact of Facebook Ads.
Target the right audience
Way back when you were developing your marketing strategy, you identified the key characteristics of your target audience — who they are, what they want, and where they live. It’s time to revisit that final key trait: where your target clientele is located.
One of the most powerful features of Facebook Ads for business is the ability to geotarget your marketing campaign with incredible precision. It’s kind of like placing a digital billboard in a strategic location where you know your target customers will see it.
If you’re wondering how to set up Facebook Ads with a specific geographic audience, luckily, Facebook makes it simple. When you’re setting your objectives for your ad, Facebook will ask you to specify the audience you want to reach. You can choose a hyper-local area immediately surrounding your business, or you can branch out and target a wider demographic.
If you ever want to modify your selection and adjust your audience, you can simply return to the Ad Manager platform, go to the Audience section, and specify a new target location.
Incentivize clicks
At this point, you’ve poured an enormous amount of time and energy into your Facebook ad, but the battle has only just begun. Creating an engaging graphic, geotargeting your ad, and investing in marketing are just part of the pregame. Now you’re ready for the playoffs — converting customers.
In a marketing context, the word “conversion” refers to the moment when a prospective customer follows through on a call to action or initiates a transaction. In other words, they buy something, make a call, or schedule an appointment.
This is how your business generates revenue, and it is your opportunity to earn a return on your investment in your ad. No pressure, though, right?
Of course, there’s plenty of pressure, but you have the tools you need to rise to the occasion. You can increase your conversion rate by following essential Facebook Ads tips and finding ways to incentivize clicks.
Your ad already caught a customer’s attention with its clear branding and attractive graphics. Now you need to take it to the next level with messaging that gives them a reason to click. Consider these examples:
- Exclusive discounts on products and services for Facebook customers
- Time-sensitive sales and discounts that will end soon if they don’t click
- Advertising that features explicit and enticing product pricing
It’s simple — if you give users a reason to click, they will. If you give them a compelling reason to buy something, they just might do that, too.
Invest in consistency
What else might motivate your audience to make a purchase? Countless books have been written about consumer psychology, and you’ve probably spent hours contemplating this question, yet the mystery remains.
The truth is, consumer behavior is influenced by more than just a single ad — the economy, the weather, and the time of year can all be make-or-break factors in your overall conversion rate. How can you maintain profitability when elements like these are out of your control?
Consistency is the key. When the world is unpredictable, your brand needs to be consistent in its values, identity, and aesthetics. The latter of these is especially important when you’re creating your Facebook Ads — you don’t want to run the same ad over and over again, but it’s important for your ads to maintain the same general look and feel.
This allows prospective customers to identify your brand and builds trust. If your brand’s aesthetics are inconsistent, your audience won’t recognize them and you’ll lose out on potential impact.
Create a call to action
Finally, you need to clearly tell your audience what they need to do — but not too explicitly. You need a call to action that effectively balances subtlety and directness. You can achieve this by using language that incentivizes the desired behavior.
For example, if you want your audience to click your Facebook ad and spend at least $150 on your products, you can incentivize this with a call to action that says “Save on sale items when you spend at least $150!” A great call to action will include several other important features, including:
- A reward for following through on the invitation
- Language that appeals to your ideal clientele
- A concise phrase that users can read quickly
These factors will make your call to action more appealing and thus make your Facebook ad more effective. Every Facebook Ads marketing campaign needs a solid call to action to anchor its messaging.
➡️ Impactful ad design: Insights from Dr. Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy, a neuromarketing expert at Neurons Inc
How to run a Facebook ad
Facebook has come under fire many times for its censorship and community guidelines policies. In addition to these standards, there are a specific set of Facebook Ads requirements that businesses must be aware of, too.
Follow these tips to make sure you comply with the rules and get the most out of your campaign.
Understand Facebook requirements
There are a few brand guidelines Facebook imposes on advertisers. These guidelines are outlined in the Brand Resource Center, where you can find information about using branded Facebook content and branding your own content for use on Facebook. Some of the site’s requirements for Facebook Feed Image Ads include:
- The minimum size is 600 x 600 pixels.
- Ads must feature a maximum of 20% text.
- Text cannot be more than 125 characters, excluding a link.
It’s important to note that the requirements for different ad types may vary. Facebook Feed Video Ads, for example, requires uploads to be a slightly smaller 600 x 315 pixels.
No matter what kind of Facebook Ad you’re creating or how big you want it to be, there’s a VistaCreate template in our Facebook ad gallery to help you get started.
Follow the best practices for ads
In addition to Facebook’s basic requirements for ads, there are a set of Facebook Ads best practices that you should account for, too. These best practices include tips that might not be mandatory but that will likely help your ad perform better. Some of the most important include:
- Limit your use of text — images and videos are more engaging
- If you do use text, use a smaller font so it’s not overwhelming
- Always use a file that’s the highest quality and resolution available
Remember what science says — visual information is always the most impactful. The most effective Facebook Ad is one that can communicate your brand’s identity, grab the attention of users, and convert users to customers. Rely on images to do this, not text.
Track your ad’s performance
You designed the perfect Facebook Ad, you created a great call to action, and you’re in compliance with Facebook’s standards and best practices. Time to sit back and watch your sales soar, right?
If you’re lucky, yes — but for most advertisers, placing product ads on Facebook is a process of trial and error. You’ll likely need to tinker your strategy until you find the right approach.
Analyzing data is the best way to do this, and luckily, Facebook offers advertisers a wealth of data to draw from. The Ads Manager platform allows you to view the overall numbers for your ads’ impressions, clicks, and geographic reach. You can then compare this data to your sales revenue and calculate your return on investment.
If the results fall short of your goal, don’t worry. Facebook Ads are an effective part of any long-term marketing strategy, and after time, your efforts are likely to pay off.
How to advertise on Facebook and win new business
There are so many opportunities for web-based marketing that choosing the right one can seem like a challenge for any business owner. If you’ve settled on Facebook, though, you’ve made a great choice. You can reach thousands of new customers — or more! — with an effective ad.
How to advertise on Facebook shouldn’t be a mystery, though. VistaCreate’s templates make it easy to customize, revise, and resize your designs to fit whatever kind of ad you’re working on. More importantly, they provide the aesthetic consistency that will make your brand recognizable.
Create Facebook Ads that speak to your target audience, generate more clicks, and win more conversions.
