How important is ad copy? What details, angles and points should I include? What will compel people stop scrolling and take action?  These questions are so, so important for anyone thinking of creating a Facebook ad because copy is a huge component of how well an ad works. 

Q: How do I know what kind of copy my audience wants to see in my Facebook Ads?

A: Split-testing! (Okay, I know, this comes as no surprise!)

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Split-testing is one of the best things you can ever get into the habit of doing when you’re creating Facebook ad campaigns. The same holds true for testing your Facebook ad copy

The thing is, ad copy comes in all shapes, sizes, and creativity levels. There’s:

• Short copy (perfect for getting the point across quickly and making people take action)
• Long copy (I really only recommend this if the copy is more story-like or super engaging)
• Stories (meaning, tell a story in your copy to lead your audience to the conclusion that they need what you have because it has worked for you or others)
• Engaging, eye-catching copy (like those with a bunch of emojis or special fonts that help catch someone’s eye and stop the scroll)

Before you start split testing copy, first consider the audience. Do they have time to read something super long (or are they busy people, like surgeons, who have little to no time to read a long post)? Do they NEED something long (i.e. they need to feel like you understand them in order to take action)?

You’ll also want to consider your brand voice. Make sure that it sounds like you speaking directly to your audience. There are obvious ways of doing this, for example, “Hey Photographers!”, but there are also more subtle ways of doing this by speaking to their direct pain points, and narrating how you can overcome those setbacks with your guidance. It’s also handy to add your personal sayings. For example, some greetings you might typically open your marketing emails with “Hey Friends”, “Hi Gals”, etc. can work well in ads as well for brand cohesiveness.

Another tip is to lean in on the benefits. Facebook ads actually flag copy that is too directive with the use of the word “you”. If you’re often saying “you feel this”, “you should do this”, or “you need this” it can come off as singling your audience out. You want to express how you understand your audience, and how you can help them. Outlining the benefits and what is included in your offer in a bullet list helps people see the value at a glance!

Beyond those tips, start testing different versions and you can decide what content types might work the best and go from there. But split-testing can usually help you decide between two or more content types, especially when you literally have no idea what copy your audience might prefer.