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Anatomy of a Facebook Ad: The step-by-step guide 

Facebook Ads can reach over 3.03 billion users, and the average user clicks on 12 different ads per month (which is about a click every two and a half days). It’s no surprise that small businesses and large corporations alike are taking advantage of the ad platform to reach their audience and drive leads, customer acquisitions, and sales.

However, while Facebook’s self-serve ad system is accessible and relatively easy to learn, knowing how to create high-performing campaigns may take a bit of time and practice.

To help you jumpstart the potential for high-value ad campaigns, in this post, we’re going to break down the anatomy of a Facebook Ad. We’ll also go over tips for each component and a few integrations to help you get the results you want.

4 Components that make up the anatomy of a Facebook Ad 

There are ultimately four different parts that make up the basic anatomy of a Facebook Ad: the visual, the copy, the CTA, and the Ad Type. 

Let’s take a look at the core parts of a Facebook Ad and go over a few tips for how to create strong components across the board. 

1. The visuals 

Visuals on Facebook Ads are essential, and they can either be videos, images, or both. They’re the first thing that users notice, which makes them one of the most important parts of a Facebook Ad. 

Visuals on Facebook Ads

Single-media ads let you upload a single video or image. 

Carousel Ads, Story Ads, and Collection Ads all allow you to upload multiple images and/or videos, depending on the format. 

Visuals are ultimately what’s going to grab the user’s attention first, so they matter a great deal. You want visuals that highlight your brand’s, service’s, or product’s best features in their best light.

These tips can help you create a strong visual:

  • Test mobile-shot video: This is a standard best practice right now, uploading video that looks like it was created by a customer on an iPhone, and it can be successful at driving clicks.
  • Keep mobile formatting in mind for your visuals: Mobile-friendliness is essential because more Facebook user activity is happening on mobile than desktop.
  • Skip out on models’ faces unless it’s a crucial part of the ad: Ads without faces often perform better than those with faces in them.
  • Use software tools: Right tools can ensure the quality is top-notch, and avoid generic or irrelevant visual elements. If you want to create your own images, for example, you can rely on the latest platforms to turn your vision into AI art based on an existing photo, keywords, or prompts.

2. The copy 

The copy is the ad text that explains your product, offer, and call to action. It includes your headline, ad description, and micro-copy that can appear in the CTA or overlay on images or videos.

Facebook Ad body copy example

You want your ad copy to really sell your USP and explain why users should take the action you want them to. This could be to make a purchase, sign up for a free class or trial, or complete a lead form.

Facebook Ad body copy example

These are some great Facebook Ad body copy examples that do exactly that. Above all, they should explain the benefits of the product or service and why you should purchase now while using a strong brand voice:

Facebook Ad body copy example

3. The clickable Facebook call-to-action buttons 

Facebook call-to-action buttons are a seemingly small component of your Facebook Ad anatomy that can still carry a lot of weight. It shows up at the bottom of your ad next to the headline.

There are plenty of different Facebook call-to-action button options like “Shop Now,” “Download,” “Message,” and “Learn More.”

Facebook call to action example

You want to choose your Facebook call to action button options wisely. Mostly because it can directly impact how users perceive your ad and whether or not they click. 

Someone towards the beginning of the funnel might be more likely to click on a “Learn More” CTA than a “Sign Up” or “Shop Now” CTA, which seemingly requires more commitment. Consider testing different Facebook call-to-action buttons for your ads to see what works best. 

4. The Ad Type 

There are multiple different ad formats you can choose, including the following:

Examples of Facebook Canvas Ads

Canvas format features full-screen mobile ads that help highlight brands and products through attractive aesthetics. They are also native ads, which means users can engage with them right on the platform. Let’s look at some examples of Facebook Canvas Ads below.

This is Wendy’s first Canvas campaign, using this format to present their target audience on Facebook with a dismantled cheeseburger. 

Facebook Ad video examples

Facebook claimed 60% of online video ad revenue worldwide in 2022, and this number is still growing. Mostly for their high engagement aspect, Video Ads are a crucial element in your social media marketing strategy. 

Additionally, Facebook algorithms offer ads to different audiences based on the user’s journey. So, if you want to reach the people who are likely to engage with your video ads, great video creatives are your best bet. 

Let’s look at some Facebook Ad video examples:

Facebook ad video examples
Source: Facebook

As you can see, these Facebook Ad video examples are classified as Poll Only, Poll + Watch & Browse, Poll + Watch & Install, each offering different features to help increase engagement. 

Slideshow Facebook Ad example

If you don’t have the means to create an eye-catching video, Slideshow Facebook Ads are your next best option. This format lets you combine images and sound to design video-like ads that tell a story. Besides, they are incredibly affordable for marketers and load well at every connection speed.

You can see a slideshow Facebook Ad example here:

Slideshow Facebook Ad example

Source: Mund Mund Media

Facebook Collection Ad examples

Facebook Collection Ads are designed to help make purchase decisions and improve the user’s experience while doing so. They drive high shopping intent clicks by showcasing a large number of your products at once, increasing the odds of someone seeing something they like.

Facebook collection ad examples
Source: Instapage

Once users tap on a collection, they are redirected to a full-screen page to find out more. Check out this popular Facebook collection ad example above. 

Facebook introduced the carousel ad to replace the single image ads to add creativity and increase engagement. Instead, it allows sharing up to 10 images or videos in a single unit that users can scroll through. Additionally, Carousel Ads have relatively high CTR rates, right after Single Image and Video Ads.

Here are some popular Facebook Carousel Ad examples:

Facebook carousel ads examples
Source: creatopy
Facebook carousel ads examples
Source: creatopy

In these Facebook carousel ad examples, you can use this format to highlight various products in a single ad unit or provide more information.

Single-Image Ads example

Not every ad needs a video or outstanding creatives to sell. In some cases, static images and the right ad copy will do just fine. This format presents a single visual for users to focus on. Instead of using stock photos, branded imagery is the best choice when it comes to single-image ads. You can use models holding your product or just flat images of your product.

Here is how a brand uses Facebook Single-Image Ads to run successful campaigns.

Single image ads 
Source: Dusk

Side Column Ad example

Ads in the right-hand column that were previously shown by a small thumbnail (100×72 image), are now displayed in the sidebar with much bigger images (up to 3x). 

Side Column Ads often cost less and can work well for retargeting when users are already familiar with you, but often see fewer CTR than other ad placements. Let’s take a look at the new Side Column Ad example:

Side column ad example

Facebook Lead Ads example

Facebook Lead Ads are one of the most practical ways to generate leads. It allows marketers to connect to people who may be interested in their products or services while collecting information from them. 

Once selected, Lead Ads open to an in-app or on-site lead form that Facebook automatically fills out. Learn more about the most effective examples of Facebook Lead Ads here, along with a couple of case studies. 

Considering the amount of marketing competition on the world’s most popular social network, automating your Facebook advertising can help you stand out. LeadsBridge integrations help sync your lead data into your marketing stack in real-time, streamline your campaigns and create instant follow-ups to maximize conversions.

Check out two of our favorite integrations for Facebook marketing.

Instagram Story Lead Ad example

Instagram Story Lead Ads are a great choice for approachable content and brand awareness-focused campaigns. Advertisers can request email addresses or contact details from users who click on their ads with Story Ads

This information is collected without taking the users off the platform, and can be used to build Newsletter sign-up lists or strategize follow-up calls.

Instagram story lead ad example
Source: zammo

If Instagram Lead Ads are your area of interest, then you can boost your marketing with these LeadsBridge integrations:

Most ad formats are automatically enabled when you’re creating new ads. Make sure that you’re previewing how both your copy and media look in each ad format and on both mobile and desktop.

Conversion Ads Facebook example

Conversion Leads Optimization is a performance goal that helps you to communicate your targeting priorities to Facebook for a campaign. Ads made with this goal are essentially shown to users who are highly likely to become paying customers.

The difference between Facebook’s lead generation with or without Conversion Leads performance is in their intended user actions. With your usual Lead Ads, you encourage users to complete a form, whereas Conversion Ads aim to push users to take a more specific action, such as clicking a link, making a purchase, or watching a video.

To get the most out of these ads, you’ll need to first implement the Facebook Conversions API, in addition to (at least) one running Facebook Lead Ads campaign. 

In addition to Facebook conversions API, LeadsBridge lets you integrate your CRM system into Facebook Conversion Leads, streamlining the entire workflow.

With conversion ads, you can use single images or videos, display multiple photos or videos in a carousel format, promote collections with individual images, information, and call-to-action buttons, and even create polls. Take a look at this Conversion Ad Facebook example by Glenda Ward:

Conversion Ads Facebook example
Source: Meta

When a user clicks on the links to request an evaluation, Facebook considers this as a lead and calculates and charges based on the cost per lead for such actions.

Dynamic Ads Facebook example

Facebook Dynamic Product Ads show your content and promotions to users who have shown interest in specific products or services. Basically, they promote your inventory to interested users across Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and the Audience Network)​​.

These ads also let you create better personalization, exclude some audience segments, up-sell or cross-sell past customers, and run cross-device targeting​​.

To get the most out of this feature. You’ll need to install the Facebook Pixel on your website. And if you haven’t already, upload your product catalog to Facebook. The information that comes in from Facebook allows the creation of ad campaigns that target specific audience segments based on their interactions.

These ads work specifically well for ecommerce campaigns in terms of conversion rates​​. Let’s take a look at this ecommerce dynamic ad Facebook example by Lush Fashion Lounge:

Dynamic Ads Facebook example
Source: Meta

Facebook Marketplace Ad example

Marketplace Ads let you focus on the local market and deliver a more wholesome experience to your audiences. Setting up Marketplace Ads involves a few steps, selecting your audience, choosing ad formats, creating message templates, and tracking conversions​​​​​​​​​​. To track your conversions perfectly, though, you’ll need to step outside Facebook’s toolbox domain.

Integrating Marketplace ads with CRM or autoresponders through LeadsBridge can significantly improve your data management. 

These integrations also bring better lead management and communication with your existing and potential customers ​while accessing enough data to create spot-on ad campaigns. 

Facebook Marketplace Ad type

In addition to personal items and property categories, Facebook Marketplace dedicates a unique category for car dealerships. This is to help them connect with buyers by reducing friction in the car purchase process. Take a look at these Facebook Marketplace Ad examples:

Facebook Marketplace Ad example

Importing vehicle listings can be done manually or automatically. Again, automation offers many more benefits, like real-time data syncing with automotive marketing tools​​.

5 Tips for creating a strong Facebook Ad 

There are so many ways you can create a strong Facebook Ad, but these are our five best tips to get started in the right direction:

Start with your strategy first.

You always want to know what you want a specific ad campaign to accomplish—whether that’s lead, traffic, sales, or reach— before you start. This will impact your entire campaign, including who you target and what copy you use. 

Choose your objective carefully. 

You may be running a video ad and ultimately want both video views and sales. But what is your priority for this particular campaign? For some, it might be video views so they can create retargeting campaigns on a warmer audience.

Use a full-funnel ad approach.

A Facebook Ad funnel accounts for users at all stages of the digital sales funnel, and works to actually nurture users from one stage to the next. Someone who has never heard of your brand won’t respond to the same ad as someone who has purchased three times already.  

Use integrations to get the most out of your ads.

There are integrations to streamline your Custom Audience targeting, sync your lead data, and even push data to your CRM for lightning-fast follow ups. LeadsBridge offers all of these integrations and more. 

Here are some of our popular automated data bridges:

Consider letting Facebook do the heavy lifting.

One of the best parts about Facebook’s ad system (even after iOS 14.5) is that they have incredible machine learning and automation. You can set up Facebook Dynamic Ads or even keep using manually-created ads with different split test versions. This way, you’ll allow Facebook to determine who to show the ads to for the best results. 

And as always— don’t forget to split test! That’s the best path forward for accessing incredible insights and true optimization. 

Final thoughts 

The anatomy of a Facebook Ad is relatively simple, even if there are so many different options to choose from (and even though the strategy could be complex). Using the right tools can keep your ad management much more streamlined and efficient.

LeadsBridge’s integrations can help you get the most out of the results you get from your campaigns, funneling lead and custom audience information back and forth between Facebook, your CRM, your email marketing software, and more. As a result, you can create stronger, full-funnel experiences on Facebook and off of it, making it more powerful of a platform.

Want to learn more about how to get the most out of your Facebook Ads? Check out our Facebook integrations here

Ana Gotter

Ana is a strategic content marketer specializing in business, finance, and marketing writing, though she's worked across a range of industries. She works from her home in Orlando with her three dogs and can be contacted at www.anagotter.com.

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