11 awesome Facebook ad examples you need to see (and copy)

Are you running Facebook ads?

Do you want to improve the performance of your next campaign?

By looking at some of the best Facebook ads you’ll be able to take inspiration as well as actionable ad creative insights to use for your own campaigns.

In this article you’ll discover Facebook ad best practices by examining 11 real-world Facebook ad examples.

Measuring Facebook ad effectiveness

Before we examine each of the ad examples, it’s worth noting that without access to the Ads Manager dashboard for each of the advertisers, we don’t know the specific metrics of the ads such as Relevance Score or other key metrics so we can’t do an in-depth data analysis.

Ad Example #1 – Bluehost

This ad gets it right on so many levels. Used in the middle of the sales funnel, to reduce cart abandonment, Bluehost drives people who have previously added to cart to return to the website and complete their purchase.

Why it works

Compelling copy: the question at the start reminds someone that they are in the middle of a decision about building their website. The second line hits the low cost barrier to entry to using their service, only $2.95, this is followed by extremely heavy social proof, trusted by millions of customers.

Eye-catching visuals: what makes this ad even more effective is the use of video. Video is currently the best performing type content with over 100 million hours watched every day on Facebook. The video reinforces the social proof mentioned in the ad copy referencing different business owners.

Clear link title, description & CTA: The link title below the video “Launch Your Website Today” is clear and direct, implying that this ad is for you to take the final action to launch your website. The link description below the link title reinforces social proof again linked to the ad copy and video. It also highlights another benefit of joining, getting a free domain. The CTA of the ad Shop Now is in keeping with the whole tone of the ad to finalise your buying decision and launch your site.

Ad Example #2 Simba

In this ad, UK mattress company Simba utilises the carousel ad format with short, feature-rich videos and a single image to market their Hybrid Mattress.

Why it works

Curious copy: the single sentence copy not only grabs the attention by building curiosity with the target audience but the overall shortness pushes the target audience to consume the carousel cards that highlight the product features.

Striking visuals: what makes this an excellent ad is the use of attention grabbing video, particularly in the first carousel card. The short looping videos make it more immersive and engaging than regular images. Finally, the use of a single image in the second to last carousel card breaks the expectation of another video and effectively draws attention to the 100 day trial offer.

Carousel title & CTA: Each of the carousel card titles highlights either a consumer benefit or specific feature of the product. They are short and concise enough not to get cut off on mobile newsfeed ad placement. The Shop Now CTA reinforces the desired purchasing mind-set.

 

 

Ad Example #3 – MOZ

 

This ad from MOZ for their video series Whiteboard Friday is all about choosing a domain name. It’s a great example of top-of-funnel content that delivers value to the target audience and in doing so, builds recognition and authority for MOZ the brand and Rand Fishkin the CEO.

Why it works

Questioning copy: Starting the copy with a question related to the video brings the topic to the front-of-mind for the target audience. It also builds curiosity in what the answers to the question might be. The second line of copy features a call to action, Learn more, which gets the target audience to stay and watch the rest of the video (as it’s auto playing), it also references the title of the video series helping to build further brand awareness.

Unique visuals: another excellent use of video. Instead of the usual to-camera piece with a floating head, the use of the Whiteboard makes it feel like you’re being taught at school. This time a much longer video that goes in-depth and educates the target audience about eight rules for choosing a domain name.

 

Ad Example #4 – Kit & Kin

 

Another excellent use of the carousel ad format this time from eco baby brand Kit & Kin. This retargeting ad specifically promotes a 25% off discount on their Eco nappies to encourage a first purchase.

Why it works

Benefit based copy: The first line of copy makes it clear that this ad is for a promotion, specifically a 25% off discount deal. It also clearly states the discount code FB25 that someone needs to use to take advantage of the offer. After that, the second paragraph of copy states a feature of the product and goes on to describe the benefit to the buyer of this particular feature “drier babies for happier mums and dads”. The final line of copy highlights another product feature, the print on the nappies, and the aesthetic benefit to the buyer.

Product images: The images in the carousel aren’t just of the product on its own as that would be boring. Instead they’ve used lifestyle based product images so the target audience can see what the product looks like when it’s being used.

Carousel title & CTA: The first carousel title reiterates the offer in the ad, reminding the target audience that they can get 25% off. The cards that follow are all interconnected by referencing the characters of the animals printed on the product and utilise relevant emojis to stand out even more. The Shop Now CTA reminds the user that they are in a buying mind-set and there is a discount to be had on the product.

 

Ad Example #5 – Shopify

This ad from Shopify checks all the right boxes. Used at the top-of-funnel, this content ad helps build brand awareness whilst delivering value to the target audience.

Why it works

Punchy copy: This short punch copy excels at triggering curiosity with three one-word questions and then bridging the curiosity gap by providing the answers in the content that’s being promoted. Users are sucked in knowing that they are already using one of the loyalty ideas mentioned, either discounts, contents or VIP status but are they doing it right or are there more effective ways. This article provides the answers. They’ve got my click.

Random image: The image is an interesting one as it appears to be rather random on first glance. Its impact is enough to pattern interrupt someone scrolling in their newsfeed but on further analysis there’s a nostalgic feel to the ad, in that as a kid, ice cream used to be a treat or reward and this links to the content of the article, reward programmes.

Solid title & CTA: The listicle style article grabs the attention using a specific number at the start. The ad also features the CTA of Learn more, which is the exact thing someone will do when they read all about the creative ideas around customer loyalty programmes.

 

Ad Example #6 – Gousto

This ad from meal delivery company Gousto immediately caught my attention when it appeared in my Newsfeed. It mixes value based video content with a direct response discount promotion.

Why it works

Emoji copy: First line of the copy states the percentage discount and its applicability, you don’t just get a discount on your first box but also on your second. The three lines of copy that follow are all benefit driven, highlighting the wide range of choice, the free and flexible delivery option and the ease of use to follow the recipe cards to make the meals. In addition to this, the use of emojis at the start and end of each line of copy grabs the attention of the target audience.

Short Video: The short sub-60 second video demonstrates how easy it is to cook one of the recipes available in the meal boxes.

CTA: The Order Now CTA is consistent with the tone of the ad, in that it’s a direct response ad first and a content ad second.

 

Ad Example #7 – Feelunique.com

 

This ad from beauty brand feelunique.com promotes a flash sale on Kerastase. It features a large image for maximum impact in the Newsfeed, compared to regular link ads.

 

Why it works

Urgent copy: The first line of copy builds scarcity; implying that the product will be selling fast and it’s a race to get your hands on one. The second line tells you the percentage discount available and the specific product it relates to. The final line of copy features the call to action, with a Google tracking link to the product page.

Product image: the ad features a four-segment image for maximum impact. The top segment reiterating the offer mentioned in the copy, the second segment a full width product based lifestyle image and the third and fourth more product based lifestyle images.

Ad Example #8 – Two Become One

Another excellent example of a retargeting ad, it uses a mixture of direct response messaging from the video and testimonial based copy. The video introduces the business owner and the testimonial adds social proof to the ad.

 

Why it works

Testimonial copy: the testimonial used in the first part of the copy hits four specific customer insights: 1) the customer had confidence in the business, 2) the product offering was unique 3) the customer was happy with the end product and 4) they would recommend the service. Using testimonials in your ad copy is one of the most effective ways to build trust and encourage potential customers to take action. The second half of the copy features the call-to-action giving users specific instructions on how to get in contact with the business.

Introduction video: the video introduces the business owner, and adds a “face” to the business, after all people do business with other people. The video takes place in their showroom and goes on to state the specific service they offer and features a call to action at the end of the video.

 

Ad Example #9 – Larson & Jennings

This ad from watch brand Larsson & Jennings takes an interesting approach to a discount promotion, with an element of exclusivity and the presence of scarcity to drive the target audience to take action.

Why it works

Exclusive copy: The ad copy is positioned with the element of exclusivity (the condition that you need to create an account to take advantage of the offer) and the impression of scarcity (the sale period between the 1^st and the 5^th of September) that demands immediate action from the target audience.

Product image: As the promotion is tied to a particular product it makes sense to use a product image. Again, as in the Kit & Kin example, the product image displays the product in use as opposed to a boring image of the product on its own.

Link title & CTA: The first section of the link title, stresses the exclusive element of the offer, “Private Sale” this is followed by the reiteration of the discount percentage and the specific product on offer. The CTA is not the expected Shop Now that we’ve seen in other ads for product promotions, but rather Sign Up, relating to the create an account action required before the user can take advantage of the offer.

Ad Example #10 – LeadPages

This time-travelling ad from Leadpages is a perfect example of how to advertise a Lead Magnet. Used at the top-of-funnel to generate email subscribers who can be later up-sold to the Leadpages software.

Why it works

Benefit based copy: opening strong with the main benefit of the guide, generating more leads and sales, a bold claim follows stressing the in-depth nature of the guide. The second paragraph goes into detail on the length of the guide and its relevancy being bang up-to-date for 2017 and then the kicker that you can get all of this for free.

Relevant image: the image grabs your attention right away thanks to the blue background colour, the same blue from the logo to reinforce the brand. The landing page examples used in the ad immediately reinforce the fact that this ad is all about landing pages, it remains consistent with the ad text and the link title.

Link title & CTA: first half of the link title, features the same call to action as the CTA button to keep continuity. The second part of the link mentions the title of the lead magnet.

Ad Example #11 – Philips

A great ad from Philips that uses both video content and the carousel ad format. Each video demonstrates a use case of their new OneBlade razor.

Why it works

Short and sweet copy: The two sentence copy precisely hits the benefits of using the product. It’s as quick to read as the razor is for shaving. The focus is to push the reader to consume the videos in the carousel.

Benefit driven videos: Each of the videos in the carousel showcases the product in a different use case demonstrating the flexibility of the product.

Carousel title & CTA: A clever use of carousel title interlinked with the carousel description. Here the carousel title displays a use action for the product such as “Go against the grain” this is followed by the benefit to the user in the carousel description “No doubts”. The carousel descriptions also keep consistency with the benefits suggested in the main copy of the ad. The Shop Now CTA drives people to the product page to buy the product.

Takeaways you can apply to your own ads

Ad copy

When it comes to ad copy, ask yourself the following questions when writing your next Facebook ad:

• What’s a question that will bring the content of your ad to the top-of-mind of your target audience?
• Do you have a customer’s testimonial you can use to add an element of social proof to your ads?
• What are the customer benefits of the product or service you’re advertising? Identify the benefit as opposed to just features as customers buy the benefits of a product or service.

Visuals

Right now video is the best performing content type on Facebook, that’s why over half of the ad examples in this article feature a video. Take advantage of the increased level of engagement on video content and the subsequent undervalued cost per video view, which means you can generate thousands of views from small ad budgets.

CTAs

If you want your target audience to take a specific action, don’t forget to tell them to do so. The key to correctly using CTAs in your ads is to keep them consistent between what your target audience will read in the ad copy, the link or carousel card title and the specific CTA button that you use. The same goes for when they visit the web page you are linking to in your ad.

 

Final thoughts

When it comes to measuring great ads, ad effectiveness can be broken into three parts – the copy, the visuals and the call-to-action.

It’s important to make sure there’s consistency between the three ad elements, otherwise your target audience might misunderstand your ad and as a result it won’t have the desired impact.

What do you think of the ad examples? Which ad was your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

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About Charlie Lawrance

Charlie Lawrance is the Founder and CEO of Gecko Squared, a digital marketing agency that specialises in Facebook advertising. His clients include eCommerce companies, professional service businesses and best-selling authors. Stay in touch by liking his Facebook Page (Charlie Lawrance).

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