Increasing Facebook Ads Performance with Images

September 9th, 2010 by Search Influence Alumni

Choosing the Right Images for Your Facebook Ads

In a previous Facebook Advertising blog post I mentioned the importance of selecting images for your Facebook ads. What I failed to do in that post was to fully explain that idea. Sure I threw out some fancy jargon about “magazine editorial ads”, but I wanted to take this time to show you three types:

1) Contextually Relevant

The least savvy online advertisers know, if you use a picture of what you are marketing people will interact with it. But what if you are advertising a cosmetic procedure? You can’t possibly use an image depicting the surgery. Not only could it be considered inappropriate by Facebook, it could also repulse your some of your more sensitive viewers. Instead choosing a doctor hammering away at a patient with a surgical suction device, find an image that suggest the outcome of the procedure. In Facebook Ad 1, you will see I’ve selected a graphic that implies weight loss and beauty at the same time. These ads are easiest to get approved and yield a good click rate if the right demographic is targeted.

2) Good Ol’ Branding

Good Ol’ Branding. Many people don’t understand why you would use imagery that incorporates branding, but this tactic not only makes viewers aware of your name and services offered but also makes your images more unique. Uniqueness is important when advertising on Facebook. In a given area there could be as many as 10 other advertisers using similar ad copy, offering the same competitive advantage, and using the same stock image as you. This is a big problem that not many online advertisers think about. We are so concerned with our targeted audience that we forget there are competitors who are aiming at the same demographic. By adding elements from your brand, images become instantly recognizable and unique. Uniqueness has always been the key to good advertising – whether it is in print, media, or online.

3) Playful Imagery

This is my favorite type of ad. In the section on branding, I mentioned that uniqueness is the key to good advertising but the best way to get remembered (and clicked on) is using suggestive and playful imagery. As seen in  the Facebook Ad 3 example, I’m advertising breast augmentation for a client. Instead of using the standard smiling woman in a low-cut shirt, I opted for something a little more colorful and fun. Paired with the right copy, images like this not only encourage a click through but also a form submission. However, be warned – if you are not targeting the right demographic, you could burn through your ad spend due to the curious nature of clickers.

Are these the only ways to select Facebook ads? Of course not. I can think of at least four other methods when choosing images for Facebook advertising (which I will likely explore in a future post). So the next time you are planning a Facebook ad campaign for your local business, do not be scared to experiment with the imagery. Who knows, that picture of your Aunt Petunia break dancing at your son’s Bar Mitzvah might double your leads.