The weird and wonderful world of Facebook always likes to keep us guessing. Whether it be the latest add-on or our relatives putting out a controversial post, we can always rely on this platform — above all others — to leave us with our jaws on the floor. Of course, while memes may be plentiful, something that we’ve all become used to in this space is advertisements.
We see ads pop up daily across the internet, and we imagine that trend will continue for many years. Some are long and frustrating, whereas some are short and subtle, but whatever the case may be, they’re still ever-present on the site.
Today, we’re going to focus on a particular sub-genre of this species: Facebook carousel ads. These adverts differentiate themselves from some of their competitors, and once you come to understand them more, you’ll probably get a better idea of how exactly they function.
So, without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into Facebook carousel ads.
Mixing things up a bit is always important, especially in advertising. The primary objective is to draw as much attention as possible to your product, but you also want to do it in a way that’s going to help you stand out. Sure, it’s a technique that’s now used by many, but there’s still a certain allure to utilising the Facebook carousel ad function.
In its simplicity, the carousel format in question lets you show two or more images/videos in a single ad. They each have their own headline, description and link, and in order to scroll through them, you have to swipe across on your device or click the arrows on your screen. It can make up an entire storyboard or perhaps one whole picture or clip across an extended space.
JPG or PNG will do the trick within an image file, or MP4, MOV and GIF if you’re shooting a video. The ratio is 1:1 with a resolution guideline of at least 1080 x 1080, and you can put up to 10 carousel ‘cards’ in one advert. The video can be a maximum size of 4GB with 240 seconds of content, with the Facebook image being no larger than 30MB.
Through the beauty of Facebook’s Ads Manager tool, you’ll be able to get started in the process of creating a carousel ad. You can add your campaign details, run A/B tests and Meta Advantage campaign budget information before adjusting your scheduling, audience placements and optimisation info. From there, look in the Identity section and choose the page you want to use for your ad.
Through a manual upload, as it says on the tin, you can walk through every step yourself. Use the add and remove functions to put together your images and videos, and while this may take longer, it certainly gives the whole thing a more personal touch.
If you choose Catalogue, you can choose to promote multiple products or use product categories. It’s essentially a container that maintains the information you’ve provided about the items you want to promote, perhaps giving it a more professional look in the process. This is especially handy if you’re selling goods through your carousel ad.
Depending on the target audience and the length of the advert, the cost of a carousel ad can come down to what the project is and what it entails. A standard Facebook ad can cost between $0.50 and $2.00 per click, but it can regularly come down to the industry and the individual project.
Regardless of whether you want to pay for each result on its own or the campaign as a whole, you can spend as much as you desire on a Facebook carousel ad. You’d have to devise a budget to ensure you don’t go over, but in essence, you’ve just got to let your creativity flow.
The good news is that according to Facebook themselves, carousel ads drive 30-50% lower cost-per-conversion and 20-30% lower cost-per-click than just a single image advert.
There’s something within the foundation of a Facebook carousel ad that feels so fresh. Instead of just scrolling past in an attempt to get to the next post, there’s an intrigue behind getting the full picture or the finished article. As such, we think it’s important to establish a few ground rules (or, you know, steps) that can help you take a big leap towards making them work for your business.
There’s nothing too over the top or groundbreaking about what we’re going to say, but in an instance like this, the little things can go a long way to making a big difference.
There shouldn’t be a single doubt in anyone’s mind as to who this advert is for, who it’s from, and why they need to learn more. Sure, the actual message you’re trying to send is what hooks them in, but you need to back that up with some personality. That stems from good branding, largely because it’s hard to find the line between ‘corporate’ and ‘approachable’.
Finding the right logo and colour scheme is a great place to start, but it isn’t everything. All industries are different, and they all approach customers in very different ways, which is why there has to be a real blend in your work if you want it to strike the right chord.
More often than not, with a carousel ad, the imagery is going to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Whether it be a video featuring a group of friends or a picture of a famous skyscraper, that’s what you’re going to be focusing on. With that being said, there’s a real element of importance behind the ‘less is more’ approach and what it can do for your visibility.
This is the perfect opening for a slogan, a catchphrase, or a witty remark that can really seal the deal on getting that all-important click. Instead of the paint-by-numbers “look at our deals, aren’t they great” outlook, you can instead expand your horizons and use this to give yourself a whole new online presence.
First, decide what it is you’re going to present: one large picture spread across a string of carousel cards, a video presentation, or a mixture of the two. If it’s too erratic and all over the place, then the user is probably going to lose interest quicker than you think.
It can’t be formulaic, and it has to stand out from other promotional material you’ve produced in the past. A carousel ad can be skipped over pretty quickly, but it can also go on (and be repeated) several times when there’s a meaning behind it. The graphic design portion of this is going to be critical, and it needs to be checked four or five times over before being published.
When you first glance at something on the world wide web, it’s always better when it really captures your imagination. It’s not good enough to just have all of the necessary information because when you blend different design elements, it goes from a momentary look to a genuinely interesting piece of art.
Here at Hatchly, that’s something we pride ourselves on. With our unlimited graphic design setup, we can take a look at any ideas you may have and take them to the next level. Sound like a plan?
When it comes to the world of marketing and growth for any given business, things can get quite complicated - and/or frustrating - after the first couple of months. Some people within a new company don’t want to deal with the pressure of getting your ads right or even facing adversity, which is where our service comes into the picture.
Here at Hatchly, we always strive to provide you with the best end product imaginable. We can format your content to just about any platform, and that’s especially true for Facebook and good old carousel ads. It’s a concept that’s been around for some time now, and if you need assistance with mastering it, we’re here to help.
Feel free to take a look at our pricing structure, and from there, if you have any more questions, get in touch!
