One of the best ways to learn is to look at examples of other people who have done it right. When it comes to Facebook advertising, seeing brands that have hit it out of the park can give you the inspiration you need to make your own ads soar. Here are six examples of successful Facebook ads, plus why they work so well.
1. Starbucks
Starbucks / Facebook Ad Library
This ad from Starbucks works for a number of reasons:
- It has a super simple two-step process for signing up for Starbucks Rewards. It doesn’t get easier than that.
- There’s a promise of a freebie, which everyone loves.
- The “Install Now” button on the bottom right makes it even easier to install the app – you don’t even have to search for it in your phone’s app store.
- The emojis in the description (smartphone) and ad copy (bright stars) are eye-catching and playful, making this ad stand out in your feed.
- The image has a person in it. While his or her face isn’t pictured (images with faces tend to perform better in marketing), even just having a hand and part of an arm in the photo humanizes it.
- The bright, lit-up star behind the drink gives the image some contrast and makes it more noticeable when the user is scrolling.
2. Shopify
Shopify nails it with this quiz-focused ad. First, the image is eye-catching, both because it’s illustrated and because it’s green. Then, you can tell exactly what this is from the start – and it’s not another ploy to get your money. Instead, the ad offers something highly valuable to the user: a quiz that will help them decide what type of business to start.
Plus, that quiz is actually a personality test, and since most people love to learn more about themselves (and maybe even share their findings on social media), it appeals to that sort of human self-interest. The line “Predict your future success” furthers this angle, as just about every current or potential business owner would like to be more successful. Also, like with the Starbucks ad above, the use of emojis in the description and copy are eye-catching, and they communicate that this ad is on the lighter side.
3. Restream
Restream / Facebook Ad Library
This ad from Restream has managed to pack a ton in without being overwhelming or easy to skip over. Here’s everything they did right:
- Short, two-sentence description that clearly explains what Restream can do, including the type of content to stream and where it can be broadcasted.
- The green check marks are attention-getting and further explain the service in succinct detail. These features hit on what users will care about most, such as branding and analytics.
- The imagery reiterates what the service can do, which is helpful if the user skips the description copy and looks right at the graphic.
- The image has pictures of real people, which is always helpful in advertising – a lot of ads perform better when faces are shown.
- The ad copy says how many people are using Restream for their content creation – and it’s a lot of people, which increases social proof.
- The “Sign Up” button is more action-oriented than something like “Learn More,” because users know they can get started right away.
4. Lyft
Lyft does an excellent job with this simple ad by appealing to something that’s on everyone’s mind: how the coronavirus has impacted normal work life. In this ad, the company speaks directly to employers. Many employers are concerned with caring for their employees right now, and they’re interested in creating modern, flexible business practices.
Lyft promises to help employers by creating customized commute programs for employees so that they can get back to work. On top of the all-important and timely messaging, this ad also works because it (a) uses high-contrast in the purple-on-pink text area and (b) has a person featured in the graphic.
5. Blinkist
Blinkist / Facebook Ad Library
In this example, we wanted to show you how Blinkist is A/B testing a single ad. Just about everything is the same on these ads – the copy, emojis and button are identical. However, the colors are different, which will let Blinkist discover if one color scheme has more appeal to users over the other.
Aside from that, the description at the top of the ad is clear and straightforward and tells people exactly what Blinkist is. The on-image copy is compelling, too – if Elon Musk is a big reader, anyone hoping to be successful should follow suit. Note that the image is actually a thumbnail, as this ad is a video ad – and both videos are the same, save for coloring throughout.
6. Asana
This ad from Asana goes right to the heart of employers’ concern: Their team is wasting time and resources. Starting with a percentage is attention-grabbing, and the fact that the sentence is so short makes an impact. Then, the idea is repeated in the video ad’s thumbnail – so, if people skip that top line of copy, they’ll still understand the point when looking at the rest of the ad.
Asana does something else clever with this ad. Instead of limiting the enticing part to just the 60% commentary, they also offer a free 30-day trial. While this trial is standard and not ad-specific, it does make the user ask themselves why they wouldn’t try Asana. The only thing that could be improved is that button – instead of “Learn More,” we wish it would say something more actionable and time-sensitive, like “Get Started.”
Wrapping Up
Seeing how other brands have nailed Facebook advertising has multiple benefits. In addition to learning from the best, you’ll discover what your competition is doing, which can clue you in to ways you can stand out to your audience. Furthermore, you’ll get a sense of what brands aren’t doing, despite how many great ads they’re running. You can then fill in the gaps in your own advertising and appeal to audiences that have felt like something is missing – until now.
About the Author: Brian Meert is the CEO of AdvertiseMint, a Hollywood-based digital advertising agency that specializes in helping successful companies advertise on Facebook. Advertisemint has managed millions of dollars in digital ad spends in entertainment, fashion, finance, and software industries. Brian is also the author of the best selling, The Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising. He is a 15-year digital advertising executive and a member of the Forbes Agency Council.