Powerful, stunning images are an easy way to showcase your brand and products. If you rely on images for most of your advertising, however, you need to make sure your images follow the best practices for Facebook advertising success. Here are our golden rules for creating images that sell!
1. Do NOT use text on your images.
You can have a small logo or a few words if you have to, but other than that, do not
put extra text on your images. In fact, Facebook will warn you if your picture has
too much text. It will also tell you how poorly your ad image will perform if you
choose to proceed. As a best practice, do not use text unless it is a logo or a
percentage off sale.
2. Showcase happy customers.
Even if you or your client has not yet sold any of the products or services for which
you are advertising, you need to capture the happiness potential customers can
receive after purchasing or interacting with your product.
Get some models, if needed, or you can always give away a few products to a test
group and then take pictures of them. Whatever you come up with, make sure the
people in your images are happy, changed customers. As Facebook will tell you, ads
with faces perform insanely better than ads that have solely inanimate objects.
Customers will engage with your ad for the emotion they will feel after they use your
product.
3. Don’t use images of only yourself or your products.
This practice piggybacks off of the last, but it bears mentioning because there are so
many pictures in ads of only the person offering the service or of just the product.
There is nothing technically wrong with images like these, but they are not following
the best practices. You really need to take your image, your one shot to make a
visual impression, to the next level. Don’t stop with step one of a customer’s
experience. Show what a customer’s life will be like after the service or how happy
they will be interacting with a product.
4. Can your image pass the “Can’t Read” test?
The “Can’t Read” test is pretty straightforward. Imagine your audience can’t read!
Would they know what you are selling? Would they be persuaded to make a
purchase?
Are you beginning to see why photography is an art form?
An image needs to visually say more words than your ad ever could and needs to
communicate your purpose and your audience’s change of heart after purchasing
your product or service.
5. Your audience doesn’t need a picture of a circus.
In other words, you need to keep your image simple–a picture that your audience’s
eyes can digest in an instant. Although we are mentioning several things your ad
image should accomplish, it needs to suggest an emotion rather than make a scene.
6. Use only high resolution images.
This should go without mentioning, but unfortunately, some advertisers will try to
make do with photos that they have rather than taking new, quality images.
Always use professional lighting and camera lenses with a decent depth of field. If
you must use your iPhone, make sure it is on Portrait mode and follow the
suggestions.
7. Your ad image and ad copy need to be conveying the same message.
Do not post a crazy, attention-seeking image just for the sake of it. Your image and
your words need to have the same tone and convey the same message. If your
image is happy, your ad copy needs to be happy. If your image is serious, your ad’s
words should be serious and to-the-point.
8. Does your ad catch your eye?
Put your picture to the test. Even on your camera roll, your ad’s image should catch
your eye. If not, make some tweaks. See the next step for details.
9. Use professional editing.
If you are not the best photo editor, please outsource this to a professional. There
are unlimited resources and virtual services that make this step easy for you. If you
do not know how to use Photoshop or any other professional photo editing
software, do not waste your time attempting to edit your photo yourself. Websites
such as Fiverr.com and Upwork.com have thousands of people who can make ad
images truly pop.
10. On that note, don’t be afraid of color.
Whether or not you are doing your editing or photography, make sure you ask for or
include strong colors. Branding colors are definitely fine, but don’t be afraid of
using bright, complementary or contrasting colors to make your image attractive.
11. And don’t feel weird about using the psychology of color.
Different colors evoke different emotions and impressions in audiences. Color
charts describing these color-induced feelings are all over the internet. Double
check your image colors to ensure they are conveying the correct psychology for
your audience.
12. For local businesses, use local landmarks.
A technique that is especially effective for local businesses is to use something
their audience members will recognize. Follow all of the best practices, and take
the photo in front of a landmark or building that is easily recognizable.
13. Use multiple images.
You can definitely use multiple images for an ad. If you have a sale going on or a
new product line coming out, use multiple photos! All of the photos still need to
follow the best practices, but in this instance, the more the merrier.
Perhaps you are advertising for a gym and want to show off a lot of the features
or classes. In this case, you should show off the future identities of your
customers participating in the classes and utilizing the features.
Use one of the multiple image settings, including the powerful carousel display, but
remember that no image should be weak. If it is not as powerful as the rest, delete it.
Now, you have the best practices for generating Facebook ad images that sell. Go forth and advertise!
The BEST Facebook Images EVER deserve the BEST Facebook ad creation EVER.
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