Aaron Zakowski ran a test to see how he could get more people to click ‘play’ on his Facebook video ads.
His solution?
Add some emojis of speakers to get people to click for sound.
Result: The ad with the emoji CTA had 1.7% of viewers click the play button for sound while the version without it only had 0.35% of people click the play button.
That’s an improvement of 386% for the version with the emoji CTA.
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Growth Hack #2 – Add Popup Annotations to Mobile Youtube Videos:
YouTube has 1.3 billion users who watch 5 billion videos every day and more than half of YouTube views come from mobile devices.
Adding annotations to a video boosts your views/retention, but annotations don’t show up on mobile!
Besides creating immersive experiences for customers, this tech also increases transparency and brings real-time advertising to a whole new level.
For example, AR advertising lets a user just look through their smartphone and see directions superimposed on their screen leading them to a nearby restaurant.
Now, Facebook and augmented reality are joining forces.
In this article, we’ll look at how Facebook is improving their AR advertising platform.
We’ll also provide current examples of Facebook AR ads so you can see this tech in action.
The social media giant is still working on rolling out updates and making it easier for all advertisers to leverage augmented reality.
For now, having a developer on board is essential.
However, even if you don’t have this resource available, it’s still essential to learn about Facebook AR ads.
Because if we’re to believe the hype in the industry (which we are), augmented reality in advertising is soon to be the standard.
Facebook and AR Join Forces
In May of this year, Facebook held its annual F8 developers conference.
One of the main takeaways from the event was the company’s focus on upgrading its AR features.
Since its release in 2017 as part of the Camera Effects Platform, AR Studio has received some much-needed updates.
Image source: https://developers.facebook.com/
AR Studio began as a self-serve augmented reality experience builder.
In the vein of Snapchat, users could use the front or self-facing cameras to snap pictures with AR overlays.
First, users entered four emojis they collected from social media influencers on Messenger with Nike’s SNKR bot.
That functioned like a secret “knock”, which then provided a link to the “Kyrie 4 ‘Red Carpet’” experience.
Once inside the augmented reality ad, people could view the new shoe on a pedestal from all angles.
It was also superimposed over their own environment so potential customers could see how it would look in real life before purchasing.
Upon leaving the showroom, the bot prompted them with an opportunity to purchase.
The result?
The shoes sold out.
In one hour.
With this example, Nike proves Facebook augmented reality has real potential for increasing sales and boosting ROI.
In this specific instance, the retailer shows how to leverage Facebook AR ads for a product launch or event.
Sephora
Image source: https://www.usatoday.com
The cosmetics giant presents another great example of Facebook AR ads.
In this case, Sephora demonstrates the immersive capabilities and engagement-boosting advantages of augmented reality in advertising.
Using the Sephora Virtual Artist feature on the Sephora bot in Messenger, users can virtually try on makeup.
They have 5 pre-set makeup looks to choose from.
As users try on each one, they can snap a picture and upload it directly to Facebook Stories.
It’s the final addition in the cycle that Sephora has built with their Messenger bot.
In the words of Bridget Dolan, SVP of Omni Experiences and Innovation for Sephora:
“With the new Sephora Virtual Artist feature in our Sephora bot, our clients can virtually try on makeup, purchase the products and book a makeover all within Messenger.”
Sephora’s use of Facebook augmented reality complements their other efforts on the Messenger platform.
This demonstrates the effectiveness of Facebook AR ads as part of a complete Facebook marketing strategy.
Kia
Image source: https://www.slashgear.com/
Kia first released its Messenger bot, Niro, in November, 2016.
It then launched is second-generation chatbot, Kian, in 2017.
By 2018, they were a prime candidate for Facebook Messenger AR ads.
With the new release of the Stinger sports sedan the company felt it was the perfect opportunity to leverage augmented reality in their advertising.
When customer communicate with Kian, they can launch the AR camera features.
In doing so, they can see a complete, 3-D rendering of the Stinger in their current environment.
It’s also customizable in different colors, and images can be shared with friends or saved to users’ phones.
Kia’s intention with Facebook’s augmented reality tool was to provide an immersive and innovative way for customers to experience their brand.
As stated by Kimberley Gardiner, director, marketing communications, Kia Motors America:
“The addition of augmented reality into the Kia Bot for Facebook Messenger allows us to provide today’s car buyers with an extended interaction on the social platforms they use most.”
Similar to Nike, Kia used Facebook augmented reality advertising for a new product launch.
The automaker’s success demonstrates the potential for this tool across industries.
Regardless of your business sector – retail, SaaS, manufacturing – augmented reality advertising gives customers exciting and unique ways to connect with your brand.
Make Room for AR in Your Advertising Strategy
While it’s still a new feature, you should begin considering how Facebook AR ads play a role in your marketing plan.
Initially, the mere shock-and-awe value of this product will drive engagement and boost ROI.
Once the newness wears off, however, you’ll need to be sure your augmented reality advertising strategy provides real value to customers,
You can start now and determine how Facebook and augmented reality fits into your business.
If you don’t have a developer on board, consult with a Facebook marketing agency that has access to such specialists and tools.
Facebook AR ads may still seem like the fad of the future.
However, they’re about to burst on the scene in a big way once the company rolls the tool out for all to use.
At that point, your customers will expect augmented reality experiences.
Growth Hack #3 – Less is More for +844% Landing Page Conversions:
The HOTH had a typical landing page with sections like: Video, Signup form, Featured at, Description, How it works, Money back guarantee, Fanatical support, Team.
They then created a super minimalist page with only:
– sign-up form
– 6 word title
– 8 word subtitle
Result: Account signups increased from 1.39% to 13.13% (up by 844%)!
After bringing his new company to market in June 2016, Josh MacDonald has sold the software venture just 18 months later. With over 250 clients, SerpClix is a software company that helps websites rank higher on Google by increasing the click-through rate.
In one study on YouTube, MacDonald was able to use SerpClix to move 3 out of 4 keywords to higher positions on Google. This confirmed Rank Fishkin’s study of manipulating search results based on click-through rate. The rate at which Google searchers click to a specific search result does in fact influence rankings.
How This Affects White Hat SEO
As a white hat marketer, titles of pages must be more attractive than that of competing results. The descriptions, page URLs and structured data will also make your results appear more attractive which will help increase the organic click-through rate to your page. A higher organic CTR won’t only bring more visitors, but it will also help rank you higher.
An agency like Taktical has experience optimizing titles and descriptions for hundreds of clients, and will be able to apply exactly what works to your website. Although structured Schema.org data may look intimidating and complicated, the technical staff at Taktical can find applicable markup for your website, and implement it, ensuring your website stands out the most.
Interested in learning more about Josh? Check out his book The Non-Technical Founder at any bookstore or his current company, an influencer marketing platform called Shout.
Interested in having your CTR increased? Hire Taktical and have peace of mind that your click-through rate is optimized properly.
Conversion rates more than TRIPLED when:
1. Fields are spread out over multiple web pages.
2. They have bigger fonts.
3. They have “Save and resume” options.
4. They include Progress bars.
When it comes to advertising on Facebook, the site provides users with many options to follow when an ad is initially rejected.
The most important thing for an advertiser to remember when it comes to Facebook ad approval is that they have to be willing to edit their content.
Just by making a few simple changes, Facebook could allow you to publish your content.
Your Two Options for Facebook Ad Approval:
If your campaign gets disapproved, you can choose between two courses of action.
The first is to make changes to your Facebook advertising.
The second is to appeal directly to Facebook’s ad disapproval decision department.
Image source: https://newsfeed.org/
Edit Your Ad
To edit your ad for Facebook approval, there are three quick steps to follow:
1. Read the details surrounding your ad’s disapproval. You can find these in the email sent to your advertising account.
2. Adjust your ad according to these details. This may mean you have to change the text itself, or simply the photo or call to action. Ensure that all aspects are in line with Facebook’s ad policies.
3. Submit your changed ad for review after saving all changes.
Appeal the Decision
If you decide to make an appeal regarding your Facebook ad’s disapproval, you must complete an Appeal a Decision form.
Afterwards, the site will evaluate your submission to see whether they were mistaken in their original disapproval.
You can request a second look if you feel that Facebook’s reasons for rejecting your campaign don’t clearly follow suit with their advertising policies.
To avoid having your Facebook advertising nixed in the first place, be sure to acquaint yourself with Facebook’s Advertising Policies and Prohibited Content.
If you aren’t already familiar with the platform’s community standards, this is also a good chance to review those.
Facebook Ad Policies In Action
When it comes to advertising on Facebook, there are hundreds of ways to make your ad stand out.
This doesn’t mean they need include any controversial content that goes against Facebook ad policies.
A few of the major categories of prohibited content that can cause Facebook ad disapproval include:
Personal attributes
Personal health
Sensational content
To help you understand the differences between these, we’re looking at the “do’s and dont’s” of each.
Personal Attributes
Image source: https://andrewhubbard.co
There’s a fine line between promoting a product that’s intended for a certain audience and asserting or implying attributes.
Personal attributes refers to features like race, ethnic origin, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
This Facebook ad policy is particularly tricky for services like dating apps, medical companies, and any other business that is hyper-focused on specific demographics.
Luckily, there are ways to work within the guidelines and achieve Facebook ad approval.
Even if you mention gender identity, religion, or ehtnicity within your ad, there are ways to phrase it that will get approved.
Terms like “Date Jewish singles!” and “[insert business name] Gay Cruises!” are both examples of approved content.
In contrast, don’t use phrases like “Are you Jewish?” or “Are you gay?”
The key here is to promote your brand or product clearly within the Facebook ad.
Personal Health
Facebook ads for fitness, weight loss, diet, and other health-related items have to be both accurate and positive.
You can’t cause people to feel worse about themselves or show results that are inaccurate.
Doing so will lead to Facebook ad disapproval.
To stay within the guidelines of this Facebook ad policy, avoid before-and-after images and non-compliant negative imagery.
Examples of compliant imagery include someone eating a salad instead of stepping on a scale.
Another is a picture of someone drinking a protein shake versus a before-and-after image of someone who used a protein supplement.
Additionally, keep in mind personal health Facebook ads are restricted to audiences 18 years and older.
Sensational Content
Sure, it’s important to grab consumer attention with your Facebook ad.
What this doesn’t mean, though, is showing images that are violent, shocking, or disrespectful.
Avoid images that are gory, depict threats or acts of violence, or are otherwise shocking in nature.
You have enough to say about your product or service to convince people they need it without reverting to sensationalist Facebook advertising tactics.
If you’re in a field that deals with auto repairs, for example, don’t show an image of a car accident.
Instead, show an image of on of your employees talking with a customer or working under the hood.
Keep content positive and accurate to stay within the guidelines of Facebook ad policies and get approval.
Ways to Avoid Facebook Ad Disapproval
Updates on Facebook mean that advertisers are having to adjust copy that may have been approved even just a few years ago.
The user experience is the most important thing on the platform, which today is more true than ever.
Therefore, protecting these audiences from potentially harmful or annoying content is Facebook’s top priority.
Building a better understanding of what may put a pause your Facebook ad campaign will help you avoid the headache all together.
Here are the 10 most common reasons why your ad experienced Facebook ad disapproval, and how to avoid them:
1. The ad content is determined to be inappropriate:
Anything that is lewd, discriminatory, or that contains bad language (or poor grammar!) will be rejected by the site. Be sure to take a critical eye to your campaign and err on the safe side.
2. Your landing page includes low quality or disruptive content.
Facebook has been making efforts to prevent sites from redirecting users to low quality pages.
If you try to direct viewers to a landing page that doesn’t work or is full of things like broken links, Facebook will veto your ad campaign. Before you attempt to launch, go through your landing page with a developer to make sure everything is running properly.
4. Third-party infringement is not allowed.
Violating any third-party trademarks or copyrights will instantly cause Facebook ad campaign disapproval. The site has tools that allow users to report the use of someone else’s intellectual property, so it’s in your best interest to avoid using copyrighted or trademarked materials.
5. Ads that encourage illegal or unethical behavior are not allowed.
Any Facebook ad campaign that seems to support illegal actions, products, or services will be banned. For example, if your goal is to direct users to a torrenting or illegal streaming service, your ad will not get Facebook ad approval.
6. It promotes goods or services that are forbidden by Facebook.
This list is extensive: tobacco, drug and drug related products, weapons, ammunitions, explosives, surveillance equipment, payday loans, unsafe supplements, and counterfeit documents are all prohibited. Including any of these within your ad campaign in a promotional manner will result in your Facebook ad disapproval.
Including potentially jarring, confronting, or shocking images, like those of car accidents or gun violence, will get your Facebook ad campaign banned. If you’re relying on this type of shock factor, you may want to rethink your campaign.
8. It contains disruptive animation that plays with or without interaction.
If you choose to include video within your ad, be sure that it doesn’t run before users click into it. Otherwise, Facebook will categorize it as disruptive to the user experience and reject your advertisement.
9. The landing page doesn’t match the promoted ad content.
Avoid using sensationalized images or copy that have nothing to do with the page you’re attempting to promote. Doing so will not only get your ad disapproved by Facebook, but will alienate potential customers.
Including things like offers, claims, or techniques that are not verified or are deceitful goes against Facebook’s guidelines. Instead of declaring that your good or service will help customers “lose 30 pound in 3 weeks,” think about advertising “helpful tips to help you lose stubborn weight.”
When it comes to advertising on Facebook, keeping these ten rules in mind can help you get your ad content published in a timely manner.
As Facebook strives to make it’s ads and Pages more transparent, it’s more important than ever that you follow their guidelines to get the most out of the platform.
Changes to Facebook advertising policies are not uncommon.
As you run Facebook ad campaigns, check regularly on the rules and regulations to make sure you adjust content accordingly.
Even if you experience Facebook ad disapproval, don’t worry: it’s not the end of the world.
With a few simple adjustments or a direct appeal, you can have your campaign up and running before you know it.
Learning how to sell on Instagram is the key to earning your best ROI.
By leveraging the platform’s potential for reaching a motivated group of consumers, you’ll make sales faster and easier than with any other PPC strategy.
We’re investigating why the platform is effective for direct selling.
We’ll also look at the tools Instagram offers for ecommerce businesses to thrive, and how you can use them.
To turn engagement into revenue, follow this guide.
Why Instagram for Ecommerce Works
The first place to look at when discussing the selling capabilities of Instagram are adoption and engagement rates on the platform.
For your Instagram sales strategy to be its most successful, start with relevant hashtags that help users find and engage with you.
Like2Buy
With Curalate’s Like2Buy, Instagram users are transported from your Instagram page to your website with a click of the Like2Buy link in your profile.
On this page is a gallery of Instagram photos they’ve either liked before, or featured images curated for them.
The gallery can include user-generated photos and feature more than one product per image.
By sending customers to your website, it creates a stronger branded experience for them.
Additionally, the process is both visual and seamless to ensure they’re moved through the funnel efficiently.
Shoppable Posts
Image source: https://www.marketingweek.com/
In March of this year, Instagram introduced a key feature to make Instagram for ecommerce even more effective.
With the “shopping” feature, you can tag up to five products.
Users can then click in to both learn more about the product and “Shop Now” on the business website.
Since its introduction, the shoppable post feature has garnered at least one company an 8% increase in revenue.
By presenting users with a seamless shopping experience, they can go from browsing to buying with just a few taps on-screen.
Native Payments
Image source: https://techcrunch.com/
The traditional methods of how to sell on Instagram have been upgraded since the app’s latest announcement.
With the introduction of native payments to the options for Instagram payment methods, users can purchase directly on the app.
There’s no need to travel from the platform to your website in order to complete the purchase.
Now, users can input their credit or debit card information.
Then, they can click to buy.
For now, this Instagram payment method is restricted to specific partners.
These include salons and restaurants, which make reservations and bookings a breeze.
The plan is to integrate native payments with Shoppable posts.
Obviously, this holds incredible implications for the future of Instagram for ecommerce.
Start Selling on Instagram
It’s clear that Instagram for ecommerce offers huge potential in the realm of earning real revenue.
Using the tools, strategies, and audiences available on the platform is the key to making sales.
From the introduction of new Instagram payment methods to tools that help you get discovered, all brands can have an Instagram sales strategy that works.
Follow this guide, implement some Instagram ad best practices, and optimize your campaign as it’s live based on what’s working for your brand.
