3 Things to Know About Paid Media Units on Facebook and Instagram

With so many Facebook and Instagram ad options available—plus all of the new ones constantly being rolled out—it’s important to do your homework before you jump into creating your ads. Without the proper research, you could be creating ads that that won’t help you meet your paid media goals. When deciding which format is likely to perform best, here are some things you should keep in mind.

Pick the Ad Unit that Matches Your Marketing Objective.

With so many ad units to choose from, selecting an ad unit that aligns with your over-all marketing objective is important in the success of your paid media campaign. Before you create your ad, determine what you want your ad to accomplish. Are you looking to generate awareness, engagements, or drive in-store traffic? With your objective in mind, it’s time to figure out which format to use for your ad.

                  

Use the Right Visual Format.

Not sure if you should include a video, single image, carousel or canvas? When deciding which visual format to use for your ad, ask yourself what you want your audience do. Do you want them to watch a video, comment, or click through to your site? For example, if you want your audience to click through to your site, consider using a carousel featuring multiple products because this format is designed to drive traffic rather than inviting users to watch a video or comment.  Including a visual format that doesn’t align with your objective may lead the user to interact with your ad in a way that doesn’t go along with what you’re looking to optimize for, which can make your spend less efficient. Not sure which format to use? Try A/B testing different formats and then evaluate the performance of each.

Choose the Right Call-to-Action.

Now that you’ve chosen an ad unit and visual format that align with your objective, it’s time to select your call-to-action. Again, ask yourself what do you want people to do when they see your ad. Do you want them to shop, sign up, or donate? Choose the CTA that clearly states the next step you want people to take. Using a CTA that doesn’t align with your objective may lead to a bad user experience or you not being able to reach your goal.

Interested in learning more paid media best practices? Check out the “Best Practices for 2017 Social Media Buying” on the Ignite blog!



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