How to create successful Facebook ad graphics

This photo of glittery shoes and confetti made us a lot of money this year:

We used it on a Facebook ad… and that ad outperformed 13 variations and doubled our conversion rate.

You may be thinking…

How could a simple photo be responsible for all that?

We’ll explain… but first, a quick story:

A common saying in the publishing world is: 

⚡️ Art attracts. Copy sells. ⚡️

It means that the artwork on the cover pulls the viewer in, but they won’t buy it unless the copy is compelling.

Think about it: You’re standing in front of a rack of magazines, scanning dozens at once, looking for one that catches your eye. You’re thinking: what looks relevant to me? Then you pick one up, read the copy, and decide if it is, in fact, relevant to you.

If the copy isn’t compelling, it doesn’t matter how much you like the image, it’s going back into the rack.

If the image isn’t compelling, you’ll never get far enough to read the copy.

So, what does that have to do with Facebook ads?

Well, as it turns out, a lot.

There are two main elements to any successful ad creative:

1. Art that attracts the viewer
2. Copy that sells them on the product or offer

⚡️ Art attracts. Copy sells. ⚡️

You know when you’re sitting on the couch, stuck in endless-scroll-mode on Facebook, and suddenly something catches your eye, causing you to pause & read it?

That’s your goal with the imagery you choose for your Facebook ads—to stop the scroll.

Much like this one did for our audience:

The artwork you choose for your ads (and for all the content you create for your brand) has to do 3 jobs:

🖼 1. Catch the viewer’s attention
Think: unexpected combinations, dramatic layout, bold colors, or high contrast.

🖼 2. Resonate with your target audience
We cater to bold creatives, so we choose images that will visually resonate with them.

🖼 3. Make it relevant to your message
Our download is about being unforgettable, so we needed something that emphasized that message. 

But you can’t stop there. 

Whether the viewer takes action is all dependent on the copy.

We tested a mix of headlines and descriptions—each focusing on a different end benefit—to find the one that had the highest click-thru-rate.

Our top tips for copy that resonates:

✏️ 1. Focus on a benefit
What pain will your solution alleviate? What will the customer gain after using your solution?

✏️ 2. Use their words
Think about how your clients or customers describe the problem they come to you for, and use the same language in your ads.

✏️ 3. Include a strong call-to-action
Tell them exactly what you want them to do: download, call, register, buy.

Next time you’re creating your own graphics, remember:

⚡️ Art attracts. Copy sells. ⚡️