Best Practices for Using Facebook and Instagram Ads to Promote Your Organization

Use a text-free image, short but powerful statement, and a clear call-to-action to drive traffic from Facebook and Instagram to your website

See How It's Done: Looking for more help? Check out our video tutorial for creating ads for Facebook and Instagram.

Creating an ad for Facebook and Instagram is a great way to drive traffic to your website because you can target an audience based on their location and interests, or an audience that looks like your existing contacts. There are ways to optimize your ad content so that it has the most impact for both desktop and mobile viewers:

• Ad Text - You have 90 characters to tell your story and win over new customers. Keep it simple and explain the benefit of visiting your website. The more targeted you are with the audience you choose to see the ad, the more specific your ad content can be. 
• Images - Choose an eye-catching image that showcases your products, services, or mission. Facebook recommends that an image be 1,200 x 628 pixels to look good no matter how your audience is viewing your ad. Using a text-free image is ideal — your image can't have more than 20% text or your ad will fail.
• Ad Headline - The headline sits below the image and should be less than 25 characters long to allow mobile users to read the whole thing. Don't just repeat what you used in the ad text or leave in the default name of your organization, because it's wasting valuable space! The headline draws the eye to your call-to-action button, so you have an opportunity to drive the point home.
• Call-to-Action - A strong call-to-action lets your leads know exactly what they're doing when they hit the button in your ad. Since your ad is driving traffic to your website, choose buttons with text like "Shop Now" or "Book Now" to make it clear.
• Webpage - The ad experience doesn't end in Facebook and Instagram - you want the webpage where you're driving traffic to be a positive experience, too! Make sure it's secure, has a quick load time, is easy to navigate, has a clear call-to-action, and, most importantly, has relevant content. Your landing page is a great place for a link to your sign-up form too!

Facebook Desktop News Feed	Facebook Desktop Right-hand Column	Facebook Mobile News Feed	Instagram Desktop and Mobile Feed

By creating a Facebook Lookalike Audience, you can use your current contact list to find a new audience for your ad. Facebook finds your contacts that have Facebook accounts, and then looks for other Facebook users with similar characteristics that aren't already a part of your list. You can then target the resulting audience with a Facebook and Instagram Ad and entice them to learn more about you.

Not sure whether to target both Facebook and Instagram users or just target Facebook users? When you choose to share your ad on both Facebook and Instagram, Facebook ensures that your ad displays to the right audience and determines the right ratio of Facebook to Instagram for you.

• Include Instagram - If you're looking to reach a younger audience (ages 18 - 29), you create image-focused content with a positive or surprising message, or you're trying to target travel, health, beauty, fitness, fashion, art, or photography lovers. Instagram users love to be inspired!
• Restrict Your Budget to Facebook - If you want to reach an older audience (ages 25 - 64), you create entertaining content that you want to be discussed, or you're trying to reach an international audience. Facebook users are looking for informative content.

Be a Better Marketer: If your ad involves social issues, politics, or credit, employment, or housing opportunities, be sure to check out our guide for Facebook Special Ad Categories to help you design a better ad!

For more information on creating your ad and targeting an audience, please see Facebook's best practices for Ads.

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