Facebook Ad Ideas That Work: 2024
Note: we originally published this article in 2023. We’ve updated things for a new year!
Marketers adore jargon when it comes to advertising. Cost-Per-Click, Click-Through-Rate, Reach, Retargeting.
Those are all confusing and–worse–might not have an effect on leads and revenue anyway. Today, we wanted to go through social media ad ideas that work in 2024.
A note on audience, strategy, and targeting
These are meant as brainstorming ideas for business owners and marketing professionals, so you get an idea of the kinds of ads and topics that are performing right now. Talking about audiences, targeting/retargeting, and all the rest is specific to each business based on goals, industry, and budget. We’re happy to discuss all that if you’re interested.
Breaking out of the confusing talk about data and metrics, how do we measure success and know these concepts are useful in today’s marketing landscape? We track sales pipelines, revenue growth, and goals with our clients everyday. Used as part of a holistic marketing strategy, these are working for our customers right now to grow their businesses.
These ideas don’t work well as standalone pieces. They’re meant to be used alongside one or more other concepts, so that your potential customers are provided with a complete view of your brand.
These ideas lead to trust and trust leads to promising inquiries!
Should you be running ads in 2024?
Talking broadly about social media ads: they work! Choosing whether or not they’re appropriate for your business at this time is another story. Remember, just because ads you’ve tried in the past aren’t working doesn’t mean ads don’t work for you. Maybe you just haven’t tried the right concepts.
Starting 2024 with a social media ad strategy might be right for you if:
Your business is unique in your community and you need to raise awareness and drive new demand.
Your business is not unique in your service area and you find yourself directly competing for work on-and-off social media. By simply running ads that showcase your value and differentiators, you can beat your competitor before they ever have a chance to bid.
Maybe it’s time to grow, either to increase revenue overall or to develop a specific side of your business
You’re ready to field inquiries. That means you have a sales process in place, are prepared to answer questions, and are entering this season with an eager attitude.
No matter what, only commit to a strategy if you’re ready to stay consistent
If you’re ready to stay consistent, answer questions, and interact with anyone who’s interested in you and your business, then it might be time to consider social media ads!
Here are four concepts to consider when you’re advertising for your business:
The Soft, SOFT Sell
One counterintuitive social media ad we LOVE asks your audience to do absolutely nothing. It’s topical and informative of your business and does not contain a call-to-action.
In the same way that murals are popular in 2024, sometimes a soft nudge and consistent message is best.
Delicious food at your restaurant? Let the cuisine do the talking—no sales tactic needed.
Tourism company with fun summertime activities don’t need much introduction!
Keep ThIngs Simple. Show off your space, a delicious product, or happy customers!
No “Learn More” link. No phone number to call. It’s just information about your business that lets people know you exist.
Maybe you can just show off the place you love? A Lot To Love In Christiansburg, Virginia This Summer did just that for us: helping our community learn about fun activities while showing off some photography of our own! It’s no coincidence that this page was visited a few thousand times over the summer too.
People like feeling like they aren’t being sold on something. It gives customers the ability to decide if they’re a good fit for your product or service and makes them do a little work to get to the next step.
Use this social media ad in conjunction with other ads that are more sales-focused. Generally, you want to run these ads concurrently and deliver them to the same audience.
Video: Longer-Form Pieces And Short-Form Excerpts
Long-form pieces can be incredibly powerful for your business and brand growth over time. By investing in a storytelling piece, you can make it clear that you’re here to solve a customer’s problem, help them, and be in the business for the long-haul.
This can look like an on-camera interview, embedded video or link to an educational blog, or much more. The goal here is to educate your audience, help them solve their problem, and create a connection. Multimedia storytelling shines here.
Check out the Eagles Nest Regeneration Facebook page for a great example of multimedia storytelling and social impact here locally.
After you develop something long-form, you can also create endless excerpts, snippets, and graphics. One 20 minute interview can turn into 10 clips for TikTok or Instagram. The best quotes can become text-based posts. The possibilities are abundant. Knowing how powerful one long piece can be really demonstrates why the initial investment makes sense as well.
Social Proof (Might be the most important of all)
There’s a huge group of people who won’t make a buying decision without hearing from a satisfied customer first.
Sharing social proof in the form of reviews and testimonials is incredibly powerful for your business. Until you’ve amassed several dozen reviews, it’s a great idea to share each and every positive review that you receive.
The choice to leave it at that–a positive review and one more touch point–or add a call to action is up to you. Changing your messaging up as you share reviews will let you understand what resonates with your audience.
Social proof ads work well concurrently with the rest on this list. Remember: a person has to learn about your brand several times before they ever agree to buy!
Hard sell
You never get a “Yes” unless you ask. These are the ads you think of when you imagine an ad: the hard ask. The “Buy now” button.
“Ready to have that new pool ready for next Summer? Give us a call today for a free estimate!”
“Do you have the date set for YOUR big day? Book now before we’re full!”
“Now shipping gifts, gear, and more! Order now and we guarantee delivery before Christmas.”
Giving people a chance to immediately book, make an inquiry, or schedule an estimate can be incredibly effective when you manage the rest of your advertising and brand well.
Remember, though: anytime you make a hard “ask”, the rest of your customer’s experience must be efficient. Check your links, make contact forms simple, and ensure that scheduling is seamless. The worst thing you can do is alienate your motivated customer with a broken sales process.
Let people say “yes” and celebrate when they do!
These are just that–IDEAS!
If these concepts seem simple to you, it’s because they are. If they were overwhelming, no problem! Simply reach out to us here at Aspire. We’re happy to talk strategy with you, book a consulting session for your business, or provide support for your marketing needs.
We’re here to build businesses and empower our friends and clients to grow their businesses in effective ways. Social media advertising is a cost-effective solution for many industries. It is also just one of the many pieces of the puzzle when it comes to marketing and branding in 2024. Get in touch today if you have any questions!
