Creating Facebook Ads is easy, but not too easy. Even if you craft a visually powerful ad with a strong compelling message, it still needs to get approved by the platform. With numerous requirements to consider and rules to follow, you need to make sure the promotional content you put out ticks all Facebook boxes.
If you are reading this article, you probably know what we are referring to. Maybe your ad campaign was not approved. Maybe your ad account was disabled. And you are probably wondering what can you do to avoid it in the future?
Learn about the most effective practices in ad content creation, so that your promo campaigns on Facebook always run smoothly!
Best Practices When Creating Visuals for Facebook Ads
Avoid sharing prohibited and restricted content
The most important thing to remember when creating Facebook ad visuals is to mind what is and what is not allowed to be promoted. A detailed restricted and prohibited content list can be found on the official Advertising Policies page on Facebook.
Sharing prohibited images will not only get the ad taken down, but will possibly lead to overall account suspension. The penalty depends on the content and the severity of the problem it could have caused to the Facebook community.
Since the full list is too long and detailed, we will concentrate only on the most common reasons for ad suspension.
In ad images Facebook does NOT ALLOW:
Before & After shots
Promoting unhealthy lifestyle practices
Fake buttons with non-existent functionality
Over-sexual images (too much skin showing)
Content that violates copyrights and proprietary rights
Age-Restricted content targeting a young audience
Disturbing content (violent images, scary shots, etc.)
Make sure to regularly check for policy changes and updates if you plan to run ads consistently. Staying up to date and informed of active Facebook rules will save you a lot of issues and headaches in the future.
Too much text, too many problems
If you have been in the digital marketing field for a while, you probably know about the 20% rule of Facebook. Visuals with more than 20% text used to be discarded by the social media platform. This is no longer a valid reason for ad rejection, yet, it might get you penalized.
By penalized we mean ads with too much text in the image will cost more due to limited reach. Facebook stalls and avoids direct discussion on the matter. Yet, such ads tend to get less conversion as they are shown to fewer people than usual.
Text overlays, watermarks, logos, slogans, object tags and markers, statements, etc - are all considered text on images. So try to keep it to a minimum, just in case.
Best Practices When Creating Facebook Ad Copy
Ad Copy is the textual part of your ad that appears above the visual. Just like images, the written content should also be compliant with all the Advertising Policies. If it is compliant, the ad will be approved by Facebook.
Here are some of the main reasons ads get rejected on Facebook because of their copy:
Avoid asserting or implying personal attributes
Asserting personal attributes is an extremely common reason for ad rejection. That includes using words like "your" and "other". Ban them from your ad vocabulary. All implications of gender, demographics, race, religion (etc) in the copy or visuals, are unacceptable.
Facebook stores immense amounts of data about its users. Marketers who run ads have access to statistics and are expected to know their audience, therefore, should be able to set ad targeting without addressing users directly.
Personal traits and attributes you should not address include name, age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and beliefs, disability, medical condition, financial and social status, memberships, and criminal record.
Other reasons include:
Lowers the risk of using targeted ads aimed to harass, provoke, or discriminate against Facebook users
Makes people uncomfortable and unease at how much Facebook knows about them
Examples of bad ad copy:
"Meet other millennials who like to sew"
"Speed up your cancer recovery"
"Check out our software designed to help unemployed people like yourself"
"Other 22 y/o women already love our product! Try it now."
Examples of good ad copy:
"This is a new product made for women"
"Meet soccer fans at our event"
"Our tool helps small business owners manage their schedule"
"Doors to the mental health support group are open"
Final tip: When working on your ad copy, always focus on the context.
Don't criticize life choices and trigger users
Another thing to remember when running Facebook ads is to be careful with words. Making users feel bad is a big NO. The promotional content you put out should not be triggering o the public. Posts addressing body image issues and potential user insecurities will be rejected by the platform.
When covering sensitive topics like mental health, weight loss, etc, use a positive one when conveying your ad message. Whatever you try to advertise, make it sound less like a personal attack and more like a healthy choice.
An example of a bad copy is “Are you sick of being overweight?”. Turn the message around on a positive note by transforming the copy to something like “Feel refreshed by starting your day with a healthy meal”.
Be careful mentioning Facebook in your ads
Most people who run ads are not aware of the strict rules for mentioning Facebook in their promo posts. So they make the same mistakes over and over again, wondering why the platform keeps on rejecting their ads "for no reason".
According to the ad policies, here is the correct way of mentioning Facebook in your ads' copy:
Facebook should always be written with a capital “F"
Formatting for the word Facebook should not differ (font and style must be the same as the rest of the surrounding text)
Use the word Facebook only as a singular noun
As for the wrong way of mentioning Facebook in your ads, here is what you should not do:
Use the Facebook logo instead of the word Facebook
Make Facebook plural or use it as a verb
Abbreviate Facebook (ex: FB)
Add an altered version of the Facebook logo in the ad
Stop making false or unrealistic claims
If you try to make false claims, Facebook will reject your ad as soon as you submit it. Scamming customers by promising miracle results and giving harmful information is a practice that social media does not tolerate. Oftentimes, not only the ad is not approved, but the ad account is disabled.
There is a very thin line between what you can and cannot mention in your ad copy. Absurdly short deadlines for getting results, personal views unsupported by evidence, conspiracy theories... All these can be counted as outlandish and exaggerated claims.
Examples of misleading claims:
"This miracle herb cures dementia!"
"Vaccines contain microchips for brain control"
"How to lose 7 kg in 4 days without dieting and working out”
Such claims are considered irrational by Facebook since they are not supported by evidence. And they will get your ad (and possibly your ad account) suspended. So rethink your copy before sending it for review and avoid making result promises in specific timeframes.
If what you are claiming in your Facebook ad is completely achievable, you will be good.
Avoid URL inconsistency
URL inconsistency is a major factor when ads are not being approved. That's when the hyperlink you display in your copy or creative, or the URL connected to the Facebook page does not correspond with the target link added in the ad.
The Facebook system flags this type of activity as suspicious. As a result, your ads are taken down and it can even get your ad account disabled or blocked. So the last thing you want is Facebook to think your brand is a sham or scam.
If by any means you want to redirect the ad viewers to a partner company domain, make sure to tag the ad as a partnership/sponsorship AND point out the correct URL in the ad. Our advice is: do not deceive users! Be steady with the displayed URL and the link the ad is sending people to.
Send out clear messages
When promoting products or services on Facebook, make sure to be clear with your ad's copy and visuals. The audience should be able to unquestionably understand what you want to offer them.
Some good practices in conveying clear messages include:
Never present paid services as free
Provide all relevant information about a promotion in the ad copy (and visual)
Include pictures of your product when offering fixes and solutions
For games and giveaways, give extensive detail on rules, incentives, terms and deadlines for participation
Other practices to avoid when creating ads
There are many requirements when it comes to creating the perfect Facebook ads that will get approval every time. With an endless list of restricted content and various requirements, the best way to assure an ad will be approved is to get to know the rules in detail: here.
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