How to create the perfect Facebook ad: Part II - Headline

Creating the perfect Facebook ad campaign is not an easy task. However, when analyzing the experience of thousands of advertisers online and isolating the correct patterns, we can see it is undoubtedly not Mission Impossible. In our previous entry on the matter “Part I -Ad Text,” we discussed how important the whole structure of the campaign is. We discussed in detail the ad text and how to make it most efficient. One keynote that should be remembered from the intro of the previous article is that the whole campaign is one single organism and will not function well if one of its components is malfunctioning. If you haven’t read Part I, I urge you to do it.  In today’s post, we are going to take a more in-depth look into the Facebook ad headline.

Why is the Facebook ad headline so important?

The function of the headline is simple yet vital. Its only goal is to provoke the interest of the reader and to make him read the ad text. The typical Facebook user is relentlessly scrolling down to find something that will catch his eye. This is the job of the visual (image/video). After the user stops scrolling because he sees something interesting, the time for the headline to shine comes. A good Facebook ad headline must unveil to the reader why this product is worth his time. This makes the headline the second most significant part of your Facebook ad after the visual. 

According to Copyblogger, on average, 80% of the people that see your ad will read only the headline. So to better your chances of beating the averages, you must give it all in your headline. Most of the top copywriters advice not to rush with the headline. Instead, take up to 50% of your total time on creating these 5-10 words. They are the ones that will represent your business in front of the audience. 

How long should the headline be?

Of course, how long your Facebook ad headline is depends on the language you are writing it in. We will focus on English, but in most other languages, the rule is practically the same. Ad Espresso had done a comparative analysis for four years, and it clearly shows that the best headlines consist of 5 words. On the other hand, Facebook recommends your headline to be between 25 and 50 characters depending on the placement. To make it easier, you can use this free tool to write the headlines with the perfect length. 

How to write the perfect headline?

There are several ways to write the perfect headline, but there is one cornerstone that everyone should follow – customize your headline to target your specific buyer’s persona. 

The tricky part in the headline is to give the most relevant information to your potential customers with only five words. 

In this Dragons Dojo ad, we can see that the picture is perfect at its job to catch attention. The headline, on the other hand – no so much. “Free Shipping Worldwide” is undoubtedly a significant factor for someone who is going to buy from an online store, but for sure, it is not the factor that will determine whether a purchase will be made or not. 

Unlike the previous example, this one is straight to the point – it has essential information that urges you to learn more. 

The best headlines are those, which show the reader the benefits and make him ask himself followup questions. They will look for the answer either in the ad text or on the landing page directly. 

Another example of how NOT to write a headline. In this case, the headline is not even giving new information. The picture is showing biking clothes, and at the same time, the headline reads ” Perfect for outdoor and sports.” The point is never to waste your headline on the information your picture already delivered. 

Start your headline with a number.

Picture: MOZ

A reoccurring research conclusion on the internet shows that people tend to respond better on headlines, starting with numbers. Ad Espresso, Moz.com, Wordstream, and many more concluded that starting with a number is superior to any other headline. The second best is addressing the reader (“Secrets you need to know to prepare your garden for the summer”). “How to” headlines are in third place, and questions are last. So if possible, avoid asking questions. Your goal should be to provoke the reader with your statement to ask himself questions. 

Act on people’s emotions.

This is an excellent example of knowing your audience. The ad is in Bulgarian, and from the picture, it stands clear that they are selling socks and that they are offering 10% off till the 20th of April. All the essential information is in the visual part of the campaign. So what is left for the headline? 

The headline states, “Made in Bulgaria.” Usually, this is not the perfect headline in any case. However, since COVID-19 has ravaged the world, in Bulgaria, there has been a massive movement in supporting local businesses, so that the economy will not collapse. That is why this otherwise not very impressive statement at this exact moment plays an enormous role when the Bulgarians decide whether to buy something or not.

Another excellent example of how to take advantage of the situation. Using the phrase that is common and spread everywhere – “Stay at home” to incorporate into your headline is an outstanding idea. This headline makes it clear that you will get a great deal in a specific marketplace. This alone is a good practice, but mixing it with this well-known and often used phrase will surely bring more clicks, or at least will keep the attention of the users, once they stop on your post. 

List a benefit

Listing the benefit of your product is a bit tricky. You should know what the most desired aspect of your product is and, at the same time, make it sound unique, so it stands out from the bunch. 

This is a good example. 5-word headline that incorporates the brand, the most significant benefit, and creates a sense of urgency with “Today.” Furthermore, it fully corresponds with the visual part of the campaign. 

This ad is a bit controversial. The particular example works because Master Class is famous and probably is targeting people, that already visited their site (warm audience). That is why they do not need to explain what they offer and who they are. Instead, they place their logo on the visual with recognizable faces, and in the headline, they give you the benefit. This, though, will not work with some unknown brand or with cold audience.  

Create a sense of urgency. 

Creating a sense of urgency is one of the oldest tricks in marketing. Using phrases like “Buy now,” “Only now,” “Limited-time offer,” “Today,” or any other time frame gives the reader a subconscious feeling that he is missing out. There is nothing a person hates more than to miss out on a deal.  

Use Call to action as part of your headline. 

Using Call to action (CTA) is a waste of headline space if you are not doing it as a compliment to the other factors. You can see the Biteable ad again. “Try” is the Call to action – one word that is in perfect synchronization with the rest of the headline. You should tell your customers what to do, but don’t forget that people hate being told what to do. So making it undetectable is the key. 

Not like in this example, where the headline bluntly orders you to start, without telling you why. Furthermore, this does not give you any additional information, it is not original, and as a whole, it’s not eye-catching.

Inspire curiosity

This technique is the one where creativity peaks. Much like in the newspaper, a good headline inspires people to read the whole story because it provokes their interest – a good headline of your ad will undoubtedly inspire curiosity, and many people will click on it. This strategy is excellent for cold audiences, whom you should be able to convert to warm when they visit the landing page. 

Here is a perfect example of inspiring curiosity. It is in complete synchronization with the visual, and it uses outstandingly the product’s physical abilities to create a curious play on words.  

To sum it up

The headline has one single goal – to provoke the audiences’ interest so they may click on the ad, or at least read the ad text. Around 80% of the people will drop off at your headline, so make sure to include in it the most unique and beneficial information about your product. 

Keep it short and straightforward. The best results statistically come from 5-word headlines with 25-50 characters. 

Always customize your headline for your audience. Try to incorporate at least one of the listed above strategies. Never waste your headline for information, you already gave with your visual. Try, also, to create a sense of urgency, without sounding needy. 

Remember, the headline is the first words your customers are reading when they see your ad, so use them carefully and wisely. Do not forget that the best headline comes from testing 10-20 headlines in an A/B test.