In today’s Facebook ad landscape, focusing on creative assets is key. The platform is moving away from complex audience and funnel structures. Previously, marketers separated their funnels into top, middle, and bottom segments. They created distinct campaigns for each funnel stage. They showed specific messages to each audience group. They tweaked campaign settings, ad sets, and targeting options to nurture prospects down the funnel. But this approach is less effective now.
Facebook encourages a full-funnel strategy that is more automated. Advantage Plus features and automated audience expansions reduce the need for intense segmentation. The platform’s algorithm handles much of the targeting. It identifies which users to show ads to. Instead of pushing marketers to tweak settings, Facebook wants them to focus on the quality of their creative.
The reason is simple. Creative quality drives results. Studies suggest that over half of Facebook ads’ impact comes from the creative itself. If advertisers spend too much time adjusting campaign or ad set parameters, they neglect the creative. That leads to weaker ads. Poor ads harm the user experience. When users see mediocre ads, they do not engage, and Facebook’s platform suffers.
Facebook wants better ads on the platform. By simplifying campaign structures and encouraging automation, it removes distractions. With fewer tweaks needed at the campaign or ad set level, advertisers can invest time in producing great creative. Better creative means more engagement, more conversions, and a healthier ecosystem.
Creative Types and Formats
Advertisers can use various creative formats. Common types include image ads, video ads, carousels, and catalog ads. Each format appeals to different segments of an audience. Some people respond well to user-generated content (UGC) videos. Others prefer catalog formats that show multiple products. Some audiences may respond to simple images with clear benefit highlights. Others may gravitate toward polished, professional videos.
The variety of creative formats lets you unlock different audience segments. One user may love UGC-style videos that feel authentic and natural. Another user may trust a more traditional, news-style format that conveys authority and credibility. By testing multiple creative types, you reach a broader portion of your potential audience.
Diving Deeper into Creative Differentiation
Think beyond just “image vs. video.” Consider subcategories of each format. For video ads, you can produce UGC videos, founder-led videos, professionally shot videos, and infographic-style videos. Each subtype appeals to different viewers. Some prefer a relatable creator speaking casually about the product. Others want sleek, polished visuals.
Images can also vary. You can present simple product shots, feature-rich images with callouts, trendy lifestyle images, or even images that highlight social proof. Each image style can resonate with different users.
Carousels let you showcase multiple frames. You can try product sequences, “five reasons why” hooks, before-and-after stories, or a blend of UGC and professional shots. Some audiences love browsing a carousel’s variety. Others prefer a single, direct image.
Why Differentiation Matters
Different people engage with different creative styles. Younger audiences might trust an influencer’s UGC video. Older audiences might trust a news-style article snippet turned into an ad image. Some users respond to humor. Others respond to credibility and authority. By mixing creative styles, you let Facebook’s algorithm find the right match for each user.
With automation at the campaign level, Facebook can detect which creative resonates with which subset of users. If you provide multiple creative options, the algorithm can deliver the right one to the right person. Over time, this improves performance and results.
The Role of UGC
UGC stands for user-generated content. UGC ads look like content users find naturally in their feeds. They often feature creators who speak directly to the camera. They may highlight personal experiences, testimonials, or product demos. UGC feels more authentic and less like a traditional advertisement. Users often trust this style because it resembles the posts from their favorite influencers or friends.
UGC is currently popular and effective. Many brands rely on UGC for strong results. UGC creators can show your product in use, highlight its benefits in a conversational tone, and connect with viewers on a personal level.
Sourcing UGC Creators
You can find UGC creators on various platforms:
- Fiverr: A budget-friendly option. You can find creators at lower price points. You must do due diligence to ensure the creator’s style fits your brand.
- Clip: A specialized platform focused on UGC. You can browse examples of work to find creators who align with your vision.
- B-Roll: A platform that integrates AI storyboarding and helps source UGC that matches your brand’s narrative.
- Creative Milkshake: Another specialized platform where you can see portfolios and choose creators whose tone, style, and delivery match your needs.
When working with UGC creators, provide clear briefs. Specify what you want them to say, which features to highlight, and what topics to avoid. If you know certain pain points resonate with your audience, instruct the creator to mention them. If you know certain claims cause confusion, tell the creator not to discuss them. Be explicit and detailed. This ensures you get the best possible content.
Leveraging Creative for a Full-Funnel Approach
You may wonder how this ties into the funnel concept. Previously, you tried to target top-of-funnel audiences with broad messaging and then retarget them with different creatives at the middle and bottom of the funnel. Now, Facebook’s automation can show the right creative to the right user at the right time. Your job is to supply varied and high-quality creatives. By offering multiple types of UGC, professional videos, infographics, images, and carousels, you provide a full menu of content styles.
The platform then uses its machine learning to deliver relevant creatives to users who are ready for them. A first-time viewer might see a broad, introductory UGC video. A returning viewer might see a credibility-based professional shot or a carousel that details the product’s features. Another user might see a founder video that adds authenticity and trust. Thus, you reach all parts of the funnel without manually segmenting campaigns.
Ongoing Testing and Iteration
As you run your ads, analyze which creatives perform best. Identify which styles drive the most conversions, which hooks get attention, and which messages resonate. Then refine your approach. If UGC dominates performance, allocate more resources there. If certain image styles resonate well with a specific demographic, produce more images in that style.
However, do not limit yourself to only one creative type. Keep some variety. By maintaining creative diversity, you ensure you cover a wide swath of your audience. Over time, you build a library of proven creatives. You integrate different angles, different aesthetic styles, and different storytelling methods.
Conclusion
In the evolving Facebook ads environment, creative differentiation is essential. Campaign and ad set tweaks matter less as automation rises. Creative quality and variety matter more. By offering a range of formats—UGC videos, professional shoots, carousels, catalogs, images with different styles—you help Facebook’s algorithm match your ads to the right people. This leads to better results.
When sourcing UGC, use platforms like Fiverr, Clip, B-Roll, and Creative Milkshake. Provide clear instructions to creators. Specify what to include and what to avoid. Test various styles. Measure performance. Focus on what resonates with your audience while maintaining a diverse creative strategy. By doing this, you unlock more of your audience, improve campaign outcomes, and stay ahead in the competitive ad landscape.