If you’ve read our guide on how to grow your eCommerce business, you know that increasing traffic is at the top of the list. Paid advertising is a fast and effective way to drive clicks, especially on Facebook, which is the preferred method of our eCommerce team, ScaleBoom.
As an agency, we have the knowledge and experience on how to make effective visuals and ad copy, but we know that’s not the case for everybody. Not all small businesses or entrepreneurs have the resources to work with marketing agencies that can create those ads for them.
But, that’s perfectly okay, because there are simple, effective ads that anyone can make–even if the only thing you have is your smartphone.
Before getting into the five types of ads that are guaranteed to drive traffic to your eCommerce website, let’s quickly examine the anatomy of a Facebook ad.
Customers’ eyes are always drawn to the center of the ad first. This is your first, and typically only chance to get the user to stop scrolling.
From there, eyes instinctively go to the bottom, where you’ll want strong copy that can draw them in further without losing their attention. This is where you can write a persuasive, benefit-driven headline.
Lastly, if you’ve earned their interest, they will read the lengthier blurb at the top where you can instruct them on what to do next, offer promo codes, or blast testimonials.
All of the examples in this article will follow this format, and yours should, too. Now, let’s look at five types of ads that you can start using for your eCommerce business and learn why they work.
Contents
Ad #1: Audience Aspirations
What it is
Most products either solve a problem or allow a person to live a certain lifestyle. This ad does a great job of showing the person how this product can specifically help them in their life and potentially unlock one of their aspirations.
The product in this ad is a portable, easy-to-use attachment that adds two additional screens to laptops. We decided to lean into the portability aspect of laptops by leading with the question “where would you go?” This question emphasizes the aspiration a customer might have to work anywhere but still be as productive as if working on their main work desk.
Why it works
The video matches their existing desires and shows them how it solves a problem that is currently holding them back. By matching the person’s aspirations, it effectively engages them with the product and the brand. The reaction is simple – by buying this product, I can do the things they do in the video and live the life I want.
How to use it
This type of video is most effective at the top of the funnel. It is a great way to introduce the product and brand by bringing attention to the person’s goal experience.
Ad #2: Static Comparison
What it is
Your product will be up against a lot of competition on the market. People naturally need to compare their options in order to know where they want to spend their money. This is the perfect ad format to let them know how your product stands above the rest.
Static comparisons focus on a unique selling proposition (USP) of the product and display them in a way that can grab potential customers. In the case of the Pepper Cannon, pictured above, we simply took what the product does better than others and ran with it.
We stopped the scroll with an appetizing rack of ribs, then added two quick lines of copy to introduce the product, and why it’s amazing.
Why it works
Static comparisons are great because they focus squarely on results. When you see the mountain of fresh black pepper on the right, you immediately think of your own pepper mill and how it doesn’t do that. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to emphasize a product’s USP.
How to use it
In this case, our team targeted the bottom of the funnel. The potential customer already had a working knowledge of the Pepper Cannon, so we wanted to remind them of the end results they were after. This was a simple way to remind them of the product and emphasize one of the strongest USPs.
Ad #3: Product Walkthrough
What it is
One of the first things the ScaleBoom team asks their new partners to do is record a product walkthrough video. Not only is this one of the most effective ways to advertise a product, but it’s versatile enough to use at any stage in the funnel.
There’s nothing more to it—the founder just needs to be genuine and explain the product like nobody else can. When people stop to watch, these ads can drive some impressive Clickthrough Rates (CTR).
Why it works
This type of ad is very authentic and is perfect for building trust with the viewer. Watching tutorials from the founder establishes strong connections between the brand and the audience. Not only that, but it’s also great for clarifying points of concern for dubious customers.
How to use it
As mentioned, founder walkthroughs work well at any stage of the funnel. They can draw in cold leads by making your brand look legitimate and win over warm leads by cementing trust.
Ad #4: Scrolling Testimonials
What it is
By the time your eCommerce site is set up, you should have plenty of reviews or testimonials you can use in your sales strategy. This one is a simple slideshow made up of pictures and reviews–nothing too complicated!
In this example, you can see we paired it with a discount and promo code in the headline. Adding a money-saving incentive on top of strong social proof is a powerful way to drive conversions.
Why it works
These work really well because of how easy to digest they are. Make sure to select reviews that really highlight how the product is solving a problem in people’s lives.
How to use it
Take clear images of your product and brand, overlay the positive reviews with some nice music, and start targeting people who are already in the funnel. Testimonials are highly effective at curing customer doubts on the validity of a product.
Ad #5: Reaction Montages
What it is
Reaction montages are going to require a few people to be in the video, preferably ones who don’t have prior experience with the product. There’s a lot of freedom to get creative here.
In the example above, these ads were written for a health and wellness machine designed to strengthen the lower body. The actors were given tasks to perform related to the product’s USP like whether they could sit and stand without using their hands.
Not only are the results entertaining enough to engage the audience all the way through the video, but the ad succeeds at selling the product’s USP.
Why it works
Before buying, customers need to imagine how their life will look with the product in it. By seeing people try and fail at something simple, they might become curious enough to try it themselves. Using real people with real reactions is one of the strongest forms of audience engagement.
How to use it
Reaction montages like this one work best at the top of the funnel. The entertainment factor is strong enough to stop a scroll and get first-time viewers curious about the product.
Takeaways
Running ads for your eCommerce business can be intimidating, and it can be hard to get started without any direction. But with the help of these great ad formats, you’re one step closer to creating effective ads.
Here are some key points you’ll need to remember:
- Ads are only as good as where/when you show them
- Focus on the customer experience
- Make sure to always communicate your product’s USP
- Test multiple variations of design, copy, and strategy
Bonus Advice
Need more ad inspiration? A great tip is to use the Facebook Ad Library to see what similar products in your niche are using.
Open the Facebook page of the brand you want to see, then click on the section called “Page Transparency.” After that, click on “Go to Ad Library” which lets you scroll through any ad they are currently running.
Pay extra attention to the ones that have been active the longest. These are most likely the ads that have performed the best over a longer period of time! Analyze why you think their ads have been successful, and try applying that to your own creative strategy.
If you want to find out more about how to increase traffic to your eCommerce website, or you’d like to learn how to partner with our ScaleBoom team to let the experts manage your ad strategy, get in contact with us today!
