How to Write Facebook Ads Copy That Sells [Complete Copywriting Frawework]
Steal the copywriting framework that helped us write great copy fast and increase CTR by 30%!
When running ads for your e-commerce business, you’re probably leaving a lot of money on the table by using the wrong ad copy.
Either because you’re hitting writer’s block, or because you simply don’t know how to write effective ad copy that converts.
Ad copy is a crucial part of stimulating your audience to take the action that you want on your ads.
In this guide, I’ll share with you the copywriting framework I use to write ad copy for Facebook & Instagram ads that helped us increase our CTR (click-through rate) by 30%.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is the process of writing words to form an influential text that encourages a person or group to take a specific action. This persuasive text is called copy or sales copy. For the rest of this guide, I’ll refer to this compelling text as “copy”.
Copywriting is used in marketing and advertising to uphold company branding, increase awareness, and maximize the impact of written content.
You can use copywriting in every piece of content you put out. This includes your website, marketing emails, social media posts, and ads.
In this guide, I want to cover copywriting in advertising, specifically in Facebook and Instagram ads.
Why is Copywriting Important for Ads?
It’s straightforward; If you’re paying for ads to reach new people, they better turn some people into customers.
Ad platforms are saturated with advertisers trying to target the same audiences, which results in expensive auctions for the advertiser and ad fatigue for the audience.
From the receiving end of the person getting ads, we’re spoiled with endless ads to the point where we become insensitive to advertising.
There’s also the problem of goldfish attention spans. Sure, we can listen to 3-hour podcasts and binge-watch tv show seasons in one night, but when we’re scrolling through our feeds, we’re less likely to stop and stare at post enough to grasp what it’s about unless it speaks to us.
With all these challenges in mind, it makes investing your time in writing copy that makes people stop and stare worthwhile.
How to Write Ads That Convert
These are the characteristics of a high-converting ad copy:
Ad copy that motivates people to click on your ad hooks the reader within the first few seconds (1), entices them to keep reading (2), and urges them to take action as soon as possible (3).
(1) Hook the reader within the first few seconds; The first line of your copy that takes 3–7 seconds to read is the essential part of your ad copy. Here the reader decides to keep reading or scroll away.
(2) Entice them to keep reading; If you have a great hook with no follow-up information that is interesting to your reader, you still risk your ads being ignored.
(3) Urge them to take action as soon as possible; If you’re not taking their hand and telling them exactly what to do next, they will scroll past your ad and move on.
You’ll come across a lot of ad copy that didn’t grab your attention to start this chain of action.
If you’re wondering how you can write ad copy that meets all three requirements without burying your face in a blank page, I got you. Keep reading.
Steal my Copywriting Framework: Plan, Write, Edit.
Forget everything you know about writing ads.
Sure, your copy sounds like a poem or something Oprah would say, but does your copy put money in your pockets?
If you’re reading this article, I’ll take a wild guess and say yes.
The purpose of ad copy is not to be perceived by your audience as cool, charming, or funny.
It might work for a dating app bio but not for ads.
The purpose of ad copy is to connect with your audience to show them that you understand their needs and desires and that only your product can answer those needs and wishes.
To write ad copy that does that, you don’t need to sit in a dark room contemplating the purpose of life, business, or your product. You need a copywriting framework that takes you from an empty page to ad copy you can confidently use in ads.
My writer-block proof framework consists of 3 steps that help me write great ads fast:
1. Plan.
2. Write.
3. Edit.
I learned over the years that I dread starting from scratch. I prefer having a solid outline first — so I can form ideas of what I want to say in that context— before actually writing. The final product never looks like the first draft, so I give myself enough time to make edits.
In this FigJam file, I share a worksheet with the exact copywriting framework I use to write ads for Scalify products and our e-commerce stores that scaled past 7-figures.
Copy my Ecommerce Copywriting Framework HERE.
You must copy the worksheet and follow the instructions in this guide to fill it in.
Step 1: Plan What You Want to Say
Consider this starting point the blueprint of your ad copy.
When you’re starting to write ads, you want to dedicate about 20–35 minutes of your time to set the foundation on which you’ll rely to write ad copy that works every time.
It’s important to outline who your ideal customer is to know how to appeal to them; it’s equally important to understand what their wants and needs are to be able to fulfill them.
I recommend you don’t skip this step.
Write with a Customer Persona in Mind
Getting a deep understanding of what defines your potential customers is crucial.
If you figure out who they are, what they need, and what interests them, it’ll be much easier to write ad copy that resonates with them.
To accomplish this, marketers create what’s called a customer persona.
What is a customer persona, you ask?
A customer persona is a fictional character created to represent a user type most likely to execute an action.
Creating a customer persona for your products is easy; you only need two skills you mastered in kindergarten; empathy and imagination.
And depending on when you were born, googling stuff might also be something you perfected as a toddler.
Remember the worksheet I shared with you earlier? Let’s put it to good use.
Start by opening the worksheet on a new tab and find “1. Create a Customer Persona”.
In this area, you’ll find three sections:
- “Start HERE” section with Demographics.
- “Continue” section with Defining traits.
- “End HERE” with Learnings.
For each section, you can get a rough estimation of these values from the following:
- Historical data. This represents previous customers or people who expressed interest in purchasing your product or interacted with your business on social media. Take a moment to remember these people and what they were like, and use them as a reference for your customer persona.
- Social media research. If your business is brand new and you have zero customers, this is the best — and in my opinion, the most accurate — way to conduct customer research. Look up brands in the same niche; who are the people engaging with their posts? If they have a branded hashtag, click on it; what are these people like? A lot of user-generated content on Instagram and TikTok holds a lot of value in unraveling what your ideal customer looks like. You might be surprised that the image you have in your mind’s eye does not match at all what’s
- Google search. This one is self-explanatory. Googling who’s the target audience for “product type” can bring up results you can base your customer persona on.
Demographics
These are the characteristics that describe your potential customer.
Here are the questions you should ask yourself to fill in the values in this section:
- Age: Is your product aimed at teens, adults, or seniors? You can enter a specific number or stick to an age range.
- Gender: Does your product appeal to a specific gender, or is gender irrelevant?
- Household Income: Is your product considered high-ticket (high cost to purchase) that requires a certain income level?
- Education: Is your product aimed at specific students?
- Occupation: Is your product intended for people in a specific field?
- Location: Is your product available for shipping to people in specific areas?
- Role in purchase decision-making: Is your target audience capable of making this purchase decision? For example, if your product is aimed at teens or children, they are not considered decision-makers in the purchase process, as they have to get their parent’s permission.
Defining traits
These are the distinguishable qualities that define your potential customer.
Here are the questions you should ask yourself to fill in the sticky notes in this section:
- Needs: Does your product answer a specific need your potential customer has?
- Desires: Does your product answer the desires of your potential customer? What are these desires?
- Goals: Does your product help in achieving a specific purpose?
- Pain points: Does your product relieve your potential customer's particular pain points? What are those pain points?
- Feelings and thoughts: How does your potential customer feel and think as they interact with your product?
- Behaviors: What behaviors (online, offline) define your potential customer? For example, your potential customer could be an avid fashion magazine reader, a bookworm, a Gym bro, etc.
Learnings
These are the results that summarize who your potential customer is. Set a 5-minutes timer and try to summarize in a short paragraph who your ideal customer is.
This exercise will help you highlight the key characteristics that define your potential customer.
Define a Problem Statement
A problem statement is an exercise that’ll help you further empathize with your ideal customer by summarizing their entire persona into a problem your product solves.
This product doesn’t have to be a significant hard-hitting issue, and it can be as simple as a dull living space, a gray wardrobe, or in this example, a dog without new toys.
To do this exercise, go back to your worksheet, move to the next section on your right
Here’s how to do this exercise:
- Start by identifying the person who’s facing the problem.
- Define what they want to achieve. This can be extracted from the “Goals”, “Needs”, and “Desires” sections.
- Determine the obstacle keeping them from getting where they want to be. This could be derived from the “Thoughts & Feelings” or “Behaviors” sections.
- Explain why this obstacle matters. This can be taken from the “Pain Points” section.
- Describe how this makes them feel. This can be derived from the “Thoughts & Feelings” section.
For example, let’s consider a pet shop selling unique toys to pet owners.
Here’s how the Problem Statement would be:
Identify Value Props
As Julian Shapiro defines, value props or value propositions are the different ways customers get value from your product.
This value could be a feature specific to your product or a general benefit they get.
Here are a couple of questions that’ll help you define your product’s value props:
- Assuming your product doesn’t exist. What bad alternative does your potential customer use instead?
- How is your product better than that lousy alternative?
To write your value props, you must turn what your product is good at into an action statement.
Let’s take, for example, the skincare brand The Ordinary, which sells effective skincare products for all genders at an affordable price tag.
Step 2: Write What Audiences Will See
In this step, you’ll write the first drafts of the ad copy you’ll use in your ads.
If you’re anything like me, you hate getting started with a blank page. Don’t worry! The previous preparations and the following tips will help you write all your ads in 30–45 minutes, so don’t quit just yet and keep reading.
Get Inspired
The best copywriters don’t start from scratch.
Instead, they build a swipe file and use it religiously to write ad copy.
What’s a swipe file, you ask?
A swipe file is a collection of tested and proven advertising and sales letters. Keeping a swipe file is a common practice used by advertising copywriters and creative directors as a reference for ideas for projects. (Source: Wikipedia).
If you watched Mad Men, you probably remember the scenes where the interns were going through their massive library of swipe files.
In this day and age, you don’t need that because you have Meta’s Ad Library.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Ad Library, it’s a library of active ads from all advertisers promoting their products/services on Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network).
To take full advantage of the Ad Library, follow the steps below:
- On your worksheet, go to the “Swipe File” section.
- In the “Refrences” section, list at least three companies selling similar products to yours.
- Go to the Ad Library.
- In the Category dropdown, select “All ads.”
- Type a company’s name in the search bar and hit Enter.
- Browse through their active ads and find copy examples you like (skip if they don’t have any).
- Copy the ad URL and paste it into your worksheet's “Swipe File” section.
- Repeat the same process for all companies.
Try to have at least ten swipes to inspire you while writing your copy.
Tip: It’s best to take a screenshot of the ad to avoid losing this swipe (in case the ad was turned off by the advertiser).
How to write Primary Ad Text
You apply copywriting formulas that work.
A copywriting formula forms a persuasive outline for your copy to resonate with the reader. Copywriting formulas are key to writing ad copy that converts.
In this guide section, I’ll share with you seven copywriting formulas you can instantly apply to write compelling copy for your primary ad texts on Facebook and Instagram.
You’ll also find these formulas in the worksheet I shared with you.
- AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action)
AIDA is the classic ad copy template you can use in every marketing material.
Attention — Grab the reader’s attention.
Interest — Offer them fresh and exciting information
Desire — Describe the benefits/goals they’ll get and how that will make them feel/think.
Action— Tell them what you want them to do to get there.
Here’s how I’d use AIDA for Candly, a small business that sells artisanal candles:
2. BAB (Before-After-Bridge)
This formula can work with any product, from cowboy boots to head scarves; your product can always be “The” transformation your audience is yearning for.
Before — Here’s where you are currently
After — Imagine what it would be like to be the better version of yourself or have problem X solved.
Bridge — Here’s how to get there.
Here’s how I’d use BAB for DressMe, a small business that sells unique clothing items:
3. FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
This copywriting formula will help you emphasize your product’s benefits instead of its features, allowing your ideal customer to imagine themselves using your product and getting its benefits.
Features — What does your product do?
Advantages — How is it better than the competition?
Benefits — What is your reader's positive result after using your product?
Here’s how I’d use the FAB formula to convince people to buy FastCut, a kitchen tool that helps you cut vegetables fast without the need for electricity:
4. PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve)
This copywriting formula is excellent for connecting with the pain points your audience is facing. Remember the problem statement we created earlier in this guide? It’ll come in super handy for this copywriting exercise.
Problem– Describe the problem the audience is facing
Agitate– Describe how this problem affects the audience
Solve– Present your product as the solution for this problem
Here’s how I’d use the PAS formula to convince outdoor enthusiasts to choose GG Boots, a brand specialized in making comfortable trail boots for hiking:
5. The 3 Reasons Why
This formula works great in differentiating your product in a saturated niche.
Why is your product the best?
Why should I believe you?
Why should I buy it right now?
Here’s how I’d use The 3 Reasons Why formula to convince DivaGloss customers to buy the small business’s spicy lip glosses again:
6. The 5 Basic Objections
This formula helps you answer customers' five most common objections before buying a product. The trick is you answer these objections before the reader has a chance to think about them.
1. I don’t have enough time.
2. I don’t have enough money.
3. It won’t work for me.
4. I don’t believe you.
5. I don’t need it.
Here’s how I’d use the 5 Basic Objections for TactiCAL, a small business that sells camping tents:
Emphasize your CTA (Call-To-Action)
In every primary ad text variation you write, you must highlight the action you want your audience to execute. To do this, you may want to use the following formula:
The 4 U’s
Useful — Include information that is useful to your audience
Urgent —Add a sense of urgency
Unique — Explain how unique the end benefit is
Ultra-specific — Be ultra-specific with all of the above
If you apply this to DressMe, the example listed in the previous section, you’ll end up with this:
How to Write Headlines & Descriptions
Depending on the type of ads you run, your headlines and description may not show.
However, if they do, it’s best to stick to a maximum text length of 50 characters to avoid getting your copy cut in mid-sentence. You may use the following formula to write short headlines and descriptions that work:
The 4 C’s
Clear
Concise
Compelling
Credible
If you apply this formula to write a headline and description for FastCut, the kitchen tool we mentioned earlier in this guide, you’ll get this:
Write As You Talk
Or even better, write as your customers talk.
Avoid using sophisticated language that requires a dictionary to decipher. You might think that using complicated words will give you authority and make you look knowledgeable, but all it does is create miscommunication and confusion. You don’t want that.
Instead, you want to write in a natural style that mimics the way everyday conversations go.
To do this, simply observe the way people in your environment talk. Take notice of the words they use to express themselves.
Address Your Audience with “You”
Passive voice makes your ad copy less engaging and doesn’t connect with your ideal customer.
If your ad copy includes “we are the best at XYZ” or “I am the creator of ABC,” make sure to change it into a “You” statement that addresses the target audience directly.
Utilize Emojis
Adding emojis to your ad copy can help you draw attention to your ads while your audience scrolls through their feed.
I recommend you add emojis at the beginning or the end of a sentence. Avoid adding emojis in the middle of the text, as that can disturb the reading flow of your audience.
😱This is super easy to read and grasp.
This is 🚀difficult to read 😉and grasp.
You also don’t want to overdo it. Make sure you’re adding emojis next to phrases you wish to highlight.✨
Step 3: Edit To Refine Copy
Make Every Word Count
Don’t waste your audience’s time. Go straight to the point and avoid unnecessarily long paragraphs.
Sure, your product has so many features and benefits; you want to include them all because you don’t know what will push a person to buy.
However, you don’t have to include all of them in the exact ad copy.
In my experience, ad copies that perform the best focus on 1–3 complimentary value props.
Also, Thesaurus is your friend. Often you’ll find that you can replace an entire sentence with one word. Power Thesaurus is my current favorite.
Fix Grammar Mistakes
Having copy with grammar mistakes can make your entire business seem not trustworthy. That’s because we often see scam sites and emails use poor grammar, so we quickly learn not to trust any piece of copy with poor.
To prevent being perceived as a scam, use tools like Grammarly to scan your copy for grammar mistakes.
Stick to Meta’s Advertising Standards
When you run ads on Facebook, you want to make sure that you abide by the ad policies Meta has set up to prevent getting your advertising assets restricted.
Meta provides a comprehensive guide specifically for ad copy. I went the extra line and transformed this guide into a checklist in your worksheet that you can use to verify your final ad copy before using it in ads.
Simply go to the “Ad Policy Checklist” section on the right of your worksheet to verify your ads.
Test Your Copy
Controlling copy testing in advertising, where you change one variable, can help you zone in on the writing style that connects with your target audience.
This variable could be testing copy with and without emojis, long copy vs. short copy, and using pop-culture references vs. neutral language.
Based on the performance and engagement of each copy, you’ll be able to decern what resonates best with your audience.
Conclusion
Ad copy can make or break your Click-through rate.
Writing ad copy that entices your reader is not rocket science. It’s as simple as following a framework that gets you from not knowing who your ideal customer is to understanding their needs and wants.
After that, writing ad copy that resonates with them is as simple as following proven copywriting formulas and trying out different writing styles to test out which one outperforms the rest.
Make sure to copy the copywriting framework there if you haven’t already.
