Would you like a 20% off coupon to buy Facebook ads? Facebook does offer nice discounts to smart advertisers, but it does not come in the form of a coupon. Rather, discounts are all about how you manage what Facebook calls Ad Relevance.

To quote Facebook directly, “People prefer to see ads that are relevant to them. And when businesses show their ads to relevant audiences, they see better business outcomes.” They go on to confirm “That’s why we consider how relevant each ad is to a person before delivering an ad to that person. Ads that are more relevant cost less and see more results. This leads to better experiences for people and businesses alike.”

Facebook wants to keep their users happy while still delivering as many ads as they can — they are serious about this! If you want to pay less and get better results, it’s time to prioritize relevance and we are here to help.

Facebook Ad Ranking

For every ad the you run, Facebook will show you the ad’s scoring in three areas, all within their Ad Relevance Diagnostics reporting. If you use Facebook Business, you will see this along with other stats if you have your dashboard showing the “Performance” view. This shows at the Ad Set level. It looks like this:

There are three different rankings that you will want to understand and master. In each case you are ranked compared to other ads competing for the same audience, so you are being graded on a curve. In some cases this will make it easier to win, but when you are competing with savvy marketers, you will have to be at the top of your game. The three categories are:

• Quality Ranking: This one is the most nebulous of the bunch — it is “perceived quality” versus competitive ads. This has not been confirmed by Facebook, but in our testing we have found that the entertainment or education value is a driver here, as well as general quality of the creative. For example, we are seeing some connection between the amount of text on the image or video; less text = a better Quality Ranking.
• Engagement Rate Ranking: Engagement is likes, shares, and comments, so this is pretty straightforward. Create ads that people want to comment on and share!
• Conversion Rate Ranking: Facebook looks at “conversion” based on how you optimized your ad. If you optimized for sales conversions, that is the main factor here. If you selected Engagement, website page views, or other optimization goals the performance it that specific way is what will impact your ranking here.

You should strive to be Above Average on every ad in every one of the Facebook Ad Relevance Diagnostics categories. If you plan your ad content and audience targeting thoughtfully, you will win and enjoy this discount that Facebook wants to give to you!

Tips & Tactics to Increase Your Ad Relevance Diagnostics Ranking

Below we outline six specific tactics to make your ads more relevant on Facebook and Instagram.

Tactic #1: Tightly Target Your Audience

Success with Facebook ads all start with the audience being targeted. The tighter the audience and the more specifically your content matches the interests of the people in that audience, the better. Too often, we see people prioritize having a bigger number of people within their target group —  incorrectly thinking that is the best approach.

If you are running an ad about a guitar, yes you can start by targeting guitar players, but there is way more. If the specific instrument that you are advertising might appeal more to an age demographic or a sub-set of guitar players, find a way to tighten your audience to those players. If that guitar is only available in select countries, limit your audience to those countries. If you target the right people, they are far more likely to welcome your message and take the positive actions critical to your ad ranking well.

Tactic #2: Give Your Prospects What They Want and Need

Consider running ads that are not a typical sales pitch. To once again use our guitar example, consider creating some content that helps customers pick the right instrument for them or explains the differences. That content could give you a way to build trust with the customer and if they click to your site to read your information, then in that content you can include information on the guitar that you want to sell.

Tactic #3: Clear Creative

You have defined the right audience and you have the right offering for the people that see your ad, but is it clear that this is right for them? Make sure that your creative tells them why this is right for them. What problem are you solving for them? How will their playing or performance be improved? Make sure that it is easy to see this. We suggest that the headline and first 5 words in your description lead with this message. Too many ads are written to tell customers what a business cares about — focus on your customers’ needs first because that is what they care about.

Tactic #4: Ask for Engagement

A critical indicator to Facebook that your ads are relevant is that people engage with them. Get creative in developing ads that encourage engagement and specifically ask for that. If you show two products, ask which they prefer or ask about color or how they would use it. For some ads, asking users to share it with someone who would be interested or who they would enjoy your offering with can work great. This can get you a lower cost on your ad, plus it can give you more of a reach.

Tactic #5: Keep it Fresh

Even the right ad served to the right person can get stale and no longer be right if you run it too long. If someone sees your same ad day after day for weeks or months they might hide it, not because they dislike it, but rather simply due to the repetitive nature of your approach. This is something Facebook views as a negative indicator and is something you want to avoid. Create new ads regularly or change the audience for ads that you want to continue to run.

Tactic #6: The Video Advantage

Facebook has publicly stated that they believe videos are better for their users and they are prioritizing them in how they deliver organic posts and ads. Find a way to deliver your message in video form and utilize this built-in advantage. You do not need a highly produced video. Focus on the message and make sure that you are delivering value to your target customer.

Through some smart planning and consistent management, you can reduce the cost of your ads and make your ad budget go further. Your customers will appreciate you better meeting their needs and Facebook will be glad to give you lower pricing. Go ahead and use that discount!

Want more information like this? We hear you loud and clear. See some of our most recent work, blog posts, and partner articles here.