General Guidelines For Choosing Images

Author:

Jennifer Sheahan
I can\'t emphasize enough how critical images are in Facebook advertising. They are the single most important aspect of your ad. Tests have been done using fabricated ads, with absolute gibberish in the headline and nonsensical ad copy but a fantastic, inviting image. And guess what? People clicked! It is estimated that 70of the success or failure of ads is determined by images and only 30by the headline and body combined. The image you select will make or break your ad.
When choosing photos keep in mind that Facebook is very particular about the user experience and insists that images in ads are appropriate. They will disapprove ads if they\'re not a good fit. In other words, images must make sense with the overall ad. According to Facebook, ads will be denied for the following reasons: if they\'re deemed inappropriate, irrelevant, racy, too suggestive, or too revealing.
Trying to find the right image is where most people stumble. You can go to iStockPhoto or Shutterstock or Flickr\'s Creative Commons to find photos. But you\'ve got to stay away from those traditional 'stock photo' type images that have a bunch of people dressed in business suits because those are obviously staged and formulaic and they don\'t appeal to people. You want your image to be one people can relate to. When you find a photo that works and is getting a really good clickthrough rate, then take that photograph and add a border to it or round the corners. Have another image with the same photo, where you add something else. You might want to add the price over the top of your image or something along those lines so that it stands out. Add a double border so it looks like it\'s a double mounted photograph, so you have a black border and then a red border. That stands out really well too. We always create a couple of different versions of every photo.
For quite some time, images based solely on logos or text weren\'t the most successful. In recent days, however, I\'ve started to notice some clever images using text. If you\'re going to go the photo-free route, you do have to be sure to make the image attention-grabbing and visually interesting. Generally speaking, we have more success when using photos. If it\'s possible for you to incorporate your logo or some text along with a photo, that is a great way to go too. Think big, bold images that speak to your ad on their own and be sure the image fits the whole space.
A great way to test the effectiveness of your ad\'s image is to step away from your computer and see if you can tell at a glance what is being advertised. You want people to understand what\'s in the photo without them having to look too closely at it. If it is eye-catching, makes sense, and seems to be speaking to the product or service you\'re offering, you\'re good to go!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ppc-advertising-articles/general-guidelines-for-choosing-images-4998264.html
About the Author
Jennifer Sheahan is the founder of The Facebook Ads Lab, a full-service ads agency specializing in Facebook PPC ads. The FBAdsLab provides ad campaign management, training, and mentor programs for marketers. The goal of the FBAdsLab is to help business owners learn all they need to know to be successful in advertising on Facebook; to take control of their traffic so they can stay ahead of their competition and be leaders in their field. Helping people understand Facebook marketing and delivering outstanding results are the most crucial aspects of the FBAdsLab mission. This is achieved through a comprehensive ad campaign management service: clients choose from a 'Monthly Insights' program- allowing them to take advantage of the latest tips, strategies, and information which is sent to them on a monthly basis; a one-on-one coaching program, where they work directly with Jennifer to develop and fine-tune their campaigns; or a complete 'Done For You' service, which includes an analysis of the client\'s marketing needs, setting up individually tailored ads, and ultimately finding the best customers for the client.