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The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Carousel Ads

Published on
September 17, 2022
Know the tips and tricks before creating your first carousel ad on Facebook. Read this post for Facebook Carousel Ad specs, how to build ads and more.

Social media is the new place for meeting customers, an upgraded version of older methods of promotions. Currently, more than 4.4 billion people use social media or 56.8 percent of the entire population. Thus, more and more marketers are using social media advertising to gain potential customers.

One campaign and the right ad placements can reach billions of customers, so it's only natural that businesses will opt for this form of advertising. Another reason why social media advertising is better than traditional ads is that it can offer more personalized and targeted advert placements. The best factor is that you don't have to search; the products come to you.

As expected, the rewards are highly beneficial. Social media advertising helps businesses grow quicker and provide more leads, brand awareness, sales, and engagements.

Facebook has approximately 2.8 billion active users as the most popular social media platform. Not to mention how effective it is for marketing, as it accounts for more than 80 percent of the US social referrals to e-commerce websites.

Based on a report by Datareportal in 2020, there was an increase in social media usage, with Facebook being the most-used platform. Simultaneously, a notable increase in online and digital activities was apparent, leading to more businesses using Facebook ads.

Regardless if you're an individual or running a business, Facebook has many formats to help you with promotion, such as image and video ads, Carousel, collection, and poll ads.

If you're interested to know more, this article will provide the ultimate guide to Facebook carousel ads and how they can increase your ad conversion rate.

What Are Facebook Carousel Ads, and Why Do They Matter?

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Facebook carousel ads effectively allow marketers and entrepreneurs to introduce their products and services to potential and existing customers. These can include different images or video ads, and each carousel card has a URL that allows users to click on it and view a specific landing page or the product page. One of the reasons that Carousel ads are worth investing in is that they are 10 times better than regular ads.

Here are several benefits of Facebook carousel ads:

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More Traffic to Advertiser's Website

It's no joke that carousel ads lead to more traffic. Based on a report from Kinetic Social, 1 percent of users click on carousel ads, compared to 0.1 percent who click on non-carousel ads. Additionally, this type of ad drives 20–30 percent lower cost-per-click and 30–50 percent lower cost-per-conversion than single-image link ads.

Extended Customization

Facebook carousel ads have extended features, so you don't have to choose only one product. Instead, you can accomplish more in a single carousel format than if you were to use a typical ad format.

More Interaction for Users

One of the biggest reasons carousel ads attract more traffic is that they allow you to play a part in video ads and static ads rather than staying passive. This ensures you control the ad by clicking on each slide at your own pace.

Listing Benefits

Often, your product is so good that it meets many needs and serves plenty of purposes at once. With a carousel ad, you can list every practical and attractive aspect of your product or service.

Increase Conversions

Of course, ads are effective when they drive conversion and sales to your brand, so you can expect to see a more interactive audience. The better the ads, the better the performance.

Product Highlight and Demonstration

Why create a complex ad that your customers will have difficulty comprehending? Instead, you can use multiple slides to present different products or services. This carousel format lets you give each feature a fair demonstration.

Step-by-Step Guides

If you want to make your target audience familiar with what you're advertising, you can make a step-by-step guide to present vital points of each product or service you're promoting.

Versatility

Viewers are more likely to choose a product they like by visiting your website whenever you present different products or services. Essentially, you can showcase several of your picks in one single ad placement.

What Are the Ideal Sizes and Specs for Carousel Ads?

Knowing the details, size, and specs before creating a carousel ad can be helpful. Below, you can find a guide to check beforehand:

A) Specifications about images

  • Image File Type: PNG or JPG
  • Image Size: Minimum 1080px by 1080px
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Ratio: 1:1

B) Specifications about videos

  • Video File Type: GIF, MP4, or MOV
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4 GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect ratio: 16:09 or Square

C) Text Specifications

Usually, the recommended number of primary text characters is 125. However, for the carousel ad description and headline, the number of characters is 20 and 40. Although you can do more, you risk getting your message replaced with "…See More".

How To Create Facebook Carousel Ads

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Creating Facebook carousel ads may seem intimidating, but it's simple. Just follow the instructions to ensure your images and videos fit all the specs before continuing.

Via Your Facebook Page

You can publish your carousel ads from your Facebook page with simple steps. Just go to the Promote option on your page, click on the Get More Website Visitors link, and add the URL you want to use when people click on your advertisement, which is a landing page.

Next, go to Format and click the Carousel option, where the numbers 1, 2, and 3 will appear in boxes, along with a plus (+) sign. Each number is equivalent to a card, so you click the first number to upload your image file or video file size and then add the descriptions and URL.

You can also make some last edits or changes like cropping, rotating, or adding texts and stickers. Then, add a headline and make a call-to-action (CTA) placement for each card. Finish up other sections like the Duration, Audience, Budget, and Payment. Lastly, preview the ad before publishing it to see how it looks on mobile, desktop, or social media, and you're good to go! Simply click Promote to publish it.

Using the Ads Manager

The carousel format allows you to present two or more images/videos within a single ad, each with its link, CTA, headline, and description. That said, you can create a carousel ad using the Ads Manager if you follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Ads Manager.
  2. Click on the top-left corner on + Create.
  3. Select an objective that matches the carousel format, as this format is only available with the Video Views objective.
  4. Add Campaign Details, Campaign Budget Optimization, and A/B Test information if necessary, then click Next.
  5. Complete other sections, such as Audience, Budget, Schedule, Placements, Delivery, and Optimization, then click Next.
  6. Go to the Identity section and select the Facebook Page you wish to use for your carousel ad. You may also add your Instagram account if needed.
  7. Go to the Ad Setup section and select Carousel.
  8. In the Ad Creative section, select to fill your carousel cards dynamically or manually choose your media, but you'll need a product catalog.

If you want to choose your media manually, you need to:

  1. Click the plus (+) button to edit a carousel card.
  2. Select Image to add a single image (ensure the image has the right specs).
  3. Add your Headline, Description, and URL.
  4. If you want to add a new carousel card and attach an image or Video to it, scroll and click the + Add Media button, then select Add Image or Add Video.
  5. If you want to delete a carousel card, click the Remove button.
  6. If you want to change the order of the carousel cards, click on a card and drag it to the desired location.
  7. To edit the placement of your carousel cards, click Select a placement to edit.
  8. To add carousel cards from former ads, click Select cards from previous ads.
  9. Check the box next to Automatically show the best performing cards first to order your carousel cards by performance.

If you want to choose your media dynamically from a product set, you can do so by selecting your catalog and an option from the Catalog dropdown. Next, select an option from the Product Set dropdown to choose your product set. However, if you want to create a new product set, click the plus (+) button.

You can choose whether you want to promote Product Categories or Multiple Products in your carousel card under the Catalog Options. You can personalize your card format by clicking on catalog, then going to the Single Image or Slideshow, or adjusting the Feed Link Description and Headline. If you want to add another carousel card, click the +Add Card button and select Map Card, Profile Card, or Intro Card.

To complete everything, add the Primary Text and CTA, and preview your ad by clicking in the top-right corner. You may choose to receive a Facebook notification on your device as well. The last two steps are adding the information in the Tracking section and clicking Publish.

Through the Facebook Business Manager

Another possibility to create carousel ads is with the Facebook Business Manager option. Just open Business Manager, expand the menu, scroll to the bottom of the menu and select Page Posts. From there, you can get a glimpse of all the content published on your Facebook Page, plus an option to create a new post.

Next, click the Create Post button to open the post creation tool. There, you can choose Photo/Video or more options. From that list, you can select Create a Photo Carousel and enter the URL for the first image by clicking the arrow icon.

If you prefer to add more images, click the plus (+) button under Available Images. After doing that, a link preview will appear in the post. If the URL has an image in its metadata, you should see it in the link preview or as a thumbnail.

During that process, you can add more images until you reach 10 in total, and if you want to remove any image, you can click to de-select.

To further personalize carousel cards, click on the Edit Destination URL option and enter the URL where you want to drive traffic. You could also click the headline and replace the text. The next step is to add a catchy caption that attracts more viewers and creates better engagement. Finally, you can choose to publish it immediately, schedule it for another time, or save it as a draft.

Tips on Creating Engaging Facebook Carousel Ads

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If you want to get the most out of your carousel ads, there are some tips you can use to improve Facebook advertising.

Tell a Story

You can share a compelling fact or an interesting story to make your brand stand out. If done correctly, eye-catching graphics and videos are the best tools for an effective Facebook ad. Each card should have its caption or narrative to make your users want to keep swiping and visiting your site, leading to better engagement.

Remember Your Audience

When planning or creating a carousel ad, you should keep your target audience in mind. You can use testimonials or product images if your targeted audience is existing customers. However, if you're targeting potential customers, using natural and attractive images is the best way.

Use Many Links and Landing Pages

Whether promoting single or multiple products or services in your carousel ad, ensure each card has the appropriate landing page. A landing page or web banner can also be a link to Facebook Pages, a Facebook news feed, Facebook offers, or external websites, such as Instagram.

Keep Everything Cohesive

You're one step ahead if you've captured your audience's attention. It would be beneficial if you strive to keep them engaged enough to swipe through your ads. Each card should have a leave-you-hanging element to keep the users eager to swipe.

Showcase Your Brand Identity

If you want to leave a mark on your viewers' minds, you need to add your brand to the final card, meaning your logo and brand identity. However, each card should match your website's style by incorporating similar branding, composition, and colors. This is the best way to make your brand recognizable, especially when re-targeting the audience.

Get Users To Act

There's no better ad tip than a clear call to action (CTA) for your ad. The best thing about carousel ads is that it allows each single-image ad to have a CTA, though you must include the correct landing page within the correlating card.

Launch Better Facebook Ads With the Help of Archive

E-commerce brands can use carousel ads to increase brand awareness, engagement, and sales. Since their launch in 2014, Facebook carousel ads have led to many success stories. If you're not already trying these ads, then your business is missing a lot.

Suppose you're a beginner business owner still getting the hang of ads. Archive app is an excellent solution as it provides you with all the necessary information to create an attractive ad for your brand through marketing pixels.

Contact our experienced team members if you have any questions or would like to learn more about creating ads. Archive is always available to attend to your Facebook or Instagram ad needs.

FAQs on Facebook Carousel Ads

Are there instances where a carousel ad is not recommended?

Fortunately, carousel ads work for most businesses, but there are some instances where these ads are unnecessary. That's why you need to consider questions like:

  • Do you need to pay extra for additional ad space if you can use a single-image ad to attract customers?
  • Do you know who your target audience is and what their concerns are?
  • Is your Facebook page fully optimized? Viewers can click away if your business page doesn't have the necessary information.
  • Do you have a person who manages the comments you might get on the ad?

Can you use the same ad on Instagram?

Sure, you can use the same carousel ad on Facebook and Instagram if you follow the necessary specifications.

Is Facebook Ads Manager different from Business Manager?

Yes, Facebook Ads Manager and Business Manager differ in some aspects. For example, Ads Manager allows you to create multiple ads, campaigns, and ad sets for your Facebook business page, so it's only concerned with Facebook.

On the other hand, the Business Manager keeps your Facebook pages and advertising accounts organized, meaning you have total control over who grants access to your accounts.

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