There’s a lot of hype around short-form video when it comes to paid social, but while you should invest in short-form video, you shouldn’t only use that type of creative.
Along with everything in paid ads, you need to be running tests.
The only time to focus on short-form videos is when you know that your audience responds best to that creative type, not because someone on Twitter told you to.
So unless you know for a fact that your audience prefers videos, you should also test static images.
How to create static ads that convert?
There are four components that your static ads should have…
- Optimized sizing. There are exactly three dimension variations that you need to create static images for: Story (4:5), feed (1:1), and a horizontal placement (1.91:1). Technically, you could run a 1:1 image in a Story, but it’s not as eye-catching.
- Have a clear shot of the product. This seems straightforward, but we’ve lost count of the times we saw an ad on Facebook and not known what the product was. Make it obvious. Better yet, make it the only image in the creative.
- Use social proof. The entire creative could be a static creative displaying a customer review. But even if it’s not, you should have some sort of social proof on the ad itself, even if it’s just star ratings.
- Have a call-to-action and a sense of urgency. Not only do you have to tell people how to buy your product, but you also have to tell them when to buy it. For example, “Shop online while supplies last” or “Order now. Stock is limited!”
Static image ads ideas you should test
Now let’s talk about three different creative concepts that we’ve seen in the e-commerce space that are worth testing.
#1: The “Before and After” display.
- Concept: Show the transformation your product or service can provide, with a split-screen style layout.
- Why: Demonstrating transformation can powerfully convey the value and effectiveness of your offering.
- Pro tip: Don’t use the words “before and after.” Instead, say “without [brand name]” and “with [brand name].”
#2: The Features point-out.
- Concept: Use visuals to highlight and label specific features of your product or service directly on the image. It’s essentially an annotated visual guide of what you offer.
- Why: Pointing out features is a fast, efficient way for potential customers to understand the unique selling points and functionality of your product.
- Pro tip: You can even test the specific features that you use in your ads to see what your audience resonates with.
#3: The Comparison chart.
- Concept: Put your product next to your competitors. Compare them. Make sure you’re mostly talking about why yours is better, though.
- Why: People like to compare things. If someone was choosing between yours and your competitor, you’re making it obvious why yours is superior.
- Pro tip: Don’t explicitly call out your competitor, but make it pretty obvious who you’re talking about.
Go ahead and use these static tests to see what resonates best with your audience.
How to use AI to create static image ads?
Finally, in case you didn’t know this already, yes: AI can now create images that you can use for ads.
Sounds easy, right? Well, it is… as long as you use the proper prompts.
Now, a lot of marketers get these wrong and end up with unusable images because they leave key elements out of their prompts.
But before we dive into these prompt elements, let’s pretend we’re promoting a brand called “Magnesium.” Magnesium sells daily supplement pills.
Now, let’s create a few static, lifestyle ads for this brand.
- Prompt 1: A man in a fancy gym, holding a white supplement tub (similar to that of a vitamin) labeled “Magnesium,” in blue with a glowing aura around him only, signaling how healthy he is.
- Prompt 2: A woman sitting by the beach at night under a full moon, writing in her journal. A white supplement tub labeled “Magnesium” in blue is by her side.
- Prompt 3: A white supplement tub labeled “Magnesium” in blue is the center of the image, with a white background and a blue aura around the bottle itself. This is a product shot.
Let’s break these prompts down. Each prompt has the following:
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- A setting. the beach, the gym, or just a product shot.
- A person. The man, the woman, or no person.
- The product itself, with a description of how it looks and the colors used.
- Where the product is located. Holding it, by the woman’s side, or in the center.
So, instead of writing “man holding magnesium supplement,” think of a very specific image in your head, and describe it in detail.
The more detail you give the prompt, the more likely the picture will meet your expectations.
Happy static ad creating!
The golden rule when it comes to static ads?
Create content as close as possible to what you would find natively on the platform. You don’t want your piece to feel or look like an ad.
And of course, integrate as many of the elements that make your product irresistible as you possibly can without sacrificing the native feel of your ad.
Good luck!
