Optimizing Meta Ads for Conversions

Happy Wednesday!

I want to pull back the curtain on a topic close to our hearts and crucial to our clients’ success: creating Meta ads that lead to conversions.

I believe conversions and efficiency matter the most. Any other metrics are secondary.

What we’re going to take a look at today:

• Why thousands of people scroll past your video

• How low hook rate affect how much you pay for a view

• Does a higher hook rate lead to more conversions?

• How to craft compelling hooks and what to avoid

• What ad metrics to follow when testing and optimizing ads

• 5 tips for hitting home runs with your ads

• How to use a sense of urgency to improve your CTA

And much more…

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Idea of the Week

Top Content of the Week

• Small budget? Read here how you can source quality UGC.

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• Another week. Another Meta problem. Advertisers couldn’t access Ads Manager again.

Why You Need a Strong Hook

Thousands of people scroll past your video because the hook doesn’t speak to them.

If your CPM (Cost per 1,000 Impressions) is $10 and 50% of people watch past your hook…

You pay $10 for 500 people to watch at least 3 seconds of your video.

That’s $0.02 per person.

However, if your Hook Rate is only 20%…

You pay $10 for 200 people to watch at least 3 seconds of your video.

That’s $0.05 per person.

This is an example to show you the importance of a compelling hook.

Higher Hook Rate ≠ More Conversions

The more people watch your hook, the more people will watch your video.

The more people watch your video, the better the chances for conversions.

However, I’ve seen many winning ads with a 20% Hook Rate and a few struggling ads with a 40% Hook Rate.

Hook Rate does not directly impact the overall CPA or ROAS, but often plays a role.

Crafting a Compelling Hook

In the hook, I like to either:

1. Demonstrate what makes the product stand out; or

2. Show a problem the audience can relate to

Aim to create hooks that grab attention and speak directly to your target audience.

For instance, whether your audience is fitness enthusiasts looking for a quick home workout or seniors seeking to stay active, your hook should resonate with them personally.

Focus on Authenticity

I've seen firsthand that authenticity can build a bridge of trust between your brand and your audience.

When viewers see real people sharing genuine experiences, the relatable factor skyrockets. This relatability is key to forging an emotional connection, making viewers think that could be them.

Authentic videos also signal to potential customers that your product has already positively impacted other people's lives.

Test, Learn, Optimize

Testing is the most important step when it comes to optimizing your ad performance.

We create hypotheses about what might resonate with our audience and put them into action.

This stage is all about experimentation: testing different hooks, narratives, concepts, and calls to action to see what resonates with the audience.

Focus on metrics that matter to understand what's working and what isn't. There are two sets of metrics we follow.

Ad Metrics We Follow

The profitability metrics:

• CPA

• ROAS

• Conversion Rate

• Purchases

• Ad Spend

The retention metrics:

• Hook Rate

• Hold Rate

• VW 25%

• VW 50%

• VW 75%

• VW 100%

We make decisions based on profitability metrics. We look at retention metrics for optimization opportunities.

Home Runs

1. You should not shy away from bold ideas. Those concepts are sometimes the ones that break through the noise and become all-time winners.

2. Create tailored content for different audience segments and gather insights on what resonates with each audience segment.

3. Pay close attention to comments. Direct audience feedback can provide invaluable insights into their preferences and perceptions.

4. Take winning elements from successful tests and iterate on them. Can a winning hook be adapted for a different product or audience?

5. Use learnings to refine your audience segments. Perhaps a particular demographic responds better to a specific type of content.

CTA That Leads to Click

A compelling CTA crystallizes the value proposition of your message and makes the next steps irresistible.

In the context of UGC videos, where authenticity has already laid the groundwork for trust and interest, a strong CTA leverages this foundation to guide viewers toward a desired outcome.

After engaging with your content, viewers are often primed to learn more or make a purchase.

A clear, direct CTA removes any ambiguity about what to do next, guiding them smoothly along the customer journey.

Sense of Urgency

A well-crafted CTA can create a sense of urgency or offer an incentive that makes taking immediate action more appealing.

Whether it’s a limited-time offer, exclusive access, or a compelling benefit, it nudges the viewer from consideration to decision.

Make it clear what the viewer gains by taking action. Highlight the benefit or outcome they can expect, making the action feel not just necessary but desirable.

Phrases like Limited Time Offer or While Supplies Last prompt immediate action. The fear of missing out can be a powerful motivator.

Tailor Your CTA to Audience Segments

Tailoring your CTA to the audience segment you're addressing can significantly boost its effectiveness.

Personalized CTAs resonate more deeply, as they reflect an understanding of the viewer’s specific needs or desires.

Use action verbs that precisely describe the desired action. Whether it’s:

• Shop Now

• Learn More

• Start Your Trial

…each word should drive the viewer towards taking that step.

Just as with other aspects of your campaign, testing different CTAs can reveal what resonates best with your audience.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with wording, placement, and design to find what works best.

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How I Can Help You

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you…

1. If you’re looking for a creative partner who will handle your entire creative production, deliver winning ads every month, and help you scale, apply to work with us here. We have worked with brands like HexClad, BestSelf, Product Hunt, Morning Brew, and others.

2. Want me to train your internal team and implement all of our creative production systems and strategies in your business? Apply here and I will help you build an in-house team that can create hundreds of winning ads every month.

3. If you’re looking to take your ad performance to the next level and have a consistent stream of winning creative, but don’t want to hire anyone, I have created a program that teaches you our entire creative production process and everything I have learned over 3 years of creating tens of thousands of ads.