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The latest DOs and DONTs for your Facebook ad account (10)

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The latest DOs and DONTs for your Facebook ad account

Everyone running Facebook knows that lately their policies have been very strict, to say the least. I've been talking to many people over the past weeks about it and put together a special piece for those who read WHAT THE AFF. But STM Forum is where I've formed myself as an affiliate, and think members should have this here too.

The info I'm sharing here comes from affiliate networks that share info from directly from their FB reps with affiliates, like GiddyUp, high volume Facebook affiliates, and general reports from STM, FB groups and in the news.

First thing’s first - if you actively try to break Facebook’s policies, I have no idea what to do and you will definitely get your account banned. This is very much focused on those banned for doing things that were once accepted and are struggling to demystify the new policies.

1. Making claims that are not immediately verifiable by a consumer or by Facebook.

In short, if you can’t google it and quickly get an answer from a reputable source, don’t make the claim.

This applies whether the claim is true or not! It’s not about true or false here, it’s about easily verifiable.

For example, if a product can, but is not likely to, save you 10 hours a month or $1,000 a year, it will likely be considered sensationalized, unverifiable or misleading.

In other words, expect to get rejected quicker than you can swipe left on Tinder.

Solution: make sure you show the source of your claims so FB policy team can quickly verify.

2. Sensationalized language and imagery

Facebook defines sensational content as anything that is intended to provoke interest and excitement at the expense of the information’s accuracy.

"Lowest price you’ll ever see" is a big one - people use it but it’s not verifiable thus likely to get you in trouble. Usually disapproved ads, to begin with.

Imagery with things on fire, breaking, shattering, etc. are also considered sensationalized imagery.

3. The Emoji Spam Ad Copy

Emojis are still allowed but how you use them matters.

If it’s spammy, to attract attention in a disruptive manner, with the intention to bait the user into a click, especially when put together with some sensationalized language, it’s a huge no-no.

4. Facebook is now much more careful about post-click experiences.

A big one that can get a lot of advertisers into trouble is sending people to advertorials. You are allowed to do so but the page must make it very clear that it is an advertorial.

It should also be obvious the ad is driving the user to an advertorial, and not a product page. For example, use the "Learn More" CTA instead of "Buy".

It goes without saying that the advertorial must also follow Facebook’s policy and avoid sensationalistic, unverifiable or misleading statements.

Next, if you are a brand page and drive users to an advertorial, you have to make sure it’s hosted on a site that’s obviously from that brand.

For example, if your page is "Kitchen Hacks with Jessica", your advertorial domain should be something like "kitchenhackswithjessica.com."

What are the DOs for building your ads?

1) Focus on the functional value of the product and try to demonstrate it in the video or images, instead of just claiming it can do such and such.

2) Use emojis to enhance the messaging, not to clickbait.

3) Use easily verifiable claims.

4) Before you create an ad, ask yourself:

• Would the average person be able to deduce the claim is true just from the information I’m providing?
• Would my grandma understand what she’s really buying if she saw this ad? The good ol’ grandma test!
• Am I using shock or fear to get clicks?

It doesn’t stop there.

5. Redirects

Redirects have been a topic for a few months now. Here’s where it seems the issue comes from - Facebook wants the users to go to the URL that is displayed on the ad.

That’s where redirects can screw up, plus it’s another signal that you are an affiliate that can be up to no-good.

Use page pixels that virtually all trackers support now, and make sure the user ends up at the URL displayed in the ad.

To summarise it all

• Specify a clear product or service that is being offered in all ads
• Focus on the functional value of the product
• Avoid sensationalistic and hyperbolic copy to describe the functional value
• Avoid copy and imagery designed to elicit emotions such as shock and fear.
• Avoid redirects as much as possible.

Some of these were around before too, but are even stricter with them. I know there are plenty of members that run into these issues daily. With everyone's help, we can keep this as a very up-to-date thread with all things regarding Facebook policy and its constant change.

Hope you enjoy!

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I don't want to come around like a dickhead but shouldn't all these things be common sense anyway?

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You'd be surprised how many people running FB don't actually even read the policies, let alone try to get info from others who run into the same issues. I think they're common sense because you actually put in the work to figure them out.

It's one of those things that are easy once you've figured it out.

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For someone who is just starting out, alot of this will be very much new .

And "common sense" is not as common as you would think

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You both are right.
Sometimes I only see it from my own point of view and forget that others, especially beginners, maybe don't have the same experience yet.
So yes, for beginners these tips probably can save them lots of headaches.

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Yep, think people starting out with FB that don't have a very strong network in the space will benefit from this way more.

One thing that wasn't obvious with many, for example, is that claims have to be easily verifiable, not just true.

Most often, claims just had to be "true". Not anymore. Now you need to be able to link a trusted source. This surprised some people who were already doing well on FB for a while when I talked to them about it in Barcelona last week. Tim Burd was also in the convo and confirmed - "Yep, I always link a very clear source, and say that's where they can verify the claim".

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One for the next newsletter!


Amy

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using STM Forums mobile app

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Thanks, Amy!

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@manu_adefy thank you. Is this list up to date? I am also subscribed to your newsletter.

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Pretty much, though there's been less noise about compliance and more about bugs with FB's Ads Manager in the past couple of months. And it's obviously only if you want to be 100% WH.

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