How to Create Effective Carousel Ads for Your Business
Hi Online Friends,
If you're looking for a way to showcase your products, services, or stories in a more engaging and interactive way, you might want to consider using carousel ads. Carousel ads are a type of ad format that allows you to share multiple images or videos in one swipeable ad. They are available on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network, and they can help you drive more traffic, conversions, and sales for your business.
In this article, I'll share with you everything you need to know about carousel ads, including what they are, why they work, how to create them, and some best practices and examples to inspire you. I have experience around carousel ads, and I've seen how they can boost the performance of your campaigns. So let's get started!
What are carousel ads?
The basics of carousel ads
Carousel ads are a type of ad format that allows you to share multiple images or videos in one swipeable ad. They are called "carousels" because these ads have a rotating effect, similar to a carousel device like a conveyor belt or a merry-go-round.
You can create carousel ads on nearly every social platform, from Facebook to Twitter and even LinkedIn. But for this article, we're going to focus on Meta's ad platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
The benefits of carousel ads
Not only are carousel ads more visually engaging and interactive, but they're proven to perform better than single-image ads. When Facebook first introduced the carousel format, carousel link ads had a 30-50% lower cost per conversion and 20-30% lower cost per click than single-image link ads[^1^].
On Instagram, carousel ads are just as effective. A case study on the clothing company Lacoste found that using the carousel ad format on Instagram Stories generated a 61% lift in click-through rate (CTR) and a 32% lower cost per click (CPC) compared to other ad types[^2^].
The features of carousel ads
Carousel ads can include up to 10 images or videos. Each image or video slide, also referred to as a card, can have its own headline, description, link, and call to action button — giving your carousel ad multiple opportunities to convert people.
You can choose to let Facebook optimize the order of the carousel images, based on each card's performance. But if you're using the format to tell a sequential story, make sure you opt out of the automatic optimization feature.
How to use carousel ads for your business
Show off multiple products in one ad
If you want to showcase your product catalog or highlight different features of a single product, carousel ads are a great option. You can feature a different product on each card that links to its own landing page. This way, you can give customers more options and help raise your click-through rate.
For example, IKEA used carousel ads to display different products from their catalog that matched the user's preferences. The result was a 13.8% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) and a 31% decrease in cost per order[^3^].
Tell a compelling story that develops across cards
If you want to capture the attention of your audience and make them curious about your brand, you can use carousel ads to tell a story that unfolds across each card. The interactive format encourages people to swipe through for more.
For example, Netflix used carousel ads to promote their original series Stranger Things by creating an immersive experience that mimicked the show's retro style and mysterious plot. The result was an 11% increase in brand awareness and an 18% increase in brand recall[^4^].
Explain a process or provide tips
If you want to educate your audience about how your business or product works, or provide them with some useful tips or advice, you can use carousel ads to give them a step-by-step guide or a list of tips.
For example, Headspace used carousel ads to share some mindfulness tips with their audience and invite them to try their app. The result was a 9% increase in app installs and a 10% decrease in cost per install.
A detailed table breakdown related to carousel ads
| Carousel ad element | Description | Best practices |
|---|---|---|
| Image or video | The visual content of each card in the carousel ad. | Use high-quality images or videos that are relevant to your message and audience. Use the recommended dimensions for each placement. Avoid text overlay on your images or videos, as it may reduce delivery. |
| Headline | The title of each card in the carousel ad. | Use clear and concise headlines that highlight the main benefit or feature of each card. Use title case and punctuation. Limit your headline to 25 characters or less. |
| Description | The text that appears below the headline of each card in the carousel ad. | Use descriptive and persuasive text that complements the headline and the image or video. Use sentence case and punctuation. Limit your description to 30 characters or less. |
| Link | The URL that each card in the carousel ad directs to when clicked. | Use relevant and trustworthy links that match the content of each card. Use tracking parameters to measure the performance of each card. Use short and simple URLs that are easy to read. |
| Call to action button | The button that appears below the description of each card in the carousel ad. | Use a clear and specific call to action that matches the goal of your ad and the content of each card. Choose from the available options in Ads Manager, such as Shop Now, Learn More, Sign Up, etc. |
FAQs about carousel ads
How many cards can I have in a carousel ad?
You can have up to 10 cards in a carousel ad, but you can also choose to have fewer. The optimal number of cards depends on your objective, message, and audience. You can test different numbers of cards and see which one performs better for your campaign.
How do I create a carousel ad?
You can create a carousel ad using Ads Manager, Creative Hub, or Power Editor. You can also use third-party tools like Hootsuite Ads to create and manage your carousel ads. You can find detailed instructions on how to create a carousel ad for your business on the Business Help Center.
What are the best practices for carousel ads?
Some of the best practices for carousel ads are:- Use high-quality images or videos that are relevant to your message and audience.- Use clear and concise headlines and descriptions that highlight the main benefit or feature of each card.- Use relevant and trustworthy links that match the content of each card.- Use a clear and specific call to action that matches the goal of your ad and the content of each card.- Test different combinations of cards and see which one performs better for your campaign.
What are some examples of carousel ads?
You can find some examples of carousel ads from different industries and objectives on Meta's Creative Hub. You can also browse through some successful case studies of carousel ads on Meta's Success Stories. These examples can inspire you to create your own carousel ads for your business.
How do I measure the performance of my carousel ads?
You can measure the performance of your carousel ads using Ads Manager, where you can see metrics such as impressions, reach, clicks, conversions, cost per result, etc. You can also see how each card in your carousel ad performed by clicking on View Charts in Ads Manager. You can use these insights to optimize your carousel ads and improve your campaign results.
How do I optimize my carousel ads?
You can optimize your carousel ads by testing different variables, such as:- The number of cards in your carousel ad- The order of the cards in your carousel ad- The image or video content of each card in your carousel ad- The headline, description, link, and call to action button of each card in your carousel ad- The audience, budget, placement, and bidding strategy of your campaignYou can use split testing or dynamic creative tools in Ads Manager to test different versions of your carousel ads and see which one performs better for your campaign objective.
How do I troubleshoot my carousel ads?
If you encounter any issues with your carousel ads, such as low delivery, low engagement, low conversion, etc., you can check the following:- Your ad account status and payment method- Your ad creative and copy- Your ad objective and optimization- Your audience network and placement- Your campaign budget and schedule- Your tracking and measurement toolsYou can also use the Facebook Ads Troubleshooter to find solutions to common problems with your carousel ads.
How do I delete or edit my carousel ads?
You can delete or edit your carousel ads using Ads Manager. To delete your carousel ads, select the ads you want to delete and click on the Delete button. To edit your carousel ads, select the ads you want to edit and click on the Edit button. You can edit the ad name, ad set, campaign, creative, and tracking of your carousel ads.
How do I pause or resume my carousel ads?
You can pause or resume your carousel ads using Ads Manager. To pause your carousel ads, select the ads you want to pause and click on the Toggle Status button. To resume your carousel ads, select the ads you want to resume and click on the Toggle Status button again. You can also use the Delivery column to see the status of your carousel ads.
How do I duplicate or reuse my carousel ads?
You can duplicate or reuse your carousel ads using Ads Manager. To duplicate your carousel ads, select the ads you want to duplicate and click on the Duplicate button. You can choose to duplicate your carousel ads in the same campaign, in a new campaign, or across campaigns. To reuse your carousel ads, select the ad set or campaign where you want to reuse your carousel ads and click on the Use Existing Ad button. You can choose from the existing carousel ads in your account.
Conclusion
Carousel ads are a powerful way to showcase your products, services, or stories in a more engaging and interactive way. They can help you drive more traffic, conversions, and sales for your business. By following the best practices and tips in this article, you can create effective carousel ads that will boost your campaign performance.
If you want to learn more about carousel ads or other types of Facebook and Instagram ads, check out our other articles on this website. We have plenty of resources and guides to help you master social media advertising for your business.
Thanks for reading and happy advertising!
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If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on Facebook Carousel Ads: How to Create Them and Why They Work. In this article, we go deeper into the specifics of creating carousel ads for Facebook, including the dimensions, specs, examples, and best practices.
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