Uh-oh! After months of planning and crafting, is no one unwrapping (err… clicking) your Facebook ad?

Well, luckily, you don’t need to return it for something better. In this case, a few minor tweaks can make all the difference. Or if you have the time, do some A/B testing, which entails changing one variable at a time to see what’s moving the needle.

Without further ado, here’s the five-step check to perform to make sure your Facebook ad is just right.

Did You Optimize Your Facebook Ad?

After analyzing nearly one million Facebook ads, AdEspresso released a 2018 analysis, conducted over three years, that outlines the elements of the perfect Facebook ad post.

1. Are you saying too much or not enough?

Five words — that’s exactly how long your Facebook headline should be. Don’t try to go shorter or longer. The data consistently shows that five words, or 25 characters, is what you’re looking for. As a refresher, the headline is the bold text displayed right under your main photo.

From there, you have a bit more space (20 words) for your copy, which is right above your photo.

Again, you want to make your offer urgent. But you also have to be honest, clear and authentic, especially in the current climate on Facebook. More than 85 percent of Americans say transparency from companies is more important to them than ever before.

2. Is your link description doing its job?

Technically, you can use up to 30 characters, but 13 is the sweet spot. Then, you’ve got to make each one work for you!

Your link description is right next to the call-to-action (CTA) button. Use that key space to motivate your reader to click. They’re almost there already. Just be sure you aren’t reiterating information you’ve already covered.

3. Are you gaming the system?

While it may seem like a life hack to add text atop your photo for extra space, it could go awry. If words take up more than 20 percent of your image space, Facebook may not deliver it to as many (or any) people.

Adding too much text atop images, generally, more than a word to two, makes your ad too chaotic.

4. Did you set yourself apart?

Over a third of Facebook ads have “Learn more” as their CTA button while 15 percent have “Shop Now”! Boring. After seeing those words time and time again, your readers’ eyes glaze over them.

Try one of the other 30 CTAs instead.

Whatever you do, be sure you have a CTA because a staggering 15 percent of ads don’t! Yikes. This is arguably the most important copy in your ad because it tells your user what to do next.

5. Have you made it easy?

You did it! You inspired someone to click on your CTA. But, you didn’t just send them to your homepage, right?

From there, they’ll often get overwhelmed by the options or unsure of what they came there for. Instead, you want to make their journey as smooth as possible by sending them to a direct landing page.

Advertising shoes? Send them to that product page. Want them to sign up for a consultation? They should arrive on that page and have to answer five questions or less.

Keep it simple, people!