A carousel is no longer only found at carnivals and parks. Now, you see carousels all the time on your Facebook or Instagram News Feed (and may not even notice). Carousel ads are a rotating group of up to five images that allow you to show your consumers more of what you offer. They are shown as native ads on Facebook and Instagram, meaning they match the form you are already seeing on your news feed. They don’t scream, “Hey look over here, I’m trying to sell you something!” Instead, they are subtler and less intrusive, and for this reason more appealing, than traditional ads. The carousel format of advertising gives you more opportunity to show what you have to offer and develop a story.
Don’t let all of this space and opportunity go to waste; take advantage of this canvas and fill it with meaningful content. Below are some tips for creating a captivating carousel ad.
- Tell a Story
And not a bedtime story either. Sure, you can use these five images to showcase your best products, but why not kick it up a notch and develop a story. Create something your customers want to keep looking at, and something they can feel involved with. Use each sequential image to continue a narrative, or to reveal more and more information.
- Create captivating images
With the abundance of information in the world today, especially on our social News Feed, it takes something special to make someone stop scrolling and look. The images you use are the first thing your audience will see and will either grab their attention or pass them by. Put some thought into the images you use; make them both visually and emotionally appealing. You want people to take the time to look at them, remember them, and take action because of them.
- Imply continuation
The point of the carousel format is to provide multiple images in one ad, so you want your audience to continue to scroll to the next images and not stop after the first. You can do this by creating something that feels incomplete unless all the images are seen. Think of a book you pick up and can’t put down until you know the ending; that’s the feeling you want to create with your carousel ads.
- Be consistent
First you get people to stop and take the time to look at your ad. Then you get them to keep scrolling. At this point, you also want to make sure the images they are looking at are cohesive. Keep a consistent creative theme; make sure your images are all done in a similar visual style and are not completely disjointed from one another.
- Don’t discount copy
Sure, your pictures will be what makes someone stop and look, but the copy that accompanies them should not be underestimated. Match your copy with the feel of your brand and the visual ads to complete your story and add the cherry on top of an already visually fabulous sundae.
- Stay true to your brand
Don’t make just another any old ad. Make something that incorporates your company’s identity and feeling. Don’t make something boring if your brand has a playful feel, and don’t try to be something you’re not. Be consistent across all of your marketing channels.
- Get people to act
If you want your ad to provoke a certain action, tell them. Make your call-to-action clear. Don’t make people guess what you want them to do, because then they probably won’t do it. Be simple, yet direct, and connect your image with the action you want to be taken.
Carousel ads are an amazing canvas to showcase your product or service, but you have to take the time to make them the best they can be. Don’t rush through pulling five images together because you feel like you have to; use these images to develop a relationship with your customers that will make them want to stop and act.
Information and images from Facebook
