Creating a Facebook Ad is fairly simple.

Creating the best possible ad on Facebook is doable, but it takes a little bit of extra effort to extract get the most out of Facebook’s tools.

Ad Creation in Facebook Ad Manager

Huge Benefit – access to the Shutterstock library.  Simply searching a subject gives you loads of free images to choose from.  They’re not all winners, but there’s enough there that usually one image will stand out.  If not, there’s usually an image that will be the inspiration for your next search.  And did I mention it’s free?

Irritating Drawback – limited copy space.  Only 25 characters for an eye catching headline?  That’s AdWords Territory!!

Note the lovely pic of a puppy from Shutterstock (It’s Facebook, if you don’t have a puppy or a kitty in your image… you’re doing it wrong) But there’s no way that headline can fit!  Or is there…

Ad Creation in Power Editor

Huge Benefit – Copy Space!  Power Editor lets you have way more room to write headlines, text and link descriptions.  You can use your copy skills and give people provocative reasons to click on your ad.

Irritating Drawback – No access to the Shutterstock library.  You can only upload your own images (which is fine if you have a graphic design person on staff) or images you’ve used previously.

something’s missing from Power Editor… Shutterstock

Both of the ad tools provided by Facebook can limit your ad creative.  But that doesn’t mean your ads must be limited.  Use both tools.  Create in Ads Manager.  Edit in Power Editor.  Like this:

Start your Ad in Ads Manager.

• Choose your image or images you’d like to use from the Shutterstock selection.
• Throw in the minimum amount of copy.
• Do your initial bidding & audience settings and “Place order”.
• Immediately pause your ad while it’s in review.

Caution.  The only thing that doesn’t seem to work when you edit in Power Editor is changing the landing page.  This is likely something the bright people of Facebook are working on (along with providing Shutterstock in PE).  That change, when it happens, will make this blog 100% moot.  Nobody likes moot blogs.

Put the Finishing Touches in Power Editor:

• Use power editors increased character options to fine tune your copy.
• Duplicate the ads to use in different ad sets targeting different ages, locations, genders or interest groups.
• Confirm your Bid & Audience Settings and post your changes!

Using this work around you’ll get the best (free) images and give yourself the most freedom for copy – provocative headlines, compelling calls to action and all those other tricks you keep hiding in your keyboard!

For more Facebook ideas, tips and strategies check out these articles:

Hack Facebook’s Relevance Score

Use Boosted Posts for Audience Intelligence

Not Placement Segmenting? You’re Wasting Spend