Creating a Knock-Out Facebook Ad

Gary Vaynerchuk is New York Times best selling author. His latest golden glove is titled Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. It is a real knock-out as it tells you how to effectively tell your company’s story in a noisy social media world. I was inspired by chapter 3, which explains the impact of generating micro-content on Facebook. As a result, I created this post using page 82 as a compass by answering the following questions:

1. Is the text too long? No, I believe the text is the perfect length — as well as the copy. Because the copy is conversational, it lends itself to  an intimate conversation between two people sitting on the back porch perhaps reliving a moment. Certainly, we can all relate.

2. Is it proactive, entertaining, or surprising? The photo is entertaining — a young boy at a wedding not only captivates the audience by being in the wedding, but he also captures his youth by drinking every last drop of the one soda his parents allow him to have because it is a special occasion.

3. Is the photo striking and high-quality? This particular photo is not high-quality — it was created using layering in Power Point. I would have preferred to use Adobe or another high-quality platform. The book refers to hiring a professional photographer. In this case, I’d have to hire the young boy’s mom. She is actually a professional photographer! Likewise, I did the data phone beta test. I posted the info via PC, but I immediately checked how it appears on an iPhone so as to get a feel for what the actual audience would see across both platforms. One thing I dislike about Facebook is that there is no preview before the post goes live. If you know differently, please dish.

4. Is the logo visible? It sure is!

5. Is the call to action in the right place? This is up for interpretation. In a magazine — based on my marketing background — the ad would follow a “Z” formation. The top of the Z would be the headline or copy, the slant would serve as the focal point, and the bottom of the Z would be the call to action. In this particular post, the call to action is in the hyperlink, “…how to be happy.” The call to action is intangible, and it invites you to  click here.

6. Is this interesting in any way, to anyone? For real? My answer to this playfully celebrates one of Coca-Cola’s revered slogans, “You Can’t Beat the Real Thing.” And…The subject’s mother loves it!

7. Are we asking too much of the person consuming the content? Certainly not. The content lends itself to reflection by asking the audience to recall the last time you opened happiness. The photo invites the audience to connect with their innocence — a time, perhaps, in their youth when life was simple and happy. The photo captivates grandparents, parents and youth. The post, “Happiness is a journey, not a destination” is followed by a link that tempts the reader to confirm if they truly are happy by finding out how (click here).

Provided we were actually creating the micro-content for Coca-Cola, this attempt would represent a jab. The attempt captures a story. Clearly, Coca-Cola would be aligning the strategy with old and new generations of soda-pop loyalists (and potential loyal and repeat customers). According to Vaynerchuk, “Great marketing is all about telling your story in such a way that it compels people to buy what you are selling.” If you’re  buying Coca-Cola this summer then you are well on your way to opening happiness. Enjoy every last drop because we all know summer goes by way too quick and our kiddos grow up way too fast. Here’s to making memories this summer!