Have you tried adding multiple photos to a post on your business’s Facebook account? Launched in 2015, Facebook (and Instagram) added the carousel feature to their social media platforms. In this article, we learn that:
- Carousel ads have an average success click through rate of 12% more than regular ads
- Carousel link ads drive 30-50% lower cost-per-conversion
- The steps for creating a successful carousel post
Just like other posts on Facebook, users can react, comment and share carousel posts. Below, we outline how to create a carousel ad for your Facebook page, as well as why creating one can help diversify your business’s content.
Note: This specific article focuses on how to create a carousel ad for Facebook; to learn how to create a carousel post for Instagram, read here. The biggest difference between Instagram and Facebook carousel options is that Instagram allows users to create carousels in both paid formats and organically by offering free carousel add templates, whereas with Facebook one must create a campaign for the carousel ads and must be budgeted for in your paid social campaigns.
What is a Facebook Carousel?
A Facebook carousel is a special type of Facebook ad format that allows a combination of up to 10 photos and videos. It’s called a carousel because users can cycle through the different images that make it up by swiping left and right. The same functionality exists on Instagram as a standard post format.
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Why Creating Facebook Carousels is Good for Your Business’s Social Media Strategy
With online marketing becoming more and more competitive in our digital world, it’s crucial for marketers to stay up to date on trends and produce more eye-catching content.
What’s unique about Facebook ad carousels is that they have the ability to reach thousands of new users! According to research, advertisers have seen carousel link ads drive 30-50% lower cost-per-conversion and 20-30% lower cost-per-click than single-image link ads, which makes creating carousel ads much more cost efficient while still reaching thousands of users on Facebook. Studies have shown that on average, carousel ads receive 12% more click-through rates than a regular Facebook ad.
A marketer’s basic goal is to produce engaging content for their targeted audience to interact with. Carousel ads are not only cheap and effective, they are easier to monitor, manage, and make. There are versatile ways for marketers to create unique carousel ad designs. One can make a split panoramic design, show off multiple products, tell a story or promote a guide within the 10 slides available. But let’s begin with Facebook ad sizing and how to start creating one:
A Note About Facebook Image Sizes
Before jumping ahead to learn the steps involved in creating your Facebook carousel ad, it’s first important that you understand the best sizes and formats for the images and videos that you’ll be using. Below, we list specs you’ll need to use for creating your Facebook carousel:
Facebook Ad Carousel Image Sizes
Square thumbnail image size: 1:1 aspect ratio;, 1080 x 1080 pixels
Maximum image file size: 30 MB
Facebook Ad Carousel Video Sizes
Maximum video file size: 4 GB
Maximum video length: 240 minutes
Recommended formats: .mp4 and .mov
How to Create a Carousel Post for Facebook
Now that we’ve established Facebook sizes and ratios for video and photos, let’s dive into the easy step-by-step instructions on how to create a successful carousel post.
Step 1
Download the content of what you would like to use for your carousel post onto your phone or desktop.
Step 2
Download the Facebook Ads Manager app and log into your business’s Facebook page account.
Step 3
Once you’ve logged into your account, you can begin creating your Facebook carousel ad by clicking “+ Create” in the middle of the screen.
Step 4
Choose your marketing objective. It can range from Page likes to Website traffic to Video views. You can also name your campaign, ad set, and ad on this page. Once you’ve selected your marketing objective and named your campaign, it’ll bring you to the next page.
Step 5
Create your campaign budget. You can set a daily or lifetime budget, as well as schedule to run continuously, now or later.
Step 6
Adjust your Facebook ad carousel to your target audience. There’s a variety of options to choose.
Step 7
After selecting next you’ll be taken to the ads tab, After selecting the carousel option you can select your images, ad copy videos you would like to use for your Facebook ad carousel. For tips on hashtags to use for your caption and the best time to post on Facebook, subscribe to our blog!
Last but not least, publish your campaign! Once you’ve reviewed your campaign settings and carousel ads and are ready to schedule your campaign select the ‘Publish’ button.
Recapping the Carousel Process
Creating a carousel for your business’s Facebook accounts helps create engaging ads and offers a unique look than your typical post. Carousel posts encourage users to actively swipe and see more content of your business’s products and services.
Does your social strategy need a boost? Partnering with marketing specialists can help! At Pepperland, we specialize in inbound and content marketing and can help your business grow exponentially through our expertise and resources. Contact us today to find out how we can help achieve your goals.
