Facebook ad headlines have a strict character limit that marketers need to follow. Choosing an effective headline within the confines of this limit can be challenging, but is an essential part of creating successful Facebook ads.
What is the character limit for Facebook ad headlines?
Facebook ad headlines can contain a maximum of 25 characters, including spaces and punctuation. This character limit applies to headlines used in all Facebook ad formats, including single image ads, carousel ads, collection ads, and more.
The 25 character headline limit has been in place since Facebook first introduced its online advertising platform. While other elements of Facebook ads have evolved over time, the strict 25 character limit for headlines has remained constant.
Why is there a 25 character limit for Facebook ad headlines?
Facebook instituted a 25 character limit for ad headlines to ensure headlines are short, catchy and effective. The reasons for the strict character limit include:
- Encourages advertisers to be concise and memorable
- Allows most or all headline text to be seen on mobile devices
- Creates a consistent ad format across Facebook
- Avoids excessively long headlines that could detract from ad performance
The 25 character limit forces advertisers to choose their headline words carefully. Being concise helps headlines stand out in the mobile News Feed and conveys messages quickly to scrolling users.
Does the 25 character limit include spaces and punctuation?
Yes, the 25 character limit for Facebook ad headlines includes spaces, punctuation and other non-alphanumeric keyboard characters such as emoticons. For example:
This headline is exactly 25 characters: Help your🙋♀️🙋♂️business grow⤴️with Facebook💙
If a headline contains even one more character over the limit of 25, Facebook will not allow the ad to run. All characters count towards the limit.
Can I use emojis in the 25 character Facebook headline limit?
Yes, emojis and emoticons can be used within the 25 character Facebook headline limit. For example:
Learn piano 🎹online in just 6 weeks💪
Emojis like the piano and flexed bicep in this example are treated the same as alphanumeric characters. Each emoji counts as one character towards the 25 character limit.
Does Facebook count periods (.) and other punctuation in the headline limit?
Yes, periods, commas, dashes, parentheses and other punctuation marks count towards the 25 character headline limit. For instance:
Shop women’s clothing, accessories & more! (24 characters)
The spaces after the commas and before the parentheses all count as individual characters in the above headline.
Can I use HTML tags like <b> in the Facebook ad headline?
No, HTML tags and markup like <b> for bold text are not rendered in Facebook ad headlines. The tags will display as regular text and count towards the 25 character limit. For example:
<b>Big summer sale!</b> (25 characters but HTML tags do not render)
Instead of HTML, creative use of punctuation, emojis and line breaks can help headlines stand out.
What happens if my Facebook ad headline is over 25 characters?
If you attempt to use a Facebook ad headline that is over 25 characters, the ad will not be allowed to run. When creating the ad in Ads Manager, Facebook will prevent the ad from being activated and show an error explaining the headline is over the 25 character limit.
To fix this error, the headline text must be edited to bring it within the 25 character maximum. Even a single extra character over the limit will prevent the ad from running.
Can I use a two line headline to get more text?
Facebook does not allow two line headlines in ad formats like single image and video ads. The headline can only be a single line of text.
However, carousel ads and collections ads do support two lines of headline text per carousel card or collection item. But each line is still limited to 25 characters.
Does capitalization matter in the Facebook ad headline?
Capitalization does not affect the 25 character headline limit. Uppercase and lowercase letters are treated equally, so:
Amazing DEALS for EVERYONE! (25 characters)
has the same length as:
Amazing deals for everyone! (25 characters)
Facebook counts uppercase and lowercase letters in exactly the same way towards the limit. Using uppercase for emphasis does not allow extra characters.
What are some tips for writing 25 character headlines?
Here are some tips for writing effective 25 character Facebook ad headlines:
- Know your target audience and what motivates them
- Focus on your most important brand, product or value proposition
- Use emotional triggers like humor or inspiration
- Ask thought-provoking questions
- Use power words that compel action
- Prioritize essential keywords for your business
- Cut unnecessary words or articles like ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’
- Use abbreviations (‘&’ instead of ‘and’) if helpful
What are some examples of 25 character Facebook ad headlines?
Here are some real examples of effective Facebook ad headlines that are 25 characters or less:
| Boost your immune system💪 |
| Hungry? 🍔Get $5 off your first order. |
| Treat yourself! 30% off all products. |
| Breathe deeper.🧘♀️ Stress less. |
| You deserve a break.❤️ Cruise from $299. |
These headlines use a mix of emotional triggers, deals, strategic keywords, emojis and abbreviations to deliver compelling messages in 25 characters.
Should I always use the full 25 characters available?
Not necessarily. While it can be challenging to convey your entire message in just 25 characters, headlines that use the full 25 character limit are not automatically better. The best headlines:
- Communicate a compelling, relevant message
- Prompt your ideal audience to click
- Drive conversions once people visit your site or ad
If you can achieve this effectively in 20 characters, that is better than straining to fill 25 characters. Focus first on conveying the right message, not on reaching the absolute limit.
How much text should I use in the Facebook ad creative itself?
Apart from the 25 character headline, most Facebook ad formats allow for a longer description in the ad creative itself. Recommended text lengths for ad descriptions are:
- Single image ad: 125 characters
- Carousel ad: 125 characters per carousel card
- Video ad: 125 characters
- Collection ad: 75 characters per collection item
This longer ad creative text gives you space to support and expand on your concise headline message.
Conclusion
Facebook’s 25 character limit for ad headlines may seem short, but forces brands to be more creative and impactful with their messaging. By following Facebook’s rules and best practices, marketers can learn to convey compelling messages and drive strong results in just 25 characters. The limit pushes brands to identify their most important proposition, focus their messaging, and make every character count.