Facebook Reels ads are a new and exciting advertising opportunity on the Facebook platform. As Reels continue to gain popularity, many content creators are eager to start monetizing their Reels content with ads. However, Facebook has implemented certain requirements that must be met before you can start running Reels ads.
What are Facebook Reels?
Facebook Reels are short, entertaining videos that live within the Facebook and Instagram apps. They allow creators to record and edit 15-60 second multi-clip videos set to audio and share them with friends or to their wider follower base.
Reels have become hugely popular since launching in 2020. They offer an engaging new way for creators to connect with their audience. For brands and businesses, Reels provide a way to reach potential customers through entertaining and relevant video content.
Why should I advertise on Facebook Reels?
There are several key reasons why advertising on Facebook Reels can be beneficial:
- Large audience reach – Facebook has a user base of over 2 billion people who already spend lots of time consuming video content on the platform.
- Engaging ad format – Reels are an engaging, eye-catching format that works well for ads.
- Ad targeting options – You can target your Reels ads to precisely the right audience based on detailed targeting tools.
- Measurable results – Reels ads provide data and insights on reach, views, clicks etc so you can gauge performance.
- Creative content – Reels let you showcase products or services in an entertaining, visually appealing way.
In summary, Reels ads enable you to get your brand in front of a huge audience on Facebook and Instagram in a format they already know and love. The key is to focus on creating fun, engaging video content that promotes your business effectively.
What are the requirements to run Facebook Reels ads?
Facebook has set the following requirements that must be met before you can run paid ads on Reels:
- Have an ad account in good standing
- Have at least $500 lifetime spend across Facebook services
- Have had at least 5 active ad creatives in the past 3 months
- Have had at least 5 ad interactions in the past 3 months
Essentially, you need to have an established ad account with regular recent activity to unlock Reels ads. This aims to prevent low-quality accounts from accessing the ad format.
You also need to create Reels content specifically for ads. These can be created directly within the Reels composer in the Facebook or Instagram app. Ensure you select the “Create Ad” option.
How much do Reels ads cost?
Facebook Reels ads are sold via an auction, similar to other ad formats on Facebook. Actual costs will depend on factors like:
- Your daily budget
- Your target audience and competition
- How eye-catching and engaging your Reels content is
On average, Reels ads tend to cost between $10-$20 per thousand impressions. However, costs can be lower or higher depending on the above factors. Setting an effective daily budget and monitoring costs closely is advised.
How do I create my first Reels ad?
Follow these key steps to create your first Facebook Reels ad:
- Access Ads Manager and click “+ Create” to make a new ad.
- Select “Video Views” as the campaign objective.
- Under placements, select “Reels”.
- Choose your audience targeting settings.
- Create compelling Reels video content up to 60 secs long.
- Upload the Reels video file when prompted.
- Set a daily budget and duration.
- Submit your Reels ad for review.
Your ad will then need to be reviewed by Facebook to ensure it meets requirements. This usually takes 1-2 days. Once approved, your Reels ad will be up and running!
What makes an effective Reels ad?
Here are some top tips for creating effective Reels ads:
- Entertaining and engaging – Use humor, emotions, surprises etc to capture attention.
- Tells a quick story – Reels let you tell a story arc in a short timeframe.
- Shows creative visuals – Use interesting animations, transitions, effects etc.
- Focused message – Have a clear brand/product message or CTA.
- Short, snackable content – Remember most Reels are 15-30 seconds long.
- Text overlays – Use text and captions to enhance and explain your video.
- Music and audio – Catchy or popular music helps set the mood.
What content works best for Reels ads?
Some of the best performing content for Reels ads includes:
- Behind-the-scenes footage showing your product/service being used
- Interesting facts or stats displayed through text overlays
- Customer testimonials and user-generated content
- Demonstrations highlighting key features or benefits
- Q&As or FAQs addressing common questions
- Funny outtakes and bloopers
- Hashtag challenges and viral trends related to your industry
Think about what would catch your attention as you’re quickly scrolling through Reels. Fun, helpful, or surprising content works best.
Can I reuse content from other Reels?
You cannot simply recycle Reels content created for your general social media presence and turn it into an ad. The Reels composer specifically creates content just for ads. However, you can take inspiration from themes and ideas that performed well in your organic Reels.
Creating original content made specifically for Reels ads often leads to better results, as you can tailor the message and visuals precisely for promotions.
How do I measure my Reels ad performance?
Facebook provides data and metrics within Ads Manager so you can closely track the performance of your Reels ads. Important metrics to monitor include:
- Reach – Number of unique people who viewed your ad
- Views – Number of times your ad was viewed
- CPM – Cost per 1000 impressions
- CPC – Cost per click
- Conversions – Number of desired actions (clicks, purchases etc)
- CTR – Click-through-rate
Regularly optimizing your ads based on performance data can help improve results over time. You can also consider AB testing different versions of your Reels ads.
What tips can boost my Reels ad performance?
Ways to help maximize Reels ad performance include:
- Testing with different captions, music, effects
- Using current trends and memes for timely content
- Frequently refreshing your ad creatives
- Running ads across Facebook and Instagram for wider reach
- Engaging fans to reshare your ads to their own Reels
- Monitoring costs and optimizing bids as needed
- Targeting relevant, segmented audiences
It’s also important to set up effective campaign tracking so you can accurately attribute conversions to your Reels ads.
Can I promote an existing Reel into an ad?
Organic Reels you’ve already published to your Facebook or Instagram profiles cannot be directly turned into ads. However, you can easily reuse and repurpose organic Reels content when creating content specifically for ads in the Reels composer.
Elements like the visuals, editing style, captions, effects and music can be replicated from your top performing organic Reels. But the content will need to be remade into a new Reels video file to meet ads requirements.
Should I use Reels ads and organic Reels?
It’s highly recommended to use a combination of organic Reels content and Reels ads together for the best results. Organic Reels help build your audience, engage fans and establish your brand. Promoted Reels ads then leverage this to further amplify your reach and conversions with targeted campaigns.
Use organic Reels to test out different content styles and themes. You can then take any high performing concepts and make them into professional quality ads targeted to broader audiences likely to be interested.
Conclusion
Facebook Reels ads offer an exciting new way for brands to reach prospective customers in a short, engaging video format. To unlock Reels ads, you need an established ad account that meets Facebook’s requirements. Create fun, original Reels content tailored specifically into ads. Closely monitor performance and continuously refine your Reels ads for the best results. Used effectively alongside organic Reels, promoted Reels provide a powerful new advertising tool.