Advertising on Facebook (FB) is a no-brainer for businesses of all sizes. The targeting options are incredible, the reach is vast, and the cost-per-click (CPC) is relatively low. And with nearly 3 billion monthly active users, you’re bound to find your target audience on the platform.
The problem is, all of those Facebook users have become quite picky when it comes to the ads they interact with. After all, they have the upper hand – they can scroll right past your ad if it doesn’t capture their attention or deliver value.
This is why it’s more important than ever to create high-quality Facebook Ads that will stop users in their tracks and get them to take the desired action – whether that’s visiting your website, signing up for your email list, or making a purchase.
In this article, we'll talk about what Facebook's ad quality ranking is, how to check your account's current rank, and tips on how to boost your Facebook ad quality ranking.
What is Facebook’s ad quality ranking?
At any given time, you compete against similar businesses for a share of the Facebook ad audience. Naturally, the platform won't be able to show everyone's ads all the time. So, it relies on an algorithm to determine which ads are more likely to be relevant and interesting to users and thus deserve more screen time.
Facebook's Ad Quality Ranking evaluates your ad against other ads that are competing for the same audience and assigns it a quality ranking. This ranking is based on various factors, including the following:
- Facebook users who have hidden your ad after seeing it
- The number of low-quality attributes found in your ad (more on that below)
- The relevance of your ad versus other ads being shown to the same audience
- User engagement with your ad, such as clicks, comments, and shares
As of April 2019, ad quality ranking has replaced relevancy score as one of the three main ad performance metrics in Facebook's Ads Manager.
Not convinced about the importance of working on your Facebook account quality? Consider this:
Facebook's auction algorithm favors high-quality ads
The Facebook ad auction is the process that determines which ads are shown to which users, and in what order. Facebook's auction algorithm is designed to favor ads with a high quality ranking – so if your ad quality ranking is low, you're less likely to have your ad seen by your target audience, no matter how much you're willing to spend on your campaign.
A low quality score can impact all of your ads - and your entire account
Consistently creating and posting low-quality Facebook ads will have a cascade effect on your account as a whole. Facebook's systems will begin to consider every advertisement on all of your assets – your domain name, Facebook page, and Facebook ad account – as being lower quality. This can impact your ad delivery and frequency, as well as your costs-per-click.
You may need to spend more to reach your target audience
CPC, or cost-per-click, is the amount you're willing to spend each time someone clicks on your ad. When your quality ranking is low, you may find that you need to increase your CPC in order to get your ad seen by more people.
Why? Because Facebook will assume that your ad is less relevant than other ads, and will therefore charge you more to reach the same number of people. So if you're noticing a steady increase in your CPC but not getting the results you want, it could be due to a low quality ranking.
How to see your Facebook ad quality ranking
A low Facebook ad quality is not a death sentence, but you do need to act fast if you want to improve your ranking. The first step is to check your current ad quality ranking in Facebook Ads Manager.
To do this, simply follow the steps below:
- First, log in to your Facebook Ads Manager account.
- Next, navigate to the Ads section.
- Then, click on the column headers and select Customize Columns.
- In the drop-down menu that appears, choose Ad Quality Ranking.
- After that, you should now see a column labeled "Ad quality ranking" in your Ads Manager account. If you don't see this column, try refreshing the page.
Other relevant metrics, such as Engagement rate ranking, and Conversion rate ranking, can also be added via Customize Columns.
They're already saved as a preset, so you can easily check them later on.
What determines Facebook ad quality ranking?
In a nutshell, Facebook ad quality is all about user experience and user feedback. It doesn't matter how much you spend on your ad or how good it looks - if your target audience doesn't like it, your quality ranking will suffer.
There are a number of factors that go into ad quality ranking, including the following:
1. User feedback
How a user interacts with your ad is a major factor in determining your quality ranking. For example, if users hide your ad, report it, or mark it as spam, that will have a negative impact on your quality ranking. On the other hand, if users engage with your ad by clicking, commenting, or sharing it, that will give your quality ranking a boost.
2. Low-quality attributes
Facebook uses a number of signals to determine whether an ad has low-quality attributes. These include things like clickbait headlines, excessive capitalization, and using all caps.
3. Ad format
The format of your ad also plays a role in quality ranking. For example, an ad that uses a video is more likely to have a higher quality ranking than an ad that uses a static image.
4. Ad Relevance
Ads that are relevant to their target audience are more likely to have a higher quality ranking than ads that aren't. Facebook looks at factors like the age, gender, and interests of people who see your ad to determine whether it's relevant.
5. Post-click experience
Once a user clicks on your ad, you need to maintain a high level of quality, or your ranking will suffer. For instance, your landing page should be relevant to your ad and easy to navigate.
If users bounce from your page or have an unpleasant experience, that will negatively impact your quality ranking. Dwell time is another important factor – if users spend a lot of time on your landing page, that's a good sign that your ad is relevant and interesting.
It's also important to note that Facebook ad quality is not a static metric. It can fluctuate over time, so it's essential to regularly check your ad quality ranking and make adjustments as needed. Part of this is understanding what factors make a Facebook ad low quality in the first place.
What makes a Facebook ad low quality
Facebook is transparent about what the platform considers to be low quality ad content. In general, these are the attributes that will result in a low quality ranking:
Withholding information: Ads that use withholding information as a way to get users to click are considered low quality. This includes clickbait ad copy, such as headlines that say, "You won't believe what happened next" or "See what she did when she found out."
Using sensational language: Ads that use exaggerated or sensational language are also considered low quality. This includes things like headlines that use all caps or exclamation points, as well as copy that makes bold claims without any evidence to back them up. An example is an ad headline that says, "Lose 10 pounds in one week!"
Engagement bait: Another type of low quality Facebook ad is engagement bait. This is content that is designed to get users to like, comment, or share an ad. It's usually done by offering something for free or asking users to take a quiz. For example, an ad might say, "Comment 'yes' if you want a free e-book!" Engagement bait is considered low quality because it's generally spammy and doesn't provide a good user experience.
In addition to these three main types of low quality content, there are also a number of technical issues that can result in a lower quality ranking. These include things like ads that are not properly formatted or that contain broken links.
Facebook also values the post-click experience when it comes to evaluating ad quality. That's because a user who clicks on an ad and then has a bad experience is likely to report the ad as low quality. To avoid this, avoid the following mistakes when it comes to your landing pages:
1. Lacking original or substantive content
A good landing page should build on the promise of the ad and provide original, relevant, and interesting content. If your landing page is just a collection of links or a bunch of unrelated information, it's not going to have a high quality ranking.
2. Disproportionate amount of advertising relative to the content
Your landing page should also strike a balance between content and advertising. If there's too much advertising and not enough content, users are likely to find your page annoying and click away. On the other hand, if there's too much content and not enough advertising, you're not going to be able to generate the leads or sales you're looking for.
3. Popups and interstitial ads
Popups and interstitial ads can be intrusive and interrupt the user experience. Moreover, they're also more likely to be blocked by ad blockers, which means that people who see them are less likely to be your target audience. As a result, they can drag down the quality of your ad.
4. Unexpected content experiences
When users click on your ad, they should be taken to a landing page that is relevant and easy to navigate. If they're instead redirected to a different site or have to click through a series of links to get to the content they're looking for, that's going to create a bad user experience.
How to improve Facebook ad quality ranking
Competing with countless other brands for ad visibility may seem daunting, but the formula is actually quite simple.
Facebook's ad quality ranking is all about user experience.
However, that's easier said than done. To help you out, here are some of the best practices to keep in mind for improving your ad quality ranking:
1. Monitor and manage ad frequency
People stop responding to Facebook ads after seeing the same thing two or three times. So watch out for the frequency of your ads – appearing once or twice in your target audience's newsfeed is enough.
2. Introduce new ads frequently and test them
To avoid ad fatigue, it's important to introduce new ads on a regular basis. But don't just throw anything up there – make sure to test your ads before you launch them. A/B testing is a great way to see what works and what doesn't.
3. Create a wide range of offers
If you're selling products or services, create a variety of offers to appeal to different segments of your target audience. This could include things like free shipping, discounts, or exclusive access to new products.
4. Derive a detailed understanding of the target audience
The more you know about your target audience, the better equipped you'll be to create ads that resonate with them. Use Facebook's targeting features to zero in on your ideal customer and then craft ad copy and offers that speak to their needs.
5. Use FB retargeting audiences to target those who have already engaged with ads
Retargeting is a great way to improve the quality of your Facebook ads because it allows you to show ads to people who have already shown an interest in what you're selling. You can create retargeting audiences using the Facebook Pixel or by uploading lists of customers or website visitors.
6. Exclude those who have converted from ad campaigns
Once someone has converted to your ad, they're no longer part of your target audience. Exclude them from future ad campaigns to improve the quality (and ROI) of your ads.
7. A/B Test FB Audience targeting
To really hone in on who your ideal customer is, it's essential to test different audience targeting options. A/B testing is a great way to do this. Try testing different combinations of interests, demographics, and behaviors to see what gives you the best results.
8. Match the FB ad offer with the targeted audience
Check that the offer in your Facebook ad is relevant to the people you're targeting. For example, if you're selling winter coats, you wouldn't want to target people in tropical climates.
9. Improve your FB ad Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
Your UVP is what sets your product or service apart from the competition. Make sure that your UVP is clear and prominently featured in your ad copy.
10. Write irresistible headlines
Your headline is your hook. So make sure it's attention-grabbing and relevant to the rest of your ad.
11. Make the FB ad copy relevant to the audience
Your ad copy should be relevant, aka useful, to the people you're targeting. This means using the right keywords and phrases, as well as talking about things that are important to your target audience.
12. Use calls-to-action in FB ad copy
Include a call-to-action (CTA) in your ad copy to tell people what you want them to do next. This could be something like "Buy now," "Sign up," or "Learn more."
13. Add urgency to FB ad copy
Urgency is a great way to get people to take action. Use phrases like "limited time only" or "while supplies last" to create a sense of urgency in your ad copy.
14. Stand out with great imagery
People are more likely to engage with ads that feature high-quality images. So spend some time selecting images that are relevant to your ad, and that will capture people's attention.
15. A/B Test Ads
A/B testing is a great way to compare your ads for effectiveness. Try testing different combinations of copy, images, and offers to see what gives you the best results.
16. Create video ads instead of image based
Video ads are more engaging than image-based ads, so they're more likely to grab people's attention. If you can, create video ads instead of static image ads. Don't have the budget for a full video? Try using Facebook tools like carousel to create a more engaging ad on a shoestring budget.
Wrapping it up
Boosting your Facebook account quality requires an in-depth understanding of your target audience, what they need, and how to craft an offer that will resonate with them.
To do that, however, requires sifting through your Facebook ad data to see which ads are driving conversions, which ones are falling flat, and, most importantly, why you're getting those results.
Reporting Ninja's Facebook Reporting services make it easy to track, measure, and create reports for your Facebook ad campaigns.
Sign up for a free trial today to see how Reporting Ninja can help you boost your Facebook ad quality and ROI!
