Facebook Reel Ads: New Trend For E-commerce 2024

Are you an online merchant looking to boost your advertising strategy? Then you should consider incorporating Facebook Reel Ads into your marketing mix. 

With the surge in short-form video content, Reel Ads offer a unique opportunity to engage with your target audience and drive conversions. The article will provide a step-by-step guide to set up your successful campaign.

Why you should start your Facebook Reel Ads strategy

As an online merchant, it's important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to advertising strategies. By incorporating Facebook Reel Ads into your marketing mix, you can tap into the growing popularity of short-form video content and reach a wider audience.

Ads on reels Facebook offer a unique opportunity to engage with users who may not be actively searching for your products or services. With their visually appealing nature, Reel Ads can capture users' attention and introduce them to your brand. This opens up new avenues for revenue generation and customer acquisition.

Moreover, Facebook Reel Ads have the potential to drive conversions for your e-commerce business. By showcasing your products or services in an engaging and visually appealing way, you can entice users to make a purchase or take a desired action.

For instance, Sephora, a well-known retailer and e-commerce brand, leverages captivating Facebook Reel ads to highlight its diverse product range. By employing influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC)-style videos, they effectively demonstrate their products in realistic settings. This approach fosters a sense of authenticity and allows potential customers to envision how they can incorporate Sephora's skincare products into their daily routines.

While Facebook Reel Ads are gaining popularity, it's important to compare them with other platforms offering similar ad formats. One such platform is TikTok, which has been at the forefront of short-form video content.

In terms of reach, Facebook's massive user base gives it an edge over TikTok. With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook offers unparalleled reach for your advertisements. On the other hand, TikTok has around 732 million monthly active users as of July 2021.

In terms of engagement, both platforms excel at capturing users' attention with short-form video content. However, Facebook's integration with other features like stories and feed browsing gives it an advantage in terms of user engagement.

Step-by-step guide to set up Facebook Reel Ads

Step 1: Navigate to the Facebook Ads Manager and select the "Create" button.

Step 2: Choose the campaign objective that aligns with your advertising goals. Options include brand awareness, reach, traffic, and more.

Step 3: Create a custom ad. Provide specific details about your campaign, including budget, timeline, target audience, optimization goals, and delivery methods.

Step 4: In the Manual Placements options, choose "Manual Placement" for a standalone Reels ad campaign. This ensures that your ads will only be shown in Facebook Reels.

Step 5: Within the Placements section, locate the dropdown menu beside Stories and activate the checkbox corresponding to Facebook Reels. This ensures that your ads will be shown in the Reels section of users' feeds.

Step 6: Select the desired reels and call to action for your ad and publish it. Be sure to review all the details before finalizing your campaign.

Facebook Reels Ads Specs

Facebook reels are born to catch up with the popularity of TikTok, so obviously, video ads are recommended. Yet, images are still usable. Alright, here we come to the Facebook ad size in Reels.

Design recommendations

• File Type: MP4, MOV
• Recommended Ratio: 9:16 
• Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at over 128 kbps
• Resolution: At least 500 x 888 pixels
• Video captions: Optional, but recommended
• Video sound: Optional, but strongly recommended

Videos should not contain edit lists or special boxes in file containers.

Text recommendations

• Primary text: 72 characters 

Technical requirements

• Video duration: No maximum limit.
• Maximum file size: 4 GB

Facebook Reels vs Stories: Key differences

Both Facebook Reels and Stories offer unique advantages for online merchants. Understanding the differences between the two can help you make an informed decision when planning your ad campaigns.

Facebook Reels vs Stories: When to choose each?

The choice between Reels and Stories depends on your campaign objectives and audience targeting. 

Choose Facebook Reels if you want to: 

• Promote upcoming events or product launches.
• Share tutorials or step-by-step guides.
• Showcase behind-the-scenes glimpses of your brand or team.
• Create engaging challenges or trends to encourage user participation.

Otherwise, Stories are the most suitable if you want to:

• Provide daily updates or share behind-the-scenes sneak peeks.
• Engage with followers through interactive polls or questions.
• Host live Q&A sessions or live streams.
• Share time-sensitive offers or promotions.

In summary, Facebook Reels and Stories serve complementary purposes in content creation and audience engagement. Reels cater to polished, professional videos with a wider reach, while Stories foster a sense of community and connection through casual, ephemeral content. 

By considering the strengths and suitability of each format, you can effectively connect with your audience and achieve your content marketing goals.