1. The hook is everything
The first line of your primary text is the most important element of your ad. It appears above the fold — the rest is hidden behind "See more".
The best hooks create instant tension by contrasting a pain with a possibility:
• "Still wasting 20 minutes making breakfast every morning?" • "Most gym bags fall apart in 6 months. This one has a 5-year guarantee." • "You're not supposed to take your skincare routine on holiday. We fixed that."
Avoid starting with your brand name, product name, or generic openers like "Introducing..." or "Are you looking for...". Get to the tension immediately.
2. Brand vs Performance mode
These are two fundamentally different creative strategies:
Brand mode is for awareness and consideration. Polished copy, slightly longer sentences, benefit-focused, no fake urgency. Good for higher-ticket products, luxury positioning, or retargeting warm audiences.
Performance mode is for direct conversion. Punchy fragments, aggressive CTA, price or offer front-and-centre, urgency. Good for impulse-buy products, flash sales, or cold traffic campaigns with a clear offer.
Most e-commerce brands need both — use Performance for prospecting cold audiences, Brand for retargeting people who've visited your site.
3. The structure that converts
High-performing Facebook e-commerce ads typically follow this pattern:
HOOK (1–2 lines) — create tension, stop the scroll AGITATE (1–2 lines) — briefly expand the problem SOLUTION (2–3 lines) — introduce the product as the answer BENEFITS (2–3 short lines) — specific outcomes, not features SOCIAL PROOF (1 line) — believable, not fabricated CTA (1 line) — clear, decisive
Keep the primary text under 200 words for most products. Facebook buries long copy; every extra sentence reduces the chance your full message gets read.
4. Headlines and descriptions
The headline (below the image/video) has a 40-character limit and needs to be a standalone reason to click — not a repeat of the primary text.
Strong headlines: "Free UK shipping on orders over £30" / "The last gym bag you'll ever buy" / "Now 20% off — today only"
The description (under the headline) is limited to 30 characters and is often hidden on mobile. Use it as a secondary reinforcement: "30-day free returns" / "Over 10,000 sold"
The CTA button label matters too. "Shop Now" works for products. "Learn More" works for higher-consideration items. "Get Offer" works when there's a discount.
5. What Facebook's algorithm rewards
Meta's ad algorithm optimises for engagement and time-on-site. Copy that gets comments, shares, or saves costs less per click because Facebook shows it to more people organically.
Tactics that increase engagement: • Ask a genuine question in the hook • Reference a specific, relatable scenario ("If you work from home...") • Take a slightly polarising stance ("We think most protein powders are a waste of money") • Use social proof that's believable and specific
Avoid: ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation, fake urgency ("LAST CHANCE!!!"), and anything that sounds like a scam — Meta's algorithm actively suppresses these.