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Facebook Carousel Ads: The Ultimate Guide To Follow

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A hand drawn illustration of shopping ads on a computer screen along with Facebook carousel ads text

Facebook carousel ads have earned their reputation as one of the most reliable ad formats on the platform thanks to their exceptional performance and return on investment.

According to a Facebook case study, businesses implementing carousel ads saw impressive results:

  • An average increase of 85% in click-through rates
  • About three times more conversions than usual
  • Approximately 30–50% lower cost-per-conversion

That’s not all—ever since the Meta network has expanded to encompass Instagram, the viability of these ads has increased all the more exponentially!

As a merchant, when you account for all these advantages, it makes sense why over 3 million businesses invest their time and effort into creating appealing ads for Facebook. 

So, if you want to join this bandwagon, read this blog. Today, we shall discuss Facebook carousel ads in-depth, dissecting all their features and benefits. We’ll also help you learn how to create carousel ads for Facebook and list some tips and best practices for increased efficiency.

Let’s start!

Table of Contents

Facebook carousel ads are an ad format that lets you display two or more images or videos in a single advertisement.

To view all your products and services, users merely need to swipe across their screen.

Here’s a Facebook carousel ad example. This is what such ads look like on a desktop/PC.

Example of a facebook carousel ad

Source

Example of a Facebook carousel ad (Desktop view)

The Facebook ads carousel appears on all Meta networks, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Meta Audience Network.

Additionally, this ad format provides a more dynamic experience than other ad formats. Its dynamic nature makes it highly versatile, catering effectively to various industries such as retail, real estate, fashion, food, entertainment, and education.

Here are some of the key features and unique aspects of Facebook carousel ads:

  • Multiple cards: Carousel ads allow you to add up to 10 cards (images/videos) in a single ad unit.
  • Individual links: Each image or video in the ad unit has its own link that redirects users right to that product’s landing page.
  • CTA button: Each carousel ad card contains a CTA button like “Shop Now,” “Book Now,” etc.
  • Mobile optimized: Carousel ads for Facebook are optimized for mobile devices to ensure a seamless user experience.
  • Customizable: You can arrange carousel ad cards in your preferred order and customize them based on a user’s unique interests and behavior. 

Meta is home to a wide range of ad formats. Some of the most popular ones are image ads, video ads, collection ads, and instant experience ads.

Let’s see how they compare against Facebook carousel ads: 

 

Number of products per ad

Number of links

Engagement

Complexity

Suitable for

Carousel Ads

2-10 

Up to 10 

High

Medium

Online businesses with multiple SKUs

Single Image Ads

1

1

Medium

Low

Promoting a single product/service

Single Video Ads

1 

1

High

Medium

Product/service demonstrations

Collection Ads

4

Up to 4

High

Medium

Creating product catalogs

Instant Experience Ads

Multiple

Multiple

Very high

High

Branding purposes

Here is a quick guide to Facebook carousel ad sizes and specifications:

Ad Design Specifications:

 

Facebook

Instagram

Messenger/Meta Ads Network

Min. number of ad cards

2

2

2

Max. number of ad cards

10

3 (Stories)

10 (Feed)

10

Aspect ratio

1:1 or 4:5

9:16 (Stories)

1:1 (Feed)

1:1

Aspect ratio tolerance

3%

1%

3%

Resolution


  • For 1:1 (500 x 500 px) or (1,024 x 1,024 px)



  • For 4:5 (600 x 750 px) (1,080 x 1,350 px)

1,080 x 1,920 px (Stories)

1,080 x 1,080 px (Feed)

1,080 x 1,080 px

Supported image file formats

.jpg and .png

.jpg and .png

.jpg and .png

Max. image file size

30 MB

30 MB

30 MB

Supported video file formats

Most major formats, including MP4, GIF, and MOV

Most major formats, including MP4, GIF, and MOV

Most major formats, including MP4, GIF, and MOV

Max. video length

Up to 240 minutes

Up to 15 seconds (Stories)

Up to 60 seconds (Feed)

Up to 240 minutes

Max. video file size

4 GB

4 GB

4 GB

Ad Copy Specifications:

  1. Facebook/Messenger/Meta Ads Network

  • Text: up to 125 characters

  • Headline: up to 40 characters

  • Link description: up to 25 characters 

2. Instagram

  • Text: up to 125 characters

  • Hashtags: up to 30 hashtags

Facebook carousel ads are very different from the regular image or video ads that you see on the platform. But do they offer any equally unique advantages? Absolutely yes.

Here are some of the main benefits of using carousel ads for Facebook:

1.  Enhanced User Engagement

In a Facebook carousel ad, you can add up to 10 multimedia elements in a single ad unit. These can be images, videos, GIFs, or a combination of all of these. This provides the same interactive experience to users as they get when browsing a product catalog, helping keep them engaged with the ad for a longer period.

2.  Increased Click-through Rates

Compared to traditional static ad formats, Facebook carousel ads tend to have a higher click-through rate, and the reason is very apparent. Since each ad card contains an individual product link that directly leads the user to its landing page, users are more likely to click and shop for it, helping boost the ad’s overall click-through rate.

3.  Improved Storytelling Capabilities

As a merchant, you can harness carousel ads to create compelling storytelling narratives for your brand by showcasing your product’s USPs, benefits, differentiators, etc., through a set of images and videos. 

4.  Showcase Multiple Products and Services

A well-known advantage of using carousel ads for Facebook is that they let you promote multiple products and services in one go.

This is a major plus in many ways. Firstly, you do not have to create a separate ad for each product, which is a very painstaking task. Also, every item on the carousel ad presents a fresh sales opportunity. Thus, carousel ads also tend to be more profitable.

5.  Cost-Effective

Talking of profitability, carousel ads are also more economical than other Facebook ad formats. As these ads consolidate multiple products in a single advertisement, you do not have to pay separately to run ad campaigns for each of them. Subsequently, this also minimizes ad management costs. Thus, your total advertising costs go down while your ROI increases. 

Pro Tip: You can also use Meta’s advanced feature, Meta Advantage+ campaigns, to run ads. Using Advantage+ will help you boost your marketing efforts and create dynamic ads especially tailored for your target audience.
Screenshot of Meta's Carousel ad page

Source

Follow these ten steps to create your first carousel ads for Facebook through Meta Ads Manager:

Step 1: Set up your Meta Business Manager account

To get started, you will first need to create a Meta Business Manager account. To do this,

  • Open Meta Business Suite

  • Log in to your personal Facebook account

  • Click on “Create an account”

  • Follow the prompts to add your business details and Facebook business page.

  • You will be redirected to your Meta Business Suite dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to Ads Manager

Once you are in your Meta Business Suite dashboard, navigate to your Ads Manager account;

  • Click on “All Tools”

  • Under the “Advertise” section, choose the “Ads Manager” option

Step 3: Create a new ad campaign

Now, hover to the top left corner of the page and select the “+ Create” option to start a new ad campaign.

Step 4: Select your ad objective

Now, it’s time to choose the objective of your ad campaign. It can be any of the following;

  • Brand awareness

  • Reach

  • Traffic

  • Lead generation

  • Conversions

  • App installs

  • Catalog sales

Note – you cannot opt for the “Engagement” objective as that’s not compatible with the carousel ad format.

Step 5: Choose your target audience and set your budget

Once done, you need to fill in all other information about your ad. This includes details like;

  • Audience

  • Ad placement

  • Budget

  • Schedule

Once you specify these details, click “Confirm.” 

Now, go to the “Identity” section of the page and specify the Facebook page for which you want to run ads. From there, you will be redirected to a new page. From there, pick the carousel ad format.

Step 7: Add images/videos for the ad

Once you’ve selected the carousel ad format, you will be required to upload your ad visuals. You can do so manually or choose the “Catalogue” option to let Facebook dynamically generate a carousel using your products in the Ad setup section.

Step 8: Write your ad headlines and description

Now that the visuals are all there, it’s time to add the text for your carousel ads for Facebook. Create compelling ad headlines and descriptions, and add the right landing page URLs for every product.

Step 9: Add the CTA buttons

Finally, add a relevant CTA to every carousel card. It can be anything—from “Shop Now” to “Subscribe.” Make sure it’s compelling and complements the nature of the product/service you’re selling. Once done, review your ad and publish it.

Step 10: Set up Facebook Ad Analytics

Once the ad is out, it’s crucial to analyze its performance. That helps in creating more optimized ad campaigns for the future. To do so, go to Meta Ads Manager and check key metrics like impressions, reach, CTR (Click-Through Rate), etc.

Note: You can easily create carousel ads to sell your products on the Facebook Marketplace.

Here are some design tips and tricks you can use to make them more efficient and engaging for your audience: 

1.  Focus on Visual Consistency and Branding

Consistent branding has many advantages. Statistically speaking, it can even increase revenue by approximately 23%. One incredible way to reap these benefits for your business is by ensuring your Facebook carousel ads are strongly aligned with your brand identity. 

Focus on using the same color palette, fonts, and design elements to create the ads you use to brand your product. Also, pay attention to the tone and the message you deliver via those ads. Doing these increase your ad’s overall relevance and efficiency. 

2.  Use High-Quality Images and Videos

Carousel ads are very appealing. If you use the right images and videos, you can compel the user to take the desired action. So, ensure all your multimedia elements are of high quality. 

Make sure each image is clear and shot at the right angles and lighting conditions. This enhances your ad’s appearance and encourages your audience to interact with them.

3.  Create Compelling Headlines and Copy

Often, merchants get so engrossed in creating attractive visuals for their carousel ads that they entirely forget about the ad copy. However, meticulously crafted ad copies prove elemental in grabbing user attention. 

To create compelling headlines and descriptions, use a strong hook in the first few lines, focus on highlighting the product’s benefits, and speak directly to the audience’s needs. Be precise and clear with your language. Also, don’t forget about the CTA—make it as actionable as possible! 

4.  Utilize the First Card Effectively

Remember the old adage “first impression is the last impression?” Well, Facebook carousel ads are all about that. Although you get ten ad cards to add images and videos, focus on using the first one most effectively—it attracts users to your ad.

If you’re promoting just one product, use the first card to display its best picture. If you aim to promote multiple products (let’s say, for sale), use the first card to add the image of the product that’s the most popular on your website. 

5.  Implement the Power of Storytelling

Carousel ads, like any ad format, have an incredible reach. If used properly, they can enable you to tell a story to the masses. So, make sure you utilize this unique advantage. 

Arrange your cards in a sequence that creates a narrative flow. Start with a solid introduction and build on the story as you move forward. This particularly helps when you want to showcase your brand’s journey or highlight your product features to your audience. 

6.  Use Interactive Elements and Dynamic Content

To make your carousel ads all the more interactive and engaging, incorporate elements like polls and quizzes. You can also use dynamic content like countdowns and live updates to create a sense of FOMO and hype among your audience. 

Carousel ads for Facebook tend to perform better than traditional, static ad formats. But only if you know how. So, here are some gold strategies you can implement to maximize your Facebook carousel ads’ performance:

1.  Target the Right Audience

Facebook offers many advanced targeting options, like custom audiences, lookalike audiences, geo-targeting, and interest targeting. Use these options to pinpoint your ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors relevant to your product or service.

2.  A/B Test Different Ad Variations

Before you publish a carousel ad, why not check if it’s efficient enough? Try out different multimedia elements (images, video), experiment with the CTA, shuffle the image placements, etc. Such A/B testing provides ad metrics like CTR, conversion rates, and engagement rates to help you understand what works best with your audience. 

3.  Leverage Facebook’s Analytics and Insights

Facebook offers a rich array of data and insights to its merchants. Monitor it from to time to understand how your ad is performing once it’s live. Some important ones you must not overlook are Impressions, ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), CPM (Cost Per 1000 Impressions), etc.

4.  Implement Retargeting Strategies

Facebook Pixel (now Meta Pixel) is a code you can insert on your website to gather data on customer behavior. Apart from this, the Facebook Pixel can also track conversions, optimize ads, and segment audiences based on website action. So, use the Meta Pixel to create tailored retargeting carousel ad campaigns for users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your ads.

5.  Manage Your Bid and Budget

Effective budget management plays a crucial role in the success of Facebook carousel ads. So, make sure you define your budget and create bids accordingly. This helps in efficient resource allocation and maximizes your ROI from ads.

6.  Monitor and Adjust Campaigns in Real Time

Your job is not done by simply publishing the ad. To ensure your future carousel ad campaigns are optimized to the core, keep track of your current ad campaign in real-time. Check analytics and adjust campaigns to create ads that churn out maximum returns.

Further reading: Deepen your understanding & explore the difference between reservation vs auction ads on Meta.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

You might make errors in creating Facebook carousel ads—especially if it’s your first time. But make sure you don’t repeat these basic mistakes: 

1.  Using Poor Quality Images and Videos

Low-quality carousel ad visuals have many implications. First, they can damage your brand’s image. So, make sure you only use professional photos and videos that are high-quality and suitable for commercial use.

2.  Inconsistent Messaging or Branding

Carousel ads are an extension of your brand. If they are not in sync with your brand’s identity, customers can get confused and doubt your credibility. Therefore, pay close attention to creating ads that maintain the same tone, style, and appearance as your brand.

It’s very easy to get absorbed in creating highly compelling carousel ads. But make sure it doesn’t complicate the end result. Use the 10 ad cards wisely—don’t overwhelm your audience with too much text or too many images. Keep it clear and concise. 

4.  Neglecting Mobile Optimization

One of the best advantages of Facebook carousel ads over similar ad types is that they are mobile-friendly. So, don’t forget to leverage this feature and optimize your carousel ads for mobile devices. 

5.  Ignoring Analytics and Performance Data

Lastly, keep monitoring your ad’s analytics and data from time to time. This will help you craft better ad campaigns in the future. 

Wrapping Up

Facebook carousel ads are a popular ad type. With a robust set of features and an incredible range of benefits, they are equipped with everything you need to bolster your digital marketing efforts. But that’s only possible if you know how to create them efficiently.

Make sure you follow the tips, strategies, and best practices outlined in this guide to maximize the effectiveness of your Facebook carousel ads and achieve optimal results for your advertising campaigns.

Additionally, don’t forget to monitor the performance of your carousel ads regularly using Facebook’s analytics tools. This will provide valuable insights into how your ads are performing and allow you to make data-driven adjustments and optimizations to enhance their impact further.

FAQs

1.  What image size is best for Facebook carousel ads?

You can create a Facebook carousel ad in many sizes. However, for the most optimized ad performance, Facebook recommends a minimum size of 1,080 x 1,080 pixels.

2.  How to make carousel ads on Facebook?

To create Facebook carousel ads, first log in to your Meta Ads Manager account. Once done, click “+ Create” and choose your ad objective. Next, set up your ad’s audience, placement, and budget. Then, select the “Carousel” option and add videos, images, etc. Once done, enter an ad copy and publish your ad.

3.  Is there any difference between Facebook carousel ads and collection ads?

Yes, Facebook carousel ads differ from Facebook collection ads in several ways. The main difference is that carousel ads allow users to swipe through multiple product images and videos within a single ad unit, each with its own link, providing a versatile shopping experience.

In contrast, collection ads feature a cover image or video followed by a series of product images, offering a more immersive shopping experience by allowing users to browse and purchase products without leaving Facebook.

4.  What is the size of Facebook carousel ads?

For Facebook carousel ads, images can be up to 30 MB in size. For video ads, you can use a video that’s up to 4 GB in size.

5.  How many images can you add to Facebook carousel ads?

You can add up to 10 images, videos, or GIFs in a single carousel ad for Facebook.

6.  How much do Facebook carousel ads cost?

The cost of carousel ads on Facebook is not fixed. It depends on multiple external and internal factors like the ad’s quality, budget, target audience, placement, etc. However, the average price for Facebook carousel ads across different industries is estimated to be between $0.50 – $2.00 per click.

7.  How do I promote my carousel ads on Facebook?

Facebook provides a “Promote” button on your business page for creating and promoting ads. You can use it to promote your Facebook carousel ads.

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Author

Sanjna is the Content Marketing Manager here at AdNabu with over 4 years experience in the SaaS industry. She has always had a passion for writing a close second to her love of spicy food! She loves to explore the knitty gritties of SEO too!

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