Why Your Facebook Ads Aren’t Converting (And How to Fix It Without More Content or Spend)

Lucy didn’t have a traffic problem.
She had a conversion problem.

Her ads were getting clicks.
People were watching.
Some were even opting in.

But very few were buying.

If that sounds familiar, you don’t need better ads.
You need a better conversion system.

In this post, I’ll show you why most Facebook ads don’t convert and what to fix first.

What is a Conversion Rate?

Understanding conversion rates will help you assess if your ad types and ad copy are effective. You want your audience to perform the desired action after interacting with your Facebook Ad. They aren’t just there to look pretty.

So, what is a conversion rate? Simply put, it is the percentage of people who convert into a new behaviour after being exposed to an intervention.

In the context of Facebook Ads, it is the number of people who purchase your product, or sign-up for your email list, after being exposed to your ad. 

Facebook advertisers do not need to only be concerned with low click-through rates, it is essential that their Facebook Ad conversion rate is also high. Clicks should lead to a specific action and new customers for your business.

Facebook Advertising Benchmarks

One benefit of running Facebook Ad campaigns is access to Facebook Analytics. This powerful tool can lead to high conversion rates by allowing you to assess what is and isn’t working when it comes to converting Facebook users into customers. 

Facebook metrics also help set pricing for the site with your advertising cost being tied to social media users’ interaction with your Facebook campaign.

Remember that Facebook takes a variety of factors into account when setting pricing on the site, including your campaign goals, so the prices listed here are average.

Cost Per Click

Cost per click, or CPC, refers to the price per click on your Facebook Ad. The average CPC is $0.94 per click. You can choose to bid on CPC when running your Facebook Ad. Facebook will then attempt to get you the most clicks possible in the budget you set. This can be a great way to generate views for your blog posts or to bring people to a landing page.

Cost Per Mile

Cost per mile, or CPM, refers to the price you pay per one thousand impressions. Where did mile come from? It means thousand in Latin. You are learning language and average cost today! 

CPM is a great option to get your ad seen by as many potential customers as possible. When you bid on this advertising option on the social network they will get your ad seen by as many of their millions of daily active users as your budget allows. The average cost is $7.19.

Cost Per Like

Cost Per Like, or CPL, refers to the cost per like your Facebook page receives from your ad. Increasing likes helps build brand awareness. It can also lower costs by increasing the number of people seeing your content outside of sponsored content. It currently averages $1.07.

Cost Per Action

Cost Per Action (CPA) is a choice when running Facebook Ads that will have you paying per your desired action. Once you set your budget and your desired action Facebook will optimize for you to receive as many actions as possible. 

This is a better option than just paying for link clicks when your concern is your Facebook Ads conversion rate. The price is $5.47 on average.

Factors Influencing Facebook Ad CPA

Facebook Ads does not charge everyone equally for any of their four price options. A variety of factors are at play. We will take a look at some of them here. 

Prospective Customers

The people you are seeking to reach with your ad will affect the cost of the ad. Facebook allows you to narrow the Facebook users seeing your ad to those that fall within the parameters you set. 

This prevents you from shooting in the dark at all 25-40 year-olds in the Midwest but rather lets you drill down into only those that share an interest in what you are offering.

For example, if you are offering running shoes it would display to those that are interested in marathons.

This targeting increases the effectiveness of ads but can also come with a price. Not all audiences clock in at the same dollar amount. As you tailor your audience you will see the pricing of your ad change. 

Ad Quality and Relevancy

Facebook rewards ads that its users like. They use a variety of metrics to determine whether the ads people see are relevant to them and engaging. The better your ad scores the cheaper it will be to run the ad on Facebook. 

To reduce your costs produce good ads. This has the added benefit of enticing customers. Conversions are higher with good-quality ads. 

Ad Placement 

Where you opt to place your ad within Facebook’s ecosystem will also affect the price of your CPA. Options include choosing to only display your ads on mobile, placing your ads in Facebook newsfeeds, integrated videos, and more. 

The abundance of choice lets you select where you can gain the most traction, and conversions, for your business. Though some of these options come at higher price points consider whether the increase in conversions makes up for the increase in Facebook Ads costs. 

Why Your Facebook Ads Aren’t Converting

Most people think the problem is:

• targeting
• creatives
• budget

It’s not.

The real problem is this:

👉 You’re asking people to buy after 1–2 touchpoints

Buyers don’t work like that anymore.

They need multiple exposures, angles, and proof before they decide.

That’s where most campaigns break.

How to Increase the Conversion Rates of Facebook Ads

Facebook ads are a powerful tool to drive traffic to your site, but they aren’t magic bullets. To make sure you’re getting the best results possible, follow these tips to boost conversions.

Concentrate On Relevance

With the ability to target your Facebook Ads so precisely comes great responsibility. You want your ads to be seen by people that are interested in what you have to offer. Increase the effectiveness of your ads by targeting them to the right people. 

Facebook lets you target your audience based on age, location, gender, interests and more. Assess who your customer is and then go find them on Facebook. 

Make Use of Dynamic Ads

Facebook utilizes dynamic ads to show your products to the right people. Facebook automatically show your ad to people who have expressed an interest in what you have to offer whether that be on your website, app, or anywhere else across the internet. 

Opting for this targeting is an even narrower form of audience selection. These are not just people who share demographic details with your customers or are interested in things related to your product. 

These are people who have already gone through the trouble of interacting with your content outside of Facebook. They are highly primed conversion and are a great value for your Facebook Ad budget. 

Do Not Skimp on Quality

Facebook rewards you for creating ads that people like. Advertising doesn’t have to be bleak and salesy. It can be engaging and fun.

If your ad is something that people like and find value in, then Facebook wants it on their platform. 

Ways to ensure high-quality ads make quality graphics, including great photos, and writing witty copy. 

Write Copy That Emphasizes the Value

Writing good ad copy not only means that Facebook will reward you with more views it can also be a part of creating more sales itself. Your copy should clearly lay out what you are offering and why people should want it. 

Emphasizing the value that people receive from choosing you is also best practice. Even those with large budgets do not want to receive less for their money. We all want to receive more for our money. 

Lay out in your ad the value they will get from choosing you. In a crowded field, why do I want to opt for you as my wellness coach? Why do you offer the best-knitted ferret jumpers? 

Make it clear they will receive a high-quality product at the best possible cost. Highlight any features of what you offer that stand out from the rest. 

If possible offer them a bonus. You could run a giveaway for people who sign up for your email list. You could offer free bonus materials if selling a course. The possibilities are endless. What you offer is high value make your potential customer see that. 

Keep an Eye on, and Improve Your Campaigns

Facebook’s analytics tools are there for you to take advantage of. Look and see what ads are getting engagement and which aren’t. With the power of the world’s largest social media platform providing performance reports, there is no reason to not see how things are going. 

Once you have an idea of which ads perform well you can improve lower-performing ads to be more like the ads that are getting traction. You can also apply those analytics to your Facebook page posts and see which of your regular posts is performing best and consider boosting it or turning it into an ad. 

Ad Fatigue Should Be Avoided

People are fickle. They love what you are doing one moment and hate it the next. Familiarity breeds contempt so avoid oversaturating your market with ads. Consider varying the ads so that your market doesn’t become annoyed. 

Perhaps worse than annoyance is indifference. If you are running the same ad over and over it can become part of the wallpaper. Your target customers might grow so used to your ad they view it as an extension of the navigation bar. 

Vary things up to keep your audience engaged and pr