The Ultimate Guide to Awesome Facebook Carousel Ads in 2024

Facebook Carousel Ads can be a very engaging and fun way to show your products to potential customers and reach your target audience.

These ads can drive up to 10 times more traffic to your website compared to regular static ads. So whether you’re a business owner or a Facebook Ads agency, this post is going to show what Carousel Ads are, how to create them, and some examples of how to use them.

Let’s dive in.

What are Facebook Carousel Ads?

The carousel format lets you show 2 or more images and/or videos in a single ad. Each one has its own headline, description, link, and call to action. A carousel ad can contain up to ten carousel cards that users click through or swipe to see on their mobile devices.

Each card can have a different CTA and links to different landing pages. So a single ad has great potential to boost your CTR and conversions. Plus, these ads work great on both desktop and mobile devices.

These ads help you tell your brand story in a way that lets you give lots of details in a format that's brief, engaging, and informative. Your carousel ad could also focus on a single product and explain how it works. You can create an engaging step-by-step guide that won't bore the viewer and make them skip the ad.

Facebook also claims that these ads can have a 30-50% lower cost-per-conversion, and a 20-30% lower cost-per-click compared to other Facebook ads, which makes them very effective.

Now that we know what carousel ads are, let's look at the different ways you can use these ads.

6 ways you could use Facebook Carousel Ads

Here are six different use cases of Facebook Carousel Ads.

1. Highlight a product

If you're releasing a new product, using carousel ads to highlight it is a great idea. You can focus on different aspects of the product to convince potential buyers to purchase it, include a product description, or create a guide on how to use it.

It's possible to have a different copy on each card to emphasize different aspects of the product. This will allow you to cast the best possible light on your new product and create an ad that’s persuasive and engaging.

2. Tell a story

Carousel ads are a great way to introduce your audience to your brand and tell them your story. It’s like a series of Facebook posts all glued together. The flexibility of these ads and the option to include multiple images make these ads ideal for storytelling.

3. Showcase a collection

If you're promoting a collection instead of a single product, single-image link ads may not cut it. The carousel ad format is much better because you can include a different product in each carousel card.

You can also write a different copy for each and include a different link, leading to a different landing page. These options will allow you to present the whole collection in a format that helps your potential customers learn about several products in the same ad.

4. Product tour

Ads in carousel form can also be very useful for showcasing a single product. You can use each card to show different product features to your potential customers.

The carousel ad format is also very useful for promoting software. You can use them to give a glimpse into the user experience of your app. This might be enticing because your prospects will know exactly what to expect if they download it.

5. Illustrate how to use the product

If you're selling a physical product, it's always good to have a video that shows your potential customers how to use it. And nobody wants to spend a few minutes watching a long video to find out how a product works.

A carousel can be a perfect option if you want to create a quick but effective tutorial. Each carousel card can include a step. This helps users figure out how to use the product almost instantly. And for bonus points, you could show a customer or influencer using your product in the video.

6. Share an article

You can also use carousel ads to get more newsletter signups by sharing a blog post. You can include the main points and visuals from the article and give the viewers a chance to skim the main ideas and see if they're interested.

If the ad is catchy enough, your viewers will be more likely to sign up and read your articles in the future. This ad type can be very useful if you're interested in driving more traffic to your website and/or social media pages.

Pro tip: Carousel ads do really well on Instagram. Need help setting them up? Talk to one of our top-notch Instagram Ads managers.

Facebook Carousel Ad sizes and specs

There are certain specifications you must follow to maximize the performance of your ads. Facebook is relatively strict when it comes to its technical requirements, so you must follow them closely.

Here are the specs you need to follow:

• Image size: 1,080 x 1,080 pixels
• Image file type: jpg or png
• Image file size: 30MB max
• Image/Video aspect ratio: 1:1 (square)
• Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Link description: 20 characters
• Number of cards: 2-10
• Video file size: 4GB max
• Video file type: Mp4 or MOV
• Video duration: Up to 240 minutes

How to create a carousel ad

Here’s how to create a carousel ad from scratch, step-by-step.

Step 1. Pick a marketing objective



First, pick an object inside the Ads Manager. Not all objectives support carousel ads, here are the ones you need to pick to be able to create a carousel ad:

• Reach
• Brand awareness
• App installs
• Traffic
• Conversions
• Lead generations
• Catalog sales

Once you've picked your objective, you can pick the carousel format, and you're ready to go.



Step 2. Set your audience and budget

Setting your audience and budget is a very important step. It's best to set custom audiences and have a set budget for your campaign.



Step 3. Write the text

Your text should encompass the entire carousel and it should also be overarching. Make sure it's straight to the point and catchy. If you're stuck, you can always hire a Facebook Ads expert to help you.

Step 4. Show the best-performing cards first

You can choose to show the top-performing cards first, on both the news feed and on Instagram. It helps ensure your potential buyers see the most captivating image first and can increase your conversion rate.



Step 5. Arrange the order of your cards

You can drag and drop the cards to arrange and rearrange the order. You can do this before or after you create the cards.

Step 6. Upload the visuals

Finally, you should upload your pictures, GIFs, or videos. Add a headline and description for each image to provide as many details as possible. Make sure that you've opted for high-quality images or videos. A grainy, low-resolution ad won't attract anybody.

Step 7. Add call-to-action buttons

Now add a CTA button. You can choose not to if you want a cleaner look, but it's useful to have it if you’re selling a product. You can also add a Free Shipping or Cash on Delivery banner if it's necessary.

Facebook Carousel Ads best practices

Understanding the basics of carousel ads is not enough to really convert users into real buyers. Here are some pro tips you'll need to follow to create killer carousel campaigns.

1. Grab attention with the first image While there is always some text included in an ad, a Facebook carousel ad is primarily a visual ad. That's why you need to use striking images that will grab the viewers' attention immediately. The first image should pique their interest and make them want to keep looking.
2. Use clean product images Every image you use must be clean and have a high resolution, especially if it's a product image. A blurry photo that doesn't show enough details won't get much interest.
3. Combine static images with videos Where applicable, try to use a combination of static images and videos. For example, if you're selling a physical product, you can use a few pictures of it to grab attention, and then add a video that shows the product in action.
4. Place your most important copy inside the ad image Since most viewers' eyes will be directed toward the images and not the text, it's crucial to put the most important copy in the image. This way, you'll ensure that everyone will read the information instead of glancing over it.
5. Link each card to a post-click landing page Ads are most effective if they are clickable and lead somewhere. A carousel ad allows you to link each carousel card to a separate landing page, which you can A/B test to maximize your ROI.

How to create one long image

Including a long image in the carousel cards can be a good idea when you’re advertising a single product. You can do this in a few simple steps.

1. Figure out how many carousel cards you need. You'll typically need between three and five.
2. Make a picture with the right dimensions. The height should be 600 pixels, and the width should be 600 pixels multiplied by the number of cards.
3. You can upload the same image in each card and then crop it to divide it across the cards. You can also cut up the image in Photoshop or Canva before uploading.

6 Facebook Carousel Ad Examples

Now that we've covered everything you need to know about carousel ads, let's take a look at some great carousel ad designs from which you can draw inspiration.

Example 1: Deezer

The company used a long image of The Beatles to announce that the band's music was available on the app. The headline space includes the news, while the picture captures attention easily.



Example 2: Tesco

Tesco used a carousel ad to showcase a step-by-step recipe for a yummy chocolate cake with the link to the full recipe on the last card.



Example 3: Audible

Carousel ads and Audible were a perfect match. They included a different book cover on each card with a link leading to the store.



Example 4: Spindrift

Spindrift uses its ads to tell a story instead of selling a product. Each card contains a different aspect of its story and helps boost brand awareness.



Example 5: Cupshe

This company used all available cards to showcase an entire collection of their trendiest swimsuits, allowing the viewers to get acquainted with their entire offer.



Example 6: Bethesda

When promoting their game Fallout 4, Bethesda used carousel cards to show reviews from different sources. This was a great way to convince potential buyers of how great the game is.



Takeaways

Carousel ads are an excellent way of driving more traffic to advertisers and services to customers. They're also great for showcasing apps and physical products on both mobile and desktop.

Investing time and resources in carousel ads is an excellent way to boost your business. If you're not sure where to start or need a Facebook marketer to help you optimize existing campaigns, then find them through Mayple.

We’ve got 600+ vetted hand-picked experts with proven experience in your niche, ready to help you craft killer carousels.