Facebook ads have become a cornerstone of digital marketing. But even the best audience targeting won't convert if your copy falls flat. According to Wordstream, the average Facebook ad CTR across all industries is 0.90%, and the average CPC is $1.72. Strong copy can drastically improve both metrics.
To consistently write high-performing ad copy, marketers rely on tested frameworks. In this guide, we'll explore three of the most powerful: AIDA, PAS, and a few additional formulas that can elevate your campaigns.
AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
AIDA is one of the oldest and most reliable copywriting structures.
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Attention: Start with a scroll-stopping headline or visual.
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Interest: Present a relatable problem or intriguing benefit.
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Desire: Show how your product or service solves the issue.
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Action: End with a strong call-to-action (CTA).
The AIDA model breaks effective ad copy into four actionable stages to guide the reader from awareness to conversion.
Example:
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Attention: Tired of low engagement on your Facebook ads?
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Interest: You're not alone. Most businesses struggle with rising CPC and low CTR.
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Desire: LeadEnforce helps you build lookalike audiences based on your competitors’ followers, increasing CTR by up to 35%.
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Action: Try it now and optimize your ad spend.
Tip: Combine this with dynamic ads to personalize messaging across your custom audiences. For more, see our article on how to retarget Facebook page visitors with custom audiences.
PAS: Problem, Agitation, Solution
PAS works by focusing directly on the user's pain point.
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Problem: Clearly state the issue.
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Agitation: Intensify the problem’s impact.
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Solution: Introduce your product or service as the fix.
Example:
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Problem: Spending money on Facebook ads with zero results?
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Agitation: It’s frustrating watching your budget disappear without conversions.
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Solution: With LeadEnforce, you can retarget competitor audiences and achieve up to 3x higher ROAS.
Useful for: Cold audiences who need to understand the value of your solution quickly.
To boost results, pair PAS with strategies from our article: Tips to lower Facebook ad cost.
Before-After-Bridge (BAB)
This formula paints a picture of transformation.
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Before: Describe the reader’s current problem.
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After: Show the positive outcome.
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Bridge: Explain how your product gets them there.
Example:
Before: Your ads are ignored and your engagement is low.
After: You're getting consistent leads and sales daily.
Bridge: Use LeadEnforce to create highly targeted custom audiences and increase ROI.
Best for: Facebook ad campaigns focused on lead generation or eCommerce conversions.
The 4 Cs: Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible
Use this checklist to refine any copy:
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Clear: No jargon.
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Concise: Short, punchy lines.
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Compelling: Focus on benefits, not features.
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Credible: Include proof or social validation.
CTR and CPC vary significantly by industry—knowing your benchmarks helps evaluate ad performance effectively.
Example CTA: "Join 10,000+ marketers using LeadEnforce to crush their Facebook ads. Start now."
This approach works well with retargeting ads. For more, check out our article on how to use audience segments for better ad performance.
Using Copywriting Formulas with Facebook Ad Types
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Dynamic Ads: Pair with personalized AIDA or BAB structure to match product benefits with viewer intent.
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Retargeting Ads: PAS is ideal for reminding users of pain points and offering immediate solutions.
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Carousel Ads: Use each panel to walk through AIDA or BAB stages.
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Lead Ads: Stick with 4 Cs to keep form submissions simple and persuasive.
Conclusion
Mastering copywriting formulas like AIDA and PAS can significantly enhance your Facebook ad performance. By leveraging these techniques along with strong targeting strategies like custom and lookalike audiences, you can reduce CPC, improve CTR, and maximize conversions.
Want to learn more about advanced Facebook ad strategies? Visit our blog for guides like: