Facebook advertising is a powerful tool in the world of travel. On a social platform where people are constantly sharing their photos, bucket lists, and travel plans (no matter how ill advised), users are ripe for targeting. You have probably been targeted yourself. I certainly have. And while I’m not averse to glamour shots of white sand beaches or tropical zip lines, I’d rather machete my way through the jungle than read the awful copy that accompanies some Facebook ads.

I don’t mean to sound like a curmudgeon, but just because anyone can write a Facebook ad doesn’t mean that just anyone should write a Facebook ad. Unlike those awesomely bad TV commercials you can still remember word for word, poorly written Facebook ads don’t get noticed. They get scrolled by, and money gets wasted.

Millennials are fast becoming the most avid adventure travelers, and to the dismay of some companies, they are doing the majority of their travel planning on their own. They are also the technology first generation, chronicling their lives on social media. That is why adventure travel brands need to step up their game when it comes to social media advertising.

There are many factors to consider when writing Facebook ads for adventure travel brands, but here are the top 3 you need to consider:

1. Objective. Facebook has really stepped up its advertising game, offering 11 different objectives for your ads. But selecting the wrong goal can start your campaign off on the wrong foot. First, consider exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Do you want to drive users to make reservations? Then you probably want to select “Send people to your website.” Are you pushing a deal or discount? Choose “Get people to claim your offer.” Did a celebrity recently ride your zip line, or did you host an Iron Man competition? “Boost your posts” to reach the right people in your audience with your awesome content.
2. Audience. This could be a whole post in and of itself. (Would you look at that, it already is!) Facebook targeting can reach users based on standard demographics like age and marital status, drilling all the way down to hobbies and travel app usage. Reaching the right audience with your message is half the battle, so do your homework.
3. Message. Crafting an effective Facebook ad is much more than publishing a post and throwing money at it. When possible, work with your agency’s copywriter to marry your Facebook copy with your brand’s messaging, and make it as clear and as brief as possible. You have mere seconds to capture your audience’s attention, and an eye-catching photo can only get you so far. Tip: Take screenshots of the ad previews as you add your copy and images and send them to people in your company. How long did it take them to figure out what you were promoting? Did the copy make sense? Did it take too long to read? Take their feedback and optimize your copy, creating other variations of the ads to see what works best.

Facebook ads for adventure travel brands is a match made in social media heaven. You can even reach users on Instagram for the same spend. Take the time to match your objective, audience, and message to your goal and you will be on your way to launching a successful campaign. Need some help getting started? Drop us a line!