How to Engineer Meta Ads and Skyrocket Growth 🚀

I have been doing Facebook (Meta) ads for half a decade.

When I first started, I wasted a ton of time trying to craft the "perfect ad." A time suck that always resulted in 0 conversions.

I would blame my failure on not fully understanding the features within Facebook.

I thought, "there must be a feature everyone else is using that I'm not."

This led me down hours of Youtube videos, more money and still zero conversions.

grrrrrrr.

But within 3 months everything changed.

• I started getting conversions.

• Then I started making a return on my investment.

• To making 5 dollars for every 1 dollar spent.

I thought it was a fluke. So I would ask my clients if I could run their ads for them on da low.

• They started getting conversions.

• To making a return on investment.

• To making 5 dollars for every 1 dollar spent.

All because I went from:

• A creative first approach.

• To an engineering approach.

Here's how to engineer Meta Ads and skyrocket growth.

Ben invites all STR Lift readers to invest as an LP in a project he is thoroughly excited about, Oasi Hill Country.

Located in the picturesque Texas Hill Country, Oasi Hill Country is a 45-key landscape resort and wellness retreat. It offers luxurious accommodations and extensive wellness facilities with breathtaking views of the Hill Country and projects a nightly rate of $798 with 79% occupancy, generating a 25% IRR.

Don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity. Learn more about this project in the video from Ben Wolff here.

Now back to the article →

Step #1: Test The Pitch

The first thing you want to do is test the pitch. A.K.A the headline. The first (and potentially last) impression with your rental.

"I thought the image was the first impression."

No. The image is what gets people to stop scrolling. The headline is what gets people to click.

Here's how it works:

1. Write down 18 headlines on a Google Doc. Have some that are 5 words and some that are a couple sentences.

2. Place the full headline on a blank 1x1 canvas using Canva.

3. Advertise all 18 headlines as an image in a traffic campaign with no description.

Your goal is to see which headline gets the most clicks to your website at the lowest cost.

Don't stop until you have tested all 18 headlines and found the winning 3.

If you need some headline inspiration, use this ChatGPT prompt:

I'm running ads on Meta and I'm looking to test out different headlines for my short term rental. Can you please give me 18 fill in the blank headlines I can use an inspiration for my campaign planning?

Here are 3 fill in the blank headlines I came up with:

1. Who else wants _______ ?
2. How would your life be different if [XYZ?]
3. Are you tired of [ModernLife]

After this test, you will have a pitch that makes people go "oooooo" and click to learn more.

Now we need a scroll stopping visual.

Step #2: Test The Visual

I have worked with companies who invested too much in creating the "perfect ad." Then, got crickets because they didn't follow this step.

It doesn't matter how much you like an ad if your audience hates it. You aren't the one booking nights.

Here’s how it works:

• Capture 18 different photos of your property. Get a variation of amenities, outside view, inside view, the town, etc...

• Fit the images to a 1x1 canvas on Canva.

• Advertise all 18 images in a traffic campaign with no description.

Your goal is to see which image gets the most clicks to your website at the lowest cost.

Don't stop until you have tested all 18 images and found the winning 3.

Once you've completed this step you will understand:

1. What your ad will look like.

2. What part of your property get's people interested in booking with you. (Bonus knowledge 🧠 ).

See how this is starting to work? Process of elimination. See what works and what doesn't under the same parameters. Just like an engineer.

Step #3: Put It All Together

Before you even begin to reallllly advertise, you have:

• 3 headlines

• 3 images

that for sure get people to click.

Pretty comforting isn't it? Just like being snuggled up in a blanket next to a warm cozy fire.

Sorry. Blacked out in a day dream for a second.

Now we just have to put each winning variable together and find the combination that gets bookings.

Yes, bookings. We are finally going for bookings.

Here’s how it works:

• Change your campaign goal from traffic to conversions (bookings).

• Create your 9 full ad variations (3x3).

• Check in periodically to turn off the combinations that are underperforming.

Your goal here is to see which ad variation get's the most bookings. Once you find the top 3 producers, advertise only those and increase your budget.

Because those are your money makers.

Then Continue The Process

This is not a one and done process. Nothing in marketing is.

Your money makers will eventually get worn out and you'll need to run this whole process again.

But that's the fun part. Every time you run these tests you can:

• Test photo vs video.

• Funny headline vs personal story.

• Discounted stays vs premium price.

And continue to:

• Make better ads.

• Get more bookings.

• Create a money making machine within Meta Ads.

That's all for today. I'll see you in the next article.

P.s. STR Lift has some big things coming. Watch my IG video to learn more.