This image technically passes the 20% rule, but the extra line of text means you risk your ad being seen by fewer people. And somewhere in there, it needs to make room for advertisers. This rule states that in order to run an image-based ad on Facebook, your image(s) must contain less than 20% text. So only 20% of the image can be covered words and 80% must be pure image. A few months ago, whispers about a test that would change the way brands advertise on Facebook started spreading. We're committed to your privacy. While many industry authorities cite using text overlay as a great way to draw social media users to a Facebook ad (including ourselves), the team over at SketchDeck, say that more text on an ad image actually plummets CTR. Facebook knows that the best performing ads include images with little to no text, which is why they created the 20% rule. With the help of a tool, users were able to see how much of the space they could take up with text. This new update, apparently, removes any reach restriction for this, meaning that ads with more than 20% text in the main image will be displayed, as … So, why exactly does the Facebook 20% rule exist? Ad image text that took up more than 20% of the rectangles wasn't allowed to run. The old Facebook 20% text rule "Until recently, Facebook advertisers were allowed to cover their ad images with no more than 20% text. To adhere to guidelines, those who paid for reach on the platform were forced to use a Facebook tool that divided ad images with a 25-rectangle grid (it’s since been replaced with a different tool, but more on that later). While you're creating an ad, it can be tricky to evaluate the exact percentage of text covering your image -- fortunately, Facebook provides a tool you can use to check before you even submit your ad for review. The best billboards demand your attention with bold fonts, in-your-face messages, and bright, eye-catching graphics. I created this page to support each other by sharing healthy food and exercise tips! Then read bolded words after that, and consume block text last. You could find out whether your ad was above the 20% by using the text overlay tool here. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. This means that if text overlaps two squares, or is positioned over a grid line, it is considered to take up more space than if the same text is moved slightly to fit into fewer grid squares. Previously, if 20% of an ad image was text, it wouldn’t be approved to run on Facebook or Instagram. As we scroll through our Facebook feeds, quickly scanning for posts we want to consume, it’s the ones containing bright, colorful imagery that stop our index finger in its tracks. Since introducing self-serve paid advertising in 2007, Facebook has always meant for advertising on the channel to be a more immersive and visually heavy experience. Not long ago, Facebook Product Marketing Manager, Afsheen Ali, reached out to Jon Loomer to officially address the rumors regarding the 20% text rule: “Our research has shown that people demonstrate a preference for ads with less text. The tool was largely ineffective and depended on the position of the text more than it did the amount of text: The main issue with the ad text image is noisiness and news feed saturation. This is something that I understand from marketing a business. The best Facebook ads take the exact opposite approach. Would you rather read your mom’s politically charged status update or marvel at the watercolor self-portrait your friend just finished? It's important to note that the 20% rule only applies to text that covers images attached to your ad. There were an increasing amount of places where text is essential in ads. Users saw the text or call to action, registered it as an ad, and then moved on. Facebook has stopped throttling the reach of ads with images that have more text than Facebook recommends. We should note that this guideline is only specified for ads featured on the News Feed! HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. What Is the Facebook 20% Rule? Instead, we’ve got a more vague guideline about recommended text overlay, which is, unfortunately, a little more complicated. What is the Facebook 20% rule? This means focusing on simple, high-quality images, straightforward messages, and most importantly: minimal text. Ads with less overlay text actually perform significantly better than images crowded with text, so the rule actually creates a better experience for both users and advertisers. Ted Vrountas is a content writer at Instapage who hates most marketing content. There are a few exceptions to the 20% rule, including images of book covers, album covers, event posters, video games, and some product images that contain text (e.g., a cereal box). If you want to reach and engage with potential customers on Facebook, you need to create ads that blend as seamlessly as possible into the rest of the content on their newsfeeds. If you’re like Mike and Jon, you’ll be happy to know the rumors are true — Facebook did officially get rid of the rule for good. Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips and news. The old Facebook 20% text rule Until recently, Facebook advertisers could cover their ad images with no more than 20% text. Get the latest trends, tactics, and thought leadership for advertising conversion and post-click automation. For more information, check out our privacy policy. In this example of an ideal ad image, there's only a small text-based logo and no other copy. This policy is widely know as the 20% text rule of Facebook. Media buyers in Facebook’s platform began to notice recently a big change: their images were no longer being disapproved for a lot of text. The Old Rule. Industry insider Jon Loomer isn’t a big fan of the 20% text guideline either: “First of all, Facebook’s 20% rule that applies to the amount of text that can appear within images of News Feed ads is stupid and poorly enforced, it’s inconsistent and ridiculous that it applies to link thumbnail images. There were also suspicions that too much text on images very clearly showed the content as an ad, and users would quickly scroll past it. Photos of products in real situations or photos of products with a background. You don’t get to decide; Facebook’s algorithm does. Overlaying text like “free,” “you,” “new,” and “instantly.” Use it wisely and sparingly, and your ads will continue to run with maximum reach and at minimum CPC. The rule was in place to enhance the user experience as Facebook has always preferred adverts with less text. It all comes down to what users want to see and engage with in their newsfeeds. Schedule a product demo to learn more. Your best approach when creating a Facebook ad is to use little to no text. Check out the tool over 10,000 SEO professionals and digital marketers use every day. More specifically (via Facebook): Allowed in the 20% text policy: Pictures of products that include text on the actual product. In very general rules, any image used as a Facebook ad may not contain more than 20% text. As if September 22, 2020, Facebook is removing the 20% text rule according to this information from Facebook pro Matt Navarra.. It’s wise to follow the new rule — which doesn’t offer as much flexibility as they’d have you believe. This rule concerns ads that are placed on the Facebook news feed. So, back then advertisers, designers, and content creators made sure that the written text on the image was small so it won’t be rejected. Step 1) Upload an image from your computer (1 MB max size) Step 2) Select all the squares that contain text. Written by Karla Cook Now, Facebook has decided it’s time to ease this restriction and allow visuals to run with any amount of text. That’s 1,500 posts the social network’s algorithm has to prioritize in your news feed. Denise's Nutrition & Fitness. Instead of adding copy to your image, try adding it directly into the body copy of your ad. So to make ads more relevant and enhance the performance of ads Facebook launched 20% rule which means that the ads having 20% or less text in their image will only be accepted for ads. This final example is exactly what Facebook does not want to see: This ad contains too much text over the image. Instead of using a “run or reject” system, Facebook will now categorize your ad according to the following ratings: With Facebook’s new text overlay tool, you can upload an image to see what the chances are it will have its reach restricted. By continuing to use our website you agree to allow our use of cookies. When Facebook first announced the introduction of the 20% rule, it explained that Facebook advertisers were allowed to cover their ads’ images with no more than 20% text. Facebook introduced the 20% rule to reduce the noisiness in the Facebook News Feed. The long-standing rule had been shifted to less a less stringent suggestion over the years, with this week marking their complete abandonment of the 20% text rule. In the next example, there's an extra line of text. What counts as Text in Facebook Ads? What is the Facebook 20% Rule? One Facebook advertising rule you may have heard is the “20% rule.” If you’re confused on just what the 20% rule is, you’re not alone. Think about your unique selling proposition. Facebook is concerned with making sure that all ads meet high-quality standards, and as the world’s largest social network, it’s understandable. Using the word ‘Facebook,’ and making sure the text stays under that percentage.”. Free and premium plans, Content management system software. New: Benchmark your post-click performance for free. If your text exceed 20% you will receive a warning from Facebook saying that your image has more than 20% text in it including slogan hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, '0e17c46b-0ab9-43a4-8ddb-bdf86aa56e78', {"region":"na1"}); Facebook advertisers are not allowed to cover their ads' images with more than 20% text. The information displayed here could easily be incorporated into the body copy of your ad, creating a much cleaner look in users' newsfeeds. Previously, if 20% of an ad image’s area was text, it was not approved to run on Facebook, Instagram, or the Audience Network. September 2020 update on the Facebook Ads rule! The 20% Rule is one of the most popular guidelines. Facebook did officially get rid of the 20% rule for good. Image 20% text rule. Premium plans, Connect your favorite apps to HubSpot. Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. You probably want the same thing! Text-based logos are not an exception to the 20% rule, and will be counted as text when Facebook reviews your images. But, in reality, the 20% rule hasn’t changed that much at all. The Facebook 20% Rule. Determined to find out, we took a screenshot of one of our post-click landing pages for our new and improved post-click landing page optimization resource and uploaded it. One of Facebook's tips is that an ad image should not look out of place in the news feed, many users are plastering text across the images that they posts.”. In a blog post, Facebook marketer Mike Gingerich said the following say about the rule: “I’m not able to print 20% of the bad words I’ve said while trying to create Facebook Ads without using Facebook image representations. Sadly, reports of its death are greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase (and misquote) Mark Twain. The much-hated Facebook rule has been the subject of much speculation of late. New Free Google Keyword Research Tool. This s… The company’s rule that text not take up more than 20% … If more than five squares are highlighted, the 20% rule has been broken. @krla_cook. Similarly, flashy text that reads “Free” or “Limited-time offer” should turn us off. While it's tempting to throw important information onto your images like this, you risk having your ad rejected by Facebook or alienating users who are turned off by the busy copy. Since Facebook controls ad reach and campaign cost on its platform. For a complete guide to creating Facebook ads, check out our article here. One reason why Facebook has removed this rule is because of the exception list they had to maintain. “We think the ads with text overlaid looked, well, like ads. You can access that tool right here. The rule showed the amount of text allowed on ad images. For many years I have had a Business page on Facebook and as with any business, I want my posts to be seen as much as possible. Some advertisers think this can be confusing, as it’s not always clear that an ad does not meet the policy requirements until after creative has been submitted. What’s going to draw your users in? About Facebook’s 20% Rule. The 20% rule applied to all text images, apart from images such as infographics, event posters, screenshots for software, cartoons, book covers and so on. We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website, deliver our services, personalize content, and to analyze traffic. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. That’s when text overlay on ad images comes into play. If your ad covered 3 or more squares with text, your ad was rejected. Do you want to see the sonogram of your coworker’s baby or the video of your cousin surfing the waves of San Diego? The “20% Rule” Historically The purpose of the rule originally was to reduce the noisiness in a Facebook News Feed. Thus, this rule improves the quality of ads on the platform. Facebook 20% Rule Facebook advertisers are not allowed to … So long, 20% text limit in Facebook ad images. This should come as no surprise, considering research conducted almost 40 years ago indicates that we tend to notice images and headlines on a page first. The 20% rule isn't just an arbitrary standard -- it helps advertisers reach their target audiences more effectively, and prevents users' newsfeeds from becoming overwhelmed with disruptive advertisements. Try the worlds most advanced landing page platform today. 64 likes. From meeting Facebook’s basic requirements to learning the many different tips and tricks for maximizing ad performance, all the things you need to learn to be successful can seem daunting. An ad that didn’t clearly display its value proposition using text overlay should perform better than one that did. Facebook just made changes to the 20% rule, without even alerting advertisers. Great! Facebook introduced a unique tool for advertisers to use to enforce the rule and educate advertisers. 80%-20% Rule. The 20% Rule, for those who need a refresher, requires that text takes up, at most, 20% of an image used in an ad. Let’s go back to the beginning. Also called the Facebook text rule or Facebook 20% text rule, the Facebook 20% rule refers to how much text is allowed on an image in an ad. See all integrations. When any of Facebook’s 1.65 billion users log into the platform, their networks share an average of 1,500 stories per day. If you want people to interact with your ad, you first have to get them to notice it. The grid tool (which I admittedly really loved because it was so helpful) is now gone—you can’t use it even if you wanted to. For a complete guide to creating Facebook ads, check out our article here. The Facebook Ads 20% text rule. This rule states that in order to run an image-based ad on Facebook, your image(s) must contain less than 20% text. © 2021 Postclick, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Free and premium plans, Sales CRM software. Facebook’s advertising guidelines include a 20 percent text rule, meaning that the text on ad photos cannot take up more than 20 percent of the photo. Always connect all your ads to personalized post-click landing pages to lower your cost per customer acquisition. It states that Facebook advertisers can cover their ads’ images with no more than 20% text. An ad with a simple image like this will blend more easily into users' newsfeeds and is much more likely to gain exposure and engagement among your target audience. The rule I consider to be most important is Facebook’s 20% rule. The Evolution of the 20% Text Rule. Originally published Sep 1, 2020 5:30:00 PM, updated September 10 2020, The Facebook 20% Rule: How to Check Your Ads With a Text Overlay Tool, How to Verify Your Facebook Page in 5 Steps [+ Why You Should], How to Make the Best of Facebook Ad Targeting, According to HubSpot's Paid Ad Specialist, How to Create Facebook Video Ads, According to HubSpot Advertisers. As of September 7, 2020, they began removing all prior sources indicating that enforcement and replaced them indicating they will no longer penalize ads. This means no more ad grid, no more fussing with removing text. Facebook Grid Image Checker Tool: Facebook 20% Text Rule. For a complete guide to creating Facebook ads, check out our article here. It’s almost entirely text: Still, we only managed to reach Facebook’s “Low” text rating: These examples showcase what will and will not come under the new rule: The following are exceptions, and DO NOT count as text on your ad image: These, on the other hand, DO count as text on your image: Facebook says their users prefer ads with little to no text. Under Facebook’s new guidelines, an ad isn't outright rejected if it contains more than 20% text, but it will have its reach limited — in some cases significantly. The platform argued that adding more text and images resulted in more clutter and overwhelming user experience. The 20% text rule before was enforced using Facebook’s 5×5 text overlay tool. It does not include text on your ad outside of images, like the description copy or call-to-action button. The tricky thing is that this social media site has some rules you need to follow. It lets them see how much space they can take up on an image for text. In fact, a recent update from a Facebook representative suggests the complete opposite. While ads with minimal text are still preferred, Facebook has adopted a new system that allows you to run ads that would’ve been rejected under their old policy. This looks like a win-win at first glance. To adhere to guidelines, those who paid for reach on the platform were forced to use a tool developed by Facebook that divided ad images with a 25-rectangle grid (it’s since been replaced with a different tool, but more on that later). When Facebook reviews your ad images, they examine how much of your images are covered by text. It’s a guideline that’s caused advertisers on the platform much frustration, and many times a lot of additional work (so much so that people have devised ways to beat the system). However, it gets tricky when products are involved. When the 20% text rule was implemented, it was done in an effort to reduce clutter on users’ newsfeeds, ensuring that the experience of scrolling through didn’t feel overwhelming. Facebook Ads is officially removing its 20% text rule. To take advantage of our natural attraction to images, many Facebook advertisers add CTAs to their ad photos, and compelling words like “free,” “you,” and “limited-time offer,” knowing they’ll be read more often than the actual post text. Facebook did. Facebook has a nice option to use so you can Boost your post or Ad by paying a little fee. The much-hated Facebook 20% rule for text on imagery has been the subject of much speculation of late. On Facebook, the ads having less text perform good then having more text. Facebook knows that the best performing ads include images with little to no text, which is why they created the 20% rule. however, change its ad text rules back in 2018, which enabled marketers to include more text in their ads, but their ad reach would be restricted as a result, relative to how much you exceeded the limit (this is reflected in the image above). Especially prior to … Here's a simple rule to remember: the best way to capture users' attention on Facebook is to use an eye-catching image with no text. The Facebook 20% Text Rule: Above all these rules for Facebook ads lies the 20% text rule. Facebook introduced this rule years ago in a similarly opaque fashion. Facebook Quietly Scraps Rule That Limited Text in Ad Images to 20% It began notifying advertisers of the change earlier this month Facebook had a text overlay tool for advertisers to ensure … This also applies to Ads you set up too. < 20% Text in Image Rule for Facebook Ads Facebook once penalized ads with higher amounts of image text in auctions and delivery. To know more please refer to our, Convert more mobile clicks with Instapage ➔. After testing 48 Facebook ads to bust 6 marketing myths, here’s what they found: The results go against everything industry insiders tell us. Over the past few days, many people have hailed its demise. For context, Facebook and Instagram have long implemented a rule for all paid advertising on their platforms that images can include no more than 20% text per image. This rule states that in order to run an image-based ad on Facebook, your image (s) must contain less than 20% text. The image text in adverts is any text that is there on the ad creative or image. Time to rejoice? Facebook has a 20% text rule for images appearing in ads and it can be difficult to evaluate just by looking at the image. In recent years, Facebook has become less stringent with its penalties on such images, and now it has abandoned them entirely. However, that doesn’t mean they’re altogether worthless. The ability of posts like these to grab users’ attention is more important now than ever following Facebook’s announcement that its news feed algorithm will be changed yet again to favor friends’ content over advertisers.’.