The parts of a Facebook ad, and how long each should be
Every Facebook and Instagram ad has the same few pieces of text. Knowing what each one does makes writing much easier.
- Primary textsits above the image or video. People see about 125 characters before Meta adds “See more”. Put your hook there.
- Headlinesits under the image, in bold. Keep it to about 40 characters so it doesn't get cut off on a phone.
- Descriptionis the small grey line under the headline. It often doesn't show at all, so never put anything important only there. Aim for 30 characters.
- Call-to-action button, like “Shop Now” or “Book Now”. You pick it from Meta's list; you can't write your own.
What makes Facebook ad copy work
Lead with the hook
People scroll fast. The first line has to make the right person stop. A clear benefit (“Candles that burn for 50 hours”), a relatable problem (“Gifts that don't end up in a drawer”) or a specific offer (“Free shipping this weekend”) beats a clever line nobody understands.
Talk about the result, not the features
“Made with soy wax” is a feature. “Burns clean, so your living room doesn't smell like smoke” is the result people pay for. Name the feature, then say why it matters.
Test different angles
The same product can be sold on pain, benefit, social proof, urgency or a short story. You can't know in advance which one your customers respond to, so the generator gives you five different angles to test against each other.
Say exactly what to do next
End with one clear action that matches the button: “Order today and get it by Friday” works better than “Check us out”.
Words that get Facebook ads rejected
Good copy is useless if Meta rejects it. Avoid saying anything about the reader's personal traits (“Are you overweight?”, “Struggling with debt?”), promising unrealistic results (“Lose 10 kg in a week”), fake urgency, ALL CAPS, and symbols in place of letters. Ads for housing, jobs, credit or politics also need a special ad category. If an ad was already rejected, paste it into our ad rejection checker.
From copy to a live ad, without Ads Manager
Once you've picked a version, AdChat can create the ad in your account by chat. It makes new ads paused, shows you exactly what it will create, and only acts when you say yes. Later you can ask it which version is winning and have it write new ones based on your best ads. Try it free for 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
How long should Facebook ad text be?
Meta shows about 125 characters of primary text before cutting it off with "See more". You can write more, but the first line has to do the work on its own. Headlines work best at 40 characters or fewer, and descriptions at 30 or fewer, because longer ones get cut off on phones.
Is AI-written ad copy allowed on Facebook?
Yes. Meta doesn't ban AI-written text. What matters is that the ad follows the advertising rules: no claims about the reader's personal traits, no unrealistic promises, and nothing misleading. The generator is told to follow those rules, but read every version before you use it.
How many ad versions should I test?
Three to five is a good start for a small budget. Put them in the same ad set and let Meta show the best one more often. After a week or so, turn off the ones that clearly lag behind and write new versions based on the winner.
Which call-to-action button should I use?
Match the button to what happens next. Use "Shop Now" for an online store, "Book Now" for appointments, "Get Quote" for services, "Sign Up" for a list or trial, and "Learn More" when people need more information before they buy.
Does it use my real ad results?
Not this free tool. It writes from what you tell it. AdChat, our paid product, can read your ad account, find your best ads and write new versions based on what is actually working.