We practically live on Facebook, and nothing is going to change in 2022. For social media marketers, Facebook still remains the market leader worldwide. In fact, at least 67% of businesses still consider Facebook the most effective social media platform they use.

Therefore, it is crucial to know the top Facebook advertising trends going into 2022 so that you can use the social media giant effectively to promote your business. Staying on top of these trends will help you make informed decisions for your ad strategy.

In today’s post, we will discuss some of the top Facebook advertising trends you can’t ignore in 2022. Read on to learn more.

Important Facebook Advertising Stats

Before we look at some of the top trends, below are some of the crucial stats that you need to know:

  • There are over 7 million advertisers on Facebook as of 2021.
  • The Facebook advertising cost has been steadily rising for the past two years.
  • Although the average cost for an ad had a 2% decrease since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, ad impressions grew by at least 34%.
  • The potential reach of advertising for Facebook is 2 billion.
  • The average cost-per-click on Facebook is currently $1.72.

These stats show that running Facebook Ads is still a cost-effective way to reach your target audience and convert them into customers.

Therefore, it is critical to have a solid Facebook Ads plan in 2022 to grow your brand. However, using the right tools to execute it is more important than ever. That is why we came up with this simple guide to help you stay on top of what is trending as a Facebook advertiser.

Facebook Advertising Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2022

So, what are some of the top Facebook advertising trends you should watch out for in 2022? Let us find out.

Trend #1: Ad Costs Will Continue Rising

Although Facebook Ads are still relatively affordable for a significant number of marketers, the costs have increased steadily year over year, and things don’t seem different in 2022. Therefore, many marketers are understandably worried.

But the big question is; why are ad costs on an upward trend? Well, it is a simple matter of supply vs demand. Currently, Facebook is the leading social media network with slightly over 7 million advertisers, up from 4 million in 2017.

However, the platform hasn’t acquired a huge number of new users to meet the exponential growth, especially in the United States and Canada, where daily active users have remained relatively constant for a couple of years now.

Facebook advertising budget

Therefore, the rise in ad costs is purely driven by the forces of demand and supply. If you are genuinely concerned about the affordability of running Facebook Ads, take time to weigh the cost of acquiring new customers on the platform vis-à-vis their lifetime value.

You will most probably find out that you are still getting value for money spent, which is good for your business.

Trend #2: Short-Form Videos Will Bring in More Leads

With the massive success of TikTok and the excellent performance of Reels on Instagram, Facebook is joining the bandwagon and prioritizing short-form videos.

The trend applies to both paid and organic ads. Users are more likely to engage with short-form videos over plain-text or image-based ads.

Research already shows that social media users spend at least five times more time watching videos compared to static image ads. At least 71% of Facebook users find video ads highly relevant.

These ads also attract a relatively low CPC and can reach a wider audience. However, when running video ads on Facebook, you need to strive to capture the user attention within the first three seconds to prevent scroll and introduce your brand within the first five seconds.

Trend #3: Data Restrictions Will Become More Commonplace

Data privacy on Facebook has been a big issue over the past year, and the storm isn’t going to calm in 2022. The sheer volume of data on Facebook, alongside the ever-changing data privacy landscape, directly impacts the work of advertisers.

One recent change that may have a significant impact in 2022 is the recent iOS 14 update. Although the fallout from that update has been significant, Facebook and Google advertisers now face an uphill task of effective advertising amid such updates.

With the iOS 14 update, Facebook and Google advertisers are now watching their access to user data shrink quite significantly. In fact, for some businesses, Facebook advertising is no longer viable.

Facebook advertising

Going into 2022, online advertisers should expect to lose more access to user data as other companies try to go the Apple way. For instance, Google Chrome plans to phase out cookies by the end of 2023.

Technically, the Google Chromes and Apples of this world give users more control of their own data. So, as an advertiser, you must think of ways to make users give you the data willingly. And research shows that internet users are always willing to give out their data to vendors who promise to protect it.

Trend #4: Facebook Live Will Become Bigger and Better

If you have a limited advertising budget, Facebook live will be the most excellent marketing tool at your disposal. In 2021, many businesses have used the feature to drive awareness and increase sales. It seems like the trend won’t be going away any time soon.

Facebook stats also show that marketers who use Facebook live to promote their products or services receive at least a 178% higher post engagement rate than those who post static image ads. There is also a rumor that Facebook live has been performing much better than pre-recorded videos.

Trend #5: Augmented Reality Ads Will Enter the Scene

Augmented Reality (AR) provides you with the power to allow your customer to experience your product, service, or business in a unique way.

You might have used AR before to fit a piece of furniture in your home, or try on glasses to see how you will appear in them.

Using AR ads allows the prospect to see overlay instructions that tell them how to interact with your product when they click on your ad.

Augmented reality

When creating the ad, make sure to include a simple CTA specifying what your goal for the ad is. Users will then be able to take photos or record themselves interacting with your AR ad and can share it in their newsfeed or stories to help you reach new audiences.

Currently, Facebook uses AR Spark to create AR effects. Before you start using it, you will want to find someone who knows AR Spark and can use the platform to create compliant Ads.

Trend #6: Mobile-first and Mobile Studio Will Remain the Name of the Game

Did you know that approximately 93% of Facebook’s ad revenue is generated from mobile advertising? It means if you are still relying on the desktop, you need to switch to mobile-focused advertising as fast as possible.

The most significant difference between mobile-focused ads and desktop-focused ads is what is under your ad image. On desktop, you will see a headline and description, but there is only the URL and headline on mobile.

While writing copy for your desktop-focused ad, you need to avoid repetition at all costs, but for mobile, all you have to do is ensure all the important information is in the primary text you generate.

Your primary target should be to hook the user right away because you have less room to work with before the “see more” option pops up.

Ensure all your mobile-focused ads have a good CTA button text since Facebook ads with a CTA result in fewer leads and a relatively high acquisition cost.

Final Thought

Now that you know what is coming up with Facebook advertising, you can figure out what you need to do to continue enjoying value for your money.

Take time to evaluate your current strategy, identify shortcomings, and fix them to welcome a massive 2022. We wish you a happy and prosperous year of Facebook advertising!