Small businesses and marketers often favor Facebook ads due to their impressive results at a budget-friendly price.

It’s commonly believed that Facebook ads are a breeze to manage, but is that really the case? Anyone out there, especially those in the design world, might have just let out a sigh of knowing agreement. As a one-person marketing department in a small business, I handle every aspect of our Facebook ads, from initial strategy and design to final implementation. While I genuinely enjoy the creative process, I confess to a sense of dread when faced with designing for Facebook ads.

Though Facebook advertising is generally straightforward, the ever-shifting and frequently unclear creative guidelines can make the ad creation process unexpectedly complex and frustrating. None of the following issues I’ve encountered are impossible to overcome, and I’ll explain how to navigate them, but their occasional absurdity can be equal parts infuriating and comical.

Facebook Ad Frustration #1: The Elusive Pixel

Ever attempted to utilize an image for an ad that wasn’t the precise size “recommended” by Facebook? I have, albeit unintentionally, and the outcome was predictably less than ideal.

One of my single-image ads was flagged simply for being a single pixel off the recommended dimensions. The most frustrating aspect wasn’t the rejection itself, but the absence of any accompanying error message or explanation. Power Editor seemed to hit a standstill, with repeated image uploads yielding nothing but a stubbornly blank preview.

I tried every troubleshooting tactic I could think of: restarting Power Editor, recreating the entire campaign from scratch, even switching browsers – all to no avail.

Eventually, upon closer inspection of my creative, I discovered the culprit: the image was 1200 x 627 pixels instead of the “recommended” 1200 x 628. After adjusting the image accordingly, it seamlessly loaded into my campaign, as if nothing had happened.

Strict creative requirements don’t usually bother me; graphic designers are accustomed to them, and creativity often flourishes within constraints. However, a heads-up from Power Editor regarding the issue would have been greatly appreciated. Solution: Should you encounter difficulties during ad creation without a clear reason, double-check that your creative adheres strictly to Facebook’s recommended ad specifications.

Facebook Ad Frustration #2: When Snowflakes Become Words

Here’s a surprising revelation: illustrations of falling snow can apparently be misconstrued as text!

Allow me to elaborate. A while back, I was crafting a carousel ad to showcase some top deals for our Christmas sale. Repeatedly, I received the frustrating “your ad may not run” error, citing “too much text” as the reason. I diligently stripped away text, tested, removed even more text, and retested, until the ad was completely void of any actual text:

As you can see, the image is text-free, yet the Facebook ad continued to be flagged. While a minuscule amount of text might be discernible when zooming in on the Jensen DUB logo, it certainly didn’t warrant a warning, let alone a “Image Text: High” alert.

In response, I did what any reasonable person would do: I laughed, captured a screenshot, and later documented the ordeal on the nexus-security blog. I also forwarded the screenshot to Facebook along with a polite inquiry seeking clarification and guidance on a solution. A few days later, I received a call from the Facebook ads team, and they were just as perplexed as I had been initially.

By then, through trial and error, I had discovered that removing the snow graphic allowed my image, even with actual text included, to pass without any issues. The program was, in essence, interpreting the snowflakes as text. Solution: Don’t hesitate to reach out to Facebook ads support directly through Power Editor; they’re genuinely helpful and pleasant to deal with. Furthermore, since this incident, the Facebook text overlay tool has secured a prime spot on my Chrome bookmarks bar, alongside essential tools like Shopify login and Google Analytics. If you incorporate text into your ads, I highly recommend you check it out.

Facebook Ad Frustration #3: Exceptions and the Dilemma of Text on Product Images

Our business involves selling car stereos and a variety of aftermarket car accessories, and some of our most successful ads showcase product images. If you think I can simply insert a sleek, high-resolution image of the latest Apple CarPlay receiver into Photoshop and call it a day, think again.

Product images like these are often text-heavy, and even though they say this should qualify for an exception, my experience, at least until recently, has been quite different. My workaround involved applying a Gaussian blur to ALL text elements, including the logo, which was not ideal:

Eliminating text from a multimedia receiver image, however, is counterproductive, as the content displayed on the product’s screen is integral to its appeal and value. This is precisely why Facebook exempts product images from its usual text restrictions. The frustrating part is, even though those exceptions are supposed to be automatically applied, they were not in my case. During my conversation with the kind gentleman from Facebook regarding the aforementioned snowflake/text issue, I brought up this concern as well. His response was essentially to contact him directly if I encountered the problem again, and he would see what he could do. Notably, he stopped short of making any promises regarding account-wide solutions or permanent fixes.

Interestingly, since that conversation, I haven’t experienced any further rejections due to excessive text on ads featuring text-rich car stereo receivers. Did they implement a change specifically for my account, or was it a broader update to the ads software? It’s hard to say for sure. Perhaps I’m simply experiencing a stroke of luck. Should a mere mortal like myself dare to question the enigmatic workings of the Zuck? Probably not. Solution: If you anticipate running an ad with unavoidable text that should qualify for an exception, begin the creation process early to allow ample time to contact Facebook ads support for potential resolution.

Facebook Ad Frustration #4: Boosted Post Link Editing Woes on Instagram

One day, I noticed significant engagement on a boosted post on Instagram and decided to swap out the link for a newly optimized landing page I had just finalized.

Ideally, I would have used the best possible link from the outset. However, reality, especially as a one-person marketing team (or even with a larger team), doesn’t always align with best-laid plans. Plus, remember, this post is all about those relatable “fail” moments.

Here’s the key takeaway from this particular Facebook mishap: while you can edit your boosted post and update the link within your ad, there’s a significant caveat. The Instagram ad preview in Power Editor will reflect your new link, BUT it won’t actually change the link on your live Instagram ad. Boo. If you somehow forget the link entirely, you cannot go back and add one. Double boo! Conversely, changing or adding a link to a boosted post on Facebook itself WILL successfully update the link. Yay for consistency! Solution: The ease and affordability of boosted posts can be tempting, leading to impulsive “boost now” clicks. Instead, take a breath, slow down, and ensure your ad content is fully optimized for both Facebook AND Instagram (assuming you have a linked Instagram account). Treat your boosted ad as if it were a printed ad, unchangeable once it’s out in the world, because on Instagram, that’s essentially the case.

My Love for Facebook Ads Endures

Last year, I wrote about maximizing a small business marketing budget, and my stance remains unchanged: allocating funds to Facebook advertising is essential for everyone. The cost-effectiveness of Facebook ads in promoting your business makes navigating the occasional hiccup well worth the effort.