In recent years, Facebook Ads has shed its reputation for being low-quality and lacking intent and transformed into a powerful force in online advertising. With new features constantly emerging, the platform is experiencing a surge in Facebook Ads Manager itself just had an overhaul.

This progress has made Facebook Ads somewhat comparable to AdWords, as marketers now face the challenge of staying current with the ever-expanding range of options. Every time you initiate a campaign, it seems like there’s a new set of tools to master!

However, some of these features aren’t so easy to spot. In this article, I’ll be revealing five remarkable yet well-hidden Facebook advertising features that you likely wouldn’t stumble upon easily, as they’re tucked away within the depths of the Facebook Ads Manager and Fan Page Publishing Tool.

Let’s dive in:

Hidden Gem #5: Free Stock Images at Your Disposal!

This feature streamlines the ad creation process, and who doesn’t appreciate increased efficiency?

When creating an ad, you gain access to a searchable library of thousands of free stock images.

While this image library is powered by Shutterstock, there’s an important caveat: not all images comply with Facebook’s advertising guidelines. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with these guidelines and choose your images carefully to prevent your ads from being rejected due to technicalities, such as the 20% text rule on Ad Images.

Hidden Gem #4: The Power of Relevance Score

The Relevance Score is a crucial metric for Facebook advertisers, yet it’s surprisingly hidden!

Think of Relevance Score as Facebook’s counterpart to Google’s Quality Score for AdWords. It influences both the frequency of your ad’s display and the cost per engagement.

Facebook considers various factors when determining your Relevance Score, including positive and negative feedback received through video views, clicks, comments, likes, and other ad interactions. Negative actions, such as users hiding your ad or reporting it, also negatively impact your score.

To check your Relevance Score for an ad or ad set, navigate to “Customize Columns” and select “Relevance Score” from the available options.

Strangely enough, this option is unchecked by default. Why Facebook wouldn’t readily display such a critical metric remains a mystery.

Hidden Gem #3: Extend Page Invitations via Email

This feature is incredibly well-hidden, taking considerable effort to locate.

Inviting your email contacts to like your Facebook Page can be incredibly beneficial. To do so, click on the “…” button (as shown below) and select “Invite Email Contacts.” (That part is surprisingly straightforward!)

Upon selecting “Invite Email Contacts,” a pop-up window will present you with various integration options for importing your contacts.

However, there are a couple of limitations. Firstly, you’re restricted to uploading a maximum of 5,000 contacts per day. Secondly, Facebook might already be suggesting your Page to your contacts who use the platform. You have the choice to email them regardless; however, if you’re already appearing in their Recommended Pages, consider it a bonus of free advertising!

Hidden Gem #2: Schedule Your Facebook Posts

This handy feature is nestled within the “Publishing Tools” tab and proves particularly useful for Promoted Posts.

Forget about third-party tools like Hootsuite or Buffer; you can schedule Facebook posts directly within the platform. You can even backdate posts to make them appear earlier on your timeline.

This feature is especially valuable for larger teams where different individuals handle content creation and social media advertising.

And the Top Hidden Gem: Unveiling the Competition

Tucked away at the bottom of the Facebook Insights page lies a gem that allows you to analyze the likes, posts, and engagement of other Pages. These could be your partners, competitors, or even your friends.

For instance, you can see that HubSpot gained 320,000 new Page Likes last week (not suspicious at all, right?) and published five posts with 158 engagements.

This report provides insights into optimal posting frequency and benchmarks your social media performance against real-world data.

These impressive Facebook features can provide a competitive edge, even if Facebook doesn’t make them easy to find.

This post was originally published at Social Media Examiner. It is republished here with permission.