Ever felt like you're shouting into the void when running your ad campaigns? You're not alone.
Picture this: you've got a killer product, but you're running on fumes trying to whip up fresh creative content.
Your A/B testing? Limited by the handful of creatives you've managed to produce. And just when you think it can't get more challenging, in comes the ghost of iOS 14, haunting your personalization efforts with its signal loss.
Oh, and let's not even talk about the time-sink that campaign management becomes or the vanilla vibes of basic Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs).
But here's the silver lining: localized ads.
They're like that personalized touch, making your audience feel seen and understood. It sounds dreamy, and it works. But, of course, it comes with its own set of challenges.
Stick around, though, because we're about to dive deep into the world of ad localization and how it might just be the answer to your performance marketing woes.
Definition of Ad Localization
Ever watched a movie in another language and relied on subtitles to understand? Now, imagine those subtitles being not just a literal translation but rewritten in a way that captures the essence, jokes, and cultural references that make sense to you. That's what ad localization feels like.
At its core, ad localization is about tailoring your ad content to fit like a glove with the language, culture, and specific preferences of a target audience in a distinct region or country.
But let's be clear - it's not just swapping out words for their equivalent in another language. No, it's about understanding and embedding the subtleties of local traditions, capturing the heartbeat of cultural norms, and acknowledging the unique buyer behavior prevalent in that region.
Think of it like this: It's one thing to say "hello" to someone. But it's a whole different ballgame to greet them in their native language, acknowledging their local customs, perhaps with a nod, a bow, or a handshake.
That's the magic of ad localization. It doesn’t just talk at your audience; it converses with them on their terms.
Difference between geo-targeting and ad localization
While both geo-targeting and ad localization focus on specific audience segments, they differ significantly.
Geo-targeting is about delivering ads to users based on their geographic location. In contrast, ad localization dives deeper, not just targeting users based on their location but also tailoring the ad content to resonate with the local culture, language, and societal norms.
Imagine you're running an online bakery. If you decide to offer your delicious croissants to people living in Paris and New York, targeting those specific cities, you're using geo-targeting. You're basically saying, "Hey, people of Paris and New York, here's a treat for you!" It's all about reaching out based on where they're located.
But now, let's kick things up a notch. What if, for the Parisians, you advertise those croissants with a lovely sunrise scene by the Seine, invoking memories of local morning rituals? And for New Yorkers, you emphasize that flaky, on-the-go breakfast to enjoy amidst their morning rush?
That is ad localization. You're not just shouting out to a location; you're connecting with the people there, speaking their language, and tapping into their unique lifestyles and emotions.
Benefits of Ad Localization for Paid Social
Localized ads are more than just a trend—they bring tangible results. But don't just take our word for it—let's break down the game-changing benefits with some hard numbers and compelling reasons.
Skyrocketing Conversion Rates
Localized ads can boost conversion rates.
Why?
Because when your audience sees content tailored to their local culture and language, it resonates more deeply. They feel seen, understood, and valued, which nudges them closer to that all-important 'buy' button. It's the difference between generic outreach and a personalized conversation.
Consumer Preference for Native Language Content
Think about where you spend most of your time online. Chances are, it's on websites that 'speak' your language, right? Well, you're not alone. A staggering 76% of consumers gravitate towards websites presented in their native tongue. In fact, 65% prefer content in their language, even if it’s poor quality. And if you don’t offer native language content, 40% will not buy from those websites.
It's all about comfort, comprehension, and connection. By offering localized content, you're aligning with the majority's preferences, giving your brand a significant edge in the crowded digital landscape.
Boosted Engagement Rates on Social Platforms
If increased conversion rates and consumer preference aren't convincing enough, consider this: companies diving into the ad localization pool witness a surge in engagement rates on their social media platforms. That means more likes, shares, comments, and, crucially, more meaningful interactions with potential customers. When your content truly connects, it's not just seen—it's engaged with.
And in the world of social media marketing, engagement is golden.
Step by step: How to localize ads on Meta: Facebook & Instagram
The first step to localization is to get the ad set up right. Then, you’ll have to focus on the ad production.
STEP 1: Set up the ad on Meta
On Meta, there are a few different ways you can achieve localization — either by choosing the right location to target, or setting up multilingual ads, or uploading a country or language feed to localize your ads.
1. How to Set Location-Based Targeting in Meta Ads
1. Setting the Stage: Before diving into location targeting, ensure you've got a campaign ready. Head to Meta Ads Manager and:
- Choose a campaign objective for your ad set.
- Navigate to "Audience" and select your source.
- Proceed to "Locations" and follow the provided steps.
2. Selecting Locations: While location targeting is powerful, pinpoint accuracy isn't always guaranteed.
A heads-up: Sometimes ads appear organically, leading to engagement from users outside your chosen region. But don't fret; you're not billed for such preview impressions. Remember, the location criteria you set will target those living in or recently visiting that area, optimizing reach within your chosen timeframe.
3. Entering Your Desired Location: Simply type in countries, cities, or regions in the given box. For precision, input one location at a time. To target numerous areas, consider a bulk upload.
You can target:
- Countries (max 25)
- States
- Provinces
- Cities (max 250)
- Congressional districts
- Postcodes (max 50,000)
Depending on your campaign goals, you might opt for broader areas, such as continents or entire geographic regions.
4. Browsing Location Suggestions: Unsure of which location to target? Click on "Browse" for country and region recommendations or to pull up your saved locations. Entering a country's name can also yield high-population city suggestions.
5. Define Location Radius: The location box will showcase a 'radius pindrop'—a visual guide highlighting areas within a broader region. You can:
- Use "Drop pin" and zoom to modify the area.
- Select a location from the box's dropdown and utilize the slider to adjust the distance.
2. How to Set Up Multi-language Ads with One Campaign
You can effortlessly target a diverse audience with a single ad campaign. Meta ensures your budget is maximized by showcasing your ads to the right audience, in their language, exactly when it counts.
Steps to Craft a Multi-language Ad:
Getting Started:
- Head to Ads Manager.
- Click on "Campaigns" and then select "+ Create."
Selecting Your Objective:
- Pick an ad objective that aligns with your end goal.
- Click "Continue" and provide a name for your campaign.
Determining Conversion Location:
- Choose where you want the conversion to happen. Note: Some goals restrict multi-language ad creation to specific conversion locations. Here's a breakdown:
- For Engagement: Choose "On your ad" with "Video views" or "Website."
- For Leads: Go with "Website."
- For Sales: Also opt for "Website."
Fine-tuning Ad Details:
- Define Audience, Placements, and Budget.
- Choose an ad format: either Single image or Single video. Add your creative flair next.
- Input ad text, links, and select a call-to-action from the available options.
Incorporating Multiple Languages:
- Navigate to the "Languages" section and click "Add languages."
- Choose your primary language. Then, add up to 48 more languages.
- Customize the Headline, Primary text, and even the image for each language. You also have the option to leverage automatic translations, if available.
- Pro-tip: For certain objectives like traffic, engagement, leads, or sales, you can assign a unique website URL for each language. If not, the same URL applies across languages.
Finalizing:
- Hit "Save" and then "Confirm."
3. How to Upload a Country or Language Feed for Your Catalog
Localize your catalog by using country or language feeds. These feeds equip your catalog with localized item details like pricing in various currencies or descriptions in multiple languages. Once added to Commerce Manager, this ensures your ads or shop showcase the right data based on the viewer's location or language.
Preparation:
- Prepare Your Feed: Create a feed with localized prices and details for diverse countries and languages. Supported formats are CSV, TSV, Google Sheets, and XML (RSS/ATOM).
- Scheduled Feed Setup (Optional): For automatic updates at set intervals, store your file on platforms like Google Sheets or a file hosting service and note the URL.
Steps to Upload Your Feed:
- Accessing Commerce Manager: Navigate to Commerce Manager and select your desired catalog.
- Navigating to Data Sources: Head to the catalog tab, then to Data sources.
- Adding the Feed: Under 'Country and language feeds,' choose 'Add new feed'. Click on 'Upload feed'.
- Selecting Feed Type: Opt for 'Country feed' or 'Language feed,' based on your requirement.
- Choosing Upload Option:
- For a direct file upload from your device, pick 'File upload' and continue with the on-screen prompts.
- To automate regular updates, choose 'Scheduled feed'. Provide the direct link to your stored file (should start with http, https, ftp, or sftp).
- If using Google Sheets, select that option and provide the spreadsheet link. Ensure sharing settings are on 'Anyone with the link.'
- Naming and Saving: Label your feed and finalize with 'Save feed and upload.'
You're done! Your catalog now boasts localized item information. Find your recently added feed in 'Data sources' under 'Country and language feeds.'
Viewing Localized Info for Items: To preview how localized details appear for an item, visit the 'Items' tab. Click on an item with localized info to access its product page. Use the drop-downs to select a country or language and see the tailored information for that choice.
Step 2: Create, design, and launch
The second step is to create the right set of creatives to engage your audience and deliver a positive ROI on your campaign.
Manual: Recommend for a few locations
If you’re running a campaign targeting only a few locations, create contextualized copy and creatives and then deliver those ads through Facebook.
Automation: Recommended for multiple locations
Dynamic Creative: Facebook’s dynamic creative lets you upload ad elements that the platform combines in various combinations to deliver the best-performing ads to the right audience. This drives up engagement and mitigates ad fatigue.
But for this to work at scale, you will need to use dynamic creative for each ad per location. So, while the platform can combine ad elements, you will still need to create a lot of creatives.
[BONUS] AI tools for better DPAs
Our amazing Background Removal feature, designed specifically for eCommerce products, removes backgrounds from product photos with great accuracy.
Our AI model analyzes the product image, detecting the objects by identifying lines, edges, and colors. Then it creates a precise mask around each object using those features, just like a Photoshop layer. Finally, it applies the mask and generates a high-quality PNG output, automating all the hard work needed for background removal.
This tool is ideal for major eCommerce companies, especially for fashion apparel and furniture brands with vast product catalogs.
Another notable feature, Product Image Dynamic Analysis, comes with a Color Discovery function that harmonizes ad designs by recommending color palettes consistent with the product.
Additionally, the Dynamic Layout Adjustments tool caters to varying image dimensions, ensuring optimum product placement. These tools not only elevate the aesthetics of ads but also heighten brand perception, making them especially beneficial for sectors like fashion, apparel, and electronics.
As Hunch remains committed to continuous improvement, we’re offering an exclusive AI Lab beta program, giving users access to next-gen dynamic templates at no extra cost.
Key Features:
- AI-powered Background Removal for enhanced product imagery.
- Product Image Dynamic Analysis with:
- Color Discovery: Harmonizes ad designs.
- Dynamic Layout Adjustments: Adapts to varied image dimensions.
The problems with ad localization on Facebook
When running multiple location campaigns on Paid Social, two main problems arise:
- Creating deliveries for all the ad sets
- Contextualizing creatives for each location
Both these tasks are time and resource-intensive. For example, if you want to contextualize your ads for the locations you’re targeting, you need to design creatives manually and painstakingly replace each element to localize it.
That’s a whole lot of design and copy work. Your time to production and launch is high. The more products you have and locations you want to target, the more your time and cost investments rise.
This effectively prevents you from running a time-sensitive campaign. As a result, it’s hard to make changes to your existing campaigns. For instance, if you’re using weather data in your campaign to engage your audience, the constant changes require approval from Facebook before you can deliver them.
And that’s not all. The best way to increase your ROAS is to cycle creatives, but you can’t effectively do that, given how long it takes to localize creatives.
The other issue is a result of the iOS updates.
Broad targeting was once the cornerstone of Meta's marketing recommendations.
However, issues like the iOS signal loss severely impacted ad performance, leading to a notable decrease in Facebook's advertising effectiveness and a slump in digital ad spending growth from 29.8% in 2021 to 8.5% in 2022. This decline was attributed to a mix of creative ad fatigue, heightened competition for attention, and changing user behaviors.
As a response to these challenges, Meta introduced the Advantage+ shopping campaigns, which are grounded in enhanced modeling, AI, and optimization. These campaigns emphasize the crucial role of creative quality, which now determines 56% of a campaign's sales ROI.
The Advantage+ initiative merges machine learning with fewer inputs and offers simplified audience options. It also permits the blending of static and dynamic product ads, automatically testing up to 150 creative combinations to identify the best performers.
Hunch's solution counters ad fatigue by merging static imagery with dynamic elements, enhancing ad design and engagement.
Hunch's Offerings:
- With the Hunch Creative Studio, marketers and designers can enhance product ads, use custom fields in creatives, and create custom dynamic templates.
- Hunch allows the testing of up to 20 templates per catalog in a single campaign.
- Automated creative for Advantage+ will offer varied formats like product videos and slideshows for testing.
- Ad insertion through Hunch lets marketers connect existing Advantage+ campaigns with new engaging Hunch ads.
The solution to run multiple campaigns: creative automation
The answer to these problems is to marry creative automation and ad localization. Creative automation platforms like Hunch can drastically reduce your production and launch time and manage your ad strategy all in one platform.
With Hunch, you can run time-based ads, weather ads, geotargeted and multi-lingual ads with ease.
Hunch has a 4 step framework - Connect, Design, Launch, and Optimize.
1. Connect your feed
The first step is to connect your data feed with custom fields. Think product catalogs, flight data, car availability, audience, or locations. You can connect your Google Feed, CRM, or upload a CSV or XML, or third-party data.
Note: Feed items can be modified either dynamically or manually.
2. Design your ads
Hunch’s powerful platform lets you create smart and scalable templates both for images and videos. You can either have single or multiple templates.
Items in the data feed are associated with an image based on the conditions you set. So instead of creating each ad manually, the platform combines individual ad elements to produce contextualized creatives instantly.
3. Launch your campaign
With your designs in place, ad campaigns are automatically created based on your feed. Based on your goals for the campaign, ad operations are carried out to produce thousands of personalized offers. You can also automate language localization for all your ads. Write a copy for one ad and let Hunch handle the rest.
4. Optimize your campaign
Make data-driven decisions to control your campaign’s performance to optimize ROAS, stop poor ads, control CPAs, rotate creatives, and boost cross-channel growth. Strategies are automated, combining human and machine workflows.
Automated ad localization: Why brands choose Hunch
Have you ever noticed how local ads seem to hit closer to home than the generic ones? Fjuz, this cool ad agency that uses Hunch, can vouch for that!
Jørgen Simensen, their former tech and performance whiz, mentioned,
"Local ads perform better than global ads. Hunch automated ads solution helped us to deliver localized experiences to hundreds of stores, while saving us tons of time"
But here's a tiny hiccup: Localizing ads without some tech magic can be a real pain.
Jørgen breaks it down for us:
“Let’s say you have 50 or 100 stores/locations. It wouldn’t be feasible to create one campaign/ad set manually for each location without automated ads. If you want to make a text/image change, you are stuck changing 50/100 variants manually. you can change texts and images in minutes with automated ads, no matter how many stores/locations you manage. the stores/locations could also have different products they want to promote, which are easy to manage through spreadsheets.”
Now, at Hunch, we do more than creative automation. We’ve got this whole workflow optimization thing going on.
So, why do brands dig Hunch?
Well, top-notch automation, better returns on ads, and a smoother workflow. And the cherry on top? Hunch isn’t just about social media ads. We also automate designs for other digital channels and have nifty custom solutions for delivering content feeds.
Want to put your localization on auto-pilot? Talk to one of our Paid Social experts today!
