Running Facebook ads can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark. You meticulously target your audience, craft compelling copy, and design eye-catching visuals. But then… nothing. Just a few lonely clicks trickling in as your hard-earned budget goes down the drain.

What went wrong? You were so sure you had nailed the right prospects this time. Facebook has a little metric that might shed some light on this: the relevance score.

The Relevance Score Revealed

Your relevance score is Facebook’s way of grading how well your ad resonates with its intended audience. It’s based solely on the level of positive engagement (clicks, comments, shares, etc.) your ad receives from the target people.

The higher your relevance score, the more Facebook will prioritise showing your ad. That means more eyeballs and better cost-efficiency. A low score, on the other hand, signals that your ad missed the mark – and Facebook will bury it in the newsfeed graveyard.

As this example shows, the exact ad copy can get vastly different scores just by switching up the targeting:

So, how do you crack the relevance score code? Here are four tips:

Get Laser-Focused with Your Targeting

Don’t just cast a wide net and hope for the best. The more granular and accurate your targeting, the higher your relevance score will be. Leverage tools like custom audiences, Facebook Audience Insights, and precise interest/demographic filters to hone in on your ideal prospects.

Keep Your Message Clear and Compelling

Confusing or complicated ad copy is the fast track to a dismal relevance score. Your message needs to be clear and concise and give people a motivating reason to engage. Take a page from Villas.com, which asks users to share photos for a chance to win big.

Rotate You’re Creative Regularly

Even the catchiest ad will start wearing thin after it’s been shown to people too many times. That’s why it’s crucial to cycle in fresh creative and copy variations once engagement starts to drop off. Keeping your ads feeling new and relevant is critical.

Add Clickable CTAs

Those little call-to-action buttons at the bottom of Facebook ads may seem small, but they pack a punch. A simple “Learn More” or “Sign Up” CTA gives your audience a clear focal point for engagement. Don’t skip this step!

Watch and Learn

To gain a better understanding of relevance scores and how to improve them, check out this helpful video: