Steal my Reels Script Formulas for Your FB Ads:
I've been spending a lot more time - and money - testing Reels placements lately for both backlist and launch campaigns for various authors. And what I've learned is this - If you're a romance author running ads for your books on Meta and you aren't using Reels as a placement (on both FB and Insta) then you really should be. Here's why:
Reels serves a younger audience. 70% of the audience being served ads in my Reels campaigns are ages 25-44. This is much younger than the audience for Feed campaigns, where 60-80% of the static image feed ads for the same books are being served to aged 45-65+. Adding Reels as a placement opens up an entirely new audience on Meta that would likely never see your ads otherwise. And if you write to a younger crowd, then Reels are likely the key to getting in front of your target audience.
Clicks are much cheaper. In campaigns that have spent over $10,000, clicks on Reels tend to be 50% cheaper than static feed images (even blank images of stock models, which tend to get the cheapest feed clicks). At the same time, conversion does tend to be 30-40% lower on Reels ads. But when the clicks are so cheap, you don't need great conversion. For example, in one campaign I'm running, my Static feed ads are converting at 6% with an average CPC of $0.40 for a Cost-Per-Acquisition of $9.12. On the other hand, the Reels for that campaign are converting at 2.7% with a $0.15 CPC for a Cost-Per-Acquisition of $5.36. That's almost twice as efficient as the static ads.
Reels can scale. I've been cautious about dialing up spend on my Reels campaigns, but recently I've gotten several of them up to $400/day and higher without a severe decline in performance. That campaign with the 2.7% conversion I mentioned above has already spent more than $12,000 in the past 30 days and is still holding up incredibly well.
So all that being said, I went ahead and analyzed the script structures and beats of my highest-performing reels ads to date, and turned them into templates that you can use for your own books:
(Please keep in mind that all of these are meant to be Second-Person POV (addressing "You") and by "Cards" I mean the caption cards that appear on screen over whatever footage is running in the background).
15 Second, 5-Card Script:
Hook: Present a powerful, attention-grabbing scenario or dilemma involving the protagonist.
Characters: Briefly introduce both the main character and the love interest, highlighting their key traits or the central conflict between them.
Complication: Reveal a major obstacle or twist that threatens their relationship or intensifies the plot.
Emotional Peak: Show the highest point of emotional tension or a crucial decision point for the characters.
Cliffhanger & Call-to-Action: End with a tantalizing question or unresolved situation, then prompt viewers to read the book to discover what happens.
30 Second 10-Card Script:
Hook: Introduce a shocking or intriguing situation involving the protagonist, illustrating the main tropes of the novel if possible.
Protagonist: Briefly describe the main character (MC) and their initial state (a quick snapshot of the main character at the beginning of the story. This description should give viewers a clear, concise impression of who the protagonist is and what their life situation is like when the story begins).
Love Interest: Introduce the love interest via their tropes (billionaire, single dad, workplace rival, etc) and hint at the central conflict.
First Meeting: Describe the first encounter between the MC and love interest.
Complication: Present a major obstacle or conflict in their relationship.
Emotional Turmoil: Show the MC's internal struggle or dilemma.
Turning Point: Introduce a significant event that changes the course of the story.
Climax: Present the most intense moment of conflict or decision.
Resolution Tease: Hint at how the conflict might be resolved, without giving it away.
Call-to-Action: Prompt viewers to read the book to find out what happens.
60 second 15-card Script:
Hook: Start with a shocking or intriguing situation involving the protagonist.
Protagonist: Briefly describe the main character (MC) and their initial state (a quick snapshot of the main character at the beginning of the story. This description should give viewers a clear, concise impression of who the protagonist is and what their life situation is like when the story begins).
MC's Goal: State what the MC wants or needs at the start of the story.
Love Interest: Introduce the love interest with a compelling detail that highlights their tropes.
First Meeting: Describe the first encounter between the MC and love interest.
Attraction: Hint at the chemistry or tension between them.
Complication: Present a major obstacle or conflict in their relationship.
Emotional Turmoil: Show the MC's internal struggle or dilemma.
Secondary Character: Introduce a supporting character who impacts the plot.
Rising Action: Describe an event that escalates the central conflict.
Turning Point: Introduce a significant event that changes the course of the story.
Character Growth: Hint at how the MC or love interest has changed.
Climax: Present the most intense moment of conflict or decision.
Resolution Tease: Hint at how the conflict might be resolved, without giving it away.
Call-to-Action: Prompt viewers to read the book to find out what happens.
While I think Reels are a powerful new channel to market books on Facebook, I don't think they are a replacement for Feed ads completely. However, I'm more bullish on Reels than I've ever been before, and I believe that a campaign that is balanced between reels and static feed images - in whatever way works best for your brand - can open your books up to new audiences and make your ads run more efficiently than ever.
Hopefully you can use these script templates to craft Reels ads for your books that perform as well as the ads I've been running in my campaigns. Good luck and happy testing!