The Best Facebook Ads for Mother's Day Flowers

THIS WEEK’S FODDER
☀️ Good Morning

You’re reading Marketing Fodder. A newsletter dedicated to helping you improve your Facebook and Instagram ads. Here’s what we’re serving up today:

1. 1-800-Flowers

2. The Bouqs

3. Farmgirl Flowers

4. Freshcut Paper

5. UrbanStems

What do these companies have in common? They all sell flowers, and because Mother’s Day is coming up, we’re taking a look at how these companies market their flowers to their target customers through Facebook ads.

STARTER
Quick Bites:

• Google’s March 2024 Core Update, which crushed a large number of niche sites, finished rolling out on April 19. But, Google didn’t tell until April 26 (Read more)

• Google’s new Search spam policy—targeting “parasite SEO”— takes effect after May 5 (Read more)

• Google will automatically pause low-activity keywords starting in June. Low-activity means no impressions in the past 13 months (Read more)

MAIN
Mother’s Day Flowers

What’s so interesting about fresh cut flowers?

According to Grand View Research, the global cut flowers market size is estimated to be 37.45 billion (USD). The U.S. cut flowers market looks like this:

Collectively, Americans purchase about 10 million cut flowers a day.

How I Analyze Facebook Ads

A great Facebook ad communicates the benefits of the product or service, not solely the features. Features are cool, but customers really care about what those features do for them (the benefit). So, ideally, a Facebook ad communicates how the features of a product or service create a result or transformation for the customer (the benefit).

Alright, let’s see how these companies market their flowers:

#1: 1-800-Flowers

The Good:

• What does this ad do well? It creates a sense of urgency for the viewer, reminding them that Mother’s Day is on May 12.

• Using the phrase, “…but don’t wait much longer” with a worried emoji face helps the ad feel more conversational and not as corporate.

• This ad has multiple versions that use a different image of a bouquet. This is an effective way to boost sales/conversions because different colors and arrangements will appeal to different people.

The Bad:

• The benefit of sending flowers is implied rather than stated explicitly. This ad could be stronger by saying something like, “there’s still time to put a smile on Mom’s face,” which would convey the benefit of having flowers delivered on time.

The Recommendation:

• Focus on testing different iterations of the Primary text with the goal of conveying the benefit (making mom feel good).

• The image looks nice, but it doesn’t reenforce why someone would buy flowers from this brand. Having a picture of a smiling mom holding flowers instead of flowers sitting on a table is worth testing.

#2: The Bouqs

The Good:

• What this ad does well is positioning a more expensive offer (a subscription) as a way for the potential customer to go beyond what everyone else does for Mother’s Day.

  • By saying, “She deserves more than just one day,” the ad makes the idea of buying a three-month flower subscription enticing rather than off-putting.

The Bad:

• The image doesn’t help reenforce the message of the Primary text, which is that mom deserves more than one day. The flowers look decent in the image, but a smiling mom would likely boost this ad’s CTR.

The Recommendation:

• I would test a quote or review in the Primary text. Social proof is an effective way to win over a skeptical viewer.

• Test different background colors in the image, try something darker and something lighter to see if there’s a difference in CTR.

• Adding some urgency could help as well, putting something like, “Don’t Wait, Order Today” in the description section could help hesitant consumers make a purchase.

#3: Farmgirl Flowers

The Good:

• This is an example of a carousel ad, which is a great option if you want your target customer to see the different product versions and/or options you have available for them. Giving each bouquet a memorable name, like “Mum Hit Wonder” is a great way to stand out from the competition.

• Using “WOW-worthy” and the emojis in the Primary text are a great way to stop people from scrolling past the ad.

The Bad:

• The images of the flowers feel a little distant in this carousel format. Having close-ups of the flowers may be more effective.

The Recommendation:

• Test a carousel of images with a mom holding the flower vase, so the target customer can visualize handing the flowers to their loved one.

• Test variations of the Primary text, including a quote from a happy customer.

• Emphasize the benefit of sending flowers: making your mom feel special.

#4: Freshcut Paper

The Good:

• First, the product itself is great because it’s a fresh flowers alternative, immediately making it stand out in the crowded market of Mother’s Day gifts.

• What this ad does well is explaining why these paper flowers are better than real flowers: no wilting, no fading, no lost petals, and no watering.

The Bad:

• The Primary text doesn’t spell out the benefit of buying these flowers. It says, “Bring the beauty of the botanical world to a loved one this Mother’s Day,” which isn’t the main reason why people buy flowers for their loved ones.

• The way the person in the image is holding the paper flowers feels stiff.

The Recommendation:

• Make the benefit of buying these paper flowers clear. The features of this gift (no wilting, no lost petals, no watering etc.) are intriguing, but the benefit of a product is the real reason that people decide to buy. In this case, the benefit would be the same as real flowers: making mom feel special. So, I recommend focusing on how the paper flowers will bring a smile to mom’s face for years to come, unlike the typical bouquet.

• The image also needs some work. I would try different angles, and backgrounds as well.

#5: UrbanStems

The Good:

• The quote used in this ad mentions removing “worry” from the process of picking out flowers. This is a powerful way to communicate the benefit of using this particular brand to order flowers.

• The image does a great job of making the quote believable because the flowers in it look exceptional, and there’s a sense of feeling relaxed.

The Bad:

• The quote is effective, but more text is needed to explain why ordering from this brand is the best choice. Some customers need a little more convincing before they decide to buy.

The Recommendation:

• Address more concerns and doubts that potential customer might have. Adding information about shipping speed, freshness, and quality can help the viewer make a decision.

• Test having text overlayed on the image, something like, “Make Her Smile,” could help convey the benefit in a simple way.

Meme of the Week: