As one of the more effective ways to build a community on the ever-growing platform, Facebook ads have grown in popularity recently. And, as a result, writing the headlines and copy for these ads has become somewhat of an art form–much like a copywriter writes headlines for an ad that will appear in Esquire or Sports Illustrated.

The next time you sit down and brainstorm ideas for how to write your next Facebook ad, consider these four tips:

Ask a question. One of the most effective ways to engage fans on your page is asking a question. That same rule holds true with ads. Lead with a question, tease it a bit in the body copy and encourage viewers to “like” you or visit your Web site.

Use unique characters in your headlines. With only 25 characters for your headline, you don’t have much wiggle room. Think about using unique characters to communicate concepts/ideas that usually take more words. I’m talking characters like “=”, “>” and “-”. All can help shorten your headline without compromising meaning.

Focus on the benefit. One of the bigger keys to writing effective Facebook ads is to think like an advertising copywriter. These people get paid to think in terms of customer benefits. What’s in it for your customer or the people you’re targeting? What will they receive by following you? What problems does your product or service solve? How can your product or service make their life easier or save them time? Benefit statements resonate with customers. Talk in those terms and you’ll be fine.

Hyper-target your headline. With the demographic data Facebook has on its users, you have a great opportunity with these ads to target to very specific niches. Want to reach reach women ages 25-34? No problem. And, don’t forget to alter your headline and body copy accordingly. Maybe you have 3 different ads for a single campaign–all targeted at different demographics using the same general concept. Facebook gives you the tools to do this–take full advantage.

If you’ve written Facebook ads in the past, what tips could you share?

Note: The Facebook ad above is an ad for Select Comfort, a client of ACH Communications.