How to Use The Story Angle To Write Better Facebook Ads

Before you start writing your next Facebook ad, you need to know about copy angles.
A copy angle is a different viewpoint that you can use to sell a product or service to your target audience based on what appeals to them.
I've always been very familiar with copy angles but I actually got this from Frank Kern, the most sought-after internet marketing consultant and copywriter on the planet.
He talks about 4 types of copy angles, which are:
- 1The Story Angle
- 2The How-To Angle
- 3The Counter Angle
- 4The Straight Sale Angle
In today’s post, we’ll focus on the story angle
The story angle
This angle is based on storytelling.
It’s one of the most powerful ways to structure your copy because people connect best to stories.
So if you’ve got a great story to share, use it in your copy. Make it personable, memorable and entertaining.
You’re building trust with your audience. So don’t make stuff up. Use real stories that relate to the copy you’re writing.
The 6-step framework of the story angle includes:
- 1Cliffhanger Headline
- 2Introduction
- 3Backstory
- 4Discovery/Intro to Offer
- 5Benefits/Results
- 6CTA
To better illustrate this framework, I’ll include snippets from this Secret Trick Ad from Green Tree Press. It’s a print ad that ran in 1989 and utilizes this story angle perfectly.
1. Cliffhanger headline
You know when you’re watching a TV show and the episode ends in such heavy suspense that you just have to, NEED TO, know what happens next?
That is the power of the cliffhanger.
A cliffhanger is something with a strong element of suspense. It leaves you with a crazy urge of wanting to know what comes next.
That’s what your headline should do. It should grab your reader’s attention and make them want to continue reading to find out more.
Like the ad’s headline:
That headline is hard to ignore. It sets the tone for a very good story. You immediately want to find out more about this ex-husband and the secret trick played on him.
2. Introduction
What follows after is the introduction.
Here’s where you introduce the character of your story, whether that’s you or someone else. You introduce their struggles to make them relatable to the reader.
Use this section to start building a rapport with your audience. Show them that you’re just like them, that you’ve been there and you know how it feels.
In the print ad, we get introduced to the character, Leslie McClennahan, and her struggles with weight.
The target audience, people who are overweight, would know exactly what that feels like.
3. Backstory
After the introduction, you dive straight into the backstory. This is where you tell your story as you set the stage for the discovery.
Build a rapport with you audience. Detail your journey and all the struggles you went through. You want them to empathize with you. You want them to be like, “Yeah, I understand exactly what you mean.”
Like Leslie says in the ad:
What she goes through is sad. The reader feels for her and hopes that she finds a solution.
4. Discovery
Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel. After all the hurdles you’ve taken you readers through, there’s a positive turn. You discover the magic pill that fixes everything.
This discovery is the thing you’re selling/promoting. And you explain how it changed your life for the best.
Like Leslie discovered a unique new weight loss program:
5. Benefits/results
This is where you answer the question, “Why did this thing work when everything else had failed?”
Highlight all the benefits and results you accomplished from using this life-changing discovery.
Be honest and specific. Address all the objections that may come up. Basically if there’s a statement where the reader would go, “Yeah, but how?” address that immediately.
For Leslie, the program worked because she was always eating. Naturally, people would wonder, how can you eat so much and still lose weight?
As you’ll see below, she addresses the objection with facts. Then she goes on to list all the incredible benefits of this program:




If you have testimonials from people who’ve found success with your product, include them here. This solidifies the fact that this product actually works. Real people have used it and it’s yielded them results.


6. CTA
And finally, the call to action. This is where you close the sale. You ask the reader to buy the product you’re selling.
State the price of the product, the guarantees, and how the reader can buy the product. Even better, add an exclusivity aspect to give people a sense of urgency.
You could say the product is only available for a couple of days or to the first 100 people to sign up. Whatever it is to get people to buy as soon as possible.
For Leslie, the exclusivity is that it’s the first time the program is available outside of a clinical setting.
CONCLUSION
That concludes the story angle breakdown. Did you find this useful?
In the next post, we’ll talk about the second copy angle, the How-To angle. This angle is one of the classics. So if you don’t have a good story to use in the story angle, not to worry. The how-to angle might be perfect for you. So stay tuned for that.
Now, I have a question for you.
Do you sell high ticket products and services and would like my help in implementing these strategies that I’m sharing with you? If so, please click this button below to apply for a complimentary 1:1 consultation with me.