We set out to to test the effectiveness of Facebook Carousel Ads for Sport Chalet, a sporting goods retailer with 50+ stores. A “Carousel Ad” unit displays multiple screens with different message/link sets users can slide through. We designed two ads to test products against content with a goal to maximize web link click through rates (CTR) above 2% at under $0.50 cost per click (CPC).

The “running” category was chosen for the test because it reached the broadest customer segment across a broad product selection. Running was also a successful topic on the Facebook page. Using Sport Chalet’s email list, we targeted customers with interests in running, marathons, and fitness. Since the shoe style had to be gender relevant, females were further segmented. The test resulted in content outperforming products by 0.58% CTR, at on average $0.07 less per click. Because product clicks are valued higher in the purchasing funnel than content, both ads are considered winners.