The Facebook Ad Strategy That Slashed Lead Costs by 75%

When it comes to running Facebook Ads, one of the biggest frustrations for businesses is high lead costs. You put money into an ad campaign, but if your cost per lead (CPL) is too high, it eats into your profits and leaves you wondering if the strategy is even worth it.

That’s exactly the challenge we faced with AmazingNewFace.ca, a Toronto-based aesthetics business offering treatments like HIFU skin tightening and facial rejuvenation. While Facebook Ads were bringing in leads, the cost per lead was hovering around $9-$10, making it an expensive investment.

Our goal? Cut that lead cost down—without sacrificing quality.

So, we ran a series of A/B tests and fine-tuned our approach, focusing on audience targeting, ad content, and language selection. The result?

A- 300+ leads in just two months
B- Reach (Fb and Insta): 35,000
C- Engagement:  2,873 (not Included DM)
D- Cost per lead dropped from $9-$10 to just $2.50-$3.50 (a 75% decrease!)

 

Key Takeaways from This Case Study

Targeting the right audience matters – Niche audiences convert better than broad ones.
Videos outperform static images – But adding a question to your visuals boosts engagement even more.
Language personalization works – Ads in Farsi with English captions performed best with Persian-speaking groups.
Community engagement is gold – Many leads came from ad comments, not direct clicks.
Testing & optimizing is key – Making small but strategic changes can drastically reduce costs.

Now, let’s dive into the exact steps we took to make this happen—so you can do it too!

 

Phase 1: The Initial A/B Test – Finding the Right Audience

 

When it comes to Facebook Ads, one of the most common mistakes businesses make is casting too wide of a net. Sure, a broad audience might mean more reach, but it doesn’t always translate into quality leads—and if your cost per lead is too high, you’re burning through ad spend without seeing real returns.

We knew that targeting the right audience was key, so we set up an A/B test to compare broad vs. niche targeting and see which approach would give us the best bang for our buck

 

Broad vs. Niche Targeting – Who Converts Best?

For our test, we created two versions of the same ad:

Ad 1 (Broad Audience): We targeted men and women (ages 25-65) within a 15-mile radius of the clinic, including all ethnicities. The goal was to reach as many people as possible who might be interested in aesthetic treatments.

Ad 2 (Niche Audience): This ad was laser-focused on Persian-speaking women (ages 25-65), narrowing the audience to a specific ethnic group that had already shown interest in similar treatments.

 

The Results – What Worked & What Didn’t?

After running the ads for a set period, we took a deep dive into the Meta Ads Manager data, and the results were eye-opening:

Ad 1 (Broad Targeting):
High reach – Our ad was seen by a large number of people.
Higher cost per lead – Despite the reach, we ended up paying more per lead because a large portion of the audience wasn’t actively interested in our services.

Why This Happened: Broad targeting, while increasing reach, often leads to a higher cost per lead because your ads are being shown to a large number of people who have no interest in your services. This dilutes your budget and lowers your conversion rate.

 Ad 2 (Niche Targeting):
Lower reach – The audience was smaller, but…
More engaged leads – The people who saw the ad were highly interested, leading to more conversions at a lower cost per lead.

Why Niche Targeting Works: Niche targeting is more effective because it allows you to focus your budget and messaging on a group of people with a higher probability of needing or wanting your services. This reduces wasted ad spend on people who are unlikely to convert. By targeting Persian-speaking women who had already shown interest in similar treatments, we tapped into an audience that was not only more likely to be interested in aesthetic treatments but also likely to respond positively to ads in their native language and cultural context.

Key Takeaway: More Reach ≠ More Conversions

Bigger isn’t always better. A broader audience might get your ad in front of more eyes, but if those people aren’t genuinely interested, you’ll be paying more for leads that won’t convert.

Niche targeting wins. By focusing on a specific audience (Persian-speaking women interested in beauty treatments), we were able to attract more qualified leads at a much lower cost.

Lesson learned? When running Facebook Ads, don’t just aim for high numbers—aim for the right numbers. Finding your ideal audience upfront will save you money, time, and frustration down the road.

Phase 2: Content Optimization – What Type of Ads Perform Best?

Once we nailed down who we were targeting, the next big question was: What type of content would grab their attention?

When people scroll through Facebook or Instagram, they’re bombarded with hundreds of ads. If your ad doesn’t stop them in their tracks, they’ll keep scrolling—and your budget gets wasted.

So, we set up another A/B test, this time focusing on content type: Videos vs. Images.

 

Video vs. Image Ads – Which Gets More Engagement?

For this test, we created two different types of ads:

Video Ads – Short, engaging clips explaining the benefits of HIFU and other treatments. Some videos featured client testimonials, while others showed a before-and-after transformation.

Image Ads – High-quality, professionally edited images showcasing treatments. Some had before-and-after comparisons, while others had a simple service description.

 

The Results – What Performed Best?

After running both ads and analyzing the Meta Insights, the results were crystal clear:

Videos Beat Static Images
Higher engagement – People spent more time watching and interacting with video ads.
More reactions & shares – Viewers engaged more with videos, leaving comments and tagging friends.
Better lead generation – More people clicked the ad and filled out a lead form compared to static images.

Why Video Works: Video ads are more engaging because they capture attention more effectively than static images. They allow you to showcase your services in a dynamic and visually appealing way, providing more information in a shorter amount of time. People spend more time watching videos, which increases brand exposure and the opportunity to connect

Not All Videos Performed the Same
Videos with a question in the thumbnail performed best – Example:
"What is HIFU? Is it better than Botox?"
This got far more clicks than just stating "We offer HIFU treatments."

Why Question Thumbnails Work: Videos with questions in the thumbnail perform exceptionally well because they tap into curiosity. People are naturally drawn to find answers, which encourages them to click and watch the video. This simple addition makes the video more clickable.

 Images with Before & After Comparisons Did Well
High engagement – People love seeing visual proof of results.
Best-performing text overlays – Images that included intriguing text like “See the difference in just one session” had higher engagement than plain text descriptions.

Poorly optimized images didn’t do well – Low-quality or generic images led to low engagement and wasted ad spend.

Why Before-and-Afters Work: Before-and-after comparisons are powerful because they provide visual proof of the effectiveness of your treatments. They build trust and credibility by demonstrating the tangible results you can achieve.

 

Key Takeaway: Video Wins, But Presentation Matters

Videos are king – But not just any video. Videos that ask a question or create curiosity perform the best.

 Images still work—but they need a hook – Before-and-after transformations and intriguing text overlays boost engagement.

Quality matters – Whether it’s an image or a video, low-quality visuals = low engagement.

Lesson learned? If you want more engagement, lower ad costs, and higher conversions, focus on high-quality videos and images that spark curiosity!

Want to implement these strategies for your business? Contact us for a free consultation and let us help you cut your lead costs

Phase 3: The Power of Language – Native vs. English Content

Now that we knew who we were targeting and what type of content performed best, we had another question:

What language should we use in our ads?

For AmazingNewFace.ca, a big part of our audience was Persian-speaking, but we also wanted to attract a wider audience in Toronto. So, we decided to test how language impacts engagement and conversions.

 

Native vs. English Content – Which Works Better?

We created two variations of our ads:

Farsi (Persian) Video Ads with English Captions – These ads spoke directly to Persian-speaking audiences in their native language, but included English subtitles so non-Persian speakers could still understand.

English Video Ads with Farsi Captions – These ads were in English, but included Farsi captions to make them more accessible to Persian speakers.

We also ran image ads in both Farsi and English to see which text format worked best.

 

The Results – What Language Drives More Conversions?

Persian-Language Videos Had the Highest Engagement
Stronger emotional connection – People responded better to ads in their native language.
More comments & shares – Persian-speaking viewers tagged friends, asked questions, and started discussions in the comments.
Higher conversion rate – These ads led to more leads at a lower cost.

Why Native-Language Content Works: Using a person's native language in ads creates a stronger emotional connection because it shows that you understand and respect their culture. This builds trust and makes them feel more comfortable engaging with your business. People are more likely to interact and share content that resonates with them on a personal level.

English-Language Videos with Farsi Captions Performed Well Too
Attracted a broader audience – These ads engaged both Persian and non-Persian viewers.
More diverse reach – While engagement wasn’t as high as the fully Persian ads, they still converted well.

Why English Captions on Persian Videos Work: Combining Persian videos with English captions allowed us to maximize reach and inclusivity. The Persian language created a strong connection with the target audience, while the English captions made the content accessible to a broader audience, increasing overall performance.

Farsi Text in Image Ads Didn’t Perform as Well
English text on images had higher engagement – Even within Persian-speaking groups, people responded better to English-written text over Farsi.

Why English Text on Image Ads Worked Better: Even when targeting a specific ethnic group, ads in English (rather than Farsi) performed better for text-based image ads. This is likely because English is widely understood and used in Toronto. It's possible that English text was seen as more professional or modern, or that it simply blended better with the visual aesthetic of the ads.

Key Takeaway: Speak to Your Audience in Their Language

Native-language content drives more engagement – If your target audience speaks a specific language, using it in your ads creates a stronger connection and lowers lead costs.

Captions create accessibility – Adding English captions to Persian videos allowed a wider audience to engage, leading to better overall performance.

Text choice matters – Even when targeting a specific ethnic group, ads in English (rather than Farsi) performed better for text-based image ads.

Lesson learned? If you want to increase engagement, build trust, and maximize conversions, using your audience’s native language can be a game-changer. 

 

Phase 4: Fine-Tuning & Scaling – Achieving 300+ Leads in Two Months

By this point, we had dialed in our audience, figured out which content worked best, and discovered that language personalization boosted engagement. But we weren’t done yet!

Now came the most exciting part: scaling our ads while keeping costs low and lead quality high.

Our goal? Turn this winning strategy into a lead-generating machine.

 

How We Dropped the Cost per Lead from $9-$10 to $2.50- $3.50

After fine-tuning our targeting and content, we scaled our ad spend while keeping a close eye on the data. Here’s what happened:

Month 1:
80 leads generated
Testing & refining ad performance

Month 2:
Total Reach: 35,000
Engagement: 2,873 ( DM is not included)
Over 300 leads generated
Cost per lead dropped from $9-$10 to just $2.50-$3.50

 

What Made the Biggest Impact?

Boosting High-Performing Ads – Instead of creating new ads, we increased the budget on the ads that were already working (Persian videos with English captions, videos with questions, and before-and-after images).

Why Boosting Works: Instead of spreading the budget across multiple ads, we focused on scaling the ads that had already proven to be effective. This allowed us to maximize our return on ad spend by investing in what was working.

Leveraging Engagement in Comments – We actively responded to comments on our ads, answering questions, providing more info, and encouraging leads to DM or call. This helped convert people who didn’t click the ad directly but were still interested.

Why Community Engagement is Crucial: Actively engaging in the comments section fostered a sense of community and trust. By answering questions and providing information, we built credibility and encouraged people to take the next step, even if they hadn't initially clicked on the ad directly.

Optimizing for Conversations, Not Just Clicks – Many leads came from the comment section rather than direct ad clicks. By fostering discussions, we turned engagement into conversions.

Using Retargeting to Bring Back Warm Leads – We re-targeted people who engaged with the ads but didn’t convert initially. Since they already showed interest, these warm leads converted at a much lower cost.

Why Retargeting is Cost-Effective: Retargeting warm leads is highly efficient because these users have already expressed interest in your services. They are more likely to convert, and the cost of re-engaging them is typically lower than acquiring entirely new leads.

 

Key Takeaway: Scaling Isn’t Just About Spending More—It’s About Spending Smarter

Scale what’s already working – Instead of experimenting with new ad types, double down on the winners.

Engagement = Conversions – Many of our leads came not from direct clicks, but from comment section interactions.

Retargeting converts warm leads faster – If someone engaged but didn’t convert, a simple follow-up ad can bring them back at a fraction of the cost.

Lesson learned? Scaling ads isn’t just about increasing the budget—it’s about fine-tuning every element of your campaign to get maximum results at minimum cost. 

Want to replicate these results for your business? Let’s craft a high-converting Facebook Ads strategy tailored to your audience.  Get in touch today! Let’s make your ads work smarter, not harder.

 

FAQs: Facebook and Instagram Ads

Question: "My Facebook leads are so expensive! How can I lower my cost per lead for Facebook Ads?"

• Answer: "It's a common frustration, and we totally get it! High lead costs can really eat into your budget. What we found super effective was focusing on who we were targeting. Instead of showing our ads to just anyone in a certain area, we narrowed it down to a specific group – Persian-speaking women interested in beauty treatments, in our case. This meant we weren't wasting money showing ads to people who weren't interested, which brought our cost per lead way down."  

2. Question: "Does Facebook advertising really work for getting leads, or is it a waste of money?"

• Answer: "Facebook Ads can definitely work for generating leads, but it's all about how you use them. We proved that in our case study! At first, our client was getting leads, but they were costing too much. By tweaking our strategy, we were able to get a lot more leads and, at a fraction of the cost. So, it's not a waste of money if you do it right."  

3. Question: "What are some effective strategies for targeting the right audience on Facebook Ads?"

• Answer: "Targeting is huge on Facebook. What really worked for us was niche targeting. Instead of going broad (like targeting everyone in a city), we focused on a specific demographic with shared interests. This helped us reach people who were actually interested in the treatments, which meant they were more likely to become leads."  

4. Question: "Should I use video or images for my Facebook Ads to get more engagement?"

• Answer: "We found that video ads outperformed images in pretty much every way. People watch them longer, interact with them more, and are more likely to click on them. But here's a tip: if you use video, try adding a question in the thumbnail. That really grabs people's attention!"  

5. Question: "How important is language in Facebook Ads, and should I use different languages to target different groups?"

• Answer: "Language is super important! We saw a big difference when we used people's native language. For example, our Persian-language video ads with English captions performed really well with Persian-speaking audiences. It created a stronger connection and got people talking. But English ads also have a place to reach a wider audience."  

6. Question: "Besides targeting and content, what else can I do to improve my Facebook Ad performance?"

• Answer: "Don't just set it and forget it! We got great results by actively managing our ads. This means responding to comments, answering questions, and engaging with people who interact with your ads. We also used retargeting, which is showing ads again to people who'd already shown interest. This is a very effective way to bring people back and convert them."  

7. Question: "What's the best way to scale Facebook Ads without increasing my costs too much?"

• Answer: "Scaling isn't just about spending more money. It's about being smart with your budget. We focused on boosting the ads that were already working well instead of trying a bunch of new things. We also kept a close eye on our data, so we could quickly adjust our strategy if needed."  

8. Question: "If I'm on a tight budget, how can I get the most out of my Facebook Ad campaigns?"

• Answer: "Even with a smaller budget, you can get good results! The key is to be really strategic. Niche targeting is your friend here – it lets you focus your spend on the people most likely to convert. Also, create engaging content (especially videos!), and don't be afraid to experiment to see what resonates with your audience."  

9. Question: "How do I know if my Facebook Ads are actually working?"

• Answer: "It's all about tracking the right metrics. Instead of just looking at how many people saw your ad (reach), focus on things like engagement (comments, shares) and, most importantly, conversions (leads and sales). In our case, we were able to directly link our ad strategy to a significant drop in cost per lead, which is a pretty clear indicator that it was working!"  

10. Question: "What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when advertising on Facebook?"

• Answer: "One of the biggest mistakes is definitely casting too wide a net with your targeting. Also, using low-quality or boring ads is a surefire way to waste money. And finally, ignoring engagement is a big no-no! You've got to interact with people who comment on your ads. Think of it as a conversation, not just a broadcast."  

Conclusion: Turning Strategy into Success

This campaign proved that cutting lead costs isn’t about spending more—it’s about spending smarter. By targeting the right audience, optimizing content, personalizing language, and fine-tuning our strategy, we turned a $9-$10 cost per lead into just $2.50-$3.50—a 75% reduction!

The biggest game-changers? Niche targeting, video ads with questions, native-language content, and leveraging engagement in comments. Instead of chasing vanity metrics like reach, we focused on real engagement and conversions—and the results speak for themselves: 300+ leads in just two months!

If you’re struggling with high ad costs and low-quality leads, the solution isn’t just running ads—it’s optimizing every piece of the puzzle.

Want to replicate these results for your business? Unlimitedexposure.com can help you craft a high-converting Facebook and Instagram Ads strategy tailored to your audience.

This case study demonstrates our expertise in optimizing Facebook and Instagram Ad campaigns to drive targeted leads and reduce costs. At Unlimitedexposure.com, a leading digital marketing agency in North york, Toronto, we offer a comprehensive suite of services to help local businesses like yours succeed online:

• Data-Driven Social Media Advertising: We leverage in-depth data analysis to create highly effective Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns that reach your ideal customers.

• Local SEO Optimization: We enhance your online visibility in local search results, ensuring potential customers find you when searching for " Your industry /services  near me."

• Voice Search Optimization: We optimize your online presence for voice search, making it easy for customers using voice assistants (like Siri and Google Assistant) to find your business.

• Engaging Short Video Marketing: We create compelling short videos for platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to capture attention, build brand awareness, and drive traffic.

• Multi-lingual Ad Campaigns: We connect with diverse audiences by creating ads in multiple languages, expanding your reach within your local community.

• A/B Testing and Optimization: We continuously test and refine your campaigns across all channels to maximize performance and ROI.

As your North york digital marketing partner, we understand the unique needs of local businesses. We combine proven strategies with a deep understanding of the local market to deliver exceptional results. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you grow your business.