Facebook Ads: a brief overview
It seems that Facebook has made it nearly impossible for a page to get noticed without purchasing ads. You basically have to have thousands of likes to receive any sort of return on your Facebook posts, and even then, it seems impossibly hard. So, you might be considering Facebook ads--well here's the run down!
Some people will swear up and down that a Facebook ad is the way to go. The good thing about ads is that you get to choose how much money you want to spend. So, if you're a broke blogger like me, you can make the decision to only budget $50 for a week long Facebook ad.
Now, you see, things do get trickier and you have to do a little math if you want to figure out how much money you should be spending to get the best results. But just know that Facebook ads are pretty affordable and can be simple to understand.
Why should you use Facebook ads?
I'm not here to convince you that you have to be using ads to get noticed. What I am here to do is to educate.
Facebook ads are one of the most popular social media ad campaigns known. They are famous for their ability to allow you to target a specific group of people for a set amount of time and a reasonable amount of money. Setting up a Facebook ad can be really simple, but you can also make it complicated if you are interested in digging more into the nitty gritty, and making sure that your ad is optimized.
Who should you target?
A lot of people suggest first targeting the audience you already have. If you know anything about Facebook's algorithm, then its clear that even if someone likes your page that doesn't mean that they will see your content. Plus, you know that these people are interested in something you might be selling. So, set up an ad that focuses on letting your current fans know of something you are attempting to promote.
There are so many more targeting option available to you! And one of my favorite people, who knows A LOT about Facebook Ads, is Amy Porterfield. You can check out this podcast that she did with The Social Media Examiner to learn more.
What graphics should you use?
Graphics are a key ingredient in creating a marketing campaign that stands out. Its important that you still catch the attention of whomever you are trying to market to. Therefore, I suggest including a clear and concise graphic that uses colors that represent your brand, but also will stand out in contrast to other content on Facebook.
Amy Porterfield says that it may be tempting to throw in a picture of yourself as your Facebook Ad graphic; however, this does not work well for businesses or people who are unknown. Having an image of yourself when your target audience might not already know who you are could negatively impact your sales by pushing them away from this "strange person."
What kind of text is important to include?
Ironically, this is one of the hardest steps for me. While I write a blog, I don't typically write good and concise copy. I want to ramble on and include all of the details--but that's not what you want your new target audience to see.
The first thing that you need to do with your Facebook ad is draw them in (which you did with your graphic). Now you want to intrigue them and show them that you have authority. One suggestion is to start with a question--one that you can answer in one sentence. Then answer that question briefly. This lets the audience know that you know what you're talking about and interests them enough that they want to learn more.
When is it best to post your ad?
This final step in the Facebook ad creation process is a little tricky. Often times it is best to post ads depending on the specific audience you are targeting, the type of results you want in return, and how long you want the ad live for. My suggestion would be to simply experiment.
Getting a little technical--you'll want to focus on how much you are being charged per lead. You can view this in your ad analytics as your advertisement is running on Facebook. If you are paying more than $5 for each lead, then consider changing or shutting down your ad. But if its doing great and you are reaching someone for about $1 a piece, then Amy Porterfield and I both suggest leaving it up. You need to test it out and realize what works for you and your audience.
What do you want to learn about next? Facebook ads can be a tricky thing for a newcomer, and especially tricky if you want to get the most out of your money. Leave your comments down below and I will delve deeper into each topic in posts to come.
