If you’ve never dipped your toes into the ocean that is Facebook ads, now might be the time. There are approximately 1.49 billion daily active users on Facebook, and 57% of consumers say that social media influences their shopping. Do the math and I think you’ll find it checks out to be advertising on Facebook.
This right here is an example of a Facebook ad (just in case you’re not familiar with what it looks like.) A Facebook ad shows up on a user’s feed based on their interests and web activity. Each Facebook ad also targets or retargets users who have had some kind of interaction with a company or similar companies.
There is a ton of digital noise on Facebook, so much so that they revealed their system processes 2.5 billion pieces of content and 500+ terabytes of data each day. It also pulls 2.7 billion “like” actions and 300 million photos per day, and it scans roughly 105 terabytes of data each half hour. Obviously, to find success on Facebook ads, it’s essential that your ad is eye-catching enough to stop a person from scrolling right past.
A lot of companies are starting to see the benefits of Facebook ads, but are still failing because they aren’t using the right strategies. We can help you with that. Here are a few tips for creating an effective Facebook ad.
1. Set up a professional business account
Get your company started by creating a professional business account. It’s important that you customize your page to represent your brand. Upload high-quality, on-brand profile and cover photos and include the important information about your business. Take the opportunity to showcase your company and why people should buy your products or acquire your services.
Take our page for example. It includes all relevant business information and the story of our company. We’ve provided links to our website and email for anyone who would like to contact us. We also made sure to use our logo as our picture to showcase our brand. Plus, our header sets our objective and gives a straightforward definition of what we do and what we’re about.
When people see your ad and want to know what you and your business are all about, make sure you’re prepared and gain their trust by providing any relevant information.
2. Retarget!
As we’ve discussed before, retargeting is a marketing trend that uses a code or a pixel to track users who have had previous engagement with your ad or your website. Retargeting helps you convert website visitors into customers after they leave your website. So, make the most out of your ads by adding the snippet of code to your site so you can incorporate retargeting into your marketing strategy.
All you have to do to set up this feature is to go to Facebook Ads Manager and click on the word “pixels.” You then copy the code and send it to your developer to add to your site.
Once your pixel is activated you can customize when, where, and to whom your ads will show up. You can choose to allow the pixel to track the user once they’ve visited your website, added a particular product to their cart, signed up for your newsletter, or started a free trial.
Another retargeting trick is to set up the target audience you want your pixel to track. Facebook provides a few options to choose from – you can include all website visitors or be more specific.
We’ve talked about retargeting on previous blog posts and how they can transform your ads online. You can read them for a more extensive look on retargeting.
3. Set your objectives and your market
Remember the importance of setting goals. When your company has certain goals and objectives, you’ll have a guideline to follow and something to work towards.
Before you run any ads, write down what you want your Facebook ad to do. Do you want more clients? Or just create brand awareness? The type of ad you create and how you measure your success will depend on what your ultimate goal is.
Knowing your market is crucial in advertising. You can’t just create an ad without knowing who you’re speaking to. For example, if your market is teenagers, don’t use an advertisement with a baby. Yes, that should go without saying, but here we are.
You have to be able to identify your ideal customer. Who are you making your ads for? What are their interests and pain points? How do they behave online? Once you’ve answered all these questions, you’ll be able to tailor your Facebook ads for your target audience.
4. Choose a placement and a format
Before posting the ad, ask yourself where and when you want your ad to show up. Just like in print advertising, you have to pay for the spot you want. Figure out your budget and see which placement you’re willing to spend money on. Take note that the longevity of your ad and how many people you want to see it will also affect how much you’re going to pay.
Some of your options for format include mobile, desktop, or both. Do you also want your ads on Instagram? Or just Facebook? You can try different placements on different devices to find out which ones convert better or help you meet your objectives.
Facebook ads are a minimum $5 budget per day. The higher your budget, the more people will see your ad. For example, a $50 dollar budget will expose your ad to around 10,000 people.
Facebook also allows you to choose the format of your ad. Your ad can be:
Single Image
Single image ads are the most straightforward and simple to create. They contain one image with copy included.
Single Video
Single video ads obviously require more effort but they are considered the most engaging.
A slideshow ad loops images and videos, but can only loop up to seven items.
5. Post, run, and maintain
By this point you have a Facebook business account and you know your placement, format, and target market. You’ve set up retargeting. Once you have these details figured out and your eye-catching ad has a caption and a call to action, it’s time to publish it to the world.
However, the work isn’t over once your ad is up and running. The best campaigns are a result of tweaking, reworking, and revamping. The best part of digital advertising is that you can easily and accurately track how well your ad is doing and improve it. Try creating multiple ads that take slightly different approaches to the same topic and compare their performance. Don’t hesitate to cut off an ad campaign that isn’t performing well.
To Conclude
Facebook ads are a big help to many companies, especially the ones that do it right. Try these tips to make the most of your ad. And as always, if you have questions, send us a message or comment down below!