Whatever the size of your company is, you’ve probably thought about – maybe even experimented with – making ads on Facebook. Facebook is the world’s leading social media site, but many businesses have yet to crack the secret to properly advertising on it. In this article will we present you a guide to facebook ads.
Maybe there isn’t any specific secret, but there are some things to keep in mind when you’re trying to advertise.
There are a couple different types of ads you can take out. There’s the sponsored posts, promoted posts and side column posts, and they can serve to proper audiences.
Sponsored posts are designed to attract a new audience, promoted posts should be kept for your existing audience, and the side column posts can help garner a little interest in your company.
Sponsored Posts: Sponsored posts largely go overlooked if you’re promoting it to people outside your fan base – people see them as spam. But sponsored posts to your existing fans is a great way to offer promotions and start important but engaging conversations.
Have an active presence while taking note of which kinds of posts gather the biggest audience and most responses.
Promoted Pages: Promoted pages are a better way to sell your company, because you can promote your page as a whole, instead of one status or promotion. People will be more likely to click because it’ll look more authentic.
Side column posts: Right-hand ads, meanwhile are tiny and are not visible to mobile users, but they are quick ways for someone to ‘like’ your page and see more postings down the road.
There’s one thing to keep in mind when you’re making your Facebook ads, and it might not be pretty to hear: aim low. But besides the bad connotation, there will be an upside to aiming low. People are not on Facebook to find new products and services, they have to be converted.
Don’t aim for instant profit – if people click on your ad and see any sort of purchase page looking for credit card info – they’re going to run back to Facebook.
What might intrigue people is a clean follow-through page and a sign-up of some kind. Clicks on your ads might get a bunch of new e-mail addresses, and from there you can sell them on your own terms.
Now, the most important part is the actual ad itself. Whatever the ad is, it should be accompanied by a picture. Pictures attract people faster than words, so put something that might intrigue people.
Pictures of attractive people in your target demographic, pictures of food, etc., will get more clicks and this should go without saying, don’t steal the picture. Make it or take it yourself, or go through Creative Commons.
Alternatively use a social media marketing platform such as MavSocial that offers you the ability to use royalty free, high-quality images from vendors such as BigStock for use in your posts.
Don’t include many words in the picture, you have your description for that, and it’s a turn-off. And don’t include any links in the description, just clicking on the ad will already bring people to your site.
Finally, gear it towards your target demographic. This is the upside of aiming low. Where many companies fail in Facebook advertising is trying to reach too wide of an audience. Someone living in a city probably doesn’t need to see ads for hiking boots etc.
Facebook lets you target your ads based on the normal factors, and age, sex and location have been the most impactful. But you can go way, way deeper, targeting people who like specific books, websites and any hobby you can think of. You’ll find far more success advertising to a smaller but more reliable audience.
Facebook ads can drive up traffic to your site, and can help your business from there. If you can get viewers, even get people to sign up by e-mail, you’re bound to get your opportunities to sell to them.
Be modest, don’t aim too high, don’t include people who probably won’t be interested but make it attractive to look at. It’s a simple formula – but it takes a few tries to perfect.
Luckily, you can track clicks, and keep making new ads until you’re getting new followers!
