Facebook ads have become popular since Facebook made an update to their algorithm that affected how posts from business pages show up in the newsfeeds of their fans. The new algorithm made it incredibly difficult for businesses to reach followers on Facebook and grow a fan base organically.
Why the change? Facebook didn’t want users to be bombarded with salesy posts, so they purposely made posts from business pages less visible. Suddenly, businesses had a decision to make: Post content on Facebook and hope followers would see it, although most wouldn’t, or pay for Facebook ads to effectively reach their social media audience. Most businesses that have continued to see page growth and engagement on Facebook chose the latter and are paying to reach their current and potential fans. And although they have to pay for this, Facebook ads offer some valuable opportunities that are worth noting.
Benefits of Facebook advertising:
- You can continue to have a social media presence, which is essential in today’s digital world.
- Not only are you able to reach your current fans through Facebook ads, but you are also able to share your message with other users who may be interested in your products and services.
- It is incredibly cost-effective to reach thousands of Facebook users. With as little as $50 per month, you can reach from 4,000 to 7,000 Facebook users, depending on your geographical location.
Now that you are aware of how great Facebook ads can be, you probably can’t wait to launch your first ad. Here are a few steps to guide you:
Download Facebook Business Manager. Facebook has created a separate dashboard, called Business Manager, where you can house all of your Facebook ads and the results for each campaign, which I definitely recommend downloading. With the dashboard, you can create a campaign, an ad set, and an ad.
Decide what you want your ad campaign to accomplish. Is your goal to increase your Facebook following? Drive traffic to your website? Visit your practice? There are different types of Facebook ad campaigns to achieve different results.
Create your ad campaign. When designing and writing your ad campaign, remember that there are restrictions regarding the dimensions of the images and videos for your ads and the number of characters you’re allowed to include with the ad. You should always include a call to action in your ad copy. Tell the user what you want them to do (you’d be surprised how often this major detail is overlooked).
Create your landing page. Be sure to create a special landing page to which you can direct your ad traffic once they click on your ad.
Select your target audience. Selecting the proper target audience can make or break your Facebook advertising campaign. Facebook’s targeting is pretty impressive: You can target your campaign based on geographic location, demographics (age, gender, income level, etc.), and even interests and behaviors. Want to reach married females between the ages of 25 and 65 in Chicago who like PetsMart and Petco on Facebook? You can do that.
Launch your ad campaign. Once you’ve designed your ad campaign, created your landing page, and chosen your target audience, you’re ready to launch!
Now you’re ready to begin your Facebook ad adventure. Feel like you could use some help? Give InTouch a call at 800-493-9003.