Oh, Facebook, you’ve changed so much I hardly recognize you. Gone are the simple days when awesome, relevant content got businesses and their marketers all the results they craved. Reaching your ideal audience today is no small task. You still need awesome, relevant content but you need the power of Facebook ads to drive that content to your ideal customers.
Time passes, things change. As we’ve witnessed since their public offering, Facebook has had to answer to their shareholders by innovating and creating a revenue stream that will help them continue to evolve and grow. They’ve done a pretty awesome job.
Depending on who you ask, there are arguments on why not to use Facebook ads:
- Users have complained that ads are annoying.
- Facebook ads are difficult to setup and analyze.
- Spending your budget does not guarantee success.
I grant you these points. In spite of them and more, Facebook is quickly becoming the “go-to” advertising platform. They’ve spent the last 6-7 years collecting valuable data on their users and that’s very enticing to dealerships (and all other businesses). With 852 million daily logins and 25% logging in 5 times per day, your customers and prospects are on Facebook and you need to be too.
It’s Facebook’s movie, we’re just in it.
Facebook ads offer you and your page a valuable way to promote your brand, increase your fan base and generate leads and sales. What’s the value?
- Facebook advertising suits all wallets.
- Laser target to your specific audience without spending to reach those who will never buy from you.
- Ads are the fastest way to grow page likes from the community you sell to.
Many owners still suffer under the misconception that Facebook is free and they hand the duties off to the first person who can fog a mirror. Today’s Facebook marketing is not for the novice. This post is for those who are new or for those who are stuck and aren’t getting traction. If you want to harness the power of Facebook advertising, pay close attention here. We’ll cover:
- How to prepare for success
- The 3 elements of designing your ad
- The two strategies that will be most helpful to grow your business using Facebook.
- How to monitor your ad for best results
How to Prepare for Success
- Decide who you’re targeting. This may sound strange but many stores I know don’t spend time identifying who their customer is. Describe them in detail. If you haven’t done a brand discovery, now’s the time to do it. Knowing exactly who you want to target will enable you to set your ads up correctly and allow your ads perform.
- Set your budget. During your campaigns, it will be very easy to get carried away with the thrill of the chase. Be smart and stay focused. There are many instances where you’ll want to increase your budget and you’ll do that deliberately. Not by waking up one day to find you’ve overspent.
The 3 Elements of Your Ad’s Design
- Image. Make sure it will stand out in the crowd. People, especially pretty people close up, tend to get the best results.
- Title. Your headline needs to be catchy. Remember, you want to be seen and heard above all the noise.
- Description. Every word matters. What do you want people to do? Tell them with a Call-to-Action (CTA).
Two Strategies to Grow Your Business
1. Drive activity ON Facebook.
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- Page ads to get more likes. You always want to have a strategy to continually increase your fan base and these ads will do just that.
- Page post ads to get more engagement (on a particular post). If you’re promoting your product or service with a post, use this type of ad to increase visibility and drive engagement.
2. Drive activity OFF Facebook.
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- Generate leads with optins/signups. I just had a client who was promoting an event. They wanted to drive users to the Landing Page to RSVP and they used Facebook ads to promote it.
- Increase sales. Yes, you can sell things using Facebook! Drive prospects to your website Landing Page to track conversions.
Monitor For Best Results
The old saying “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” applies here. When you place a Facebook ad, you’ve given it your best shot but there’s no guarantee it will perform. Monitor your results often, at least daily, to know where you are. That will help you know where to go. Try running two or more ads at the same time and see which gets you the best results. Stay on top of the spend and resist the urge to go beyond your budget.
Are you new to Facebook Ads? What are your biggest challenges?
- The Ultimate Secret to Success in Social Selling - November 26, 2013
- How to Capture the Power of Facebook Ads and Why You Need It Now! - July 25, 2013
- The Best Social Media Strategy: Have You Got What It Takes? - July 8, 2013
