I want to pre-face this post by telling you I’ve made millions of dollars through Facebook advertising … but I’ve also spent millions of dollars in ads.
It goes both ways. My ROI is huge, but I had to be willing to spend the money & test what worked best…
If you’re not willing to spend money to find out what works best – stop reading now.
Do I still have your attention? Good …
Few things have had an impact comparable to that of Facebook in the 21st century. It’s made a number of things possible that weren’t before, and countless things a lot easier. However, that doesn’t mean everything is a cakewalk with the world’s most popular social media platform.
So, if you’ve tried advertising with them in the past, you may have been disappointed with the results. So try implementing these tips instead of giving up.
First, Facebook is all about building relationships. It is social media, after all.
This means you’ll come up disappointed if you try using the platform for direct sales. Overall, this approach just doesn’t work. Use Facebook to build a relationship with your demographic and you’ll be repaid for your efforts over time.
Second, Facebook has been more than generous when it comes to targeting your demographic.
So make sure you take advantage of all 11 areas you’re allowed to choose. Otherwise, your ad could be seen by hundreds of millions of people, but you’ll still come up empty handed. The targeting factors Facebook provides include location, age, birthday, sex, keywords and more. Depending on how you’ve been targeting your demographic online in the past, you may need to spend some time getting reacquainted with your customer base before spending any money on ads.
Sometimes, the best ads actually combine the first two tips.
So use the targeting factors Facebook provides to zero in on your market. However, instead of just showing them a picture of your product, ask them to RSVP to an event or become a fan of your page. This is a great way to begin a relationship that may ultimately turn into a sale. As this is so different from the traditional approaches you’re most likely used to, you’ll need to steel your resolve when your initial investment gets you nothing tangible in return. Be patient and results will come.
Due to the new way you need to approach advertising with Facebook, it’s not a bad idea to come up with a plan for it from the beginning. Start with one overriding, objective goal and then break it up into much smaller ones you can take aim at along the way (i.e., we’ll spend x amount on an ad that will earn us 1,000 fans).
You’ll definitely be in for a learning curve when you begin advertising on Facebook. However, as long as you take the above tips to heart, this advice doesn’t have to be in vain.
The largest social media platform in the world isn’t going anywhere, so learning how to market on it can pay huge dividends.
