Google AdWords and Facebook advertising are built on a similar premise: show your marketing messages to the right people and you can generate an instant response. However, they represent entirely different platforms that work in unique ways. It’s no surprise, then, that so many marketers try to transfer the success they’ve had using search PPC to social media advertising and come up short.
To use Facebook advertising profitably, you have to follow an approach that’s tailored to the social network itself. That means avoiding a few all-too-common mistakes that small business owners tend to make again and again.
Let’s look at a few common blunders you should watch out for in your Facebook advertising campaigns…
#1 Using Complicated Marketing Messages
When users log on to Facebook, it’s normally because they are killing time or want to be entertained. That doesn’t mean they won’t respond to your ads, but your marketing messages have to be quick and simple. It’s important to remember that Google ads are more text-friendly than Facebook ads are. The more you try cram into a small image-based offer, the lower your response rates are going to get.
#2 Being Too Broad With Your Demographic Reach
Profitable Facebook advertising is all about specificity. You have to use as many different indicators (like age, education level, location, etc.) to narrow in on your target audience as much as you possibly can. Otherwise, you’ll be paying to have your ads shown to people who are never going to respond. That’s a waste of time and money on search engines or social media.
#3 Looking for Direct Sales Conversions
Sometimes, a searcher will click on a Google ad and make an almost immediate purchase. That’s because the advertiser got them at an exact moment when they were thinking about a specific type of product or service. On Facebook, that kind of immediate response is more rare. Your goal should be user engagement (likes and shares), or to build your following. Direct sales conversions are much harder to come by.
#4 Not Touching Buyers Often Enough
In the same way, you may be able to run Google ads for just a day or two before you start seeing new sales come your way. Facebook is more like billboard advertising, in that it generally takes several different exposures to get viewers to take action. However, it’s likely to cost you a lot less to run ads on Facebook than it would on Google. So, reach out to buyers on a regular basis to maximize your conversion rates.
#5 Confusing Viewership With Engagement
Facebook gives you lots of good metrics to help you evaluate the effectiveness of your ads. One of these has to do with the number of impressions that were generated. This is a valuable figure, but one you shouldn’t focus on too tightly. After all, you can generate thousands upon thousands of views within Facebook for next to nothing. But, it’s engagement, and especially conversions, that will ultimately make or break your campaigns.
Facebook advertising can be profitable and efficient. It gives you an interesting and cost-effective way to reach out to customers whom you might not have otherwise found. But, if you want to generate a positive ROI from your social ads, it’s important that you avoid the mistakes we’ve outlined today and take a long-term approach to building an audience.