Although ignorance is bliss, we all can’t ignore the fact that Facebook advertising is the next big thing, and it’s finally here. Many businesses are still not convinced that Facebook advertising is the way to go, but statistically speaking, they’re completely wrong. Facebook is on its way to pull in a staggering $16.3 billion in universal ad revenue, after seeing a 25 percent increase in ad use.

Here’s what you need to know:

Why You Should Use Facebook Advertising

Facebook AdvertisingIn the most simple terms, Facebook advertising is highly effective in reaching maximum exposure. In recent years, social media advertising has grown exponentially and has become one of the most powerful advertising channels in the world. They have helped gain new and fresh leads while driving them into paying customers. 

Who doesn’t want that?

If you’re still skeptical, let’s talk numbers. Social media advertising budgets have nearly doubled worldwide over the past two years, and Facebook’s daily users’ number increased from 1.23 billion people in 2016 and is growing every day.

It is important to note that Facebook advertising was not created for the Fortune500 companies who are willing to spend millions on ads. In the startup world, a couple hundred dollars can get you pretty far.

Considering we like instant gratification, Facebook might just be perfect. You can get your ads started with very little effort and see the first results rather quickly when spending as little as 10 bucks. In fact, you can even guide people to your landing page with as little as 10 cents per click, depending on your ad placement.

If that’s not a dream come true, we don’t know what is.

Facebook ad campaigns are also flexible when it comes to customizing the perfect ads. We’re talking video and instant article ads, which can be designed exactly the way you want. You can design everything from campaign objectives, delivery optimization and even bidding. All of these choices make Facebook the top choice in customizable advertising networks and can be shaped to represent precisely what you wish to expose to your audience.

Last, but definitely not least, Facebook is constantly adding so many new features that it’s hard to keep up. From Messenger Day to Live Video Updates and improved ad reporting, you’re bound to create the ultimate experience for your consumers. 

Audience & Targeting

With a presumably infinite amount of options when it comes to demographics, behaviors and interests, perhaps the most powerful aspect of Facebook advertising is its targeting capacities.

Some of these targeting choices include:

What’s even more impressive, is Facebook’s ability to track every detail about an individual, such as a Like on a specific group, which will add you to the relevant pool of data.

For example, liking a fan’s page on a Harry Potter book or sharing the special news about Harry Potter’s new movie will actually be monitored by Facebook and added to a specified data pool.

The main point is that everytime you like a page, interact with a post, or fill out any special details on your profile, this information has a high chance of being used for Facebook advertising. Almost every Facebook action you take will be stored in a database to be used as a targeting mechanism, making it easier for businesses to expose relevant advertisements.

 

Facebook Advertising

Let’s use the example above.

The ad is specifically targeting liberal 25-30 year-olds, who are divorced, female, General Motors technicians, studied mechanical engineering at Harvard between specific years, own a Lincoln, speak English, are fans of XBOX or Microsoft, are within a 25-mile radius of Boston and hold doctorates.

This is not to say that businesses would want to target an audience this specific, but it’s to highlight that Facebook can get that specific.

Though this can be beneficial, it is important to use Facebook’s targeting tools wisely. Even the most targeted ad will not be a success if you do not create a committed social media landing page.

Ad Types & Objectives

One of the most critical objectives of Facebook advertising is to essentially drive traffic to your site. This is either to increase your site’s overall exposure or to send users to a specific landing page to drive conversions or sign up for a newsletter.

Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish with your ads, you may want to opt for a specific ad type.

Here are the options you have:

Link Click Ads

This type of ad will help you promote your external website and guide people to your relevant landing pages or articles. You can use Link Click ads with multiple placements such as right column, desktop newsfeed, audience network and Instagram.

You can use this ad to reach multiple platforms and to seek a larger audience. These are all beneficial to the side advantage of gaining more likes to your page and earning more exposure overall.

Video Ads

Facebook Video Ads are really another form of the Link Click Ads, but perhaps more engaging. Instead of a still image or frame, the audience will see your ad as a video. Note, Facebook will have restrictions for your video, such as the file size (4GB max) and copy text, which limits you to 90 characters.

Boosted Posts

Every time you post something on your business page, Facebook gives you the option of boosting the post. Once you click on “Boost post”, you can set up your target audience and various bidding methods to reach a wider network.

The boosted page post will look just like a typical Facebook post with an additional “Sponsored” note above the ad.

Carousel Ads

If you’re running an e-commerce site or selling products on your Facebook page, Carousel ads are a must. With this type of ad, you’ll be able to showcase multiple products in one ad. Although it will limit you to 10 products per ad, it is still just as effective for your audience.

These are just a few of the many types of ads you can choose from, depending on your business and industry.

Here’s a list of all the types of ads and the specifics of each.

Facebook Optimization

Facebook OptimizationLet’s talk more about implementing and optimizing your Facebook ads.

No matter how amazing your Facebook campaign turns out to be, it will always need monitoring and performance checks. The easiest way to do this is to use the Facebook Ads manager. You will be able to use this tool to filter your campaigns by date, objectives, and highlight some campaigns that may need monitoring.

You’ll be able to compare different ads and establish what works best for maximum exposure. As you get to know how the system works, you’ll notice the reporting table will have different metrics:

These factors will enable you to properly analyze your Facebook campaign and its overall performance. If you want to go more in depth about how you can transform and fully optimize your campaign you will need to look at other factors.

These include:

Although we would love to dive into the deep waters of Facebook optimization, there are fundamentals you should know about first.

Here’s everything you’ll want to know.

The bottom line is that Facebook Advertising is here to stay, and the more you know, the more invincible you’ll be. It is no secret that people spend ridiculous amounts of time on social media, and ignoring this will simply make your business fall behind.

If you’re thinking of going organic, note that less than 0.5 percent of your fans will see your updates, and that’s the sad truth.

But there is good news! You don’t need a huge budget to get started… and if you’re thinking you want someone else to do the work for you, we’ve got that special someone. Contact us today at Next Level Marketing to start your free marketing consultation and start transforming your business.

This article was written by our SEO Specialist and content writer Sharone Houri.