"Sales before fans" is, in a nutshell, a core statement of current online marketing. This does not mean an intended renunciation of social media ads. On the contrary - as a medium for customer acquisition Facebook Advertising is more popular than ever before, and the trend is upwards. Only the focus has shifted in recent years.
The favorite of the marketing departments
In 2014, Facebook will have around 20 million users in Germany alone every day and a good one billion users worldwide. Over 85 percent of these access the platform via smartphone and/or tablet. Zuckerberg's Brainchild is not only one of the most sought-after media for ad placements in the social media sector: Globally, at least nine percent of all spending on digital advertising campaigns is spent on Facebook advertising. In 2015, the advertising business increased by more than 40 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
Facebook advertising with a new focus
Thanks to its enormous reach and the convenient options for precisely registering and evaluating the performance of campaigns, Facebook advertising is considered to be an ideal marketing instrument. However, a prerequisite for this is that you take into account the special circumstances that characterize marketing in the social media giant. After all, there is no "self-acting" mechanism that leads growing traffic directly to higher conversion rates.
1. the A & O: Determine your target group
The more you know about the people you want to attract to your product or service, the more meaningful you can formulate and design your Facebook advertising. The multiple targeting options - the precisely balanced target group marketing - are one of the most ingenious tools a marketing medium can offer. Just start with the highest possible common denominator of your target group if you don't have enough information about characteristics, preferences, etc. - for example, age group, gender and hobbies. You can always refine your selection later.
2. facebook advertising rarely comes alone...
Do you want your ad on Facebook to generate more readers for your blog, increase sales on your website or collect e-mail addresses for your mailing list? An average Facebook user will hardly give you that much attention and time, especially since he or she came across your interesting ad rather by chance. So it makes more sense to create several landing pages with corresponding Facebook ads for your respective target group and intention than to lump everything together.
Three. Speaking of contacts: ...do you remember the best way to catch mice?
If you want the reader of your ad to leave their contact details on your landing page, you should offer them an attractive and/or useful, of course free, quid pro quo. For example, an enlightening eBook or a really instructive video course on the topic that interests him and has led him to your website.
4. calculate the budget for Facebook advertising from the outset
When budgeting for efficient target group marketing on Facebook, you should use the higher bidding margins as a guide if possible. This will improve your options for directing ad campaigns in a targeted manner and ensure highly visible placement in your targeting sector.
5. direct your message to the heart
If you want to make yourself noticed in a medium as fast-moving and constantly flooded with new contributions as Facebook, you have to emotionally touch the people in your target group. These are the indispensable elements for which the comparatively indicative surface of a Facebook advertisement offers you space:
- a catchy headline with a maximum of 25 characters,
- expressive, original picture material in high resolution quality,
- a crisp, short and to the point text (the number of possible characters depends on the desired position of the display)
- a clickable Call to Action, which leads to your landing page without any hassle.
6. trial and error: experiment and react flexibly!
Facebook ads that generated numerous sales or leads yesterday may be forgotten tomorrow. Once a campaign is underway, it is worth investing time and money in extensive analysis and optimization. But before you start advertising, all you have to do is determine the direction you want to take and get started. Successful Facebook advertising is based on the fast pace of life and the multi-faceted nature of the medium.
