As of 2021, 4.2 billion people use social media, according to a 2021 report by e-commerce networking platform Oberlo.

In the first quarter of 2021, Facebook reached 2.8 billion monthly users, which means more than half of social media users are on Facebook, making it the most heavily trafficked social site.

But if so many people are using Facebook, how do businesses manage to get in front of the right leads? And how do they stand out amid the shuffle of Facebook timelines? Many businesses choose to grow their online reach on Facebook through the platform’s laser-targeted advertising capabilities. The key to seeing great success on Facebook is to leverage best practices for Facebook Ads, which ARI has outlined below.

Target Your Ideal Audience
While a couple billion people log on to Facebook every month, that doesn’t mean your ads go out to the masses at large. Facebook offers one of the most curated advertising platforms available on the internet. Use Facebook’s targeting capabilities to your advantage by identifying the important factors of your ideal audience. Are they local? Do they fall within a certain age range? Have they visited your website in the past?

Once you have pinpointed which shoppers make the most likely prospects, you can advertise to people who embody these characteristics, including:

  • Location
  • Age
  • Online behavior
  • Interests
  • Previous website visits

Write to Inspire Lead Conversions
While you might be tempted to cram copy into your ad to give your audience as much information as you want them to have, your copy should be concise and simple. Facebook users scroll quickly, so you want to snag their attention with bold, brief messages. Feature pricing and special promos directly in the ad, and keep your ads personable by writing as if you’re addressing one person. If you’re unsure what will resonate strongly with your audience, experiment with A/B testing – use the same image with different messaging, and see which version receives the most engagement.

Facebook Ads are not meant to tell a whole story, but rather to get shoppers interested enough to take the next step. Encourage the desired conversion type by focusing on a singular call to action and keep it short and sweet. Examples include:

  • Shop Now
  • Schedule a Test Drive
  • Get a Quote

Optimize Your Ads to Your Desired Conversion
You can further drive specific conversions based on ad type. Facebook offers multiple advertising formats to achieve a variety of outcomes. Choose the ad type that best aligns with your objective:

  • Photo: Build brand awareness and engage browsers with a clean, simple format.
  • Video: Grab audience attention, build excitement and tell a compelling story.
  • Carousel: Showcase multiple units or highlight multiple features of a single unit.
  • Collection: Let users browse and shop from the ad or tap the ad for more info.

Utilize Website Remarketing
Facebook Ads can engage prospects who visit your website first. Imagine a prospect performs an online search for a new riding lawn mower and finds your website. They view a couple inventory listings but are interrupted and abandon the website before they contact your dealership. The next day, they are scrolling on Facebook and see an ad from your website, featuring one of the lawnmowers they had looked at the day before. Now they are free to browse the website thoroughly to identify which model they like best, and they plan out a time to swing by the dealership over the weekend.

Measure Your Results
Facebook offers transparent metrics for each ad campaign, so there’s no guess work on how your ads are performing. Each impression, click and conversion is available to your eyes. Take advantage of Facebook’s in-depth analytics to glean information on your ads. Track performance based on timing, keywords and audience demographics. When are you seeing the most interactions? Who is reacting to your content, and what are they looking for?

Facebook is a goldmine for expanding your brand awareness, tapping into a new market of shoppers and tracking the impact of your marketing efforts. With best practices to optimize the reach and conversion power of your ads, you can harness the power of Facebook and increase your website and foot traffic!

Connect with ARI today for more insights on successful Facebook Ads!