How to get results with Facebook ads

There is no better time than the holidays to advertise your products. People are whipping out their wallets and looking to spend, and if you create effective ads, you’re sure to score a piece of the pie. So when it comes to Facebook, the largest social media network with over a billion users, how can you take advantage? Well, here are a few tips to help you create Facebook ads that convert, and could bring some holiday cheer to your new year sales figures.

Know your audience, and talk directly to them

If you try and target everyone, you will end up sounding like every other vendor out there. And if you sound similar to hundreds of other people, how likely are you to stand out from the crowd? Think in fresh new terms and be prepared to target your audience. You know what you are selling, and you know what your customers need. So speak directly to them. By doing so, you become unique, and unique catches the attention of your similarly unique prospects.

Target fans of similar brands

Facebook allows you to target followers of specific brands. So if you don’t know who your audience is, try targeting those of similar brands. Chances are the followers of that brand will be nearly the same as your target prospect, so you’re likely to see some results by doing this.

Get to the point quickly, and be concise

No one has time for long sales pitches at this time of year, so be concise in your copy. Your time is valuable, and your current and potential customers are busy. You only have a short window to catch their attention, so make your opportunity to do so count. Write clear, concise copy that speaks directly to them and quickly explains your offer.

Optimize your images

Christmas and the New Year are about family and making personal connections. According to marketing guru Dan S. Kennedy and author Kim Walsh-Phillips, ads that feature people are more likely to be clicked on, provided you adhere to the following two rules:

1. Use an image of a person smiling and looking straight into the camera. According to Dan and Kim, this has proven to work time and time again in their own tests.
2. Have the person wear a red shirt. For Dan and Kim, red shirts tested 75% of the time better than other colors. And speaking of tests...

Test, test, and test again

Scientist test their ideas for a reason. It’s a proven way to discover if their theories are correct. The testing principle should also be your guiding light when it comes to Facebook ads. So set apart a portion of your budget and create several different versions of your ads to test, and see which works better. Specific areas of your ad to be tested include the headline, copy, and images. You will likely find that one version of your ad is working better than the other. And once you do, put the rest of your budget towards that specific ad.

Give a visual of the reward

Just like using a headline to give a teaser about an article, you want to let your target know what reward is in store for them if they click on your link. When you’re advertising a product, you absolutely want to do the same thing. Whether that’s a coupon, video, free report, or pair of shoes, make sure to show an image of it in your ad.

Mind your relevance score

Last but not least, don’t forget to pay attention to your relevance score. Why is this important? When your relevance score is high, you get more visibility for a lower price - and therefore more bang for your advertising buck. If you have a low relevance score, then it’s time you went back to the old drawing board, hoping for better luck next year. We can't say this enough - test, test, and test again. Test different headlines, test images, and test copy to see what gives your relevance score the bump you’re looking for.

If you’re interested in more Facebook tips, or new technology for the new year, don’t hesitate to call our IT experts. We’re happy to help in any way we can.