With more than 2.4 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a platform with incomparable reach. While its massive base can make it a powerful marketing platform, its size means small businesses have to craft truly compelling advertising materials in order to stand out. Here are a few tips on how to create Facebook ads that not only pay for themselves, but also deliver enough revenue to help your company reach the next stage in its development.
Entice, then pitch
Nicholas Kusmich is a social marketing expert who manages more than $9 million in monthly advertising capital. In an Entrepreneur piece, Kusmich revealed a few of his key strategic principles. The most innovative notion is that when marketing through Facebook, companies must give something before they ask for something back. That is to say, small businesses should give something of value to consumers to entice them before pitching their products or services. This enticement doesn’t have to be elaborate or costly. A clever listicle or video related to your field can go a long way in helping your company form meaningful connections with users and consumers.
Be specific
Bess Yount, Facebook’s head of SMB community engagement, told Fortune that the number one mistake small business owners make is that their ads aren’t specific enough. Yount explained that owners often make their advertising too general because they want to appeal to the largest audience possible. However, to get the most out of the platform, owners should first determine their target demographic and create a buyer persona to drill their pitches down even further. Then, using Facebook’s insight tools, direct your message to users who would be most receptive to it.
Persistence is key
Egyptian fashion label Temraza Haute Couture was able to more than double its sales in just six months using Facebook ads. However, it took some elbow grease to achieve that phenomenal return on investment. CEO and chief designer Farida Temraza had to rigorously A/B test every aspect of her marketing campaign before her company’s ads started racking up serious viewing figures and conversions.
The bottom line is if at first you don’t succeed, keeping trying and experimenting until you achieve your goals. When advertising on Facebook, this old adage really does apply and hold true.