Facebook Newsfeed ads act like metaphorical doors right into your business. These ads have among the highest click-through rates in online advertising. They are high potential, inexpensive, and targeted to your buyers.
Here are seven easy steps any small business owner can take to create Facebook ads that will pay dividends:
1. Set up a Facebook business page and populate it with details about your business and 3+ posts (preferably with images on some) about your business and what’s going on there (this page is needed to have the full ad tool set, even if it will not be a primary marketing space).
2. Create an ad account at: http://facebook.com/business.
3. Determine your initial budget: A good starting point is $50/ad. This will provide enough distribution to get feedback data on your ad and see how it is performing. Successful ads can have additional budget added.
4. Determine your ad goal: New people liking your Facebook page, new people clicking to your website, connecting with existing known customers (if you have enough of them who have liked your page, or you have a good email list), or getting someone to fill out a contact form or download a coupon on your website are all common goals.
5. Determine who your target persona is: Where they live – are they visiting your area?, gender, age, and interests are all common criteria that may help make a good match with your business.
6. Create an ad post written to appeal to your target persona: Use images, speak to the target persona’s likely interests, evoke emotions, use endorsements if you have them, show your key differentiator or value proposition, and make sure if you send them to a landing page on your website, that it continues the theme and appeal used in your ad and has a call to action like a coupon, a contact form, or some next step suggestion.
7. Test multiple ad designs, content and personas for effectiveness over time. Make sure if getting people physically in your store and/or placing orders online or over the phone is your goal, to have a way to track if traffic came from a particular ad (via a coupon code or even just asking if they saw your ad/s on Facebook or elsewhere).
Here’s an example to consider:
- The ad is targeted only to college students near the restaurant and shown only in the afternoon and evening on a game day.
- There is a trackable offer and a call to action button that send the viewer to a website with additional marketing and directions to get there.
- The ad uses language designed to appeal to its target persona of MU students out for an event but not looking to spend a lot.
- There is an image that draws the eye and makes a good impression.
Create Facebook ads that work for you and your small business. Bring your customers through your door!
