Facebook Advertising for Small Business
This week’s guest, Phil Duggan chats to us about Facebook Advertising, and in particular how small businesses can use Facebook cost effectively to spread their message.
Phil Duggan founded Noiseworks just over 4 years. His background saw him setting up MySpace profiles and later Facebook profiles. He set up his own business after years of research and improving his knowledge of social media.
Why Facebook
It’s a hot topic. It is the biggest and best return. Compared to Adwords it relies on someone who is searching for something. With Facebook advertising, you can target your ideal audience for pennies and can also go about your rfp consulting. You can spend £15-20 to reach 20,000 people.
But 62% of FB paid advertisers aren’t getting their ideal audience on Facebook according to a report. Small Business Trends.
Why Facebook? It’s the most popular social media platform. It comes down to the audience you choose. You must understand your own customer and their habits. One of Phil’s clients ran a campaign to recruit sales-people. He discovered they had chosen a very basic profile. He advised them to utilise a much deeper demographic, – what they buy online, are they married etc.
Phil advises you to look at Ad Manager – at first it can be confusing. See what POSSIBILITIES are there. It helps you by giving you suggestions of associated demographics.
Boosting posts.
You can boost a post but the more in depth campaign style is through Facebook Ad Manager. Boosting can be misleading. If you do it from your mobile, FB don’t give you depth via mobile boosts. Use the desktop version. Do split tests to see the impact on your demographic.
Should I do it because my neighbouring business is doing it?
Look at your business customers. Are they on Facebook. If not you are shouting in an empty room. Are the affluent really on FB? 80% of UK wealth is over 50. Their level of engagement. It’s a stalking platform for your kids. Phil calls it the Grandma effect. See pictures of the kids.
Phil sees social media advertising as an evolutionary thing. Younger people are used to social media.
Once you have identified who your target customer is, ask yourself what the value is of that person.
- Sign up now for a free ebook/white paper/access to a blog article
- Get your 5 DIY tips for the Bank holiday weekendGive them some solid value in exchange for their contact details. They don’t care they’ve given you their contact details. It is about Facebook list building.
- Import your existing email list you audience to create a lookalike audience. Import the list into FB and FB will create a lookalike audience.
There was some confusion in the interview about importing a customer list into Facebook. Here is what Facebook say.
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/170456843145568
I also had it confirmed that the data provider was still creating lists to be passed to Facebook to establish a custom target audience.
What are the factors that a small business needs to consider on Facebook?
The visual aspect of an ad. The Facebook timeline or newsfeed is busy. So, have the most eye-catching imagery as possible. Video is a great example. Or go live.
Video – make it personal to the campaign. Use your iPhone. Engagement rises. Content is key.
Graphics – don’t use stock images. It is lazy. As a business owner, it says you don’t care enough. Think out your strategy.
Image over headline.
Live recording? Will Facebook live be the future of news broadcasting. The Westminster attack was being shown live on Facebook.
Phil speculated that the FA Cup Final could be filmed from thousands of different views!
Is Facebook Live all about being pitched? There is a magnetic attraction to it, but it feels like you are going to get pitched. Phil mentioned that Gary Vaynerchuk made the point that we marketers ruin new inventions like FB Live, Instagram, Snapchat etc.
It’s the curious ads, that draws you in, and they are better than Facebook live. Think about the compelling video in your head.
When it comes to budgeting, you can decide the length the ad runs, how much budget you want to assign, per day, per campaign, what are you looking for (clicks, brand awareness) – Facebook trains the ads to try deliver people who engage with brands etc.
Phil Duggan talks to us about Facebook advertising for small business
Is it good practice to click people to your home page?
NO. Phil creates landing page. No navigation. Menus encourage people to continue clicking around.
What is your offer? WIFM?
Phil tests this idea to unbelieving clients – the one without distractions – the landing page – always wins.
Phil stresses it is all about motivating human beings to act.
Re-Targeting with Facebook
If you search for lawnmowers at B&Q. They have code on their website. A retargeting pixel. It tracks your data and site movements. If you don’t buy, the next time you revisit Facebook, they’ll display ads for B&Q lawnmowers.
It is a blunt tool but quite effective. It is a continuing sales pitch. It’s about not giving up. You cannot assume because they didn’t buy immediately, they may buy later once the ad has repeated.
Kevin mentioned that retargeting is useful for people looking at joining a webinar. Phil used the same tactic for an event. It’s like the people are warmer leads. Website visitors in the last 24 hours but who have not purchased or booked. You are trying to milk the lead. To get the utmost out of someone’s interest.
In the next 100 days:
- What do you want to get out of it and make sure you understand your goal.
- Understand your customer.
- Don’t just boost a post, use the Facebook Ad Manager. (business.facebook.com – import your pages and appoint an ad account.)
How can people get in touch with Phil?
Twitter: @noiseworksocial
Facebook: @noiseworksocial
Website: noiseworks.co
LinkedIn: Noiseworks
The Next 100 Days Podcast is brought to you by Graham Arrowsmith and Kevin Appleby
