Did you know there’s more to Facebook advertising than boosting a post? Following on from my last Social Media 121 series blog, where some general information gave you tips for a successful Facebook advertising campaign, this blog will drill down into the differences between the types of paid for ad you can choose from… I want to help you decide which Facebook and Instagram advertising option is best for your business.
NB: Facebook’s Guides can be tricky to navigate, and you can easily get lost in the link loop, so I have taken the bullet for you and read all the pages, selecting the best links to take you on your advertising journey. You can thank me later…
Q: Do you want to tell people about a specific event or product?
Q: Do you want to get more likes for your page?
Q: Do you want more visitors to your website?
There are lots of reasons to use Facebook advertising, so I’ll break down the categories on offer and give you examples of when you would use the objectives. Deep breath, here we go.
Awareness Objective
Brand Awareness, Reach
When to use the Awareness Objective
To generate interest in your product or service – a great place to start if you want to reach a certain geographical location, or people with a particular interest
To get more likes on your page
Use Brand Awareness; Set the audience and geographical area. Tell Facebook or Instagram to reach out to people with specific job titles, or interests. The most basic of campaigns for getting your brand out there.
To increase engagement on your posts
Use Reach; Maximise the number of people who see your advert. Automatically optimised for Instagram and allows Canvas (full screen)
Consideration Objective
Traffic, Engagement, App Installs, Video Views, Lead Generation, Messages
When to use the Consideration Objective
To make people think more about your product or service and look for more information
When you want to increase traffic to your website or promote an offer
Use Traffic; set the audience and geographical area. Tell Facebook to reach out to people with specific job titles, or interests. Choose from single images, videos, slideshows or carousel type ads
When you want likes/loves/laughs
Use Engagement; Clicking the button to boost your post is a short cut to this objective, or you can go through the create ads option on your drop-down menu. Choose from single images, videos, slideshows or carousel type ads
When you want more people to sign up to your app
Use App Installs; You’ll need the app registered with Facebook for Developers and you’ll need the App Store URL. Good for Instagram too.
For increasing awareness of, or promoting something great like your speaker’s profile, print or design processes or skills on both Facebook and Instagram
Use Video Views; The most engaging content on social media. Carousel or slideshow styles.
When you want people to fill out a form for more information, to increase your database and start conversations, or to join your mailing list
Use Lead Generation; This will create a form for your customers on Facebook and Instagram, which you can adapt for your needs, download and integrate with your CRM. Choose from images or videos.
To go directly to your customers with a follow-up offer or find new customers with an introductory offer
Use Messages; Choose from images, videos, slideshows or carousel type ads and place them on Facebook and Instagram.
Conversion Objective
Conversions, Catalogue Sales, Store Visits
When to choose the Conversion Objective
When you want people to complete an action such as add to the shopping cart
Use Conversions; You will need Facebook Pixel or App Events, and can choose to advertise your website or app on both Facebook and Instagram. Choose from images, videos, slideshows or carousel type ads
Not for advertising your catalogue or look book, but for creating ads from a catalogue of images and information, sending shoppers to your online store. Great for Shopify.
Use Catalogue Sales; Otherwise known as dynamic ads, create a template which is automatically populated from your catalogue of images, single image or carousel style only. Not for Instagram.
To get people to visit your physical shops in their actual locations
Use Store Visits; Create more than one ad for more than one shop.
Some final tips on Facebook advertising and further reading
Your ads will automatically work on Instagram as well, if you have chosen the type of advert that allows it. If you are using Instagram, single images or short videos will work best.
Want to know the design specs for advertising on Facebook and Instagram? Here’s the video specifications: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/video
and the single image specifications: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/image
the carousel specs: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/carousel
and the collection or canvas ads: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/collection.
Further reading if you need it, can be found here, the front page of the Facebook Business Advertising Guide: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/517257078367892?helpref=page_content
Good luck, have some fun and give me a call if you get stuck… Hilary 07825 031036.