Almost every time I ask a Facebook user who is not a marketer if they ever interact with Facebook ads, I get the same response – “Facebook has ads?” That is one of the beauties of Facebook advertising in that ads are so custom tailored to user preferences and demographics, that they do not appear to be ads at all but rather engaging content.
As a business that wants to target some of the 800 million plus Facebook users, what are some of the best ways to go about this? Here are 14 tips to help you get started.
1. To get started, you’ll first have to create a Facebook Page.
2. Once your business page is set up, it would be most beneficial to have a Facebook App Developer create an App for your page.
3. Set your App as the “Landing Tab” for your Page.
4. Your Facebook application should have a clear call to action such as a special offer, discount, or even a call to enter a sweepstakes of some kind. The general idea is to offer something that is of some benefit to the user.
5. As you collect the email addresses of those you interact with your App, save them to email marketing program such as Constant Contact so you can reach out to these folks in the future. Click through rates for Facebook apps that collect email addresses are extremely high, ranging in the 70% to 80% range.
6. Your Facebook App should prompt the user to share with at least 3 friends via a wall post.
7. The total number of clicks required to navigate through App and ultimately share should be kept to a minimum. Keep in mind that each time a person has to “click or do something” is an opportunity to lose that user.
8. Carefully monitor analytics in Facebook Ads Manager and Facebook Insights for Apps. Both are free analytics programs provided by Facebook.
9. Create multiple Facebook Ads and conduct A/B testing, selecting only the best performing ads. You should aim for a minimum 2%-4% click through rate. At a minimum, 25% of clicks should also like your Facebook Page.
10. Once you’ve amassed hundreds or even thousands of likes and email addresses, don’t stop there. As they say, “rinse and repeat” those marketing strategies that are successful.
11. Studies have shown that over 51% of those who like a brand are more likely to buy from it.
12. Make sure you send your fans emails or Page posts on a regular basis with discounts and clear incentives to buy from you.
13. Statistically, people who “like” your business are “warm” leads and will convert at a much higher rate than cold calling, cold emailing, or other direct sales channels.
14. If your campaign is a success, get PR for it by sharing results and statistics on your company blog.
For those of you who would like these and other tips in a handy data visualization, check out the infographic below.
[Click image for full size version]
David Wallace, co-founder and CEO of SearchRank, is a recognized expert in the industry of search and social media marketing. Since 1997, David has been involved in developing successful search engine and social media marketing campaigns for large and small businesses.
