We’ve all heard about Facebook’s massive user base almost 1.88 billion daily active users in the last quarter alone. Combine that with their detailed targeting options, and you might think it’s a guaranteed win for advertising, right?
Well, not so fast. It’s not just about the numbers. You still need a well-thought-out campaign strategy. Social media users are drowning in ads, with the average person in the U.S. exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 every day. To stand out, you must understand your target audience and how to connect with them. Optimization is the key to make sure your ad dollars not only get clicks but also convert after the click.
So, what does ad optimization involve? Let’s break down what you need to know to make the most of your Facebook advertising and get the best return on your ad spend, or ROAS.
#1 Choose the Right Goals and Objectives
When kicking off a new Facebook ad campaign, your first task is to nail down your objectives. Facebook needs to know what you want to achieve so it can fine-tune its algorithms and optimize your campaign automatically. Objectives are divided into three main categories: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversions.
It’s crucial to be crystal clear about your objectives right from the start. To do that, define your advertising goals. Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish with this campaign?” Facebook offers an objectives chart to guide you, providing examples of different goals for each category.
Here are some common goals and their corresponding objectives:
AWARENESS
GOAL = Make more people aware of your business, brand, or service ⇒ Brand Awareness GOAL = Reach the maximum audience possible (increase ad visibility) ⇒ Reach
CONSIDERATION
GOAL = Drive users to a URL, like a landing page or blog post ⇒ Traffic GOAL = Boost likes, comments, and shares for your content ⇒ Engagement
CONVERSION
GOAL = Prompt people to take a specific action, like signing up for a newsletter, requesting a demo, downloading an app, or making a purchase ⇒ Conversions GOAL = Generate online sales through an e-commerce site ⇒ Catalog Sales
#2 Find and Expand Your Audience
To enhance your ROAS, it’s vital to pinpoint your target audience and expand your existing customer base. Instead of playing a guessing game, leverage Facebook Audience Insights to gather valuable data.
This powerful tool provides essential information about the individuals you should be reaching, enabling you to create personas and craft content that resonates with the right audience.
Facebook Audience Insights compiles aggregated data about your current Facebook connections and other potential users on the platform that you should be focusing on.
#3 Dive Deeper Into The Ads Manager
Picture it as your control center, steering all your advertising decisions. Whether you’re a seasoned campaign manager or a first-timer, Ads Manager has got you covered. It facilitates ad creation, lets you manage when and where they appear, and tracks their performance.
No need to be intimidated by its robust features. Ads Manager welcomes newcomers with open arms. Upon entering, you can fine-tune your campaign parameters, like objectives and audience selection. You have the flexibility to handle content, upload assets, craft ad copy, preview ads on various devices, and tweak your budget. Need to make changes, pause, or relaunch campaigns? Ads Manager is your one-stop shop.
When it comes to ad creation, Ads Manager offers two approaches: quick creation and guided creation. Quick creation is preferred by seasoned advertisers, giving you the freedom to design your ad in any order. On the other hand, guided creation leads new advertisers through a step-by-step wizard.
Here’s a glimpse of what Ads Manager lets you accomplish:
- Duplicate ads efficiently
- Edit all your ads in a centralized location
- Access campaign metrics
- Analyze ad performance
- Keep tabs on ads from your computer or mobile device
#4 Increase Engagement
Crafting compelling ads is key to making a lasting impression on your target audience. Here are some tips to elevate your ads and make them more appealing:
- Engaging Media: Since Facebook is a visual platform, leverage eye-catching photos and graphics to grab attention.
- Dynamic Copy: Tell a captivating story, share impressive statistics, and include testimonials to get users excited about your offerings.
- Strategic CTAs: Choose call-to-action buttons wisely from Facebook’s options. Ensure the CTA aligns with your message. Consistency is crucial; don’t mention signing up in your post copy and then use a “Watch Video” CTA.
#5 Auto Rotate Your Ads
To combat ad fatigue and banner blindness on social media, consider creating multiple ad variations within an ad group and setting up automatic rotation by Facebook. This strategy enhances the effectiveness of your ads as they compete against each other, and the ads garnering the most clicks get more exposure.
Here’s a simple guide:
- Create Variations: Generate several ad versions within an ad group.
- Automatic Rotation: Enable Facebook to automatically rotate these variations, allowing them to compete.
- Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on the ad metrics. When the winning ad’s conversions decline and CPC increases, it’s time for a refresh.
- Create New Ad Group: Develop a new ad group with the same targeting as the winning one.
- Add Variations: Introduce new variations to the winning ad to maintain its freshness and engagement.
This approach ensures your ads remain dynamic and competitive, maximizing their impact.
#6 Always Split Test Your Ads
Conducting a quick A/B test on Facebook allows you to identify top-performing ad elements, including creatives, copy, and target audiences. Here’s a simple guide to set up and analyze your A/B test:
- Access Ads Manager: Navigate to the Ads Manager main table, displaying all your ads, campaigns, and ad sets.
- Select Items: Check the box next to the campaigns or ad sets you want to include in the A/B test. Alternatively, choose “Custom” to duplicate and edit variables for testing.
- Click A/B Test: Locate the A/B Test option in the toolbar above and initiate the test.
- Choose Variable: Select the variable you want to test (creative, audience, etc.) and follow the on-screen instructions.
Ensure your hypothesis is clear and measurable before conducting the test. Analyze the results to determine the most effective elements for optimizing your Facebook ads.
#7 Leverage Click-To-Conversion Relevancy
Ensuring success in Facebook advertising goes beyond just getting clicks. It’s crucial to maintain engagement and relevance throughout the user’s journey, from clicking on the ad to converting. Achieving ad-to-page relevancy is key for a seamless experience and building brand trust. Here’s how you can maintain message consistency for a smooth click-to-conversion journey:
- Consistent Messaging: Align the content of your ads with the post-click destination or landing page. Keep your message consistent to reassure users that they’ve landed in the right place, while adding variation to maintain interest.
- Uniform Look and Feel: Maintain consistency in branding, colors, and calls to action across the entire user journey. A cohesive and recognizable experience helps prevent confusion and reduces bounce rates.
- Personalization and Targeting: Utilize ad targeting data and personalization variables to connect each ad with a relevant landing page based on unique audience segments. This tailored approach ensures your digital advertising campaign resonates effectively, driving higher conversions from your target audience.
