Getting the Most out of Facebook for Business: Part 2
In Part 1 of our Getting the Most out of Facebook for Business series, we talked about the basics, Facebook to Instagram integration, analytics, ads, and boosts. Now that you’ve had some time to practice, it’s time to take your knowledge to the next level to begin reading analytics crafting ads like a pro.
Analytics
Analytics is one of the most important and robust features that Facebook can offer businesses. Now that you’ve had some time to explore the basics of Facebook Analytics, it’s time to learn how to use the data you’ve gathered to craft your strategy.
When it comes to posting, there is a formula for success, but that formula is different and unique to every business. Take note of which type of post (photo, video, link, etc.) get the most engagement and what time of the day your audience is most often online. This should be assessed and reassessed frequently, and your strategy should be adjusted to account for any differences.
Additionally, Facebook Analytics allows you to create and monitor specific cohorts of people and allows you to track their engagement and behavior. Creating a cohort for your ideal customer or client gives you the chance to see exactly what is working to bring those people to your website or to get them to call your business. You can create multiple cohorts to track multiple groups of people, and the cohorts you create is entirely up to you.
Finally, Facebook also allows you to install a Pixel into your website to track website visits and sales. This allows you to see which posts are really helping to drive traffic where you need it to go. It’s great if a post gets 50 comments and 200 likes, but, if none of those people go to your website to schedule a consultation, it doesn’t add to your business growth.
Facebook Ads
When you explore the Facebook Ads Manager it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the possibilities of ads you can create. Digging deeply into your goals will help you choose the right type of ad for you. Once you decide which type of ad to set up, there are many additional steps and options to help you maximize your ROI. It may take you a few tries to get the hang of it and determine the best strategy for your goal - and that’s okay!
As for ad content, video is hot right now! We highly recommend creating a video or having one made to use in your advertisements. If you’re a construction or contracting, perhaps a video explaining your philosophy and some footage from a job site would do well. Maybe a customer testimonials.
When creating your ad, make sure to choose the places you’d like it to appear instead of using automatic placements. Newsfeed ads typically perform better than story ads, and a story ad wouldn’t be best to share a video testimonial, so think about adjusting accordingly depending on your ad.
In choosing your audience, you have the ability to build any type of audience that you like. If you’ve kept good track of your previous customers, you can upload a file to create a lookalike audience, an audience that looks strikingly similar to the customers who have already employed your business. If creating a lookalike isn’t something you want to do, or you don’t have the data, be specific in who you’re targeting. Think about your ideal customer and who calls your business for consultations the most. Categorize these people, and base your audience off of the personas you created.