You can find tons of information on “how to optimize your Facebook ads” and how to “reach the right audience,” but most of them will give you the same basic advice—optimize demographics, install a Facebook pixel, create a Facebook audience, etc. These can help, but they don’t go far enough. Your ads will get lost in the noise this way.
I would bet my bottom dollar that you’ve already tried these things, and still don’t see the results you want. We all know the basics of how to share a Facebook ad, many entrepreneurs just don’t know how to create a successful Facebook ad.
Once you know the tips and tricks, it’s all child’s play from there. It doesn’t take much to boost your Facebook ad, just the right series of steps. It can take years to master what works for you, but you can learn from my mistakes. Here’s the list:
ALSO READ: Beginner PPC Mistakes… And How To Avoid Them
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Optimize Your Facebook Ad’s Likes and Shares
The likes and shares under your post are the most qualifying factor to your audience that your product is good. It virtually works as a form of social proof. However, getting thousands of likes, comments, and shares on one post can be tricky—that’s why you should use an existing post for every ad.
When setting up an ad campaign, you have two options: “create new ad” and “use existing post.” Using an existing post often goes unseen. However, it’s an incredibly efficient way to optimize the likes and shares you’ve accumulated on other posts.
This option lets you gather all of that past post’s engagement under the ad, which can build once you reshare it. This also already gives you social proof that this post was effective and resonated with your audience.
Set up multiple ad campaigns using the same post to publish on your company's Facebook page, and enjoy your “head start” of engagement.
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Optimize Your Ad Schedule
Most people set their ads to run 24/7, bombarding their target audience no matter the day or time. Over my time mastering Facebook ads, I’ve come to find that some days and times outperform the rest. Strategizing about when and how frequently your audience sees your post can make a world of a difference.
To see which days create the most conversions at the lowest CPC, go to your Facebook ads manager report and use the breakdown menu to analyze your campaigns by day. You can use this data to find the best time for you to post and promote your ad.
This will save you time, money, and prevent your audience from ad fatigue when it comes to viewing your content. Speaking of which…
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Avoid Ad Fatigue with Your Audience
Like I mentioned above, bombarding your audience with content will fatigue them. It’s possible for your ad to have the reverse effect and lead to unfollows instead of leads. Despite the data that the more an individual is exposed to your product the more likely they are to buy it, they’re also more likely to get bored, or worse, irritated.
The more your target audience has seen your Facebook ad, the CPC will increase. There are a few things you can do to fight ad fatigue, including:
- Create several variations with different Facebook ad designs
- Set up an ad campaign with multiple ad sets, different ads, and schedule them to all be active on a different day
- Change your target audience for different ads. This will help your content reach more people and avoid overstimulating one group of people.
This will help your ads feel less repetitive. This is especially helpful if you’re creating a campaign for a small target audience.
ALSO READ: How to Run Your First Successful PPC Campaign
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A/B Test Your Content
Finding what works is easier said than done. What works today might not work the next time, and vice versa. That’s why I like to use A/B testing to figure out the right approach for the audience, every campaign.
A/B testing is a great strategy because you can compare and contrast the analytics of the campaign. For example, running two ads with the same copy, but different photos can help you see which photo performs better. This will give you insight into the types of visual stimulation your audience likes to engage with.
This strategy can be used in a variety of ways. Now, you shouldn’t A/B test everything, but you can A/B test most campaigns. I recommend starting with:
- Ad design
- Headline of Ad copy
- Call-to-action buttons
- Offers
Change just one thing at a time and compare the results.
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Get Creative
Most importantly, keep in mind that everyone uses the same techniques and strategies. It can be difficult to stand out from the crowd, but that’s what’s going to sell. Find what is authentic to you and that will resonate with your audience.
If you don’t feel like methodical ads work for you, try using a more organic post to boost. If you don’t like to reuse content, post a different ad every time. Heck, if you want to try to reach an audience you think will hate your product or service just to see if it boosts your engagement, have at it.
Methods that seem quirky today will be the ones everyone uses in a year. Social media marketing itself was once avant-garde.
There’s no magic bullet when it comes to social media marketing, but there are tips and tricks that have proven to work. If you’re still struggling with your ad campaigns, and you’re not sure what to do next, implement one of these techniques to optimize your content.
FURTHER READING: 5 Tips to Help Your Clients Advertise on Instagram
