How does Facebook Ads work?
Facebook was born in 2004 and only two months after its creation, the social network received its first ads. Today, this social media is the third most visited site in the world after Google and YouTube according to Alexa. It is also well established in the habits and consumption patterns of everyone.
In France, in 2021, 3 out of 4 internet users used Facebook regularly according to a study by we are social and Hootsuite 2021. The same study indicated that 33 million French users could even be reached via Facebook ads! The platform represents a real opportunity for businesses of all sizes to grow, sell online and reach a large audience.
How to get started with Facebook Ads?
Facebook Ads is not that complicated to understand at first. However, to be successful on this advertising platform, it is necessary to understand the basics. Find out how to get started with Facebook Ads:
Goals, KPIs and audiences on Facebook Ads
KPIs stand for Key Indicator Performance. They are therefore performance indicators. They are usually set before launching a marketing or advertising campaign on Facebook. As with any other project, you must select them according to the objectives set for your advertising campaign.
The objectives of the Facebook advertising campaign can be many and varied: conversions, lead generation, awareness campaigns, developing your visibility and your Facebook page.
Your goals also impact your audience and your segmentation. Depending on the goals you have decided on for your advertising campaign, you will not try to target the same audience. You will need to segment differently and therefore set the right KPIs for your targets.
Create a Facebook advertising account
To advertise on Facebook, you will obviously need to have a Facebook advertising account. To do this, you must go to the Business Manager. You can then create a new ad account or add ad accounts that you own. It is also possible to gain access to those owned by other people or companies.
To set up your account, you can do it alone or receive advice from a dedicated advertising agency. You will then benefit from their experience to have the best tool to make ads on the social network.
Create your Facebook pixel
The Facebook Pixel is an indispensable tool for tracking users who have visited your website. This piece of JavaScript code is installed on your web pages. It will then allow you to run remarketing or retargeting campaigns, a very effective type of advertising campaign.
Indeed, 90% of users leave a website without ever returning. However, they have probably shown an interest in your company, its products and services, or its content. With Facebook Ads, you can create retargeting audiences to precisely target these users.
However, setting up a Facebook Pixel requires technical skills, especially in code, to be effective. You can call on a specialised web marketing agency to install it and above all to check that it works well. You can then use this powerful remarketing lever!
How to use Facebook Ads properly?
Once you understand the basics, how do you advertise on Facebook? As with all other social networks, the platform has some specificities that you should keep in mind before creating ads. Here are some tips:
Create attractive visuals for your Facebook ads
When it comes to creating Facebook ads, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to media. The platform supports many types of ads: images, photos, videos, carousels, etc. You can also opt for different formats, static with text for example, or dynamic with stories. You can then give free rein to your imagination and creativity to best represent your brand, your services and your products.
Obviously, creating attractive and impactful visuals is one of the crucial steps to achieving strong results on Facebook and all social media. Your visual ads should also meet the needs and interests of your target audience.
Defining your Facebook Ads campaign
Getting your Facebook Ads campaign right is obviously crucial to success on the platform. This requires you to think carefully about your ads, targeting, display, format, budget and scheduling. The first step is to name your Facebook campaign and then choose some options such as A/B split testing.
Then comes the targeting. This is where you choose which audience your campaign and its ads should reach.
After that, you have to decide on the placement of your ads. To do this, you can opt for the automatic option, which is the easiest to use. But you can also push the customisation of the placements: platforms, device types, etc.
The format of the ads will also have to be fixed. Facebook provides advertisers with a preview tool. You can define the format by inserting your text, images or by specifying the media of your choice. Several formats are possible depending on your objectives. You will then be able to visualise the result and obtain a preview of the display of your advertisement on each chosen location.
The last major step will be to set the budget and schedule your ad or group of ads. For your advertising budget, you will have to choose between a global or daily budget. It is also possible to control the bidding costs as well as to set advanced options to manage your advertising expenses more closely. As for scheduling, it simply consists of choosing the dates for launching your ads and especially the end of the campaign for your Facebook ads.
A specialised webmarketing agency can help you set up your first Facebook advertising campaigns. You will benefit from their expertise and advice to get the best results and the best return on investment.