Updated Oct. 2021

With 2.38 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the world’s most popular social network. Facebook ads should be a priority in your company’s digital marketing plan, but navigating the ever-changing world of Facebook Business can be tricky. Whether you’re a Facebook veteran or just getting started, check out our guide to making the most out of your brand’s Facebook ads.

For this guide, we’ll assume that you already have Facebook Business Manager set up and ready to go (if you don’t, start here).

Consider Your Goals and Objectives

What do you ultimately want to do with your ad campaign? Do you want to increase your brand’s exposure, get more site views, pick up more leads or make sales? Facebook Business provides a detailed breakdown of their various ad objectives. You can use this information to build a set of ads that work best for your company’s goals. Facebook also has various ad formats to explore, including video, slideshows, carousels, and stories. 

Honor the Algorithm

In recent years, Facebook has changed its algorithm so that it prioritizes content that best represents the company’s “News Feed Values.” More specifically, they have noted that video content drives higher engagement, which means that the algorithm will prioritize video over other content. To best tailor your video to your audience, we suggest this guide from Facebook.

Build Your Target Audiences

About 1.59 billion people log onto Facebook every day, but not all of them will benefit from your products and services. Whether you’re making cold pitches to Facebook users who are new to your brand or retargeting a loyal fanbase, you should take time to hone in on your audiences based on profile status, age, gender, location, language, life events, and interests. Target expansion can help you build upon the audience you already have by getting your brand out to people who may not be defined in your target audience, but are similar.

Fix that Pixel: 

Many data points can be pulled from Facebook Ad Manager, but it’s important to make sure that you have a Facebook Pixel installed correctly on the back end of your website before investing in advertisements. Your pixel tracks the actions users take once they leave your Facebook ad and visit your website; this information can help improve your ads and website, and it’s crucial for your retargeting campaigns.

Money

Your company’s ideal Facebook budget depends on multiple factors, but BigCommerce.com suggests starting with $1 for every 100 visitors your website gets every month. Depending on your company’s goals, you should incorporate specific budgets dedicated to boosted posts, engagement-focused ads, and conversion-focused ads.

A/B Testing

One major benefit to Facebook Advertising is the opportunity to research your audiences and perfect your strategy. Which copy seems to resonate in your ads? What images lead to more conversions? Are you gaining more followers from one ad format over another? Create separate ad groups to test what works best for your brand.

Ready to dive deeper? Here are three suggestions that will improve your Facebook ad strategy:

  1. Pump Up Your Video Ads: Generally, video content receives higher engagement, which means that Facebook’s algorithm makes it a higher priority in the user’s feeds. Experiment with your brand’s video, slideshow and collection ads. Additionally, consider posting these ads to your stories.
  2. Make Lookalike Audiences: Already have an email list? Facebook can examine profiles linked to those emails and create a Lookalike Audience of users who share similarities to your current customers.
  3. Retargeting with Dynamic Ads: Want a second shot at a customer who didn’t follow through with a purchase? With the help of your Facebook Pixel and Catalog, you can create ads that show your website’s visitors the products that they previously viewed

Want more Facebook ad guidance? Contact our team today to learn more about The Loop Marketing’s social media services and customized solutions.

author avatar
Elijah Litscher
Elijah Litscher is an author, educator, entrepreneur, and marketing innovator with over 18 years of experience in digital marketing. He has traveled extensively as a professional speaker while educating thousands of business owners across the country in online marketing best practices. Elijah is committed to empowering small and medium-sized businesses to reach their full potential online as founder and Chief Digital Strategist at The Loop Marketing Inc. in Chicago, Illinois.