Why you should be using Facebook to advertise

It’s no secret that Facebook is the king of social media platforms. With over 2.6 billion active users, Facebook is a daily part of the average adult’s life.

However, Facebook is also one of the biggest advertising opportunities for businesses today. More than 1 billion of its users log in daily, making Facebook too big for businesses to ignore. And as organic reach (posting updates on a group/page) reaches its success limit, more and more businesses are turning to Facebook Ads to increase their exposure and traffic.

But are Facebook Ads the right investment for you? Here are some benefits to advertising on the world’s biggest social media platform.

1. YOUR AUDIENCE IS ON FACEBOOK

As mentioned, more than 2 billion people actively use Facebook. Using Facebook Ads allows you to not only reach current customers, but new customers whose interests or beliefs align closely with your brand.

The audience present on Facebook also spans across many demographics. Users aged 18-34 take up a bulk of the audience, at 56%. However, older audiences are quickly increasing with almost half (46%) of 65+ year olds using the platform. No matter who your business’ target audience is, you should be able to find them on Facebook.

2. ACCESS TO FINE-TUNED TARGETING TOOLS

Facebook Ads use a variety of advanced targeting tools to reach your audience. They factor in the basics, such as age, gender, and location, but they also look at lifestyle characteristics such as interests, hobbies, and even recent buying behaviour to expand your potential customers. Such targeted forms of advertising are hugely beneficial to any business.

One tool that Facebook provides is the ability to reach Lookalike Audiences: people similar to those that already engage with your company. This tool is just one of many that can increase your reach, and ultimately, your brand success. Facebook shows your ads to the people who are most likely to buy, providing the best results for your campaign.

Targeting tools on Facebook

3. BUDGET-FRIENDLY ADVERTISING

A big budget isn’t necessary for a big outcome. Using Facebook Ads is one of the cheapest methods of advertising in today’s marketplace.

Other forms of advertising that were more popular in the past, such as radio ads, commercials, and billboards, are far more costly than Facebook Ads, and the same desired results are achievable.

Less than $10 in Facebook Ads can easily lead to a reach of 1000+ people if you strategize and plan well.  And you can even set daily or lifetime budget limits (that you can change at any time) to ensure that you’re only spending as much as you want/can on your advertising.

4. EASE OF USE

You don’t need to be an expert to figure out how to use Facebook advertising to your business’ benefit, you can use it even if you work from home. With easily customizable ads that allow you to choose your type of ad, your target audience, and your budget, Facebook Ads are for any business owner or—tech-wizard or not.

Marketing goals are also easily factored in. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Post engagement? Likes or clicks on your page? Reach a wider audience? From sponsored stories, to video ads, to carousel ads, Facebooks Ads will have a way to get the results you want for your company.

Lululemon Facebook ad

5. FREE ANALYTICS

Building on its budget-friendly rep, Facebook Ads also provide free analytics for your campaign. You’ll get real-time results to see what is and isn’t working. This allows you to easily adjust your ads to increase their performance.

Facebook provides reports with metrics such as weekly reach, page likes, and engagement. You can easily see which posts are effective and which aren’t doing so well, then fine-tune your ads in a way that makes them more successful. Such flexibility isn’t possible with other forms of traditional marketing.

Facebook Ad analytics

With an ad such as a tv commercial, it’s difficult to measure effectiveness while the commercial is still being run. Usually, a business has to wait for reactions from the public, or movement towards/against their marketing goals to gauge the success of the commercial. Facebook, on the other hand, provides reports for your campaign as soon as possible, giving you the best results for your investment.

6. REMARKETING

Remarketing is an advertising approach that Facebook makes easy. Say someone visits your website but does not make a purchase. Facebook is able to track this visitor and show them an ad for your company at a future time, while they’re scrolling through their feed. Re-engaging customers this way can lead to more website visits and better conversions.

This tactic can also be used to drive repeat business: purchases by customers who have bought from you in the past. You can directly import past customer emails into your Facebook Ad campaign. This means your ads will be shown to people who are already engaged and are willing to buy.

7. REFERRALS

When you advertise on Facebook, your audience can help you expand your reach. Customers that are already engaged with your brand can easily tag their own friends and family on your ads. And because they have a connection with the people they are tagging, those people are more likely to trust the quality of your product or service.

Plus, there’s always the potential to go viral on a social media platform. Take Squatty Potty for example. They posted a video ad in 2015 that went viral with over 1 million shares and thousands of comments. Users tagged friends and family with comments like “You need this!”. One ad led to a massive increase in brand awareness, website visits, and sales.

Squatty Potty Facebook Ad

8. FACEBOOK IS MOBILE

Almost 80% of Facebook users only view the platform on their phone. During their work breaks, while travelling to/from work, or when bored, people are likely to use their phone and browse through Facebook. Using Facebook ads allows you to catch these people during their down time, when they may be more likely to buy.

9. FACEBOOK IS FAST

Facebook gives you the option to add a call-to-action (CTA) to your ad. This is a button that gives the customer a direct action. It might be downloading your app, subscribing to your emails, or booking an appointment. This provides a sense of urgency for the ad viewer and encourages them to click on your ad. With this method, you’ll reach your marketing goals fast.

FINAL WORDS

Using Facebook Ads has countless benefits for any brand. Strategizing, knowing your audience and recognizing your company’s goals are all you need to get started. For more information on advertising with Facebook, you can also check out their Business Centre.