When I show business owners the back end of Facebook advertising, I feel as if I am a marketing magician revealing my secrets. But the truth is, anybody can use Facebook advertising and generate business from it. It’s simply about learning how to do it, and taking the time to master the craft.
Facebook ad targeting
Facebook advertising has come a long way since its inception. There are many ways to get in front of your ideal customers. You can target audiences based on a variety of categories, including:
- Location
- Demographics
- Interests
- Behaviors
- Financial resources
- Industry or occupation
- Homeownership status
- Education and academic degree
- Ethnicity
- Generation (i.e. Baby Boomers or Millennials)
- Political beliefs
- Milestones (i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, moving)
- Relationship status
As a result of Facebook’s partnership with data companies, advertisers can display products or services on targeted user news feeds. In addition to targeting customers based on the categories above, as a business owner, you can utilize the following methods.
Facebook lookalike audiences
Lookalike audiences help your ads reach users who are similar to (or “look like”) audiences that are already interested in your business. This is a good way to reach new people based on current or existing markets.
You can create an audience that mirrors the same demographics, interests and behaviors of people who currently Like your Facebook business page, mirror visitors who have visited your website by installing a Facebook pixel, or target users ho have purchased your products and services.
You can set up your lookalike audience in Facebook Ads Manager or Power Editor. Under Ad Manager, click Audiences ➤ Create Audience ➤ Lookalike Audience.
Next, choose the Source, an existing audience to model your lookalike audience on. This could be people who visited your website, like your business page or even downloaded your app.
Then, choose a Location, a country or region where you would like to find a similar set of people. Once that’s set, select your Audience Size. The smaller the audience, the more similar users are to your existing target. Keep in mind, however, that it can take up to 24 hours for Facebook to develop an audience. Once formed, you can use this Lookalike audience as another means of acquiring new business.
Facebook custom audiences
Facebook’s Custom Audience feature allows you to reach people who have a relationship with your business. You can upload a document containing customer emails or phones numbers into Facebook. Facebook then links that information to actual Facebook accounts. Now, you’re able to show ads to your audience in their news feeds.
For example, you can upload your email subscriber list into Facebook. Next, generate helpful industry-related content and place it right in front of your prospects. It’s a subliminal and simple way to stay in front of potential business.
To set up a custom audience, use Facebook Ads Manager. Go to Audiences once again. Click Create Audience ➤ Custom Audience ➤ Customer File.
From here, you can:
- Add customers from your own file or copy and paste data. Use your customers’ information to match them with people on Facebook.
- Import from MailChimp. Import email addresses directly from this third-party connection by providing your login credentials.
It may take up to 30 minutes for your Custom Audience to upload to Facebook. You will be notified as soon as the upload is complete.
As you create new Lookalike and Custom audiences in Facebook, you will also notice a myriad of other ways to develop new audiences. My biggest advice? Take baby steps. Learn how to optimize your current customer data, and continue to add new methods as you move forward.
This article has been edited.
Lyndsi Stafford is the Founder and CEO of eLuminate Marketing, providing Fortune 500 digital marketing, without the Fortune 500 price.
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