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10 Benefits of Facebook Ads that might make you question your current strategy.
Oct 19, 2022
By Aimee Robinson
Online advertising is booming, and Facebook Ads are no different. In fact, 115 billion USD (180 billion AUD at time of writing) was spent on Facebook Ads last year, and this is expected to pass 200 billion USD in the next 5 years. If your business has been relying on traditional marketing methods, moving your budget to Facebook marketing can seem like a risky move. But the benefits of Facebook Ads are almost too good to pass up on. For most businesses, big and small, running Facebook Ads is one of the best things you can do to grow.
We're not saying you need to advertise exclusively on Facebook. Actually, having a varied approach to marketing is almost always best. But we are saying that if you're not currently advertising on Facebook, you might just want to hop on board.
Below, we walk you through the benefits of Facebook Ads, how they compare to traditional advertising and whether running Facebook Ads is still worth it in 2022.
Are Facebook ads effective in 2022?
In the last couple of years, there have been a number of changes to the way Facebook Ads work which have got people questioning whether they're still effective. One of the most significant changes was Apple's iOS 14 update. iPhone users can now opt out of data tracking when visiting your site, which means a decrease in the amount of data Facebook has access to. Facebook's targeting capabilities have also been reduced.
In light of the changes, it's certainly more challenging to run effective Facebook Ads than before. But it's not out of the question. Advertisers are still putting money into Facebook ads, more than ever. Last year, 60% of companies increased their ad spend on Facebook. This tells us it's still worth the investment.
To succeed with Facebook Ads, you need a strong understanding of how the algorithm works, precise campaign monitoring and a streamlined approach. There are a number of strategies that can get your business a great return on investment, despite the challenges. We've explained a couple of these strategies in our article Why 2022 is a good time to change your Facebook Ads strategy.
How does Facebook advertising stack up with traditional media?
Traditional advertising (like TV, radio, billboard, print media etc) has its place, and can work wonders for some businesses. Generally traditional advertising gives you a big reach across multiple consumer segments. And it's often great for showcasing the creative potential of your brand. On the other hand, traditional advertising can be expensive, highly competitive and less targeted.
The benefits of Facebook Ads really lie in the targeting capabilities and the data tracking. With Facebook Ads, you're able to fine tune your targeting so that your ads are showing up for people who are more likely to convert. Compare this with a billboard that's seen by anyone passing by– you're not so in control of your audience.
Then there's data tracking. You don't know what someone does after seeing your billboard or TV ad. Do they completely ignore you or do they go ahead and purchase your product? Even if you do see an increase in sales, it's impossible to know the ins and outs of how your ads perform. But with Facebook Ads, you're able to track the data, monitor your ad performance and make real time changes to get better results.
What are the benefits of Facebook ads?
We've already mentioned tracking and targeting above, but there are a tonne more benefits that Facebook Ads can offer your business. Let's dive into them.
1. Micro-targeted audiences
Even with recent changes to Facebook Ads targeting, Facebook still has some of the most robust targeting capabilities out there.
Yes, you can target by demographics such as age and location. But here's where the real punch is. You can target your ads based on psychographics. That's things like life events, interests, hobbies and behaviours. These factors are much better predictors of someone's purchasing behaviours than how old they are or where they live.
What's more, you can even target your ads based on brand desires – what brands your audience are interested in. This means you're able to target audiences interested in competitor brands.
The power to fine tune your targeting means you're able to filter your audience for quality. The higher quality audience, the better your ads will perform. Compare this to traditional marketing methods, which show your ads to any passerby. You need more eyes on your traditional ads for the same kind of results as you'd get with highly targeted Facebook ads.
2. Highly customisable
Facebook Ads are highly customisable, which means you can design ads that are laser targeted and optimised for a specific audience. You're in control of everything from ad formats and placements to ad copy and visual content.
This allows you to test and find out what converts your audience best. Whether that's photo ads, video ads, a collection of products, messenger ads or stories. Plus, you don't have to run the same ads to people from different parts of your sales funnel. Fine tune your different ad campaigns for reaching cold audiences or speaking directly to your loyal customers.
3. Bigger bang for your buck
One of the most well-known benefits of Facebook Ads is their low entry level prices. You're in control of how much you want to spend, which means it's super budget friendly. Whether you're a big brand or a small business with not much to spend, you can reach a highly targeted audience with a relatively low starting budget.
This gives smaller businesses a chance to compete, something traditional advertising methods can't really offer. Plus, being in control of who sees your ads, where they show up and how long they run for means you're able to get more out of your budget. By tracking your results and analysing the data, you can optimise your ads to minimise budget waste.
4. Fast results
Facebook ads are a good option for campaigns where you need fast results. You want to see a spike in brand growth or drive up sales quickly? Facebook Ad campaigns can help you do it.
The speed of Facebook Ads makes them a great option for new businesses and brand awareness campaigns. For example, if you're trying to break into new markets or advertise a product that people aren't searching for yet.
At Dilate, we regularly use Facebook advertising to increase exposure, raise brand awareness and drive fast growth for our clients. We find a Facebook Ads strategy usually pairs really well with longer term strategies like Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
5. Great tracking capabilities
One of the benefits of Facebook Ads that traditional media can’t compete with? Data tracking. The proof is in the pudding. If you can measure your ad campaign results, you can see just how well your ads are performing. And when you've got all that data up your sleeve, you can make changes to your campaigns to get better performance moving forward.
Facebook Ads Manager has some of the best tracking abilities out there. And even with the iOS 14 update, you're still able to get decent feedback from your ads. Install Facebook Pixel on your site and it'll track what website visitors do on your site. You can use this information to create lookalike audiences for your ads. In other words, you're able to target potential customers who are similar to your existing customers.
When you run a Facebook advertising campaign, you can track things like:
- What users do before leaving Facebook, such as engagement and reach.
- Events that happen off Facebook, such as conversions and leads.
Of course, after gathering all the data, you've got to know how to interpret it properly. We've written a guide on what metrics to track, and how to interpret them to see if your ads are actually performing. Check it out: Are your campaigns even working?
6. Make changes real time
In traditional marketing, you're often locked into the ads you run for a set period of time. If they're not working out, you have to take the loss. But with Facebook Ads, you don't have to commit to an ad if it's not working out.
You can test, test, test to see what works best. Notice a loss? Nip it in the bud. Change your ad copy, test different photos or mix up your ad placement. Get your ads working the hardest they can, so you're getting the best return on your investment.
7. Epic brand reach potential
Despite the scandals in recent years, Facebook isn't going anywhere. It's currently got around 2.93 billion active monthly users, and is still the strongest social media platform by a mile. 1.96 billion people use Facebook every single day. If that's not audience potential, what is?
This potential for massive reach– it's one of the biggest benefits of Facebook Ads. With a strategic campaign, you can grow your social following, expand brand awareness and drive up customer attribution. Afterall, the more times someone sees your brand, the more likely they are to make a purchase from you in the future.
8. Strengthen audience connection
Facebook ads don't just work to draw in new customers, they can also be an effective tool for keeping your existing audience connected and loyal.
It's a bit of a pain in the rear end, but simply posting organic content to your Facebook page or Instagram account won't get you far anymore. Changes to Facebook's algorithm means only 5.2% of your audience will actually see your organic posts. That's pretty dang low.
If you want your audience to keep seeing your social content, and interact with it, you've got to run ads. It's the best way to remind your audience that you're still here, so they keep your brand front of mind. By utilising Facebook data, you can also run effective remarketing campaigns to people who have purchased from you in the past.
As an added bonus, getting more likes and engagement on your social media posts can indirectly benefit your search engine rankings. Stronger SEO is a quiet, unassuming benefit of Facebook Ads.
9. More traffic to your blogs & content
If you're running a blog on your website for SEO purposes, Facebook Ads are one of the best ways to increase traffic to your blog. By sharing high quality, engaging content, you attract more website visitors, more backlinks and more shares.
Content marketing on Facebook can bolster your brand reputation and help you make a deeper connection with your audience. You're giving them something of value, and improving their experience with your brand. If you're not already marketing your quality blog content on social media platforms, we highly recommend it.
10. Boost your other marketing strategies
Facebook marketing can have a positive impact on your other marketing strategies by upping brand awareness. Use Facebook Ads to increase brand recognition and grow your online presence, and you'll see a boost in performance across all your marketing streams.
Facebook users don't exclusively use Facebook. Sure, they might discover your brand on Facebook through an ad. Later, they might search your brand on Google, or look for product reviews on YouTube. In other words, Facebook advertising can help warm up cold traffic. And if it's not part of your current marketing strategy, it might be time to make room for it.
So, is Facebook Ads worth it for your business?
Safe to say, the benefits of Facebook Ads are big, bold and full of potential. But like most things, it's best to not have all your marketing eggs in one basket. From our experience, you get the best results with a multidimensional approach. What might work for your business, isn't going to work for the business down the road. You've got to approach it from a tailored, highly targeted point of view.
For most businesses, a healthy dose of Facebook marketing in combination with other strategies is a smart move.
The best way to find out if Facebook Ads is a good investment? Book a discovery session with our team of experts. We'll conduct thorough research into your business, industry, audience and competition. If your projected return on investment isn't looking good, we'll recommend other strategies that would be better for your business. If Facebook Ads is the right move, we can help you develop and implement a winning strategy.
Let's chat. Call us on .
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