Three Reasons You Must Use Facebook Advertising to Grow Your Small Business
We’re bombarded daily by business owners who ask us the same questions: “‘Am I using the correct platforms?’ ‘What’s a Snapchat?’ ‘Am I too old to understand any of this?’”
The first action we instruct or take for them is consistent: Facebook advertising. If you’re going to be marketing on social media (by the way, you need to be) you must be utilizing the extraordinary capabilities of Facebook advertising.
But isn’t Facebook an outdated platform? Not a chance. Industry leaders are high on Facebook to say the least. Gary Vaynerchuk believes Facebook has the best ad product around right now, and we agree. Here’s why:
REACH
As of March 2017, Facebook had 1.94 billion active users, making it the most used platform in the world. In the United States, nearly 8-in-10 internet users are on Facebook. Once a platform for young people, over 62% of online adults ages 65 and older are now on the platform. This range makes Facebook a special site regardless of your industry, target audience, or niche; if you have something to sell or promote, you can find your audience on Facebook.
For those worried that the coveted Millennial population has moved on from Facebook, think again. It’s said that some 50% of 18–24-year-olds go on Facebook the moment they wake up. Another incredible feature is Facebook’s integration with Instagram. If you’re not familiar with Instagram, it’s essentially Facebook’s photogenic sister. Roughly six-in-ten online adults ages 18–29 (59%) use Instagram, and now with over 700 million active users — 90% of them being younger than age 35 — Instagram guarantees you reach those selfie-dependent Millennials.
MOST TARGETED ADVERTISING PRODUCT
The first time we used Facebook advertising for a client my first thought was: “This feels downright intrusive.” As a marketer, it was an incredible feeling. An advertising platform where I could pinpoint the audience that would see the ad, which had been created specifically for them.
The following are just a few examples of how Facebook allows you to select and narrow your target audience:
· Demographics: Allows you to select based on age, gender, education, financial standing, household, lifestyle, work, and location.
· Interests: Target audiences by their interests, activities, and what pages they like.
· Behaviors: Targeting based on previous purchase items and behaviors.
Let’s say you’re a luxury spa that caters to high-earning millennial women in the city of Los Angeles. Perhaps you wanted to run a special in the month of June for facials. Starting off, you’d geo-target Los Angeles and a few nearby cities, then select females ages 25–35 who earn $100,000+ a year.
Now the fun begins. Within this group of women, you could target those who have shown an interest in spas or spa treatments. From here, things can get extremely targeted. You may want to narrow that audience to those women who have purchased skin care products in the past (they clearly have an active interest and are willing to spend money on beauty and skincare). A facial seems like it would be the perfect service for a woman who just entered a new relationship and wants to impress her new love. You can specifically target women who have entered relationships within the past 6 months. On the flip side, you could also target women who just broke up with their partners and looking for a refresh for an upcoming first date. You’d also want to direct the advertisement to women with upcoming anniversaries. This audience is ripe to schedule a pre-dinner facial for her and her significant other. Bam! Two (love) birds with one stone!
“Want some pampering and perfect skin? Our facial is just what you need! Schedule your appointment today and receive 15% off!” Place this ad in front of the above groups and the only negative outcome may be too many appointments.
COST EFFECTIVE
Being a small business advertising on Facebook can instantly set you apart from your competition. It is said that there are 50 million active small business pages, yet only 2.5 million of them pay to be advertisers. Moreover, when compared to traditional mediums of advertising, Facebook is dirt cheap. Even if you only have a few hundred dollars, the results are extraordinary. For example, one of our clients needed more brand exposure and web traffic but was apprehensive about social advertising. We convinced him to let us allocate a mere $200 toward the buy, and the results blew him away. In two weeks, we gained him over 300,000 impressions on his brand and directed an additional 1000+ visitors to his website. Not bad for the cost of a night out in LA.
If you’re a small business and not advertising on Facebook, you need to begin today. The process is simple and the results are incredible. If you’re not sure where to begin, feel free to reach out!
Thanks for reading! What is your experience with Facebook advertising? If you enjoyed the article, please hit the heart button below!
