Key Facebook Changes that are Changing the Game for Online Advertising
Recently, Blueprint’s Vice President, Trey Sheneman, shared an outline of the foundations of Integrated Digital Marketing that we use in our approach to all of our online marketing efforts at Blueprint. As the Social Media Architect for Blueprint, I’m responsible for taking those foundations and formulating a more tactical plan that we execute for our clients’ online marketing success. Trey made the following comment, “for Facebook, the secret sauce lies in splitting out ad sets to focus on cold and warm leads at the same time, using custom and lookalike audiences.”
We use an integrated approach for all of our clients. However, not all clients are equal when it comes to social media. The channels, messaging, and objectives change based on our clients needs and current social media status. But, there is one thing that we make a part of every social media campaign—you must have a vibrant Facebook presence to ultimately win online in social. So, today, I want to share with you some tactical things you need to consider when developing your Facebook strategy. When the dust settles from your plan, if you don’t include the use of Facebook ads as part of your strategy, you won’t likely win. And, we also want you to win and will be sharing some of the keys to winning at Facebook.
You Must Pay to Play
It used to be that if you had a large Facebook Page following, you could see a lot of fan engagement through organic posting (simply posting relevant content on your Facebook page). If you can’t reach your audience just by posting to your Page, how do you get your incredible, life changing products and services in front of them? Facebook advertising.
Is Facebook still relevant to marketers? Social Media Examiner’s annual Social Media Marketing Industry report for 2015 found this:
- Marketers want to learn most about Facebook: While 93% of marketers are using Facebook, 68% want to learn more about it and 62% plan on increasing Facebook activities.
At Blueprint, we are convinced that one of the ways to increase your Facebook activity toward successful conversions is through Facebook advertising. So, here are some of the key new tools and changes that Facebook has made to make advertising on Facebook more successful and conversional than ever before.
Key Facebook Changes That Are Reshaping Online Engagement and Advertising
Local Awareness
Facebook rolled this out late last year. When creating an ad and choosing the objective, if you select Local Awareness, you will have the ability to create a specific call to action on their ads for local brick-and-mortar businesses. Mainly through the use of two call to action buttons, Call Now and Get Directions. If you choose the Call Now option (available only with Mobile Ads), the ad will be prepopulated with the phone number on your page and will allow a quick call from someone’s mobile phone right from the ad. The Get Directions option allows someone to get directions to your business. Both of these are great calls to action if you have a local physical business.
Lead Forms
Lead Forms was rolled out a few months ago and is continuing to be refined. Lead Forms is Facebook’s way of keeping someone on Facebook while filling out a form for follow-up. Initially, it took programming to integrate the form into a CRM. But, recently, Facebook has created integrations through some common third party applications that is taking it one step closer to being a valid replacement for lead pages and forms that take people away from Facebook. Without the integration, you still get a CSV file of those who have filled out your form which allows you to easily follow up with those leads and then export/import those files into your CRM.
Facebook Canvas
Facebook Canvas is a very cool opportunity to present your company/product/service in a much more engaging way on MOBILE only. In short, Canvas is a more immersive way to present your products to your audience using ads. It looks like any other sponsored ad but when clicked, it takes up the entire screen space on your phone or tablet and allows the user to watch a video, scroll down to see other text, images or videos including the ability to swipe left to other content. So you can lead your customers down a journey to an ultimate call to action. It’s not rolled out to everyone but continue to look for it. It’s definitely something we will be using for many of our clients here at Blueprint.
We haven’t even really scratched the surface.
Next time we will look at some of the other key tools that you will need in your Facebook arsenal to reach your coveted target audience.
At Blueprint, we will take our combined 50 years of integrated digital marketing experience in Atlanta and apply all of that to your marketing needs, big or small. And, if you aren’t quite sure how to start a Facebook ad campaign or need coaching on igniting your current Facebook audience with an ad strategy, let Blueprint be the digital agency you partner with to give you confidence in every campaign, including your Facebook campaigns. Call us at 770-817-9560.