Facebook ads not converting? Have you tried this?

We've all been in that position where we think we've done everything right, but our ads still does not reach the right target audience that we desire.

I've been there too.

One key way I've realised that you can target the right customers if you have a brick and mortar business, is by targeting them by location.

Where do most of your current and potential customers live? 

Understanding this, massively helps to achieve better results for your ads on Facebook. However, there’s more than just one type of geo-targeting available for your ads. In total, Facebook has four separate categories which help businesses to target potential customers, by location. 

1.) Everyone in this location

This is the default setting for a Facebook ad. This refers to people who are in your location itself. So if for an example my restaurant, Tiki Taka, were running an ad and you were near our shoplot in Medan Damansara, you will see our ad if you were scrolling through your FB app at that time. This concept also applies to people who are close by this area. You would then also be able to see Tiki Taka’s ad.

2.) People who live in this location

This refers to people who have set their ‘about’ information on Facebook with details of their city. Therefore, anyone who lives in selected location, would see your ad when they are scrolling through their FB feed.

3.) People recently in this location

Remember checking into that fancy cafe in Bangsar, only to then see an ad for a business in the same area itself? Well, this is exactly how this category works. This section takes advantage of your most recent check-ins to help promote a post.

4.) People traveling in this location

This segment is perfect for businesses looking to target tourists. For example, if your restaurant is in Penang, you’d possibly be looking to attract KL travelers to stop by during their holidays. In a bid to make this work, Facebook once again takes advantage of your location history.

So if you’ve had plenty of check-ins in KL and suddenly a handful of check-ins happens in Penang, Facebook then identifies this pattern. The platform then automatically pushes out ads by businesses in Penang, to the KL crowd who have arrived on the island.

The next time you see a business ad popping up on Facebook, don’t be freaked out, especially if you're not from the area. It's all down to good social media marketing.

Therefore, give location targeting a shot, and see the improvements in your ad posts! 

Key Takeaways:

1. Facebook has four separate categories which help businesses to target customers by location. 
2. ‘Everyone in this location’ is the default setting for a Facebook ad. 
3. For brands looking to target tourists, opt for ‘people traveling in this location’.