How to Get Started With Facebook Ads

Understanding the Facebook Ad algorithm is important because it identifies ads that provide a good user experience.

In doing so, the right settings can help optimize your budget. There is a practical reason why the algorithm exists: If advertisers monopolize the news feed, Instagram, the right-hand column, or whatever you’re using to advertise on Facebook, people won’t return to Facebook. That means your ads need to provide value because Facebook wants to create a positive user experience with meaningful interactions.

Ad transparency is important for figuring out the algorithm. The ability for any user to see exactly what ads a Facebook page or Twitter account is running is particularly useful for marketers and businesses. There are three key ways that marketers can leverage this information to their advantage:

• Research competitor campaigns and consumer markets. Seeing all the ad campaigns your competitors are running is invaluable as you consider your own campaign. Visit their landing pages and assess their call to action. What special offers are they running? How long are their videos? Are they trying to attract clicks, drive purchases, or just create awareness?
• Get inspiration for using new ad features. New ad features roll out all the time on Facebook and Twitter. Look to major brands like Home Depot, Target, or Airbnb to see how they’re using new ad features; it’s a good way to see what each feature does and how it works without investing your first dollar.
• Share active campaigns with customers and prospects. Because users can engage with the ads in the same way they would if the ad appeared in their news feed, customers and prospects now have an opportunity to begin a purchase or signup they might have missed out on.

So how do you build an effective Facebook advertising campaign? First, you need to have a plan of action. Otherwise, you’ll be flying blind with no clear idea of where you want to go. To see consistent results, identify where in your sales funnel you can leverage Facebook ads. Answer these four questions to help define your strategy:

• What’s your objective for Facebook advertising? For example, do you want to generate new leads for your business, sales for your eCommerce store, or subscribers to your blog?
• Do you have existing or consistent website traffic?
• Do you have an email list? If so, is it active and how many people are on your list?
• Can you create unique content about your business/industry?

Based on your answers, there are three Facebook advertising strategies you can use to take the next step forward:

• Provide free content to warm up your audience. Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to differentiate your business and warm up cold audiences. Provide free valuable content that entertains, educates, or inspires your ideal customer. You could use videos, lead magnets (guides, checklists, coupons, etc.), or blog posts, for example.
• Engage people on your email list. Delivering your message via your Facebook ads and email marketing is twice as effective. Customers will see your message in their inbox and when they browse Facebook.
• Retarget website visitors. If you install the Facebook pixel on your website, you can target people who have recently visited your site.

Facebook Marketplace is the place where you can reach local audiences with your product and services.

Think of it as the Facebook equivalent of eBay and Craigslist — Here’s where everyday people can post any number of items or services for sale. Currently, Facebook says it has over 800 million users in the Marketplace. The plus of Facebook Marketplace is that it’s where people are actively looking for a specific good, which means you have immediate access to an audience that is looking for you.

• Create a campaign objective. Marketplace offers five objectives: reach, traffic, conversions, catalog sales, and video views. Once you pick one you can give your campaign a name.
• Choose placement. Where do you want the ad to appear? Scroll down to the Placements section and pick the settings.
• Create a video ad. In the Ad Creation section you can upload images as well as a video. Videos tend to outperform static images in Marketplace, so that might be your best option.
• Analyze placement results. Check out how your ad is performing in comparison to other placements. You can do this by filtering your ad reports by selecting “Placement” from the Breakdown drop-down menu.