If you’re looking to advertise your business on Facebook then you’ll be tapping into the 15 million Australians who use Facebook each month.
Even better, with the average cost-per-click across all industries for Facebook ads at just $1.72, you can buy affordable leads and maximise your possible ROI as a result.
Still, Facebook advertising can be confusing.
With so many different ad types and ad objectives it can be tough to know where to start.
To make things easy we’ll show you the difference between Facebook Ad objectives (this is the overall goal of your ad), Facebook Ad formats (this is how your ad looks), plus some simple tips to improve your results.
Let’s get right into it.
Facebook Ad Objectives
There are 3 types of Facebook Ad objectives, each with a unique purpose.
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Conversion
IMPORTANT – Each of these objections targets customers in a different stage of the sales funnel.
Here’s what this graphic means…
Each customer goes through the same journey towards a purchase. This occurs in the Sales Funnel. This journey is broken up into 3 simple steps.
First a customer will enter the awareness stage: This is when they realise they have a problem.
What does a customer do in the awareness stage? They are experiencing the symptoms of a problem, for example, a freezing house as a result of a broken heater. This stage will involve educational research to find out more about their problem. Searches are broad, for example ‘how to diagnose a broken heater’.
Then a customer will enter the consideration stage: This is when they define their problem and research options to solve it.
What does a customer do in the consideration stage? They have clearly defined their problem and put a name to it. This stage will involve detailed research to compare options and understand all the ways of fixing their problem. Searches become more niche, for example ‘who can fix a broken heater‘.
Finally a customer will enter the conversion stage: This is when they find a solution.
What does a customer do in the conversion stage? They have decided on the solution to their problem. This will come in the form of an individual product or service. They have likely created a long list of options and whittled these down to one – your business. Searches become commercial, for example ‘heater installations near me’.
It’s no surprise Facebook Ad types mirror these stages, as each Ad Objective targets your audience at key moments in the sales funnel.
Which means you might not always target conversions. It may be more beneficial to your business to target customers in the awareness stage of the sales funnel and guide them through their personal buying cycle, rather than waste money trying to force conversions from people who are still in the awareness or consideration stage.
Within these 3 major Facebook Ad objectives are a further 15 micro objectives.
Let’s have a quick look at those…
Awareness Ads
With 15 million active Australian Facebook users each month, it’s fair to say most probably haven’t heard of your business…yet.
These ad objectives target customers at the start of their buyer’s cycle and create interest and awareness in your products and services.
Types of awareness ads include:
Brand Awareness: To encourage discovery of your brand from a new audience.
Reach: To show your ad to the maximum number of people possible
How to use Awareness Ads: Awareness ads are designed to help more people find out about your business. These are ideal for building a base audience and becoming visible online.
The key is to make sure your ad is memorable, to leave a lasting impression, so use high-quality images, videos or infographics to stand out.
Consideration Ads
Competition online is fierce, so anything that can get people thinking about your business more often is good.
These ad objectives target the top to middle section of the sales funnel and provide an easy way for customers to find out more about your products, services, and business.
Types of consideration ads include:
Traffic: To send people to a page on your website.
Engagement: To drive engagement with your business.
App Installs: To generate app installs.
Video Views: To generate views on a video.
Lead Generation: To generate more leads via a form that people can fill out without leaving Facebook.
Messages: To advertise directly to the personal messenger accounts of people.
How to use Consideration Ads: People in the consideration stage of their buyer’s journey have defined their problem and are looking for solutions. So provide solutions by directing them to special offers, lead generating blog posts and service pages.
Try creating a unique landing page accessible only through Facebook to speak directly to the problems your customers are having. Ensure it loads quickly, is optimised for mobile and clearly shows the benefits of your business.
Conversion Ads
When your audience has identified their problem and is ready for a solution, your business needs to be there to give it to them.
These ad objectives encourage a specific action – with the end goal of making a conversion. These are targeted towards the bottom of the sales funnel and are designed to secure a sale and increase your revenue.
Types of conversion ads include:
Conversions: To drive actions on your website.
Catalogue Sales: To drive product sales.
Store Traffic: To drive foot traffic to a physical store.
How to use Conversion Ads: Conversion ads are designed to help you grow your business and drive meaningful business outcomes. So it’s in your best interests to stand out with these ads.
It’s not enough to just offer your services and hope your audience will choose you. Differentiate from your competition with sales, discounts, deals or offers and give people no option but to choose you.
Facebook Ad Formats
Your Facebook Ad format is how your ads will look to people on social media.
Ad formats you can choose from include:
- Video ads
- Photo ads
- Slideshow ads
- Carousel ads
- Canvas ads
- Lead form ads
- Product and catalogue ads
Each ad type brings its own unique strengths, so speak to a member of our Facebook Ads team to find out which type would best suit your business.
Don’t go without reading this…
Facebook Ads are an affordable and proven way to advertise your business and drive ROI.
Remember, not every Facebook Ad has the goal of making a sale.
Your audience has to go through their personal buyer’s journey and take each step in the sales funnel before they can turn into a customer.
You can’t just target one section of the Sales Funnel. Instead, spread out your approach to capture potential customers at every stage of the funnel and guide them to a conversion with your business.
So create a Facebook Ads campaign that covers each stage in their journey – Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion, to get the most out of your investment.
