Founded in 2004, Facebook is recognized as the largest social networking site in the world. It has roughly 2.9 billion monthly active users comprised of a highly diverse demographic. Reports show that the highest usage of Facebook is among people between the ages of 45 to 54 years old. In addition to this, a majority of 65% of its total number of users are aged 35 or older. Data also shows that users spend an average of 20 hours a month browsing through Facebook. 

Marketing on Facebook has been a must in almost all social media marketing strategies. Many believe that Facebook marketing offers one of the best ROIs for small businesses and startups as it is a versatile platform with a wide range of audiences. Facebook as a social media platform features amazing targeting capabilities perfect for reaching specific markets. It utilizes user-generated content and metrics such as location and language in order to create a more appropriate and personalized feed for its users.

 

Benefits of Marketing on Facebook

Better audience targeting

Source: Unsplash

One of the key features of Facebook for ecommerce and marketing is its subscribe feature. This allows users to follow brands, companies, and public figures without having to become friends on their accounts. This separates the social media aspect of Facebook from its social networking platform. 

Subscribed Facebook pages and groups provide users with content based on their likes which allow for better niche targeting. This also boosts Facebook as a go-to source of information as news feeds and home pages are immediately tied to their preferences and interests.

In terms of marketing, Facebook ads target users based on their profile information (such as their liked pages and recently viewed content), their location, and their demographic. This allows businesses to launch either target-specific or broad ad campaigns. 

 

Relatively inexpensive ads and promoted content 

In relation to paid content and advertising, Facebook offers one of the cheapest options, which makes it perfect for small businesses and startups. After finalizing the advertising material, businesses need to set a budget for a campaign and provide a bid for every click or thousand impressions the ad will generate. This feature allows small businesses to control and maximize their budget without going over the limit. 

 

Variety of ad media types and formats

Source: Unsplash

As Facebook continues to grow as a social media platform and an effective ecommerce channel, the site developed new ad media types and formats that businesses can take advantage of. Different media types open opportunities for marketers to boost their ad impressions by designing their advertising material based on the preferences or interests of their target Facebook audience. 

There are six different ad formats for Facebook marketing:

1. Image ads

Image ads are considered the simplest and cheapest paid advertisement option on Facebook. This format uses still images to promote or advertise a product or service. It generally consists of an image, a dedicated caption, and a link option to direct users to their choice of landing page whether it’s the brand’s Facebook profile or the business’s ecommerce website. 

2. Video ads

This format works perfectly for showcasing products and services as it allows users to view the item in action. Facebook is compatible with different video formats whether it’s short videos, live streams, and even GIFS. Facebook also has in-stream video ad formats that permit brands to display their video ads at the start, middle, or end of video content. This feature shows a short advertisement or commercial that is comparable to a television-watching experience. 

3. Slideshow ads

The slideshow ad format on Facebook is a relatively new addition to their ad campaign options. Much like a cross between image ads and video ads, slideshow ads feature a series of images that are displayed in order and in a loop. This option provides users with more information than a singular image ad and it doesn’t require fast internet speeds to play. 

4. Carousel ads

This advertising format is primarily used to promote digital products and goods and consists of a set of 10 still images or short videos in a single advertisement. Just like a carousel ride, this interactive advertising format urges users to browse through the set by clicking left or right as it goes through the media set. Businesses with several products to promote can utilize this format and include a button linking to the product page of the specific item on display. 

5. Collection ads

The collection ad format features both a video ad and 4 still images to form a grid-like display. In most cases, a video ad is posted as the main media and is accompanied by four smaller still images at the bottom as supplementary materials. 

Collection ads work like a small catalog of your advertisement material that is posted directly on people’s Facebook feed which can be used to promote a wide range of content. Marketers can maximize the use of both video and image formats to generate a unique and holistic marketing experience for their target audience.

6. Lead generation ads

The lead generation ad format is a particular style dedicated to generating quality leads and increasing online engagement. Specifically optimized for mobile users, lead-generation ads look much like carousel ads. It includes a series of advertisement materials that users can browse through. 

However, it comes with a unique feature by which interacting with the ad (either via click or tap) generates a pop-up page that displays a subscription form. This provides a fast and convenient way for users to sign-up for newsletters and other subscription-based branded content. Not only do lead generation ads make it easy for users to fill in forms but it also provides businesses with a streamlined method to gather important customer information that can be used for future marketing campaigns such as email marketing. 

 

Audience Transparency

Another way digital marketers can maximize Facebook as a marketing channel is through its audience transparency feature. Unlike other platforms, Facebook provides a unique method for marketers to optimize their advertisement placements. 

Aside from targeting audiences based on their preferences and interests, Facebook also provides audience insights by clustering them based on their interaction with your brand or profile. Facebook audiences can be grouped into the following categories – Fans, Friends of fans, Behaviors or interests, and Remarketing.

Fans are those who followed or subscribed to your profile while Friends of fans are Facebook users who are linked to or friends with your followers. The Behaviors or Interests category refers to those who meet a particular pre-determined set of criteria that classifies them as someone with a high level of interest in your brand, product, or niche. Lastly, the Remarketing group consists of people who have previously visited or interacted with your business’s Facebook profile.

Through these categories, marketers can optimize their ad placements. Whether it’s to increase visibility to those in the Behaviors or Interests category or to extend their ad campaign on the Remarketing group. Facebook marketers have more control over their target audience for each of their ad campaigns and promotions.

 

Bottomline

An important part of starting a business is coming up with a suitable marketing strategy early in your endeavor. Many consider social media marketing one of the most effective and cost-efficient campaigns that an online business can take on. Taking this into consideration, Facebook is considered one of the most intuitive and beginner-friendly social media platforms for online stores to include in their marketing tactics. 

Other than marketing, Facebook can also be used as an ecommerce platform to interact with customers and provide customer service and support. Simply put, Facebook can be a critical part of your business plan and strategy as long as you know how to take advantage of its many features suited for online retail and online sale.

 

Want to know more about the use of social media in digital marketing strategies? Sidekicks is an on-demand virtual company and we’re eager to help visionaries and entrepreneurs like you. Get a free ebook and learn more about how we can help you by signing up for our newsletter. We also offer a free 30-minute consultation if you prefer something more personal.

 

Related Posts: