Facebook still reigns among social media behemoths. In fact, it boasts 1.91 billion daily active users. That means any business can grab a portion of these revenue-generating opportunities.
But each year sees the Facebook landscape becoming more competitive. More competitors flock to the platform, and its algorithm is an ever-changing engine that strives to enrich the user experience.
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According to Mediapost, Facebook CPMs are on the rise, leading to many advertisers thinking whether Facebook ads are still worth it.
Don't worry - we've compiled some of the tried-and-true strategies to cut through the noise and stall taller above the pack.
1. Tell A Captivating Brand Story
People are on Facebook primarily to connect. So you need to connect and forge rock-solid relationships with them before rushing a sale.
One powerful way is to communicate your brand's identity and story. Stories help establish and cement trust and reputation, boosting potential buyers' receptiveness.
Let the figures speak: A research by Adaptly witnessed post-click landing page traffic skyrocketing by 87% when sequenced ads were used (telling a story first, providing product information next, and then inviting signups).
An excellent example is Pela Case's ad. It first communicates the "why" behind these specific phone cases instead of pushing for a sale instantly.
2. Use Scroll-Stopping Images
Your image should be aesthetically appealing and attention-grabbing- After all, it's what people see first.
People have grown tired of seeing those stock imageries shoved in their faces. So stand out by using beautiful, professional-shot, real-life images of your products.
How about using a personal, welcoming, and emotive face to cement human connection and grab attention? Potential customers can even imagine themselves using your items.
Simplicity is another tried-and-proven trick. Avoid distracting elements that steal the focus away from the product. Instead, use a simple image with generous space to draw more attention.
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3. Inject a Sense of Urgency
Are your prospects interested in your product? Incorporate a sense of scarcity or urgency, and more people will rush to grab your product off the shelves.
According to a study, 45% of people said that scarcity skyrockets their interest in learning more about a product. Here are some of the powerful phrases or words that you can inject into your copy to encourage them to act now (not tomorrow):
- Hurry
- Flash sale
- While stock last
- Don't miss out
- Buy now
- Don't wait
- Deadline
- Act now
- Last chance
- One day only
- Clearance
- Offer expires
- Limited time only
4. Employ Creative Offers and Surprises
Throw in an enticing discount or even a free item, and more people will want to own your product, even if they weren't looking for it actively. You can use Facebook's app that helps you offer coupons for exclusive discounts.
With the Facebook Coupons, you can:
- Improve traffic and conversions
- Encourage more sign-ups
- Cement loyalty with current followers
Giveaways and contests are other great enticements if used strategically. First, people will see that you strive to make them happy- you're not just hunting for the money in their pockets. This tactic will earn you enthusiastic fans that will eventually purchase your product.
Besides cementing credibility and loyalty, giveaways and contests can attract more people.
In the above ad, the winner would probably spend over $300. And even if a person loses the game, the visually appealing photo may stick in their mind and make them desire to be a customer. Some generous people may even share the post with their friends!
Further Reading:
5. Befriend Dynamic Ads
About 76% of people abandon their carts. And the figure can even hit 78% for mobile users.
But don't fret- retargeting can bring back 26% of these shoppers and boost your conversion rates by 70%.
Dynamic product ads allow you to pursue and bring back the cart abandoners. No wonder this advertising format is a darling to top eCommerce advertisers.
Dynamic product ads combine your product catalog and Meta pixel to display tailored ads based on the visitors' website actions.
And the best part? You don't have to craft ads for each product catalog- Facebook templates will pull product information such as photos, names, and pricing from the catalog you upload to Facebook.
6. Craft Custom Audiences
You can also use the Meta pixel to create custom audiences and retarget people more likely to buy. Ecommerce brands can employ various sources to craft custom audiences.
The first is the customer file. Here, you upload a list of customers' or leads' contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses. The Facebook engine then matches the details to the users, allowing you to target them directly. This option is ideal for retargeting past clients with new offerings or engaging email subscribers who haven't become customers yet.
Website traffic is another excellent source. You can craft a list of past site visitors based on their actions on various site pages. Pro tip: Re-engage the past 30 days' website visitors or those who abandoned their carts in the past 7 days.
You can also use engagement sources for retargeting various engagement types. Did your event bag in thousands of attendees? Has a video on your Facebook page garnered tons of views? Such positive engagements show that people might want to buy your items. Therefore, retarget them.
7. Be Mindful of iOS14 Updates on Facebook Ads
The latest iOS14 update limits the passing of data through domains that are external to Facebook. The result? It has impacted your ability to run ads and pass web plus conversion data back to the platform for reporting and optimization. After Apple introduced its anti-tracking changes, advertisers saw nearly 20% decrease in Facebook ads performance.
But fret not.
If your objective is conversion, these tips and tricks will help you maintain success:
- Complete your Facebook domain verification: Verification involves inserting a unique code on your website to show you're connected to it. It provides authority over the conversion events eligible on your domain.
- Select 8 conversion events: While Facebook automatically chooses the events, it's recommendable to select the most important events for your business. More on the “Aggregated Event Measurement” here.
- Choose ad set attribution window: The attribution window is no longer set at the account level for all active and new campaigns. Instead, it's set at the ad set level. While the 7-day click attribution window is the default, there are more options, as seen in the figure below:
- Use more of your internal data (CRM, Google Analytics, etc.): You can still have back-end visibility to understand the source of your traffic and visitors' activities on your site. So sharpen your skills in Google Analytics or CRM to gain in-depth insights.
- Monitor remarketing ad sets and campaigns: The iOS14 update may eventually lead to a lower custom audience as more users opt out of tracking. So it's essential to pay close attention to remarketing campaigns, spending, and frequency.
- Install Facebook Conversions API: In the face of these updates, Facebook Pixel is losing power. So a Facebook Conversions API will help you track conversion accurately.
Let Transcend Digital Do The Legwork
You now know how to continue reaping big on this platform. But if your plate is already packed full with other equally crucial things, let Transcend Digital help you. Let's Talk!
