If you are just starting out using Facebook Advertising chances are that you have or will make one of these mistakes. Everyday I can see examples in my newsfeed or hear people ask why their Facebook Ads aren’t working.
Of course this post doesn’t cover all the issues but hopefully it will help a few people figure out where they may be having trouble.
So let’s lay out each mistake, why it’s a problem and how we can fix it.
1.You don’t use Power Editor or Adverts Manager
PROBLEM: If you’re asking yourself what the hell is the Power Editor you are definitely not using it and aren’t taking advantage of all that it can do.
Let’s cover briefly the different types of ads. You can boost an ad which happens right from your post on your page (this works well for some types of businesses and posts but you don’t want to do it all the time).
You may be using the Adverts Manager – this is the basic level for advertising. You can do a lot in Adverts Manager but the powerhouse is Power Editor.
I love the Power Editor because:
* You don’t have text limits. I still recommend you still to a couple of paragraphs but nowhere near
* You can create unpublished posts (also known as dark posts) – this means they don’t show up on your business page and you can create a number of different ads to see which ones work the best.
* New features tend to appear first in Power Editor so you can see them first
You will need to use Google Chrome to access Power Editor but from someone who spends a long time working on ads it’s definitely worth it.
SOLUTION: Understand the different ways to advertise and if you want to utilise the full power of FB advertising, learn and play within Power Editor.
2. You don’t give a clear call to action
PROBLEM: The biggest mistake business owners make is trying to fit everything into one ad. If you give the readers too many options, they won’t remember any or take any action this means your advertising dollars down the drain.
SOLUTION:Understand what you want people to do. Is it:
Sign up to a newsletter
Like your Facebook page
Share your event
Visit your website
Buy your product/service ?
Then make it clear in the ad. For example sign up now to get my free checklist or like my page so I can tell you everything you need to know about Facebook advertising or click here to buy this pair of socks today for only $17.
3. You don’t research and test your audience
PROBLEM: You will be will wasting time and money with a hit and miss approach.
I go a bit against the norm in my advice for picking audiences. Whilst many FB gurus will tell you to aim for over 500,000 I love testing smaller groups and quite often have best luck under 100,000.
Everything in Facebook Advertising comes back to testing.
SOLUTION: Think about your ideal client./customer.
Where do they live?
Female or male
Age group
What other interests do they have?
What other Facebook pages might they be fans of?
In the initial phases of a campaign I always test a couple of different audiences and then after a few days I choose the ones which are converting the best. I turn the others off and go from there.
The next time you run a campaign you can start with the audience which got the best traction for you but always be ready to test and tweak.
4. You don’t look at your ads from an outside perspective
PROBLEM: You are probably making mistakes which are costing you money.
In one FB scrolling alone I found over 5 ads that had some issue with them. One of the ads had been boosted by a business and it referred to today. I had already seen the ads a couple of days before so that left me wondering exactly when today was and whether I had missed my chance to go to that event.
Another lady had written copy for her ad referring to signing up to a free video course but then included the video and no way to actually sign up.
Another ad was for a competition and it said pop over to win but didn’t actually say where we should go.
Sure all of these may have only spent $5 or $10 but if you add that up on over time it makes a huge difference.
SOLUTION: The same with any advertising or marketing – think about what your audience needs to know, don’t assume they already know. Isn’t that why you are advertising in the first place?
Test out your own ads. Make sure when you see the ad you can actually get where you expect people to go.
5. You take advice from anyone who will answer
PROBLEM: The likelihood is they are probably just regurgitating what they saw elsewhere or have achieved for their own business.
We’ve all been there and done that. The more advice you receive the more confused you will be. And you don’t want to spend your time following the wrong advice only to find out it doesn’t work.
SOLUTION: Find one or two trustworthy sources for your Facebook Advertising and follow their advice and information. Even better find a Facebook Ads specialist who can show you how to create ad campaigns and what to do if they’re not working