Facebook ads. We all know them, and maybe even have developed somewhat of a love/ hate relationship with creating them, running them, and figuring out the analytics that go along with them. At some point, we have all asked ourselves questions like What makes a good Facebook Ad? How much money should I be spending? How do I get my ads in front of the right audience? How can I make sense of the numbers?
For this post we asked Rod Alan, a creative wedding photographer based in the UK with expertise in creating and running Facebook ads for photographers, to share his top 5 tips for creating effective Facebook ads.
Just hearing the term 'Facebook Ads' will stir a feeling in most small business owners.
There is a strong likelihood we've already had a chance encounter with Facebook ads, and well, it might've just left us confused, frustrated, and poorer than when we started. But, I think it's important for us to come to the realization that Facebook or Meta isn't actually the naughty child that keeps stealing your hard-earned cash from your wallet when you're not looking.
It is, in fact, one of the most powerful tools available to us to transform our businesses and even how we're feeling when we're not deeply engaged in the hustle for new customers.
Hi, I'm Roderick Alan, and I've been a Facebook & Instagram Ad nerd for a good few years now; and I've been lucky enough to be invited by Picsello to share with you some of my 'top tips' so grab those thick, black-rimmed glasses - it's time to get nerdy!
The whole Metaverse operates on an 'Interest Based' system. Normally just called an IBM - But not that IBM. That basically means we can choose from a ton of options when we are selecting who we want our ads to be seen by. I see most people get really caught up in 'who' they're going to advertise to, and put little thought into what message they want to tell those people. The reality is, if you send a poor ad to a great audience, it's going to suck harder than being told your school isn't closed despite the insane snowfall. And just like that brutal walk in the bracing cold, your ad is going to struggle. Spend some real time working out your messaging and it will pay off.
Writing out your ad copy might seem like the first time you tried online dating. But relax, unlike trying to big yourself up without bigging yourself up, ad copy has a structure for you to follow. The first 140 or so characters are all that'll show in your ad. You don't take an engagement ring when you go speed dating (I hope?) so don't try and sell anyone in those 140 characters. Instead, use them to give the reader a reason to click 'see more'. Once they're in, hit them with the 3 pillars of marketing - Problem, Solution, and Awareness.
Again, take time to work out what problems you're solving.
Maybe you're super on the ball with a wedding timeline, so they don't have to? Maybe it's getting a family photo that isn't a selfie or capturing an expectant mother without making it look like they've totally had enough of feeling like they're 18 months pregnant...
So, you pick up your phone and fire a message to someone you've not seen for a while. You'll ask a question, right? Even if it's as simple as 'How are you doing?' - You'd never send a closed message, so don't do it with your ad. Always end with a Call To Action (Often called a CTA). Use this to tell them what you need them to do, for example, 'Hit 'Learn More' to visit my website and fall madly in love with my work, then immediately email me and book me!'
OK, perhaps not quite so enthusiastic - but always map out what they should be doing when they've reached the end of your ad!
Are you sitting down? I have some big news to share. Facebook isn't just about memes and the occasional jarring political message to ruin your Sunday afternoon. It's actually, when it comes to ads anyway, incredibly smart. Every 7 days, your ad will optimize based on the data that's previously come in. It genuinely wants your ads to work. So, every 7 days or so, it'll look at who interacted with your ad and who did what you asked them to, and it'll go looking for more people like that.
Genius, right?
And also the reason those 'I'll spend $15 over 2 days' type ads tend to bomb. They've been turned off before Meta even knows where to send them so keep your daily budget at something you're comfortable with and always aim to build the ad that 6 months, 12 months from now, will still be killing it and pulling in leads for your business!
I don't want to get too heavy into the analytics - I'm already worried you're glazing over whilst these words break down your desire to stay awake - just imagine if this was a video and I'd done this in an ASMR style. Disaster...
But, one thing I will say - do not underestimate the importance of your CTR all. You'll need to click the columns icon (google it if you're unsure) and then 'Performance and Clicks'. Now, to put your CTR all into context, imagine for a moment you're running a more traditional shop - a full-on brick-and-mortar shop! That number is a percentage out of 100 that actually care that you're there.
You'd freak out if you owned a shop and out of 100 people, only one walked in then left again - you'd be wondering where next month's rent is going to come from, and the same can be said for your ad for your photography business. You want that number to be between 3% and 5%, if not higher.
So, if your 'CTR all' is low, look at the opening 140 characters of your ad or the image you've used. Then circle back to point number 1 and remember exactly how important that messaging is. Can you write it to be more engaging? Change your image? Make your CTA clearer?
Well, I hope you've enjoyed my TED talk here for Picsello!
Running ads in the Metaverse can be a complicated relationship at times but take a breath, take it slow, and above all else, remember that the only job of the ad is to get people to your website.
It's that simple.
Chat soon!!
Rod
Many thanks to Rod for sharing how expertise and let you know about his newest offering! If you are ready to unlock and fully utilise Facebook & Instagram Ads and grow your business, Rod’s class, The Photographer’s Guide to Meta Ads is your ticket to discovering how to drive ideal clients directly to your photography business and end the self-doubt rollercoaster income! Check out his class here.
P.S. Are you a member of Picsello’s Business Mastermind? If you are, on February 23, 2023 Rod will be reviewing Facebook ads from two members of the mastermind group live and giving advice on ways to improve their Facebook ads. Not a member yet? Learn more about how to join this amazing community of learning here [link to mastermind]
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