Social media… it’s something most of us love to hate but have to use. In this article, we’re going to talk about Facebook specifically, because for our market, for the price, there is simply no better way to market your small business. Here’s why.

Facebook - Starting Point

If you are not already capitalizing on social media by having a page for your growing business, let’s go over some quick basics.

• You should have an account for your business that is separate from your personal page.

• You should regularly post fresh content on your page to keep it from going stale. When someone seeks information about your company, Facebook is now a place they check, and if the last thing you posted is from 2016, what does that tell your client?

(We can help at 342MAD if you just read those two bullet points and said “… but I just don’t WANT to have to DEAL WITH IT!” Our social media program includes everything from setup and training to full-scale management, which means you can “set it and forget it” and your Facebook page will always be fresh and full of relevant content. Find out more by commenting below or clicking here.)

Boosts Versus Ads - When & Why

There are many similarities between Facebook’s Ad and Boost options. Both require a segment of time to be chosen for it to run, both require a budget, both look relatively the same when viewed from someone’s personal Facebook page. However, boosts and ads are appropriate in different times and serve different purposes. Have a closer look.

Boosts

When you create a post on your business page (please note these options are not available from personal accounts), you have the option to boost that post. Boosting essentially increases your audience from just a percentage people who like your page seeing your content to a wider audience. While boosting a post, you can select the type of person who you think would benefit from seeing this post: boost so more of your network sees the post; boost to an entire zip code, city, state, or region; boost to specific age groups; etc. Here’s what you want to remember: Boosts make content that is on your Facebook page visible to more people. Boosts are a great way to easily increase your audience on Facebook without much confusion on the part of the user.

Ads

Creating a Facebook ad is similar in process to a boost. You create content and select an audience in much the same way, but ads are created in the Ads Manager. They will not show up on your business Facebook page—so if you’re going “salesy” in an ad about why you’re so awesome and someone should choose you to perform their services, make it in an ad. People don’t need to log onto your Facebook page and be hit with the hard sell; they are there because they want to get to know you and your business.

Here are a few key differences from boosts:

• Ads are not visible on your Facebook page

• Ads are not shown to people who “Like” your page already, unless they fit your targeted audience

• There are more options for customization, targeting, and pricing

• Ads can be visible on multiple platforms. For example, an ad you build in Facebooks Ad Manager can be viewed on Instagram as well as Facebook advertising affiliate websites

Why Spend the $$$?

Reach

As of December 31, 2018, there are 2.32 billion (with a B) users on Facebook. Apart from Google Ads, which are considerably more costly, there simply is not a more comprehensive set of people you can advertise to with one vehicle in the world (and even Google only reaches about 1 billion people). Facebook is widely considered one of the best online advertising channels in the U.S. and rakes in a whopping 51% of our country’s total advertising revenue! In a survey by Kleiner Perkins, it was found that 78% of American consumers say they’ve discovered products on Facebook.

Targeting

Facebook’s Ad Manager allows you to hone in your audience like never before. Who usually buys your products or uses your services? Is it millennials who are self-employed? Great, you can target just them. Is it people who are interested in boating? You can talk to just them too. What if the bulk of your clients have a common lack? You can target by exclusion as well — People ages 18-40, excluding people who already own a home, for example. The malleable and diverse options for targeting audiences for your advertising on Facebook means one thing: you are not spending money on people who don’t care about what you do or are selling. Which brings us to…

Cost Effectiveness

Depending on the limits of your targeted audience, Facebook ads can reach thousands for mere dollars. And thanks to their comprehensive analytics and reporting, you can hone each ad better and better than the last, meaning every dollar goes further as you get better at creating ads and finding your niche audience.

Overwhelmed? Call 342MAD.

In my personal, I define myself as a Luddite. I don’t watch very much TV, I revel in hikes and sitting in the middle of the Bay on a paddleboard, and I am not a slave to my phone after 5pm. But during the workday, it is impossible to be competitive in the modern market without harnessing technology. If you are overwhelmed at the thought of getting your social media in order, give us a call. We can help with:

• Creation and setup of social media accounts

• Individual training sessions to teach you how to leverage social media yourself

• Group training sessions to get your entire office up to speed

• Management of page content and creation

It’s time to get social, increase your business, and make sure you aren’t missing The Facebook Opportunity.