What You Need To Know About Facebook Ads

Whether you are new to the online space or you have already started dabbling in facebook ads there is a lot to consider when is the best time to get started. For me, I always recommend to all my clients inside my program that having proof of concept is essential prior to turning on ads. Now, some people might now agree but here’s the rationale behind that, if you have sold your offer organically then you have proof that it works. If there is one, there is two, if there are two there are many. 

More often than not I see people turn ads on prior to truly understanding who their ideal client is or the problem they solve for them. Facebook Ads only amplify the problems within your funnel and offer. 

First things first when considering ads. 

1. 1. 1. 1. Who are you selling/targeting
         2. What are you selling them
         3. How are you selling it

Once you have these three pieces in place AND you’ve sold it organically it might be the right time to consider facebook ads. One important concept I talk to all my clients about is understanding the different types of audiences. When you have an understanding of the audiences it can become much easier to move from where you are today to your goals. 

1. 1. 1. 1. Cold Audience – This audience doesn’t know who you are. One way you can create this audience based off of your understanding of who your audience is and the demographics you have researched. This includes things like, age, sex interests, status etc. 
         2. Look-A-Like Audience – This audience is just as it sounds, the audience looks like the data you have input. This is generally cold traffic based on data. You can create look a audiences from your facebook page, email list, past clients, website visits and more. This is an audience that looks like the people from the data you input. 
         3. Warm Audience – This audience has interacted with your brand online in some way. This may also be known as a retargeting audience (more on this in a bit) This audience includes people who have visited your website, facebook page, instagram and instagram stories, watched a Facebook Live or Video, or is on your email list.
         4. Hot Audience – This audience is a big fan of your business perhaps they have visited the sales page or they have purchased from you in the past. They may have potentially added something to the cart but didn’t finish the checkout process. They are highly interested in your business. This may also be known as a retargeting audience.
         5. Retargeting Audience – Both the warm and hot audience may also be known as a retargeting audience. Have you ever seen an advertisement for something you added to your shopping cart online but you didn’t finish purchasing? Yup, those are retargeting ads.  It is important to be mindful that retargeting ads have minimums. I like including retargeting ads in my strategy but the warm and hot audiences must be large enough to run these ads. These are especially important in evergreen funnel strategy and launch strategy. HOWEVER you must have a big enough audience to make these ads work otherwise the same handful of people will see the ads over and over again. Which is not good. So if you want to include retargeting ads in your strategy then grow your warm audience. 

The other common mistake I see with Facebook Ads is that people do not consider which ads, copy, and creative should go to which audience. 

• • • • Cold Audience Ads – Value Driven with a sign up for your email list or a lower end offer. You can run email list sign-ups or webinar sign ups to cold traffic but it tends to be more expensive. This can work for some businesses but it is not always the best route understand your strategy to see if this works for your business. 
      • Warm Audience Ads – Lower end offer or membership ads, email list building campaigns, and booking a call are great ads to run to this audience. They have already interacted with your brand and business in some way this is getting them to take that next step on the client journey. 
      • Hot Audience Ads – These ads are all about the urgency to buy and encouraging prospects to take that next step with you…purchase. They should include copy like there is only so much time, did you forget something, I noticed you were visiting the page but didn’t check out, and there is still time to take action as examples. 

When it comes to determine who much money to spend when getting started with ads, I take two approaches depending upon the goals of the clients. 

1. 1. 1. 1. Spend $1000 over the course of three to 7 days. Collect data, understand the holes in your funnel and adjust accordingly. 
         2. Spend $10-$15 a day over 30 days BUT don’t touch the ads or the funnel at all. 

Both strategies are all about the data collection but one happens faster than the other. They both work it is more just a matter of what is aligned with your goals. 

If you have questions about what to consider when doing Facebook Ads let me know in the comments. I’m happy to answer any questions!