Think Beyond Organic Facebook Shares and Likes

By: williamjones
December 1, 2015

By: Peter van Aartrijk

Agencies have always worked hard to connect with customers. But while local papers and Yellow Pages advertisements were once naturals for a paid presence, more customers are now engaging online—and on Facebook in particular.

Agencies need a Facebook page to promote local events, offer helpful advice and introduce staff. And they must consider Facebook advertising, urges Terry Golesworthy, president of The Customer Respect Group, based in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Since individual users don’t pay for Facebook, businesses must pick up the tab. Facebook sells access to your customers—and with an impressive set of options.

Golesworthy offers some beginning advice for Facebook ads:

Allocate time. Facebook advertising is best when employed iteratively. You can create an ad and let it run, but you’ll learn more and be more effective by reviewing your progress and making adjustments.

Create multiple ads. Unlike print, Facebook ads are inexpensive to create. It’s easy—and smart—to create multiple versions that run simultaneously. Facebook will tell you which one works best.

Start small. Set a time period—daily or weekly—or campaign budget. You can choose to spend, for example, $2, $3 or $10 a day.

Boost what works. Post as usual on your Facebook page. When a post performs well, give it a paid boost to expand its reach.

Create personas. Not all customers or prospects think the same. A central location will appeal to some; text communications will appeal to others.

Avoid stock pictures. Project your staff’s personality. People may have lost trust in financial companies, but not in people.

Re-market. People who click from Facebook ads to a website can be added to a website custom audience. It is a secret opt-in of people to whom you can advertise further.

What’s the goal? It could be a website visit, a call back, a collected email address or an opportunity to send a helpful document or newsletter. Consider the call to action, however subtle.

Peter van Aartrijk is an IA contributor.

Extend Your Audience

Facebook advertising defaults to people who like your page and their friends. But an agency can go further if it wants to reach people with almost pinpoint accuracy.

“Maybe you’ve posted about a local car show your agency is co-sponsoring,” Golesworthy says. “You can pay to boost that post to people with an interest in classic cars and custom motorcycles within 10 miles of your office between the ages of 45 and 60.” —P.V.