A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Facebook Ads

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Paid advertising? Isn’t the whole point of inbound marketing that your wisdom and wit bring customers to you rather than your wallet? Well, sort of. Inbound marketing is about creating a reputable and accessible presence for qualified customers to discover along their buyer’s journey. Putting just a small amount of money behind a completely customizable post or ad on your small business’ Facebook Page can help increase local awareness and engagement without the headache of a long-term contract.

Why should my small business use Facebook ads?

With the global accessibility of Facebook, you’re in an astoundingly large pond where your small business is difficult to find and your customers even more so. Facebook advertising and boosted posts help shrink that pond down to size--allowing you to concentrate your content and your advertising budget at a targeted audience of potential customers.

Feel like your ad would be better suited with another image? Upon further inspection, does your ad’s wording lack the oomph you’re looking for? You can also customize the text and attached image(s) at any time—even after the ad is posted! So why not give it a shot? If you decide Facebook advertising isn’t for you, you can cancel and remove the ad or post at any time (without a penalty)!

**Facebook does require that you abide by its advertising policies and will remove the ad if it fails to meet these guidelines at any point after it is published.

Who should my small business target with Facebook ads?

If your business has brick-and-mortar locations, it’s vital that your Facebook ads target audiences based on location, as well as relevant demographics and interests. Failing to do so could result in broad and under-qualified audiences, which can drive up your cost-per-click without any real return on investment (ROI).

What’s the difference between a Facebook ad and a boosted post?

Advertising on Facebook is as involved as you want it to be. If you choose to use boosted posts, they are created by assigning funds to an existing post (or while you are creating a new post) on your small business’ Facebook page. Boosted posts allow you to reach a larger percentage of your audience than you would with an organic posting and you can even do some limited targeting to define your ideal audience. After your boost expires, the post still exists organically on your page! Facebook ads will not appear once the campaigns have ended.

However, if you’re looking for a more customizable option for your small business’ Page, a complete Facebook ad may be the right move for you. Facebook ads provide the most options for advertisers and includes a step-by-step guide based on the goal of your Facebook ad campaign (i.e. likes, clicks to website, app engagement, website conversions, offer claims, local awareness, etc.). Facebook ads do require an ad manager account to get started.

**Check out this helpful guide for setting up your ad account through Facebook Business Manager!**

Facebook ads also allow you to schedule the ad, link a CTA, target audience based on language and behavior, include multiple images, and run simultaneously on Instagram and the right-hand rail of the Facebook page.

Are there any downsides to running Facebook ads for my small business?

Increased engagement means increased monitoring, which can take valuable time away from running your business. When you partner with the inbound marketing experts of Baton Rouge, we’ll handle creating, publishing, and monitoring your social media activity, so that you can give your attention to engaging with your customers and growing your small business.

Call or contact us today to learn more about our inbound marketing services!