1.73 billion – that is how many people each day visit one of Facebook’s core products (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger). With such a large audience, it’s no wonder many brands turn to these platforms to advertise their products and services.

In addition to the audience reach, Facebook ads also offer customization tools, detailed targeting and budget-friendly options compared to alternatives, such as Google AdWords. If you are ready to get your brand’s products and services noticed through Facebook and Instagram ads, here’s how to create ads and set your campaign up for success!

Step #1: Set the Strategy

Having a strategy in place, a thorough understanding of the company’s objectives and what they want to achieve through Facebook Ads is the critical to implementing a successful campaign. First, make sure the company’s Facebook page is setup as a business account. A Facebook business account has access to Facebook Ads Manager, which is where users go to set up ad campaigns, manage and modify ad spends, target specific audiences and monitor ad campaign performance. Through Facebook Ads Manager, Instagram ads can also be set up. However, before creating ads, it is imperative to first have a strategy.

Step #2: Select an Objective

As part of a digital advertising strategy, a measurable objective will be identified. For example, is the objective of implementing Facebook ads to drive traffic to a website or generate brand awareness? Select the objective that aligns with the desired end results because Facebook will optimize ad placements based on this objective. Choosing the right objective can also lower the cost-per-click and improve ad performance.

Step #3: Decide Who to Target

When it comes to targeting, more is not always better. Although digital ads provide the ability to reach thousands of people, if those individuals do not take action, the ads will not be effective. It is better to understand the target audience and create ad copy that will engage them because they are the individuals who are most likely to be interested in the product or service and take action. This action should correlate with the stated objective.

When creating Facebook ads, users have multiple targeting options. One way to target is through selecting custom audiences, which includes individuals who have already engaged with the brand (i.e. on the email list, taken action on the website, etc.). Ads can also be targeted to individuals based on demographics, such as age, where they live, income range and occupation. Another option would be to target individuals based on their interests and buying habits. For example, colleges and universities would want to target high school students who have taken the SAT because these individuals are most likely to be interested in higher education at a university or college. It is critical to know who to target, so content is delivered that they want to see.

To learn more about identifying and reaching target audiences, check out our blog!

Step #4: Determine Where Ads will be Displayed

Do you want ads displayed on mobile devices? What about desktop? When creating ads using Facebook Ads Manager, select the option of which devices digital ads will be displayed on. At GRIT, we recommend displaying ads on both mobile and desktop, so the audience can view the ads on whichever device they prefer. During this step, remember to also select the platforms where ads will be displayed. Since Facebook owns Instagram, choose to have ads posted to one platform or both depending on the audience being reached.

GRIT’s digital team can help with different display options, the pros and cons of each and set up ads to be effective and yield results. Reach out to us today to learn more!

Step #5: Determine the Budget

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many businesses to reevaluate their budgets. Although it is common to see marketing budgets cut when companies need to save money, this global crisis is different. In fact, internet usage is up 50 to 70 percent and although consumers may not be buying products or services, they are still very active online. This is the perfect time to reach target audiences with digital ads, especially if the objective is to increase brand awareness.

During this step, users will have the option to set a budget for their ads. Facebook offers two options, a daily budget spend or a lifetime budget spend. For example, a budget could be set to spend $20 per day or $5,000 for the lifetime of the ad. When determining a budget, users can also select how long they want their ads to run and even select certain days and time frames. Determining how to use budget dollars and when to run ads can seem overwhelming for first time users. For more tips and tricks on how to determine a budget and schedule Facebook ads, reach out to our team of digital gurus today!

Step #6: Choose the Ad Format

Video ads, carousel ads, single image ads – and the list goes on! Facebook Ads Manager offers many formats to display ads. Users can choose to create an ad with a video, an ad with multiple images that viewers can scroll through, an ad with one image and/or many other formatting options. Each ad format has its own benefits. To learn more about these benefits and see which format GRIT recommends for a particular ad campaign, connect with us today.

Step #7: Details, Details, Details

Details matter, especially when it comes to ad performance. Be sure to take advantage of call to action buttons and URL descriptions and do not forget to add copy in all the necessary places. Although some of these details can be easy to miss or may seem unimportant, they play a vital role in the success of each ad campaign.

Step #8: Monitor & Optimize

Once an ad campaign is set up and started, don’t forget about it. It is essential to monitor each ad campaign to see how it is performing. (At GRIT, we believe monitoring and optimizing the campaign is the most important step!) If the ads are not producing results, it may be necessary to reduce ad spend or optimize the ads based on targeting specifications or the platforms where the ads are displayed. Monitoring and optimizing campaigns ensures the ads are producing the results they should.

Digital ads are a critical part of a brand’s marketing efforts. Now more than ever, it is important to get your brand online to achieve your goals. At GRIT, our digital team has years of experience setting up, monitoring and optimizing digital ads to help clients achieve their stated objectives and goals. Contact us today to learn how we can dig deeper and take your digital ads to the next level!