Stretch your digital marketing budget with Facebook Ads Manager

You know you should stop boosting your Facebook posts — but what should you be doing instead? The answer is succinct, but it isn’t always simple: Use the Facebook Ads Manager

Organic reach is declining rapidly, making it difficult for your brand to get noticed on the platform. Your brand has a strong message and powerful ideals. Beating Facebook at its own game is essential if you want your voice to be heard.

What is Ads Manager?

The Facebook Ads Manager is a dashboard where you can create targeted campaigns based on the objectives that matter most for your business. You are intentional with every dollar you spend on marketing. The new Ads Manager will help you maximize your return on investment.

Ads Manager allows you to create and analyze multiple ads at once, which means your efforts are more focused and efficient. And that means more time for the impactful work you’re called to do!

Unlike boosted posts, Ads Manager easily allows you to split test your campaign.

Split testing ads provides you with concrete information you can use to improve your marketing.

You also have access to the detailed targeting, ad campaign goals, and analytics you need to create a successful social media campaign.

One simple campaign you can launch today

Social media marketing requires experimentation, and that can make it seem risky. Minimize your risks and get comfortable with Ads Manager by using this simple ad strategy: Convert an existing Facebook post into a targeted ad campaign.

This strategy eliminates the additional work that often comes with creating an ad campaign. You’ve already designed the visuals and written the copy.

Even better? You’re launching your ad into the world with social proof. It’s a simple strategy for beginners that sets you up for success.

1. Decide on your campaign goal

Unlike Facebook boosted posts, which only increase engagement, ads created in Ads Manager can be optimized for one of eleven goals.

That means your campaign can be hyper-focused to align with your marketing goals. Need more visibility? Trying to sell a product? Building an email list? There’s a campaign goal for each of those.

Getting clear on your campaign goal will help you get the best return on your investment.

2. Select your audience and budget

Selecting the audience for your campaign is critical for its success. Perfectly designed graphics and well-written copy won’t get you anywhere if you show your ad to the wrong people.

That’s why a clear brand strategy should be at the heart of everything you do.

If you’ve worked with us to develop your brand strategy, use your brand brief to develop the audience for your ad set. It should be targeted to your ideal customer’s demographics, and narrowed by the purchasing behaviors and interests that best align with your campaign goal.

Don’t be afraid to get granular.

The more focused your target audience is, the more likely people are to take action on your ad. You want to be so specific that bad leads get knocked out of the running before they ever see your ad.

You’ll set your budget at this point as well. No matter what the experts tell you, it’s OK to start small.

Test and learn. Optimize and start again. As your confidence grows, you’ll naturally feel more comfortable expanding your budget.

3. Choose an existing post

There are several reasons to use an existing post for your ad.

• The design work has already been done
• It has built-in social proof
• You know that people are responding to your post

These are powerful reasons to use an existing post. It’s efficient, and it’s far less overwhelming than starting from scratch.

When evaluating your Facebook posts to select your ad, keep the following questions in mind:

• Does it align with my campaign goals?
• Does it represent my brand well?
• Has it gotten a good response on social media? 

You need a firm “Yes” to all three in order to proceed. Found your perfect post? You’re ready to launch your campaign.

4. Monitor your results and adjust

Social media advertising is an art as much as a science. What works for one brand might be useless for you; what worked today might not get any results next month.

You’re going to have to pivot.

Trust that you know your brand and your audience, take a hard look at the data, and adjust your campaigns going forward. Not every experiment will turn out well, but each one will be progress.

And that’s what we all want—in marketing and life.

Starting a new marketing campaign requires a substantial investment of time and energy.

You don’t have to go it alone. 816 New York offers full-service social media marketing so that you can get out of the black hole, and back to the work you were made to do.