Does social media feel like a never-ending carousel of confusing options? With the wide array of choices and the pace at which the industry adapts and changes, it can be hard to know what kind of ad is right for you.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular Facebook ad options and their individual pros and best practices.
Like Ads
The goal of Like ads is implied by their name – to like your page and increase your following, organic reach and, with the right content, your page’s organic engagement.
Pros: With the right targeting behind them, Like ads can help you grow your audience for future message delivery.
Best Practices: Options to use GIFs and videos may sound great, but Like ads allow that content to be liked or commented upon rather than the page itself, which lowers the success rate of the Like ad itself. Create messaging specific to your target audience to help mitigate negative comments on your post and motivate people to follow your page because they feel you share the same values or opinions.
Reach Ads
Reach ads can be any of the ad formats, only they are optimized to deliver to as many members of your targeted audience as possible with your allocated budget. The goal here is reaching more people (unique reach) over impressions (which takes frequency into consideration).
Pros: Some portions of your audience may be harder to hit with an ad or more expensive, thus driving your CPMs (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions) higher. Facebook will then opt to show your ad to the cheaper audience, but more times (higher frequency). Reach Ads help you get your message in front of a greater portion of your audience, and let Facebook know that unique reach is your goal, and not just impressions.
Best Practices: Make sure your ads are memorable!
Link Ads
A Link ad allows you to drive traffic to a URL outside of Facebook.
Pros: Link ads are good for directing traffic to your website or to a news article that supports your message.
Best Practices: The call to action on a Link ad must be clear. Users don’t like to be surprised by content they click on.
Video Views
The goal of a Video Views ad is to put video content directly in front of your targeted audience’s eyes.
Pros: Users can view your content without leaving Facebook.
Best Practices: Be sure your video is crafted for the small screen. Think captions and on-screen text that ensures your video delivers your message with or without sound.
Post (Boosted Post)
Boosting your post takes your regular content and “lifts” it as a paid advertisement to drive additional engagement.
Pros: If your post contains a GIF or video, a view is counted as an engagement.
Best Practices: Persuade and motivate people who agree or relate to your message to take a specific action. This will help drive your reach to a larger audience organically.
Lead
A Lead ad encourages targeted users to sign up with your organization with their email address without leaving Facebook.
Pros: Lead ads provide space for images and more-than-enough background information that when combined can develop and deliver your message.
Best Practices: Be sure to give users a compelling reason to turn over their personal information and sign up.
Learn More About the Power of Social Media Advertising:
#GetSocial: What is Quality Content?
#GetSocial: The Eyes Have It Part 1
#GetSocial: The Eyes Have It Part 2