You’ve spent so much energy and time in creating the perfect ad. You’ve followed the advice. You’ve read all the tips. But your ads are still not converting. It feels as if you are throwing your hard-earned money down the toilet.

Facebook Advertising Strategy: 3 Secrets to Fix Non-Converting Ads

Now you’re second-guessing yourself. You want to give up and hide under the covers. You’d rather be binge-watching the latest show on Netflix or clean your house. Anything to avoid the frustration of Facebook.

You’re not alone. I’ve been there too. Let me ask you a question. What if making a few tweaks to your Facebook advertising strategy is the answer? What if you could turn those non-converting Facebook ads into a moolah-making machine?

Maybe you’ve just started and haven’t seen a lot of positive gains. Maybe you’ve been tackling Facebook ads for a while and need some new ideas. Perhaps you are considering Facebook, but not convinced it will work for you. Wherever you are at in your journey, there are critical components to creating a successful advertising strategy on Facebook. Let’s dive in together.

Behind the Hype: Do Facebook Ads Really Work?

If your Facebook ads are flopping like a fish out of water, you might be wondering if they even work. It’s a fair question.

If you want to grow your business (organically or with ads), Facebook is one of the places to be. According to Hootsuite, 1.47 billion people log in daily. Seventy-four percent of American Facebook users visit daily. Half of those people, check Facebook multiple times per day.

This means there is lots of potential. It means having a presence is important. It means being consistent with how you show up is critical to your marketing strategy.

The reality is Facebook can be very overwhelming, especially with ads. What’s your campaign objectives, target audience, type of ad, ad copy, image, link format, etc. You can easily get bogged down by the nitty-gritty details. But the details don’t mean anything if you don’t have a strong foundation.

Here’s the deal. Facebook ads do work – if you have a solid Facebook advertising strategy. That means you need to think through some important details before you dive in headfirst.

• A crystal-clear objective and purpose for advertising is essential
• Understanding your market, industry, and competitors
• Proven track record of sales
• Engaging content with your community
• Messaging that connects

If you don’t have these key elements in place your Facebook ads will not convert.

Does that leave you feeling defeated? Let me stop you right there. That’s why this community is so important. We are obsessed with getting you traffic – organic and paid. Right now, we are talking about paid traffic from Facebooks ads.

So What Is A Successful Advertising Strategy, Anyway?

According to online gossip, 62% of small businesses fail with Facebook ads. That paints a gloomy picture. Many businesses are struggling to create ads that convert. Many are gun-shy because of uncertainty.

We’re all about Facebook advertising strategies that get you results. We could focus on the step-by-step do’s and don’ts of creating your ad. But those details won’t mean much if you don’t look at the entire picture.

Let’s take a step back and look at the bigger WHY. Specifically, reviewing the elements that will make or break your ad before you even launch it. Otherwise, you are hurting your chances of success before you even begin.

Having a successful advertising strategy creates more opportunity. Do you want more of the following?

• Visibility
• Engagement
• Community
• Larger Email List
• New Clients
• More Sales
• Moolah in the bank
• And the list goes on

Regardless of where you are advertising, it’s important to remember that you will never get it perfect. Even the most seasoned marketers make mistakes.

Plus, social media is continuously changing. Facebook algorithms are always evolving. That’s why there is never a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to marketing. There will always be tweaks that need to make. There will always be room to improve.

Does that make you feel hesitant? We don’t want to scare you; however, it’s all about learning from every experience. It’s all about taking things to the next level. Facebook is no different.

Facebook can be incredibly rewarding for your business. The benefits outweigh the risks, especially when you have a strategic approach.

Common Facebook Advertising Strategy Mistakes

Facebook is an integral part of your marketing strategy. You already know that it’s a great tool, especially for creating community and engagement. It even has the potential to be a money-maker.

The hitch in your giddy-up is your ads are not working. They are getting you nowhere fast. If your Facebook ads are not converting, it might be time to reassess. I recommend a time out. Take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

This is not about those nitty-gritty campaign set-up details. We are talking about the high-level mistakes that can get you into trouble fast. If you don’t take time to get your strategy down, you are shooting yourself in the foot before you even start your campaign.

The three biggest advertising strategy mistakes include:

• Not having organic sales before you advertise
• Not knowing your people
• Not connecting emotionally with your message

The good news is there is hope. You can still fix them no matter where you are at in your Facebook ad journey. You can turn things around by making a few tweaks. Learn how to optimize your Facebook advertising strategy is a business must. Why? Simply because it means saving your hard-earned money instead of wasting it. Let’s look at each of these mistakes in detail and how to fix it.

Here are three ways to fix your non-converting ads and save your hard-earned money!!

Tip #1: The Only Question For Your Facebook Advertising Puzzle

This question is the key to your Facebook puzzle. This question alone can save you a lot of frustration (and money). Drum roll, please!

Have you had success with this product or service before you started advertising on Facebook?

Is it compelling? Does it already work? Do you have a proven history of sales?

If you aren’t able to sell without ads, that’s a red flag. Which means you might need to pause your ad spend for the time being.

It’s the equivalent of paddling your boat upstream. Facebook is already complicated enough on its own. You don’t want to make things harder on yourself.

For me, I don’t put ad money on something until I can sell it without an ad. Why? Because I want to make sure I’ve actually got people that are naturally engaged before I scale it with ads.

If you’ve already attracted the audience, it should sell organically. If not, perhaps it’s time to play detective and refine your sales process.

You want your ads to become the fuel for the fire. They’re not the match that strikes the fire.

Action Step: Do you really understand your audience? If not, perhaps you need to dig deeper and determine who is the right audience for your business. Learn the three steps to engage the right audience.

Tip #2: Stay on Target

Make sure you’re targeting the right people. Who is buying your products and services? What do you know about them? Your product or service needs to match up to the audience.

Think about your market. Think about your industry. Think about your competitors. If you have the wrong audience, it will destroy your results.
That means fewer conversions and more money down the drain.

Here’s an example. On my cat page, I want to make sure my cat products are going to my cat audience. On my DIY home page, yes, my cute cats would probably go viral with my DIY home audience. But they’re not going to buy cat stuff. I want to have DIY home stuff in that audience.

CONFESSION: I’ve made some stupid mistakes in the past. We targeted the wrong people. We paid a lot of money for those ads, and we had to throw it all away. I don’t want that to happen for you. Make sure you’re targeting the right people for your business.

And if you think that you are targeting the wrong audience. You’re not alone. It happens to all of us. Live and learn. Make the necessary tweaks and get back to it.

Make sure that you’re not just attracting eyeballs; you’re attracting the right eyeballs to convert to buyers for you.

Action Step: Once you attract the eyeballs, now what? Keep them engaged with your content. Here’s an information-packed resource to take the guesswork out of your creating juicy viral-worthy content.

Tip #3: Switch It Up

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their Facebook ad strategy is in the messaging. Too often it comes across as heavy-handed or overly salesy. If you are too pushy, they will instantly have their guard up. Some ads even come across as bossy. Let’s face it – no one likes to be told what to do.

It’s important to remember that there is a human on the other end of your ad. It’s easy in this digital world we live in to take emotion out of our messaging. But that is the key (and often missing) ingredient, which can hurt your conversions.

Think about posts on your business page. What have people liked, commented, or shared the most? See what words you used and make those a springboard for your copy (if relevant).

Shift your messaging to focus on the person seeing your ad – not on you. Be authentic and loving in a way that’s true to your voice and your brand.
You need to connect. You need to bring value. You need to be of service.
When you do this, they will automatically be willing to take that next step with you.

If you aren’t sure what message will connect with your audience, you may need to do some testing. Create multiple variations of your ad.

Another reason your ad may not convert is that your messaging lacks a clear next step. There are a lot of advertisements that cram too many objectives into one ad.

In an ideal world, your people will see your ad and automatically do all the things: like, comment, share, sign up for your email list and purchase a product or service.

The reality is if you have too many next steps, then it becomes info overload. Sometimes that leads to confusion. They take no action as if they are frozen or paralyzed.

Sometimes it’s the lingo. Even subtle hints can be turn-offs. Keep it stripped down and as simple as possible. Have different ads for different call-to-actions. Don’t muddy the messaging waters. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do next.

Action Step: Do your Facebook ads have any of these banned words? If you want to improve your conversions, make sure to avoid these words. Plus, we include what phrases to use instead!

It’s Time to Take Action Y’all

Creating Facebook advertising strategies that convert is not for the faint of heart. It can be overwhelming. It can be pull-out-your-hair frustrating when you are spending your hard-earned cash on ads that aren’t converting.

I get it. I’ve been there myself.

Whether you are a Facebook-land newbie or veteran, there is always room to learn and grow. Making a few tweaks to your strategy can be an absolute game-changer.

Take a step back and evaluate your strategy before you get lost in the weeds of creating your ad. When you have a plan that aligns with these best practices, you are setting yourself up for a major win.

Once you’ve got the perfect audience, filled with perfect buyers and you’re saying the message that they relate to then that’s when the magic happens. They raise their hands and say, “I want more of this.”

Facebook is a monster topic. We barely scratched the surface of the advertising strategies that can take you to the next level. What made a difference in my business is when I connected with others. I highly recommend getting involved with a community of like-minded peeps who are there to encourage, guide, and support you. Keep going – you’ve got this!

Here are my suggested resources to support you in your Facebook journey. Don’t miss out – grab these goodies!

• The Ultimate Audience Growth Pack – Turn up the volume with. More engagement, traffic and results. Take your business to the next level with these worksheets!
• 25 Grab and Use Viral Titles to boost traffic and visibility.
• 23 Conversation Starters to jumpstart engagement on your page.
• What Words to Avoid – A Banned Phrase List for your posts and ads (And what phrases to use instead).
• If you haven’t enrolled in my Page Strategies e-course yet, make sure you get on the waiting list!

Frequently Asked Question 

How can I use Facebook ads in 2019?

You can use Facebook ads in 2019 to promote your business, content, products, and more. The key is to have a solid advertising strategy in place before you create your first ad.

How do you advertise effectively on Facebook?

To advertise effectively on Facebook, you need to have a solid strategy in place. Know your audience, write messaging that connects and be sure you can sell it organically before you create your first ad. Having a solid Facebook advertising strategy in place means that your ads are more likely to convert.

How much do Facebook ads cost in 2019?

Facebook ads vary in cost. It can depend on anything from your industry to how much competition is in your market. Based on the article by FitSmallBusiness.com, the average cost-per-click for Facebook ads (across all industries) is $1.86. Facebook currently has a minimum daily ad spend of $1. Many small businesses spend between $1,000 – $2,000 per month.

We recommend starting small. Test your Facebook ads before you dump a lot of money into the machine. See what converts and then scale up from there. Remember, there are ways to get traffic without spending money on ads. Be sure your advertising strategy includes both paid and unpaid traffic.

The post Facebook Advertising Strategy: 3 Secrets to Fix Non-Converting Ads appeared first on Rachel Miller.

The great thing about Facebook? Anyone (over the age of 13) can join. That opens up an unlimited amount of possibilities for your page and your groups. UNLIMITED. What you post, share and create has the potential to reach MILLIONS of people. Let that sink in for a minute. Mind-blowing.

(and I’m seriously giddy about being able to talk to you about this today)

First and foremost, let’s talk about the strategies behind Facebook groups.

What’s the Point of Growing a Group on Facebook?

Believe this. People love Facebook. But what I think that most people tend to overlook is that there is a difference between a Facebook group and a Facebook page. Are you one of them? Don’t worry, it’s really, really common.

From everything that I’ve learned, there are three ways that people interact on Facebook.

People will interact with your personal profile

They see your picture, and one to know you/talk to you. (And from building a Facebook page standpoint, this can be great. BUT, you can’t sell on your personal profile as it’s against Facebook’s terms of service)

Build Trust

When you interact with your community with your personal profile, it feels far more authentic than talking to a Facebook page. You can’t build trust without authenticity. 

Facebook users love to “like” and follow new pages

This is good news. You can run ads here and really target and connect with your audience. Having a page really gives you the potential to post videos, share content and bring in those potential customers with ease. 

Users love to use messenger to connect

Don’t forget about the hidden power of messenger. It’s a quick and simple way to get in touch with someone or create a “group chat” where you can target in on certain people even more. Messenger makes it easy to get in touch with people that you need and want to connect with. 

While all three ways are essential for interacting on Facebook, don’t forget these other quick tips, too.

You cannot run ads without a page. And you connect building a following with a group. 

It’s seriously as simple as that. 

Once you find your people that are perfect for your group, do well and they will stick around. Give them enough valuable information that they feel as though you’re solving their problems and if you can accomplish that, your Facebook group and communities will grow.

Groups thrive because everyone is there for the same reason. It’s like having your own personal cheerleading section for each and every question. How awesome is that?!

Use the Group Question Feature to Grow Your Email List

We’ve all seen those questions when joining Facebook groups. You can use them too, to build your email list! And we’ve learned from Sarah Mueller how powerful an email list can be. 

You’ve heard me mention a number of times to work smart, not harder, right? This strategy allows us to do just that.

Share Videos from Your Page

You created the content already why not use it to grow beyond your page? Share your video content from your page to your group. This gives you the opportunity to build custom audiences to retarget. This is extremely helpful, especially during launch time.

What is the point of having a Facebook group when I already have a Facebook page with thousands of fans? 

I’ll be the first to tell you that what works for some doesn’t work for all. You may be able to bypass a free group and offer some sort of paid group right out of the gate. It’s all in how you present the information and how well your audience believes in your message.

Everyone is different. All your followers and subscribers are looking for “something”. Some will be forever fans and will buy anything that you offer while others may need a little bit more convincing. Remember when I said that it takes putting content in front of people’s eyes 7 times before they decide to buy? THIS IS NOT A FAKE STATISTIC. Some people drag their feet a lot longer than others.

When I ran a free group, I was able to convert 1 out of every 7 users…that’s a pretty darn good number. (tooting my own horn here a bit) BUT, was there potential for it to be better? Possibly. 

That’s the beauty of using Facebook groups to your benefit. You have to find out what works for you. 

Is there a clear path to starting a Facebook group?

The short answer? No. While I’m here to provide guidance and answer questions, I also know that I’ve given the people in my groups enough breadcrumbs and information to find their path. THIS IS WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

In my own personal path, I started a free group first. And I had just 100 people. I used multiple page strategies and I taught them in their own time. Then, once I showed them that I was of value to them, I hammered them with sales. 

And while I was hammering them with sales, I was also their biggest cheerleader along the way, too. 

My goal and want? For my free group to be of huge value. Why? Because if they like what I have to offer, they’ll verbally tell others and my free group will join. All with little effort from me.

Winner-winner. 

I like giving people the tools to find success, but I want it to be a bit messy so that they still need to use the resources that I’m selling as well. I offer things to them in a very sequential way – and I do this on purpose. 

If I have nobody in my Facebook group, how do I even get started? 

When you have literally zero Facebook fans, zero fans on your page, zero fans in your group, you need to start “collecting” friends. Sounds a bit like a hoarder, right?

No shame.

When I started my journey on Facebook, I would meet different friends and connect with them. They were mainly blogging friends and we would talk about ways to blog and grow our audience. Keep in mind I knew none of them in real life. 

I decided that I needed to create an interest group on Facebook, and I messaged each of them (in like groups of 20) inviting them and creating this group. 

Once I had about 200-400 “friends”, I knew my group was set. 

If you have zero people in your Facebook group, you have to get out and connect with people so that they can learn about you and trust you. Once they do, you’ll find that they want to be a part of whatever you’re a part of. 

How can you actively grow your Facebook group?

The simple answer? You need to be present. Your group is there because of YOU and if they never see you, they don’t hold any value into what you’re posting. 

Show up. Deliver. Go live in the group. Have them ask questions that you actually respond to and answer. 

Make conversations with them every single day. And I mean that. Literally EVERY SINGLE DAY.

If you start your Facebook group with the mindset that you value them and their conversations, you’re setting yourself up for a path towards solid success. 

As your Facebook group grows, should you have moderators to help?

YES. If you can find someone that knows your page, your mission and has your voice, let them help you! You don’t want your group to have to wait for information and answers. This is where moderators are HUGE. 

The time is now to start a Facebook group. Why wait? If you wait, success will never come. And don’t worry, you’ll learn a lot along the way, and I’m here to help as well.

Find your passion for helping others and creating amazing content that just can’t be missed out on. Facebook groups and pages are one easy and simple way to make this happen. 

The post The Power of Growing a Group – Leveraging Your Audience appeared first on Rachel Miller.