Facebook recently announced that, along with even greater control over ad preferences, it will begin showing ads on desktop to those using ad blockers – a strong indication of Facebook’s dedication to relevant ads. Now is a good time to examine your dedication to your own ads by considering two basic questions.
When are they there?
To answer this, you might look at Facebook Insights to see when the majority of your fans are online. However, you don’t always want to advertise to your current audience, or even people like them. If you’re looking to expand your market, look beyond the status quo. Use a service like Sumorank.com for insights about competitors that appeal to your desired demographic, including which days and times see the best engagement. Always inspect posting habits and content, but if you find people chat most about related products on Thursdays at 8 p.m., try testing your ad in that timeslot.
When are you there?
Ads are an investment, so be available to reply to those you’ve paid to reach, including after hours. This is especially important for new products and less familiar services that invite questions or skepticism. If necessary, consider adding a weekend community manager or running multiple, short campaigns rather than leaving long-running ads unattended. An ad with “no one home” sacrifices the unique social opportunity of Facebook, and unaddressed comments serve as a shorthand vetting mechanism. An aging list of comments without replies may be all your prospect needs to see before deciding to pass. Conversely, timely, informative replies build brand confidence and positively affect purchasing decisions.
Improve your Facebook outcomes by considering the basics of “being there,” both by reaching people when they are most open to your messaging and by being purposefully present once you’ve initiated contact with your relevant ad.
-Jeanette Pham (@jeanettepham) is an independent social marketing & engagement specialist in Milwaukee.
