The platform offers a complex reporting system which on the surface provides all the insights you need. However, did a little deeper and this doesn't necessarily provide the full picture.
Both Facebook and Google want you to spend your ad budget with them. They are therefore going to make their own ad results look as strong as possible. Add to this the fact that they both use different reporting models and you'll quickly see they never match up.
However, used strategically, both platforms can offer a more holistic overview to your ads.
Historically, the boost button brought in some pretty impressive results and is the reason why many businesses feel like they are now banging their heads against brick walls.
Want to know why? Because it doesn’t work anymore!
When you give Facebook £5, £10 or even £100 to boost your post, it takes that budget and spends it solely on engagement.
This means that your post will attract likes, comments and shares. Sound good?
Not really, especially if the objective behind the ad is something more specific like to increase website traffic, generate leads or attract shop visits. People that like and share your post are not necessarily going to take the action you want.
Limited on placements
Another reason to steer clear of the boost button is that you have no control over placements. Sometimes, based on your page insights or the type of ad you’re running, it might be better to run it solely on mobile. This, for example, is often the case for businesses looking for app downloads.
However, when you hit boost, Facebook algorithms will find the cheapest way to achieve your engagement objective - even if it damages your campaign results. So, if you include a number of countries in your targeting, your ads may be pushed to those countries that generate the cheapest clicks. Similarly, Facebook may run your ad for 90% of the time on mobile because it’s cheaper.
What’s the alternative?
Facebook’s ad manager platform is one of the most powerful tools you can use when marketing your business. Its power to target people based on extremely specific interests, hobbies, spending habits or job titles is extensive and only growing.
You can only take full advantage of this though, if you steer away from the boost button and head to the ad manager.
When setting up an ad, you'll be presented with a range objectives to choose from based on the actions you would like people to take. From lead generation and conversions to awareness and traffic.
Once you've selected your objective, Facebook will take your budget and seek out users that are most likely to take that action.
For example, say you have a blog that you’d like to use as a lead magnet. When you create the ad for that blog, select the traffic objective. Facebook will then ensure that it puts the ad in front of people most likely to click through to your site. If you were to just boost that post, yes you may get plenty of comments and shares, but only a few would actually click through.
When taking a more strategic approach with your ads and not simply 'boosting', you'll also find that you achieve a much stronger ROI.
For more tips on getting to grips with Facebook ads, check out my guide here.
However, there are a few killer mistakes that are hindering business blogs and doing more harm than good. Here’s a roundup of a few common sins to steer clear of…
With 665 million daily users on Facebook and 330 million on Twitter, there’s one hell of a missed opportunity if neglected. Plus, now that around 83% of people search for properties online, it’s become more important than ever to have a strong digital presence.
So, how exactly can social media benefit your estate agency?
1. Increase sales
It’s personal and offers an approachable way for prospects to contact you. There’s something informal about social media which opens up a more friendly way of communicating. This has been proven to enhance interaction levels and lead to an increase in conversions.
Furthermore, if you share useful, interesting content on each platform, you’re actively interacting with prospects on a regular basis. As long as your strategy is engaging, you’ll should see an uplift in enquiries.
2. You can cut marketing costs
This is now one of the most affordable ways to market a business. With a solid strategy and great content, you’ll be able to generate some surprising results. Instead of taking out costly ads in local newspapers, you can now use social media to actively (and very specifically) target your key audience.
3. You’ll create a community of prospects
By setting up a page on Facebook, every new follower you acquire is a new person interested in your business. Now, as you grow your page, you’ll create a solid community of prospects who you can interact with daily.
A strong community is powerful when it comes to brand impact and enables you to connect with prospects on a more personal level.
4. It boosts your SEO and website traffic
Being active on social media is a sure fire way to drive more traffic to your website. Sharing useful blog posts and relevant properties will lead to an increase in click throughs. Plus, Google likes social media so being active on your chosen platforms will help to boost your SEO.
To sum up
These are just a few benefits that social media can bring to your business. In 2018, it’s all about being personal and showing that your brand has personality. So, what better way than using social media? By leveraging the power that each platform can bring, you’ll be able to generate some real results.
If you’d like to learn more or see how social media can benefit your estate agency, I’d be happy to help. Get in touch here.
However, there are a few killer mistakes that are hindering business blogs and doing more harm than good. Here’s a roundup of a few common sins to steer clear of…
1. Uninspiring headlines
Have you ever clicked onto an article with a boring headline? Probably not, right? So what’s to say your audience will? When conjuring up a title for your blog put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Think about their pain points, what questions they want solving and what’s going to compel them to click.
To put this into perspective, here’s two heading examples:
‘No results with your teeth whitening?’
This title says nothing. There’s no value being offered or incentive for a reader to click.
‘5 Myths you Need to Know About Teeth Whitening.’
Here we have a title that’s offering far more value. Firstly, it’s in the form of a ‘listicle’ (list) which is a proven format for blog success. Secondly, it’s providing readers with educational content – a clear incentive to click.
2. Poor Visuals
Images are a key factor in drawing a reader in. Your feature image should be vibrant and visually appealing as it’s your one chance to catch their attention and compel them to click.
Steer clear of overly ‘stock like’ images and opt for more relatable shots. There are some great free image resources out there now like Unsplash and Pixabay – so there’s no excuse!
3. Dull content
There are plenty of businesses that just blog for the sake of it and pay very little attention to the content they are putting out there. This type of blogging isn’t going to attract more businesses and can actually do more harm than good.
Take time to develop a content plan and think about valuable advice and tips that you can share with your audience. A great starting point is looking at questions that you get asked frequently. Answering them in a blog post can be really helpful for readers and will help them to engage with you as a brand.