Tracking your Facebook marketing efforts isn't always as straight forward as it seems.

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. 

It’s tempting, isn’t it? When you post on Facebook and that little caption pops up, enticing you to boost your post to ‘reach another 15,000 users.’ Or that ‘your post is performing 95% better than your others, boost it now or forever hold your peace’...something along those lines anyway.

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.

A blog can be a powerful marketing channel for any business when used well. Posting regular, engaging content not only sets brands apart as thought leaders but also helps to drive more traffic and boost conversions.

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…

Yes, it may send shivers down your spine, especially if you're camera shy. However, the small minority of agents already using video are reaping the rewards. To help inspire you to get behind the lens, here's 5 reasons why video is a powerful tool for estate agents.

Managing a strong, consistent presence on any social media platform can be time consuming, especially when you’re trying to run a business. However, it has become a must for estate agents over recent years.

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.

Some businesses can be guilty of churning out any old thing because ‘everyone else is doing it’ but if you want your content to stand out, it really has to speak to your audience.

Whether you’re writing for a client or for your own business, it’s important that your content is relevant and engaging. Strike a chord with a potential customer and they are far more likely to show preference to you over the competition.

So, without further ado, here are a few hints for writing content that converts.

1. Map out your audience

Take a step back and think about who your customer is. Who buys your products and reads your blogs? Get to know them and understand what makes them tick. Find out what their problems are and think about how you can help them through valuable content.

One way of doing this is to create a buyer persona. Ask yourself a number of questions about your target audience; things like what their hobbies are, what their job role is along with any daily challenges they may face. This will help you to get inside their mind and write content that appeals to them. To get started, check out this helpful template.

2. Label your customers

Once you’ve created a buyer persona for your audience, get labeling. Ok, this may seem like a weird one; grouping individuals under categories – who wants that? Well, in this day and age people actually like being labelled. Think about it – an email ‘For extreme triathletes only’ lands in your inbox. Are you happy with that? I know I would be.

By labeling people, you’ll make them feel like they’re part of something and are recognised for the thing they are good at or enjoy doing. Get this right, and they are far more likely to take action.

3. Don’t Pitch! Problem solve

The key to great content is to offer useful information that will help your reader. People don’t want cold hard pitches anymore – they can see straight through that. Always keep the 90% rule in mind: 90% informative, related to solving the reader’s problem and 10% for the call to action, keeping pitching to a minimum.

As an expert in your field, you need to be giving away as much as you can in terms of useful tips, handy ideas and experiences that will help your audience. If you’re in the health food market, there’s no good in churning out new offers and product details. This gets boring and isn’t what will bring health enthusiasts to your site. Instead, writing articles on ‘How to create a quick post workout meal’ or ‘Top 5 foods for flawless skin’ will be much more useful and encourage people to buy into the products you offer.

Gary Veynerchuck’s Jab, Jab, Jab Right Hook offers some great strategies on how to make your content stand out and hook your audience in.

4. Be honest

Admit your shortcomings and be real, people love honesty and warm to relateable stories. Portraying a perfect image 100% of the time is not believable. Showing authenticity, whether you’re a blogger or a multi-national enterprise makes you more human and easier to connect with.

Social psychologist, Fiona Lee, conducted a study  to see if companies which admitted their faults were seen to be more credible. She found that those who admitted their strategic faults actually achieved higher stock prices the following year, showing that admitting to shortcomings made companies still seem in control despite their shortcomings.

That isn’t to say you should go overboard – find the right balance and your audience will  find it easier to relate.

5. Get your call to action right

This is one of the most important parts of your content as if your call to action is weak, then you’re not going to see those all important conversions. Think about who you’re talking to and what action you’d like them to take. A simple ‘click here’ or ‘call now’ is ok, but you don’t want to go with this every time. Have a think on how you can expand on this, to really entice your reader to act.

‘Try it for free’ or ‘Download your free sample here’ are more likely to get a click as people feel like they are getting value. Remember that this is an essential factor so give this the thought it deserves. To give you a hand, here’s a handy guide to different types of CTAs.