Written by Dionne Alaveras, News Xtend
Effective marketing relies on placing the right content, in front of the right people, at the right time.
This is relevancy.
You want to be creating content that is relevant to users.
You want to serve it to them at a time that is most relevant for them.
Do this and they will take the relevant action.
All this is easily achieved on the Facebook platform due to their sophisticated targeting.
Facebook’s accumulation of data and it’s understanding of how to use it, allows advertisers to target those relevant people with a few button clicks.
The first step is to outline who your intended audience is. Then you can pick the targeting strategy that best finds these users.
One of Facebook’s most celebrated functions is its ability to target effectively. Core, Custom and Lookalike audiences are Facebook’s 3 targeting solutions.
A core audience allows you to target users based off their demographic, interests and behaviours.
Custom audiences, allows you to create an audience tailored to what you already know of customers or potential customers. This relies heavily on data your business possesses.
Lookalike audiences, allows you to upload data, typically, customer lists and tell Facebook to find you new people who are similar.
Ready to dive in deeper?
Scenario #1
‘I own a coffee store that has just opened up in Bondi, Sydney. My goal is to spread the word that I am now open and making incredible coffee and sweet treats. My customers would be those who live locally, of all ages and who love coffee and food. I have no data to provide Facebook.’
Strategy #1 – Using a CORE Audience
Use Facebook’s core targeting solution. This allows your to target and find users based on interests, behaviours and demographic.
You can select a radius surrounding Bondi to capture those that live locally. Include males and females and a wide age bracket. That is you demographic covered.
Now for interests, Facebook’s data allows you to select those that love coffee, food and a whole lot more.
Scenario #2
‘I am an auto dealership and wish to get people buying cars. I want to increase sales and revenue for my dealership. I want to target anyone who wants to buy a car and who likes my car brands. I have heaps of data, website traffic, as well as information of people who have already purchased.’
Strategy #2 – Using a CUSTOM Audience
Use Facebook’s custom audiences to target people who have already engaged with your brand.
For those who have travelled on to your website, showing an interest in your brand, let’s re-target them with captivating content to get them over that line.
These users are more relevant as we already know they have travelled to your website and perused certain vehicles and models. We will tailor all content to this so it is eve more relevant.
To bring in more sales and revenue, we want to nurture life long customers.
We don’t only want to inspire one conversion, but multiple. With segmenting the data, we will create more custom audiences.
Those who purchased a car 6 months ago, we will serve them accessory ads. We know they excitedly just bought a new car, let’s encourage them to spend more on it.
Those who purchased a car a year ago, we will create specific content focusing on services. We know they need a service, let’s let them know.
Those who purchased a car anywhere between 2-5 years ago, let’s serve them with ads encouraging them to upgrade.
Just by using custom audiences, we are targeting relevant people.
We know what they have already done, we use this intel to encourage them to do what we want next.
Scenario #3
‘I own a beauty salon, I have all the information of my loyal customers, I just want to reach out to those who don’t know about my salon or use my services. I want to find new people.’
Strategy #3 – Using a LOOKALIKE Audience
Lookalike audiences are perfect for finding new people, expanding reach but not searching blind.
It still allows for relevancy. We upload your list of loyal customers into Facebook.
Essentially, we are telling Facebook, find us as many people who look like my existing customers and serve them.
This allows you to reach new people but, ensures these people are similar to those already engaging with your business. Meaning, these new people should engage with your brand as well.
Three simple strategies utilising Facebook’s three sophisticated targeting solutions to ensure your advertising effectively and targeting correctly.
Remember, you first have to define your audience. You have to again, refer to your objective or end game, then decide which of Facebook’s targeting solutions allows you to meet this goal.
The most important point?
Data is delicious. Use it.
Do you want to run a social campaign? Get started with a News Xtend Lite campaign here.