Are My Ads Performing Well?

ARE MY ADS PERFORMING WELL?

OK so your ads are running. 

Now what?

Well, we want to make sure you’re getting the results you want, right?

I mean, we’re spending money to grow our list or get sales so we need to make sure our ads are working.

“But Laura, there are so many freaking numbers in there….what metrics should I look at?” 

This is a great question and one I get often. The answer is:

What is the goal of your ad?

Those are the KPIs you want to focus on.
If the goal of your ad is to grow your email list with new subscribers, confirm you are in fact doing that. Check your CRM to see if the amount of leads you see in Facebook's ads manager is the same (or close to) what you see in your CRM.

Then ask yourself - are the lead costs reasonable? Depending on your niche, you could expect to spend $2 - $10 for a lead. My artist clients generally spend $2 to get someone to opt in for a free download. My ads generate $5 leads. It’s just because my niche is a little more competitive than my artist clients. 

The other metrics I’m looking at are:

• CTR (link) - Are they clicking on the ad? We want this to be over 1% for cold traffic and over 2% for warm

• What is the landing page conversion rate? Are they actually opting in once they get over to the landing page? We want this to be over 30%.

Which ads are getting the most leads? What is unique about those ads? Determine what that is and make more of those ads (of course testing in a new ad set so you don’t mess with what’s working). I generally shut off ads  that aren’t getting any ‘love’.

Need help to understand and optimize your ad performance? Let's chat!

How To Optimise Your Ads For Better Results 📈

How To Optimize Your Ads For Better Results

So let’s say that your ads are doing well. Great!

They’re meeting your KPIs, and you’re looking to optimize a little. Well, that can be tricky sometimes….we don’t want to mess with what’s working well (I have a ‘no touchy’ rule if ads are performing well!)

When ads are working, you’ll want to make sure to scale the budget gently. I generally start with a 20% increase every other day. In addition to that, you want to look at what IS working, put it in a new ad set and see if you can get more and better results. Go to the ad level in the ads manager and look for the button called “Breakdown”. This will allow you to isolate certain things to see what is performing best.

For example, if you select placement - you might find that your best-performing ads are on Instagram - so you might want to duplicate that ad set and run the ads to Instagram only. Or, maybe you notice that a particular country is performing the best, then you’d do the same and target only that one best-performing country.

But note, do NOT turn off the main campaign/ads. The test might not prove to do well, so keep the original going! 

Be sure to check out the breakdown feature - it’s pretty neat to see how different placements, devices, creatives, age/gender are performing.

And of course- other ways to optimize is to continue to test test test.

This is the name of the game with Facebook. We can’t just “set it and forget it.” We have to continue to test new creative, copy, images, buttons, and headlines for our ads - especially those that are evergreen. But remember, do your testing in a new ad set or campaign and leave the good ones running!

Ready to take your ad strategy to the next level? If you're feeling overwhelmed or need expert guidance on scaling your ads for better results, book a call with me today.

The Dirty Truth About SLO's

The Dirty Truth About SLO’s

So, what IS an SLO? 

An SLO is a Self Liquidating Offer. Typically you’ll see them in your newsfeed with low-priced products and many people create these funnels with the wrong expectations or incomplete so I thought it important to share some facts today.

If you have an SLO and you’re expecting Facebook to be your ATM while you hit the beach and let the money roll in you will be sorely disappointed. There are some unicorns out there that have made it happen but it’s taken a lot of tweaking, testing and money spent on ads to do so. 

So, first things first. - Keep your expectations in check.
SLOs are Self-Liquidating Offers. If you are selling your product, offsetting your ad expense, and growing your list of buyers it’s doing.it’s.job. 

It wasn’t created to be an ATM machine. 

Second, it’s essential to have additional programs, products, and services to offer after the SLO offer to increase your average order value. 

You’re unlikely to become a millionaire from a $27 offer so think about what your product ladder should be to get those buyers in with the tiny offer but upsell them with other products - leading to your main high ticket offer.

At the bare minimum, your SLO should have two offers after the front-end offer to increase your average order value.

Example:

• Front end offer $47 (we want to see a 3-5% conversion rate here)

• Order Bump: $17 (we want to see 30% of the people taking you up on this offer) 

• One Time Offer: $97 (we want to see 10% of people buying the OTO)

We generally tell clients that they might see a cost per acquisition of $50 to $60 of a $47 offer to get one sale! So yes, you need those bumps to increase your AOV and keep moving people along in your funnel. 

Here’s an example without order bumps or upsells: 

You guess your CPA will be $50.

You spend $100 a day for 7 days = $700. 

Over 7 days you get 10 sales at $47 = $470

So, without any order bumps you’ve spent $700 only to make $470.
 

Now here’s what it would look like with order bumps and upsells: 

You guess your CPA will be $50.

You spend $100 a day for 7 days = $700.

Over 7 days you get 10 sales at $47 = $470

30% take the order bump = $111 ($3x$37)

10% take the OTO = $97 (1 x $97)

That equals $678 so your Average Order Value is $67 ($20 more than the main offer) and you’re a lot closer to break even plus have grown your list with 1 new BUYER. 

You also now know that you can spend up to $67 to get a sale and break even. What you’ll work on next is trying to get your CPA below $50 for even better results. But you won’t know until you start running ads to this offer and see what your CPA is. 

HOW MUCH DO I SPEND ON ADS FOR MY LAUNCH

How much do I spend on ads for my launch?

Whenever I get this question from a client, I ask them what their revenue goal is and then we reverse engineer. 

Here are the questions I go through with my clients to determine how much we need to spend on ads to achieve their launch goals. Keep in mind, this is ONLY for Facebook ad traffic. If you are using other sources of advertising be sure to take that into consideration. You might not be spending ALL your advertising dollars on Facebook. 

Ask yourself: 

• What is the revenue goal for the launch? 

• What is the price point of your course offer? 

• How many sales will we need to reach that revenue goal?

• If you’ve launched before, what was your sales conversion rate? 

• If you’ve launched before, what were your past lead costs? 

• How many leads do we need to bring into the funnel? (you’re free experience, etc)

Let’s use this as an example:

Revenue goal:  $50,000

Course price point: $997

How many sales do you need: 50 ($997/50,000)

Past sales conversion rate: 1% 

Past CPL: $3.00

Number of Leads needed: 5015 (50/.01) (sales/ past conversion rate) 

If a client had this data I would assume we’d get lead costs about the same (maybe $1 or so more) and if they have converted at 1% in the past we can use that to predict what might happen during this launch. 

To generate 50 sales for this launch we’d need to bring in 5015 leads AND convert 1% of them into sales. That means, if your lead costs are $3 each, you’d need to spend $15,000 in ad spend to bring in those leads.

As I mentioned above, this is only for Facebook ad traffic. If you have other sources of advertising (either paid or organic) you should take that into consideration also. You might bring in 1000 of the 5000 leads organically - so you can spend a little less on paid ads. 

If this is the first time you’re launching you’ll have to guesstimate your lead costs and conversion rate. Cost per leads can vary from $1 to $50 depending on your niche AND the free experience you’re offering. Many of my art clients will get lead costs for a free download for $2 and a free workshop, challenge or webinar for $5. Coaches will likely get higher lead costs - between $8-$12 per lead for a free experience.

Sales conversion rate is another variable you’ll have to guess. I would start with 1% (even less) if you’re launching for the first time. 

It might be a bit of a shock when you realize how much you’ll need to spend on ads, but if you have a proven offer that you know converts you will likely be profitable from your launch. 

And if you’re just starting out - well….as I mentioned in a previous blog post…you have to start somewhere and you’ll use this launch as a test to collect data and learn. 

It’s important to know your numbers and use it to predict what could happen for the next launch.

I WANT A LAUNCH LIKE...(FILL IN THE BLANK)

I want a launch like .... [Fill in the blank]

You want immediate results with your advertising efforts….I get it…. (we’d all like that!) 

We live in a world of instant gratification and are always seeing ads from marketing gurus touting 7-figure launches, but in the fast-paced world of digital marketing, that’s just not going to happen instantly.

What these gurus don't always emphasize is the time it took to reach those amazing results—often years, lots of money, testing and trial and error.

While I can't offer you a silver bullet or magic pill for Facebook ads success, I can tell you this: Facebook ads are typically a long game, and as business owners, we HAVE to invest in our marketing efforts. But it's crucial to have patience and understand that we have to crawl before we walk. We have to start somewhere, and if you’ve never run ads before, let’s reduce those “pie in the sky” expectations of a 7 figure launch and just get some ads on to promote yourself and your brand. 

One of the primary goals of Facebook ads is to increase brand awareness and establish trust among your target audience. However, this doesn't happen overnight. It takes time for people to become familiar with your brand, recognize its value, and develop trust before they are willing to make a purchase or engage with your offerings. Facebook ads play a vital role in building this awareness, but it requires consistent exposure to your brand message over time.

Want to get started with ads? Here’s what you could do: 

Start running ads to build awareness of your brand and ask for NOTHING in return. (GASP!) Yes, that’s right. Invest a monthly ad budget for awareness ads to get seen in your ideal audiences’ newsfeeds. You can do it for as little as $10 a day. Although you might not see an ROI on these ads, you WILL start to collect data, learn, and build awareness, trust and authority. 

Here’s what you do:

Use a VALUABLE video ad to target a cold audience and retarget them with new additional content that has no call to action over a period of time (30-180 days). The video ad could be something that you teach with a little more information about you and your business. Give them a quick win, pique their interest with something you know will grab their attention. Once they view or engage with any part of that ad, you’ll then show them a few more ads to stay top of mind, stay in their feed, build authority and gain awareness (again, simply to promote your brand.)

The other ads they could see after the video content would be ads that promote:  

• Testimonials: Ads from past clients/students (this builds authority)

• Lifestyle post (show the real you. Not just the “business” you)

• Inspirational posts 

• “Behind the scenes” posts

• Informational posts (how-to’s and tips providing free value)

• Posts that have gotten tons of engagement/comments/etc.
  

The purpose of this strategy is to constantly bring in (new) cold traffic and re-engage them with free content to build awareness. When you set up the audiences correctly, you can keep this strategy evergreen so that once someone watches the video ad, they will drop out of that audience (never seeing it again) and start to see the sequence of new ads over the course of 30, 60, 90, and 180 days. 

This strategy allows you to test audiences, creative, copy and different content to see what works while getting in front of your audience for a reasonable cost! 

What’s next:
The next step would be to retarget anyone who has engaged with ANY of those ads, but this time, you will want to give them a call to action - opt into a freebie or purchase a low-price product. 

This strategy can help get you started on testing ads for as little as $10 a day. As entrepreneurs, we HAVE to invest in advertising to grow our business, and sometimes that means spending money without making money (at first!). It’s time to get your brand out there!  

Mastering Meta Ads: A 5 step Guide to Get Started!

Mastering Meta Ads: A 5 step Guide to Get Started!

In today's digital age, running Facebook ads has become a crucial strategy for businesses to reach their target audience, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. However, with the constantly evolving platform and algorithms, (UGGH!) it's essential to have a well-structured approach to ensure your Facebook ad campaigns deliver the desired results. In this blog post, we'll provide you with a concise yet comprehensive five-step guide to running effective Facebook ads.

Step 1: Create your offer 

What is the ad offering your audience? Are you trying to get brand awareness? More podcast downloads? Giving away a free lead magnet in order to grow your email list? Let’s talk about a lead magnet ad for a minute. Do you have one? Is there something you can give away for free in exchange for a name and email that gives your ideal client a quick win BUT leaves them needing a little bit more help to get to the next level? 

Think about your offer and test it. Test several to see what your audience most wants. While brainstorming, think of a question you get asked ALL the time. For me, my clients ask about the Facebook pixel so a great lead magnet for me might be what the Facebook pixel is, what it does and why it’s important to have it on your website.  Give them the ‘what’ not the ‘how to’. (hint: SELL the ‘how to”

Step 2: Define Your Goals 

Before diving into the intricacies of Facebook ads, it's crucial to clearly define your goals. Do you want to generate leads, increase sales, boost website traffic, or enhance brand visibility? By knowing what the goal of the ad is will allow you to select the right ad objective inside Ads Manager. If you want people to opt into your ads, make sure you select conversions or leads as the objective (not ‘traffic’). We want to find people within your audience who are going to convert. Not just leave Facebook to consume content (which is the ‘traffic’ objective). 

Step 3: Craft Engaging and Compelling Ads

The success of your Facebook ad campaign hinges on creating engaging and compelling ad content. Start by selecting the appropriate ad format, such as image ads, video ads, carousel ads, or collection ads, depending on your campaign goals.

Make sure your ad content is visually appealing, concise, and relevant to your target audience. Include a captivating headline, persuasive copy, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) to prompt users to take the desired action. You’re looking for strong click through rates. I always look at the CTR LINK metric inside ads manager. We want this to be over 1%. That means people are clicking on the ad and going to see what the landing page has to offer! 

Step 4: Implement Effective Targeting and Optimization Strategies

Identify your target audience. Facebook offers a wide range of targeting options, including demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Understanding your audience's characteristics and preferences allows you to create highly targeted ads that resonate with them.

Additionally, utilize the power of Facebook Pixel—a small piece of code that you can add to your website—to track conversions, optimize your ads, and retarget website visitors. It enables you to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve performance. Make SURE the pixel code is on all pages of your website - especially any ‘success’ or ‘thank you’ pages.

Step 5: Monitor, Analyze, and Optimize Your Campaigns

Once your Facebook ad campaigns are live, closely monitor their performance using Facebook's reporting tools. Keep an eye on the metric that aligns most with the goal of your ad. If you are optimizing ads to get the lead - look at the “Cost Per Lead” or Cost Per Result” If you are optimizing the ad for purchases - look at the number of sales you're getting and the cost per purchase.  Key metrics like CTR (click-through rates) and landing page conversion rates allow you to troubleshoot what might be wrong with an ad if you’re not hitting your KPIs (key performance indicators) like sales or leads. Analyze the data to identify trends, patterns, and areas of improvement.

Based on the insights gained, make data-driven decisions and optimizations to your campaigns. Adjust your targeting, ad placements, budgets, landing page content, and creative elements to improve overall performance and achieve better results. Regularly testing and refining your ads will help you optimize your campaigns over time.

Running Facebook ads can be a highly effective way to achieve your marketing goals. By following this five-step guide—determining your offer, defining your goals, crafting engaging ads, implementing effective targeting and monitoring and optimizing your campaigns—you'll be well on your way to running successful Facebook ad campaigns. Remember, consistency, creativity, and data-driven decision-making are the keys to unlocking the true potential of Facebook advertising.

Copy That Sells: How to Craft Ads That Convert Like Crazy

Copy That Sells: How to Craft Ads That Convert Like Crazy

Note: I am NOT a copywriter (those folks are amazing) but I’ve learned a few things here and there about copy that converts in ads.

1. Have a STRONG HOOK. The hook is the first line in your ad copy. Make a bold statement, ask a question, and include a startling statistic. Something that will want people to continue reading.

2. Next, explain their BEFORE feeling. Are they struggling to land their first client? Talk about how that FEELS to them. Put yourself in their shoes and be descriptive. Use their language. If clients come to you to say they can’t get their first client what words/phrases are they using? 

3. Then, relate to them and explain why you created this product (just for them) because you’ve….been there, had clients who struggled with these same issues, etc. 

4. Then, discuss the AFTER feeling. What results will they get if they download your freebie or buy your product? More confidence? A booked client? 10X email growth? Be specific. 

5. Finally, have a strong CTA (Call to Action). We live in a world full of distractions, so we need to be clear in our messaging and tell people EXACTLY what to do. >> Buy now >> Download Today, etc.

Stop Wasting Ad Dollars: How Understanding Metrics Can Transform Your Facebook Ad Strategy

Stop Wasting Ad Dollars: How Understanding Metrics Can Transform Your Facebook Ad Strategy

Understanding the numbers behind the Facebook ads is KEY. Otherwise you could be spending money and not getting the results you want. 

Here’s a video at the most important metrics that I focus on when I look at my clients ads. 

Important metrics to review in Facebook with Laura Ball

Boost Your Ad Results with Custom Audiences: How to Create Retargeting Ads that Convert

Boost Your Ad Results with Custom Audiences: How to Create Retargeting Ads that Convert

A very simple yet effective ad is a retargeting ad.

Often we serve these ads to people who have visited your website or engaged with your page and show them an offer (maybe a lead magnet or sales page). But how exactly do you DO that? 

Well, you will build the ad like you would any other conversion ad but you’ll need to build a few “custom audiences” so that the ads are being served to the correct audience. In this video, I’ll show you how to build these important custom audiences. 

Maximize Your Lead Generation: How to Use Lead Form Ads to Bring in More Business

Maximize Your Lead Generation: How to Use Lead Form Ads to Bring in More Business

Last year the iOS 14 rollout jacked up our ad tracking and many advertisers moved to Lead Form ads to bring in leads. The tracking for these ads are really spot on because the ad isn’t pixel based. Everything stays on the Facebook/IG platform so we know for sure that the number of leads you see in Facebook is exactly what should be in your CRM (email service provider). 

I use these for my clients' ads but I use them sparingly and once the client launch is over I review the list of buyers and see how many of them came in from the lead form ads. If it was a low percentage I might not use them again for that particular client. Many of my colleagues have had great results though. Mine were ‘meh’ but it’s definitely worth a test for your ad account. 

They’ll generally bring you cheaper leads but we want to make sure those leads eventually buy (it might not be right away so be sure to tag them when they come in so you can keep tabs on them)

How much should I spend on my ads?

How much should I spend on my ads?

I get this question allllll the time for those who are new to Facebook ads! 

How much should I spend on my ads? 

Well, a couple of things here…..

The Facebook algorithm works best when you have 50 conversions in a week.

If you’ve run ads before you know what you could ‘expect’ to pay for a lead. Let’s use this as an example. 

Maybe in the past, you’ve gotten leads for $5.  So….

$5 (lead cost) X 50 conversions (needed in a week) = $250 ad budget for 7 days. 

Then divide $250 by 7 (days in the week) and you’ll determine your daily budget.

Voila!  

If you’ve never run ads before you’ll have to test to see what your lead costs are and then do some math. Give your ads a few days to optimize before making any decisions.  

Also, remember that before you scale make sure your ads are working well. Look at the metrics to tell you what is (and is NOT working). If something isn’t working, fix it first before you scale. 

If your ads are working well, it’s time to scale those babies!

If your ads are working well, it’s time to scale those babies!

There are many ways to scale an ad without making the algorithm freak out. (Don’t forget, Facebook is a delicate flower so we need to scale carefully or it gets mad at us). Here are a  few ways:

Vertical Scaling: This is when you start to increase your budget (slowly) across your different ads sets. (if you’re only running ads to 1 ad set, create more audiences.) I generally increase a daily budget by 20% every few days. This works well for launches and I often do this for my clients' campaigns because we are running ads for a shorter period of time. If you’re running ads for an evergreen funnel though (ongoing ads) be aware that as you scale, your cost per lead will increase and your ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) will get lower. So, we often have to find other ways to scale. 

Horizontal Scaling: This is where you try to find new avatars. Once you’ve had success with one avatar, think of other avatars that might work for your business. For example, maybe you sell a dog training program. 🐶Your main avatar might be new puppy owners. But once you’ve exhausted that audience it’s time to explore another avatar - so maybe you could target dog owners who have dogs with specific training issues like, dogs who jump, or dogs who need help with recall or walking on a leash properly. You’ll need to change the messaging and creative also so that you’re speaking to the right person. 

New Messaging: Another way to scale is to change your messaging to your existing avatar. Test out different hooks in the ad copy that address different pain points that your avatar might experience. 

Thank You Pages: The page people forget to optimize!

Thank You Pages

Thank you pages….

success pages….

the page someone reaches after they’ve opted into your freebie….

Whatever you call it, it’s PRIME REAL ESTATE and it’s also completely underutilized! 

You got them to opt-in to whatever you were offering, so why not give them something else that will take them up the product ladder and closer to your signature offer? 

Yes, it might require a bit of work but you can make it as simple as possible. Some people who opt into free things are ready to take that next step. So GIVE IT TO THEM.

Here are some things that you want to have on your thank you page and some things you could (should) put on there to get them to take one more action and one step closer to becoming a buyer! 

A Thank you page must have:

• A “Thank You” message: A line to thank them for signing up (“Thanks for signing up for my amazing free guide!”)

• Next steps: Tell them what to do next. (Ex. “Be sure to check your inbox for your free guide or webinar day/time”)

• Reminders: Tell them to make sure your emails aren’t going into spam or junk folders and if they are to ‘white label’ them so they land nicely in their inbox.

A Thank you page could (should) also include a Call to Action. 

Here are some suggestions: 

• A tripwire: This would be a small offer for under $30 that “scratches the next itch”. It should be something that aligns with what they signed up for. For example, maybe your freebie is the “what” or “why” and the tripwire can show them the “how”.

• Connect on Messenger: Add a button that would lead directly to your FB Messenger (so it would be https://m.me/HelloLauraBall) and they can connect/ask questions. This is great for more engagement!!

• Bonus Video: A quick ‘bonus’ video on the page that provides MORE value (again, you want it to be aligned with the freebie) and include a button that could be to book a call. The video works well to get them to quickly get to know you and your teaching style. 

• Buttons to: 

  • Visit your free Facebook group (if you have one)

  • Book a free 15-minute discovery call (link them to your calendar)

  • Follow your social channels (use the one you’re most active on)

These are just a few. 

Pick ONE and see how it goes! We try to give only one call to action on a page. 

Good luck!

Eliminated Targeting Options

Eliminated TARGETING OPTIONS:

On March 17, 2022 Meta is going to be removing a lot of interests in the detailed targeting section at the ad set level. Here’s what they had to say about the update:

“We will remove Detailed Targeting options that relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as options referencing causes, organizations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation. Examples include:

• Health causes (e.g., “Lung cancer awareness”, “World Diabetes”, “Chemotherapy”)

• Sexual orientation (e.g., “same-sex marriage” and “LGBT culture”)

• Religious practices and groups (e.g., “Catholic Church” and “Jewish holidays”)

• Political beliefs, social issues, causes, organizations, and figures

We routinely review, update and remove targeting options to simplify our ads system, provide more value for advertisers and people, and reduce the potential for abuse.” 

OK, so now what do we do?
Well, they are encouraging advertisers to rely on the algorithm to find the right people. This means we need to go more broad with our targeting and let the algorithm do its job. Ad copy will be more important than ever to really speak to your ideal client.  

Here are some things you should do to start preparing for this change: 

• First, review your audiences to see which ones will be discontinued. Here’s a video to show you how to find those.
  

• Continue researching other Facebook pages where your ideal clients might be hanging out online. Think broader and more general - books they read, conferences they attend, stores they shop at, authors they follow, foods they eat, etc.. I use a program called Connectio Audiences to help me. You can learn about the products they sell here. (Not an affiliate, I just like the program!) 
  

• BANT (AKA God Mode): BANT stands for “Broad Audience, No Targeting.”  Yep, that’s right. Just pop in the countries you want to target and let the ad fly! No interests, specific genders, age or anything! Scary, huh??
  

• Lookalike Audiences - I would suggest starting with Lookalikes of people who’ve engaged with your Facebook or Instagram page. Why? Because these aren’t affected by the pixel so people who are engaging with posts on your pages are ‘real’ and ‘currently active’  for lack of a better phrase. So, if you have an active page, try a Lookalike of People who’ve engaged with your Instagram profile in the last 30 days. 

Hope these tips were helpful. Try not to worry too much about these changes. Facebook will never stop making changes to the platform so we have to roll with the punches. I do know they don’t want to lose us, so they will find other ways to help us hone in on the audiences we’re looking for.

Lead Form Ads

Lead Form Ads

Lead Generation Form Ads are all the rage these days. With all the tracking issues that came from the recent iOS changes, more and more advertisers are testing Lead Generation ads because they allow the user to stay on Facebook and aren’t affected by the pixel so conversion tracking is almost 100% spot on!

In the past, these ads have been known to be ‘low quality’ leads but Facebook has implemented a few tweaks to this ad objective to help offset that. For instance, you’re able to select ‘higher intent’ over ‘higher volume’. Higher intent meaning ‘better quality’ leads. This enables an extra “review” screen that the user needs to accept before they reach the thank you page. 

So how does this ad objective compare to others? 

Well, the main difference between the Lead Gen and Conversion objective is that when you click on a regular conversion ad the user will leave Facebook to visit a landing page outside of the platform. With Lead Gen ads the user will stay on Facebook. Essentially, you create a mini landing and thank you page right at the ad level.So the user will click on the ad and a mini landing page will pop open instantly where they’ll enter their name and email and then move to the thank you page. For most users, it even autofills their name and email. Easy Peasy!

So, where do these leads go? 

Well, that’s the catch. The leads stay inside Facebook so you’ll need to either download the leads and upload them into your CRM (I don’t recommend this) or integrate your CRM. In most cases you will need the premium level of Zapier to ‘zap’ the leads into your CRM. It’s super easy to do, but it is an extra expense. It’s also important to make sure you test everything before you make the ads live! You want to be sure the user actually receives the email with their free product.

Right now I’m testing conversion ads and lead generation ads. The lead gen ads are outperforming the conversion ads. ($3 leads vs $1 leads). This is great but you also want to keep in mind that we want these leads to eventually convert into a sale so do be sure to tag them as coming from a FB lead ad and then cross reference when they eventually make a purchase. If your sales conversion rate is low for these type of ads it’s definitely something to consider moving forward. But you won’t know until you test!

WHAT IS CAMPAIGN BUDGET OPTIMIZATION?

Campaign Budget Optimization

Campaign Budget Optimization was introduced a while ago but it still seems to trip people up. 

There are now two places in Ads Manager where you can set the budget.

• At the Campaign Level - Campaign Budget Optimization or

• At the Ad Set Level - in the industry we call it ABO (Ad Set Budget Optimization)

Campaign budget optimization takes your overall daily budget and feeds the budget to which audience Facebook thinks will perform the best for your goals. You’re essentially giving Facebook more control (and trusting it will do its job). Setting the budget at the ad set level or ABO will spend the daily amount set to that ONE audience - so you’re retaining a bit of control over how it spends your money.

So when should you use CBO over ABO? 

Questions to ask yourself:

• What is the size of the audience?

• Have these audiences worked in the past? 

So, let’s start with size, because we all know size matters. 

Let’s say you have 3 audiences. 

• Audience 1: 1.5 million

• Audience 2: 2 million

• Audience 3: 10 million 

If you set the budget at the campaign level, Facebook will generally feed all the ad spend to the biggest audience. It just has more ‘room’ in that audience to find the people you want. But, it also doesn’t give the other two audiences a chance and you might prematurely declare that Audience 1 and 2 are crap because it’s not getting any spend/leads which might not be the case. 

So, in this case (with the audience sizes above) I’d set the budget at the ad set level and give each audience it’s own daily spend. Then you can see if you have any true winners. Like this: 

$20 - Audience 1

$20 - Audience 2

$20- Audience 3

OK, Laura, but what if I have 3 audiences that are all similar in size?

Well, you could do either but here’s what I do. I determine if these audiences have worked before (maybe you’ve used them before and they performed well). In that case, I’d put them all in CBO campaign and let them duke it out. But, if these are new (not tested) audiences then I’d like to have a little more control and set at the ad set level (ABO) and see if there are any true winners. 

The other thing with Campaign Budget optimization is that you can scale a lot faster than when the budget is set at the ad set level. I’ve doubled my budget and my campaigns remained steady. Not true with ABO. I still recommend gradually scaling these ad sets by 20% every other day. 

And as always, there is no “right” answer here. It’s always important to test, test, test and see what works for YOUR audience.

Facebook Algorithm Update January 2018: Does this apply to ads?

Facebook Algorithm update January 2018: Does this apply to ads?

Short answer: No….well maybe….

There has been a lot of buzz about the new algo update and I’m sure your inbox has been full of influencers giving you their take on it. Everyone seems to be up.in.arms over the latest update. Here's the official newsroom article. 

So, you're probably wondering "WHHHHHY does Facebook keep doing this to us?????"

Well, we might be part of the problem! According to Jon Loomer, it’s because we (as marketers) keep trying to push the envelope with organic and paid reach and when we do that (and it makes for a bad experience for Facebook users) Facebook has to compensate for that and make changes so users don't leave the platform. 

From what Jon mentioned, we are part of the problem. You can check out his (rant) blog post here. (And if you have a side hustle selling through a MLM (think: Thirty one bags, LuLaRoe, you definitley want to check out this article. Word to the wise: Do not start posting your products on your personal profile to compensate for this update. That is no bueno!) 

If you still need a bit of explanation about the algo change let me take a step back for a minute.

Here’s what we know about how Facebook works:

It knows A LOT about its users. It knows what we click on, what we like, what we comment on, what we talk about in messenger, etc so if you are constantly engaging with those funny cat videos on Facebook it’s going to show you MORE of those funny cat videos (I only know because a friend told me. ;) ) 

Facebook's mission is to create a happy-go-lucky, Pleasantville, type user experience so that people STAY on Facebook. If people are starting to get cranky with what they’re seeing in their newsfeed they’ll leave and find another platform to socialize on (notice the word socialize. I’ll get to that in a minute). Facebook doesn't want that. It likes it's over 2 billion users and wants to keep them happy!

So, in this effort, Facebook is now going to prioritize the things you see in your feed based on your experiences. So that means more friends posts and less page posts. Now, keep in mind, Facebook is going to MONITOR this new algorithm and see how it pans out with it’s users. If users like it, they’ll keep it and if not, they’ll make adjustments. So, don’t go leaving Facebook just yet. They are truly trying to make the user experience better and if the user experience is good people stay and businesses will advertise more on Facebook. 

So, back to the word "socialize" I mentioned earlier. Let me remind you of something. Facebook was created for USERS to connect with their family, friends and build a community online. It was created for users to SOCIALIZE.  It was not…..let me repeat…..it was NOT created for businesses. So, you shouldn’t get all upset over these changes as they are focused on how they can improve the USERS personal experience and less focused on how you can grow your likes or reach more of your customers. Capeesh?

So, what does this mean for business pages? Again, we’re talking about organic reach on your business page – not (necessarily) PAID ads.  It means you need to: 

1. Post better stuff!

You must do a better job of posting content that you know is meaningful to your followers. Not yesterday’s sale on your coaching package. Content that is going to GENUINELY help your users and yes, that means giving away free content…..free GOOD content. And that takes time so if you’re not willing to hire someone or do it yourself reconsider if you should be on Facebook. Gone are the days of trying to slide in some great promo you’re doing. Facebook doesn’t like that.

2. Grow your List!

Don't rely solely on Facebook to communicate with your followers and customers. You have to work on growing your list. Remember, we don't own our pages but will do own our lists. We'll have them forever so nurture them! Here's a blog I wrote on how to grow your list and get likes/followers as well. 

3. Use your group:

If you have a group and your running your group the RIGHT way (meaning—providing valuable content to your group members) then keep doing that. According to Mark Zuckerberg,

“The first changes you'll see will be in the News Feed, where you can expect to see more from your friends, family and groups."  

Now, this doesn't mean you should go out and create a group. Not all businesses would do well with a group. They are time consuming and need to be managed well. They do provide you with more visibility and promote engagement which is why Zuck wants to show them to its users.  But don’t RUIN in! Don’t think “Hey, Facebook is going to reduce my organic page reach so I’m just going to make a group and promote the heck out of my stuff over there. " Noooo! That's only going to scream for another algo update down the road. People aren't going to flock to a group that is constantly selling. If you have a group already or are considering one, check out this blog where I share how to manage it properly.

4. Stop BAITING!

·  Engagement Bait: What the heck is Engagement bait? That’s when you ask your followers to do something to build engagement inauthentically and therefore be seen more in the newsfeed. For example: Like if you’re a Libra, Vote for A or B, tag a friend, Comment ‘Freebie’ in the comments to get my latest freebie <-- It will be interesting to see how this one pans out as chatbots are quite the rage these days. Here’s a newsroom article on engagement bait.

· Clickbait: It’s gross. It’s manipulative. (This applies to ads also!) What is it? It’s when you post a headline or content that entices someone to click on the link and lure them into reading the content. Often on the other end there is something spammy. So stop it. If you read your ad copy and headline and think it’s misleading the user or being tricky, that’s a red flag that it’s clickbait. Don't do it. The ad won't even get approved anyway. 

5. Ask followers to use the “See first” option:

Post on your page and ask followers to ‘see you first’ in their newsfeed. Email your list as well and ask them to do this or better yet, put some money behind it and boost the post so more people see it. Here’s how:

• Take a snapshot of the banner image on your Facebook page. 

• Put an arrow showing them where they can find the 'see first' option.

• Ask them to click the drop down menu and select 'See First.' Now your page posts will be seen in their newsfeed first. 

6. Use Facebook ads:

Remember when I said this update doesn't affect paid ads, well, it does. Sort of. This update now means that we need to put some budget behind the content we want our users to see. Guys…. Marketing is NOT free. Make sure you are putting some money behind your content. Facebook ads are now more important than ever to be seen!

7. Use more live video:

UGGGGHHHH... I hate video. I should be taking my own advice here and going live more on my page. I tend to go live in my student community but need to really step up my game. Here are some things you (and I) can do to get more reach with video:

• Show behind the scenes videos (followers love getting a look inside of your world)

• Offer a free training or provide weekly tips

• Use your FB live as a paid ad to create more awareness of your business (Its a great way to introduce yourself to new fans)

• Use it for lead generation. Include a link to a freebie in the copy.

• Be you. Just go on to say hi, talk about a new program or product you found and loved. Be real and be authentic. People buy from people. Not logos. 

Tip: Don’t make any drastic changes yet – This algorithm is just rolling out. Monitor your stats on your page and see if you reach increases and decreases over the next few weeks. Keep an eye on your numbers and make a determination if you start to see a trend.

Bottom line: We need to roll with the pushes here. Facebook isn't out to get us as business owners. It's primary focus is to it's users and it's forcing us as marketers and business owners to step up or step aside. The choice is ours.