Change is the only conÂstant when it comes to social media adverÂtisÂing. The strateÂgies and tacÂtics that worked well this year will soon become obsoÂlete, and unforÂtuÂnateÂly, those who remain stagÂnant, and use the same approach for every camÂpaign, will find themÂselves increasÂingÂly frustrated.
2019 was an interÂestÂing year, in which we saw the conÂtinÂued rise of video, the exploÂsion of info-marÂketers sellÂing coursÂes, and the conÂfirÂmaÂtion of good data being a core aspect of a strong social media adverÂtisÂing campaign.
ThroughÂout 2019, our team has spent well over 6‑figures in media dolÂlars on social media adverÂtisÂing, and there are a few key trends that stood out.
Based on what we’ve expeÂriÂenced, here are five key social media adverÂtisÂing tips for improvÂing your approach in 2020.
1. Consider Increasing Budgets
Boom — right out of the gate I hit you with the nasty b‑word.
Social media chanÂnels have become increasÂingÂly comÂpetÂiÂtive over the years, espeÂcialÂly FaceÂbook and InstaÂgram. I’ve been doing digÂiÂtal adverÂtisÂing since FaceÂbook impleÂmentÂed ads, and have been witÂness to the risÂing costs that come with sucÂcessÂful campaigns.
In 2020, you absoluteÂly must conÂsidÂer increasÂing your budÂgets if you want to be comÂpetÂiÂtive. And I’m not just sayÂing spend more because I’m a dasÂtardÂly adverÂtisÂer, there is logÂic to this approach.
All social media platÂforms are improvÂing the machine learnÂing behind their adverÂtisÂing platÂforms. For these machines to learn, they need data, and as social media adverÂtisÂing camÂpaigns run, they colÂlect and aggreÂgate data in search of users who are most likeÂly to convert.
EssenÂtialÂly, you’re payÂing for that data, thereÂfore, the fewÂer dolÂlars you spend, the less data you’re aggreÂgatÂing. Less data means longer times to optiÂmize, and a longer waitÂing periÂod to posÂiÂtive ROI.
Take a hard look at your budÂgets and make sure you are setÂting yourÂself up for sucÂcess next year.
2. Video, Video, Video
Did you know that marÂketers who use video grow revÂenue roughÂly 49% faster than non-video users?
If you haven’t been using video in your social adverÂtisÂing camÂpaigns, you’re missÂing out. Not only is video more engagÂing than othÂer media, but it can superÂcharge your tarÂgetÂing on Facebook.
With FaceÂbook CusÂtom AudiÂences, you can creÂate a ‘warm’ audiÂence of peoÂple who’ve watched a cerÂtain amount of video from your page. Then, you can creÂate a LookaÂlike AudiÂence to prospect for users who look and behave just like the origÂiÂnal video watchers.
Why is this imporÂtant? Because anyÂone watchÂing more than 50% of a video is likeÂly interÂestÂed in its conÂtent, and thereÂfore more likeÂly to buy.
A lot of brands we work with are frusÂtratÂed because they don’t have video conÂtent to use, howÂevÂer FaceÂbook now has some realÂly great, lightÂweight tools which enable you to string togethÂer even still images to build a video. This can a perÂfect way to ease into using video in your social ad camÂpaigns.
3. Get More Familiar with Pixels
Every social media platÂform that offers adverÂtisÂing has pixÂels, and these litÂtle snipÂpets of code enable webÂsites to share data with the social media providers to help inform adverÂtisÂing campaigns.
Facebook’s PixÂel, in parÂticÂuÂlar, is incredÂiÂbly powÂerÂful, and should be used with every campaign.
From creÂatÂing CusÂtom AudiÂences to creÂatÂing CusÂtom ConÂverÂsions, getÂting pixÂel-savvy is an absolute must if you want your social ad camÂpaigns to be comÂpetÂiÂtive in 2020. Not only is the access to data amazÂing, you can actuÂalÂly tell FaceÂbook what objecÂtive you want to optiÂmize against. This is a great way to build an effecÂtive sales funnel.
4. Test Out Chatbots
There are now more than 300,000 active chatÂbots on FaceÂbook MesÂsenÂger, and while they may seem a bit invaÂsive, studÂies show that 56% of peoÂple would rather mesÂsage with a brand than call a cusÂtomer serÂvice line, and that 53% of peoÂple are more likeÂly to shop with busiÂnessÂes that they can message.
You might be surÂprised at the results that can be genÂerÂatÂed by deployÂing a chatÂbot in a FaceÂbook MesÂsenÂger ad camÂpaign that proÂvides valÂue in exchange for user information.
Even if you aren’t out there fishÂing for emails, chatÂbots can help you creÂate the feel of a 1‑on‑1 interÂacÂtion which can help resolve cusÂtomer serÂvice issues, proÂvide FAQ inforÂmaÂtion and more.
Your imagÂiÂnaÂtion is realÂly the limÂit when it comes to the use casÂes ripe for chatÂbots. We will see adopÂtion of them increase in 2020, so it’s a good idea to get familÂiar now.
5. Optimize at Scale
One of the biggest things we’ve learned this year is the powÂer of optiÂmizÂing ads and ad sets quickÂly and at scale.
This means keepÂing an eye on how your camÂpaigns are perÂformÂing, both at macro and micro levÂels, and cutÂting out non-perÂformÂers or eleÂments that are genÂerÂatÂing results at a highÂer than averÂage cost.
At the macro levÂel, you’ll want to ensure that all your ad sets are perÂformÂing withÂin your desired KPI. Any ad set that doesn’t perÂform, or isn’t genÂerÂatÂing cost-effecÂtive results, must be turned off to preÂserve budÂget for your betÂter perÂformÂing campaigns.
The same goes for the micro-optiÂmizaÂtions at the ad levÂel — don’t get senÂtiÂmenÂtal about your creÂatives. If an ad isn’t genÂerÂatÂing results, it has to go.
The main reaÂson here is that while FaceÂbook will always try to priÂorÂiÂtize spendÂing budÂget on ad sets and ads that are conÂvertÂing, it’ll still spend monÂey those that don’t also. Those dolÂlars add up over time, and can hurt your long-term perÂforÂmance. This is how you scale results to stretch each dolÂlar as far as you can.
While nobody has a crysÂtal ball, we can learn from our past expeÂriÂences to preÂdict the future. Based on a year of wins, lessons and innoÂvaÂtions, these are five ways to take your social adverÂtisÂing to the next levÂel next year.
