Why your Facebook/Instagram Ads aren't working

A guide to why your Facebook or Instagram ads aren't bringing in the sales you need.

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First things first, how are you running your ads? Are you just clicking prompt or boost under a Facebook post? If so, you're not running an ad, you're boosting a post.

Already have this figured out? Scroll until you see "How to optimize".

Now fully setting up a business manager and making your first ad can take some time so here are some perks to keep you motivated:

✨Retargeting tools

✨More targeting options

✨Better objectives (ex. catalog sales, lead generation, and conversions)

How to set up a business manager: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1612355968988019

How to set up an ad account and start using ads manager:

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/how-to-use-facebook-ads-manager

How to implement a Pixel (this is for website owners only, you can't set up a Pixel on Etsy):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSA_dM8ZleE

How to optimize

Types of Ads

Now you're ready to create your first ad, here's how I like to categorize my objectives and the audiences I would use to go along with them.

Cold Ads

Objectives: Website traffic and engagement

Audiences: Basic targeting, a lookalike, or retargeting huge time periods

I consider these ads cold because the likely hood of the viewer making a purchase is small, however, I'll use the data I get from these to narrow down who's interested in my products/services and retarget them for sales.

**What is a lookalike audience? Facebook pulls data from people who like your page, constantly interact with it, visit the website, etc. and finds people just like them to target. It works better than it sounds, I would highly recommend it!

Warm Ads

Objectives: Conversions, Lead Generation, Catalog Sales

Audiences: Advanced targeting such as retargeting people who we know are interested, this includes retargeting everyone who's visited the website, click on an ad, interacted with a post, etc.

These are considered warm ads because we're now asking people who are aware of our business to take the next step, they might be hesitant and it might take a couple of times, but the probability of them making a sale is not zero.

Hot Ads

Objectives: Conversions, Catalog Sales, Lead Generation

Audiences: Advanced targeting 100% using the Pixel. Target anyone who has clicked "add to cart", has looked at certain product pages, visited the contact page, etc.

Hot ads have the best possibility for sales, this audience has already thought about purchasing from you, they just need an extra push!

Boosted Posts

Boosting posts is essential for building your brand, appearing in on-platform search engines, and providing data for your ads. I wouldn't make this your primary strategy, but I would highly recommend always having a boosted post running. I would recommend keeping them short, from them for $5-$20 for 5-7 days.

Daily vs. Lifetime Ad Budget

This is a pretty controversial topic, in my experience running your ads under a lifetime budget performs better. Here's why...

✨ You don't risk your ads being run on at non-optimal times

✨ Daily puts quantity first.

Things to watch

Frequency: How many times do you want a person to see your ad? I like to set this to 3-5 times.

Placement: Where is your ad performing the best? Make sure to optimize this in your general postings/marketing, it's typically where your audience is.

Your ad: Constantly check on your ad to see how it's performing. Make sure you send yourself a preview to make sure it looks the way you want it too and make sure you would want to click on it.

Variants

It doesn't matter who you are, what your experience is every ad should have multiple different captions and graphic options. There is no way to predict which one is going to perform the best, I would recommend always doing 3-5.

Utilize multimedia options such as carousel ads, videos, and interactive experiences. These help engagement, brand awareness, and can oftentimes provide more value to potential clients. Make sure these aren't just pictures of your products though! Tell a story using your products or services!

Audiences

I said it before and I'll say it again. INSTALL YOUR PIXEL! It's extremely valuable to be able to retarget people who are just one poke away from making a purchase, you don't want to lose them!

I also find it valuable to think up personas for your ideal buyers. Think about what they do for fun, what their day looks like, why do they need/want your product.

My last tip...

MATCH YOUR CONTENT TO YOU AD. If you have a post that corresponds to your ad PIN IT!

There's a chance your viewer will head to your social profiles for more information, make it easy for them to find!

BAM! You're a pro! Now get out there and start making those sales!

Have questions? Email me, I'll address them in the next podcast: TheSleeepyPigSMM@gmail.com

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