Three ways to optimise Facebook ads for your online store

Facebook is one of the most efficient ways to advertise online. Many novices view Facebook's advertising platform as an instant cash cow: create an ad, run it, and – voila – watch the money pour in an endless stream of wealth.

Unfortunately, money does not grow on trees. Learning about Facebook ads may present an opportunity for businesses to take advantage of the expansion of the digital world and gain an online presence, but this process isn't a piece of cake.

Facebook advertising requires strategy and effort to work. Unsure where to begin? Let's break down the main points on Facebook advertising and how you can optimise Facebook ads for your online store.

1. Always know your business objectives

You can't run Facebook ads and expect results without defining your business objectives. Always relate back to your business objectives so that you know what your business is working towards and hopes to achieve.

Choosing an objective is important as this helps Facebook optimise your ad to reach your goal. Objectives can include:

• Brand awareness – increasing awareness of your business so that customers are aware of your brand and consider purchasing products.

• Traffic – boost engagement and traffic to your website so you can gain more viewers and customers, eventually leading to sales.

• Conversions – drive a specific action on your website, such as signing up to a newsletter or making a purchase.

• Video views – the use of video is effective in driving engagement. Ever wondered how songs like Baby Shark became popular? It went viral because it was constantly shared online.

• Reach – reach the optimal number of people within your target audience. When users appreciate content, they're likely to share it with a larger audience, thus resulting in an increase in engagement, traffic and sales.

2. Testing different ad formats

Not all types of ads perform equally well across the board. Business is all about innovation and creativity. As a result, you can look at experimenting with different formats until you find the one that converts well for your audience.

3. Remarket to your target audience

A user who interacted with you once will likely buy from you after several tries. Always remember, advertising to increase sales isn't a one-and-done deal.

Not all customers will interact with your brand, which is why you have to make sure your objectives are clear and that your target audience knows and understands your business.

Nobody likes to be ignored, but that also doesn't mean you just give up when a customer doesn't convert. Using Facebook's Custom Audiences is an effective way of retargeting an existing audience you may have. This includes the following:

• Website traffic – this includes any visitors to your website.

• Customer list – as you can upload a customer list to Facebook, the platform would use the information to identify and target an existing customer on your platform.

• Video – the use of video is very effective in driving engagement and interest. Create a custom audience that consists of users who have watched your videos on Facebook/Instagram. As you target potential customers, they can see the amount of passion you showcase for your business and you could end up capturing their attention.

Facebook is a great resource for businesses to advertise their products and services online. One way you can use Facebook effectively is by advertising using visual content such as images and videos, as they are more engaging and can help generate traffic and interest.

There are so many ways businesses can optimise Facebook ads for their online store. By following these three simple methods, using Facebook ads can be a piece of cake and you can be sure of increasing engagement, traffic and sales.

Relevant resources

• How to generate leads on Facebook and Instagram

• A beginner’s guide to social media advertising – business.connected