Facebook advertising - get in the game!

August 31, 2010 Facebook started in February 2004 and has developed into one of the most heavily trafficked sites on the web. Recently, Facebook exceeded 500 million registered users. To monetize the traffic it had on its site, Facebook built a relatively simple self-service ad-serving platform that helps even technically challenged advertisers set up ad campaigns on Facebook. So why isn't everybody jumping on the Facebook advertising bandwagon? The first problem with advertising on Facebook is the click through rate is extremely low and that scares marketing people who have been trained to measure ROI religiously. The second problem with Facebook Advertising is trust. Because the barriers to advertise on Facebook are low, anybody can (and does) promote their product on Facebook whether an A-list or questionable brand. How to get beyond that? Low click through rates is a common problem throughout online advertising. I remind you that are not looking for clicks (unless your are Google or Facebook and you are selling the ad); you are looking for customers that are interested in purchasing your product. The best way to solve the click through rate problem is the same way you would resolve it with any other form of marketing and advertising — test (headlines, images, ad copy). Equally important, test who your ad is targeted to. Facebook advertising makes targeting a group of people very simple, get in there and explore. The second problem, how do advertisers gain the trust of Facebook users is a little more difficult to solve. Remember that Facebook is a social place, go for the soft sell. Let your ads guide consumers to become a fan of your brand or product's page on Facebook. According to Nielsen's research, people are more likely to buy from advertisers they're already fans of on Facebook. By getting them to become your fan, you build their trust. And over time, with the right offers, your fans will become your customers. Need help determining an online strategy and whether Facebook ads fits in that strategy?Blue Sky Marketing's Michelle LeBlanc can help. Shoot her an e-mail and she will be happy you start a dialog.