We’re hearing a lot about TikTok and Instagram these days, but Facebook has nearly 2 billion active users worldwide. For context, that’s 25 percent of the world’s population. Your typical Facebook user clicks 12 ads per month.
So it’s no surprise that 90 million businesses use the platform to find new customers through Facebook Ads. Facebook is a critical digital marketplace that translates into real-world business for local companies. Ads give you quick access to these potential customers.
How Can Facebook Ads Find New Customers?
First of all, it’s critical to be where your customers are. According to Pew Research, 70 to 77 percent of Americans ages 18 to 64 use Facebook, with the highest percentage among those in their 30s and 40s. If you run a local home services business, Facebook is your preferred marketplace over TikTok, where the Zoomers like to hang out.
Facebook Ads helps you find customers by targeting based on what you know about your ideal customers and those who are “lookalike” to people who already follow or subscribe to you. In effect, Facebook advertising allows you to use the massive amounts of data they collect to find customers and get better ad results.
While it’s true that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has recently updated its privacy policy to make it easier for people to opt out of data collection, people will continue to allow collection because it helps Facebook and Facebook advertisers (like you) deliver the more personalized experience people have come to demand online.
You can use Facebook Ads to:
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Allow in-stream payment
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Generate leads
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Learn how people interact with ads to improve Facebook organic engagement
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Grow a following
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Guide traffic to your website
Types of Facebook Advertising
Here are just a few types of Facebook ads to consider and how you can use them as a small business to find customers.
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Photo Ads
Ads appear in the newsfeed, so they look similar to other posts. Each includes a call to action that takes the user to a landing page on your website. Local service businesses can use photo ads to showcase a recently finished project or happy homeowner. -
Video Ads
These in-feed ads are great for walking through a completed project, providing a quick how-to, and generating curiosity about your services. You can convert to leads, followers, and customers. -
Right Column Ads
These appear as more “traditional ads” outside the news feed, so they stay on the page longer than an in-feed ad might. Use them to generate brand awareness. Combine them with in-feed ads to generate leads.
What Do Facebook Ads Cost?
According to Statista, the average cost per click (CPC) for Facebook ads is 97 cents, much lower than the $3.56 CPC for Instagram or $3.21 for YouTube. With that said, CPCs vary by industry. Local services ad rates are often higher than the average.
Despite that, Facebook is still a highly cost-effective place to advertise.
It’s time to learn more about how Facebook Ads can help you meet business goals. Let’s connect to discuss social media management.
