By Tony Schwartz, “The Social Media DJ”
At this point in 2015, most wedding professionals feel this way about Facebook Ads
: “I tried them, they didn’t work, and it was a waste of money” or “I have no clue how they work”. And truth be told, if you don’t understand how Facebook Ads work, you will waste your advertising money in a hurry. But if you do know what you are doing, Facebook Ads ROCK.
In fact, I dropped my WeddingWire and Knot paid listings in favor of Facebook Ads, due to an actual return on investment for my advertising dollars.
Do I have your attention, now? Are you ready to reconsider (or starting learning!) Facebook Ads?
Much of the success of Facebook Ads is due to the ability to target your ads towards a specific audience. For example, I can target an ad towards all engaged couples within a 50 mile radius of the Seattle, Washington, area. While that narrows the list of Facebook users who will see and click my ads to only those that are female and engaged - no more pesky wedding DJs clicking my Google Ads and costing me money! - I’ve found it’s really not all that helpful for reaching my ideal client as the pool of prospects is still too large. Hence, the use of Custom Audiences, which allows me to define a very specific group of Facebook users based off various parameters.
“WAIT, HOW DO I CREATE A CUSTOM AUDIENCE?” To find and create, Custom Audiences, you will want to go to the Ads Manager, click Tools, and then click Audiences.
I’m always thinking of new ways to target specific audiences for each of my three companies: Wedding MC & DJ, Photo Booth, and A/V Rentals. Here are five Custom Audiences I target with Facebook Ads:
Email & Phone Inquiries
Nothing is more frustrating than a list of inquires that disappear off the face of the Earth after their first inquiry. So, here’s something to try: upload all of your inquiries’ email addressesand/or phone number into a Custom Audience group. If Facebook can find a match, your targeted ads for this group will keep you top of mind. Pretty slick, huh?
Find More of Your Best Clients
This is my favorite Custom Audience method for finding, and marketing to, those people that are recently engaged. Looking back at my best parties and clients, I will upload their email addresses to a Custom Audience list and ask Facebook to find similar people that are recently engaged. Facebook does the demographic analysis and generates an audience of my ideal clients; I just have to create the ads to target this group.
Wedding Professionals & Event Planners
Social media is changing the way professionals view networking. Since my evenings are often reserved for client meetings, it’s difficult for me to commit to industry networking events. However, similar to Twitter lists, I’ve created a Custom Audience of event professionals that I enjoy working with and want to stay top of mind with. For example, in the winter months, I may create a targeted ad reminding my favorite wedding planners I’m running a special discount for my photo booth that their clients might want to lock in!
Website & Blog Visitors
Using Facebook’s Conversion Pixel tool, a couple of lines of HTML code on your website will create a Custom Audience of all Facebook users that visit your website. From there, a couple of targeted ads specially tailored to this group can bring visitors either back to your website or to a consultation meeting. It’s a great way to follow-up with people who either bookmarked your site, got distracted by an incoming phone call or text, or for whatever reason that they may have not contacted you for.
My Current Clients
Because Facebook’s algorithm has changed organic reach results - a.k.a. the number of your followers who see your posts - you cannot assume that your current clients will see that spectacular monogram image you displayed, or that amazing room transformation you did via your uplighting skills. So, create a Custom Audience of your current clients and create posts just for them highlighting your awesome extras and add-ons. The cost to this “soft-sell” approach will be minimal, the ROI, as Donald Trump says, is HUUUUUGE!
As you can see, Facebook Ads and Custom Audiences is quite powerful when used correctly; it’s the new way to advertise on Facebook. Gone are the days of begging people to like your Facebook page; it just isn’t worth the effort based on the results.
