Facebook Ads are now a ubiquitous part of the user experience of every Facebook member. Whether browsing on a mobile device or desktop computer, adverts are clearly visible either on the right-hand side of a user’s wall (on a desktop) or within the wall itself (on mobiles and tablets).
Aren’t Facebook Ads Just For B2C Businesses?
B2C businesses love Facebook Ads for good reasons. Whenever you log on, you are likely to see many different adverts for businesses selling t-shirts, cars, books, holidays and insurance policies, among other things. Moreover, the way Facebook targets its adverts has become more sophisticated, making them more relevant to the individual user. Many Facebook adverts now employ remarketing, whereby an advert is displayed from a website the user has visited but has not made a purchase.For B2B business development purposes, however, are Facebook adverts such an attractive proposition? When contemplating paying for Facebook Ads, the question comes down to whether or not they provide a good ROI compared with other paid digital adverts – Google AdWords, for example.
Facebook As A B2B Research Tool
An objection frequently raised by businesses considering Facebook advertising is that people use Facebook primarily for personal, rather than business reasons. Therefore, while your target decision-makers invariably have Facebook accounts, they might not be using them for work purposes – preferring LinkedIn instead. This is true, but we cannot ignore the fact that many people use Facebook as a means of researching products and services, which includes business to business research.
For the sake of sheer convenience, a business decision maker may choose to research your company on Facebook while using their mobile device, rather than using Google as their first port of call. This underlines the importance of having an informative and up-to-date Facebook company page. It also means you can extend your reach by targeting Facebook adverts at users likely to be interested in your products or services.
Benefits Of Facebook Adverts
Here are some reasons we feel it is worthwhile committing some of your digital advertising budget to Facebook Ads.
1) People Browse Facebook Because They’re Bored
Whether they are at work, on the train or in the pub, people browse Facebook primarily because they are bored and in need of distraction. Making them a susceptible audience for any advert that suggests a solution to their boredom. This may be a new pair of running shoes, or, if they are at work, a fantastic new business solution that will make their life easier. In other words, if you use Facebook ads to emphasise the problem-solving aspect of your service, then you have a ready-made, receptive audience.
2) Facebook Ads Are Prominent And Difficult To Ignore
Google users can avoid paid search adverts quite easily. They are always situated at the top or side of the page and normally aren’t very eye-catching. In comparison, Facebook adverts are extremely prominent and are always driven by images, making them more eye-catching than text adverts. When using Facebook on a smartphone, adverts appear within a user’s wall updates, making them almost impossible to ignore.
3) Facebook Ads Offer Precise Targeting
Another advantage Facebook Ads have over Google is that with Google you can only target an advert at people specifically searching for your services. Facebook, on the other hand, does not solely depend on keyword targeting. When you create a Facebook advert, you can fine tune your targeting to include specific geographic areas, company type, and job titles. This allows you to reach the decision-makers you need to generate meaningful leads.
4) Facebook Ads Are Great Value For Money
Facebook Ads are cheaper not only than Google AdWords but also than social media adverts on Twitter and LinkedIn. So you don’t need to commit a huge budget if you want to experiment with Facebook adverts and see how they work out for you.
Give It A Try!
So to answer the question in our article title; yes, we think you should pay for Facebook adverts. It really is a powerful means of reaching out to your target market, whether at home or work. When combined with other digital advertising channels, it can give a boost to your marketing ROI and see an increase in new leads coming in from social media. Give it a try.
