Reading Time: 3 minutesDefining success for a Facebook ad campaign requires a greater understanding of metrics than other types of campaigns. Focusing on conversions, clicks, and impressions reveals only part of the picture. Most users take the Ads Manager information provided at face value – they never deconstruct it to understand what worked and what didn’t.
If you place too much emphasis on one metric, your campaign will underperform. To truly measure success, take in the entire picture. Read on for tips to help make your next campaign a success.
Focus on Actions
Measure success by actions taken. Website conversions, clicks, likes, downloads, and more demonstrate engagement with your audience. Great cost per thousand views or high numbers of eyes on your ad won’t matter if your target audience isn’t engaged. Don’t over-focus on actions. Use the other metrics to determine how successful those actions are, including what you pay for those actions.
Don’t Overpay
The Ads Manager provides detailed metrics on your cost. While conversions are paramount, be mindful of paying too much. Spreading awareness and creating conversions is crucial. However, if the campaign costs more than you earn, the approach needs to be adjusted. Be patient, as this measurement requires tweaking. Don’t get caught up in just the overall cost – dig deeper, examining cost per action over cost per click.
Be Relevant
Most online platforms measure ads to determine pricing and effectiveness. This affects where your ad will be placed, its priority, and the cost to you. Higher relevance equates to savings for you. Facebook provides this data, giving you valuable insights to better select your target audience.
Measure Views
Eyes on ads: Don’t ignore the importance of this metric. Understanding the frequency of users seeing your ad reveals more than most think. Facebook places the same ads in multiple locations across its site for a reason: The method is effective and relevant. Frequency scores show how many people see and engage with an ad. Be aware of your ad’s frequency score – don’t keep paying to place an ineffective ad before the same unengaged audience.
Be Patient
Don’t expect your first campaign to lead to financial success. The same applies to the second one or possibly even the third. Play the long game to build relationships with customers. This method consistently drives customers back to your site with thoughtful advertising geared toward user needs and interests, building trust and authority as well as long-term relationships. It could take weeks or months before your advertising becomes profitable, but the results will be far-reaching and sustainable.
Avoid Dead Channels
Some channels just don’t work. Just because you create an ad certainly does not mean it will succeed. Maybe your ad doesn’t look good on a mobile platform or people just refuse to engage on that platform. The busyness of an ad could turn eyes away. Stay on top of your campaigns and stop using those that prove unsuccessful.
Refresh Your Ads
Even a successful ad becomes old. Be prepared with new ads. This does not mean you have to change the entire ad. Tweak it, and update it with more relevant information. Keep those eyes attracted to your ad by making it fresh. Don’t just satisfy your customers, aim to delight them.
Accept That You Will Make Mistakes
Humans learn more from failure than they do from success. You have to fall to understand what getting up again means. You will experience dead campaigns. You will lose money. Take those losses and learn from them. Take note of what didn’t work and change it. Study other campaigns, including failed ones, to learn from them. Don’t just focus on what works. Be J.K. Rowling, not Harper Lee.
Stay Engaged
It’s easy to throw money at ads and then just sit back and watch. Do your homework. Understanding your audience, where they go, and what they do could lead you to new advertising avenues. Interact with and test your audience. Turn them into teammates whose creativity enhances your work. If you actually are a part of a team, ask them to engage with your ad or boost its signal.
If It’s Free, Use It!
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway; if you have free options to advertise, use them! Not spending money for an ad that converts profits for you is the perfect scenario. Be mindful, however, that you often get what you pay for. Use all options available to you, free or not.
Define Success
Before you start, define what a successful ending looks like. Go in with specific goals, both broad and specific. Make your goals achievable. Predetermine a timeline, with a definable end point. Have in mind what constitutes success, but be prepared to adapt as the campaign unfolds. Once you succeed, use the tips detailed above to understand what worked and capitalize on it going forward.
