I started as a Facebook ads marketer with no background in digital marketing. I didn’t have any experience designing ads, building landing pages, or even using the Facebook platform itself. Fast forward three years later, and I’m running multiple ad accounts that generate over $1 million in revenue a year.
While those numbers are impressive to some, they don’t do justice to all of the mistakes I made along the way including initially believing that Facebook advertising was nothing more than posting a few photos and waiting for money to flood into my bank account.
If you’re new to Facebook advertising but want to avoid making some of my most costly mistakes, here’s what I wish I’d known before I started out:
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| Understand your target audience deeply. |
| Test different ad formats and strategies for optimal results. |
| Budget planning is crucial for effective Facebook campaigns. |
| Consistent engagement is essential to build a loyal audience. |
| Stay updated with Facebook’s ever-evolving algorithm. |
Absorb Everything You Can In The Beginning
I wish I would have known that it was going to take me a while to get up to speed on Facebook marketing. It’s important to be open-minded and absorb everything you can in the beginning.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially when you are first starting out. And don’t worry about asking for help from other people either–you won’t offend anyone! Just remember: learning by trial and error is ok too! Don’t worry about failing as much as possible as long as you try your best, because failing will make you better at what you do (and make for some great stories later on).
Avoiding common mistakes is essential for successful Facebook advertising. Learn from the experts and explore the Top 29 Facebook Ads Mistakes You Should Avoid This Year to optimize your ad campaigns effectively.
Learn How Ads Work
Now that you have a general understanding of how ads work, it’s time to get your hands dirty and actually create an ad. After all, what good is a theory if you never put it into practice?
There are two basic types of Facebook ads: The first is called a “boosted post,” which simply means that you’re boosting an existing post from your page. This could be anything from an organic post about your business or product, or even something as simple as a photo.
These are typically used to increase awareness for posts with limited reach, for example, those that were posted recently but haven’t yet reached their full audience potential. Boosting these posts means paying Facebook to promote them further than they would normally go naturally (such as by targeting only specific demographics).
It’s important to note that not all boosted posts are created equal when it comes to cost per click (CPC) and cost per view (CPV). While CPC refers simply to how much money was spent on each individual click on the ad itself, CPV refers specifically towards views of video content within the ad unit itself (more on video later).
Become A Facebook Ad Ninja
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of Facebook advertising, it’s time to get down with the digital marketing ninja stuff. You can use Facebook Ads Manager, Power Editor and Mobile to create ads. Here are some tips on how to master these tools.
Learn how to use the Facebook Ad Manager: This is a tool that allows you to create rich media ads using dynamic creative and video ad formats on desktop or mobile devices (depending on which device(s) your target audience uses).
Learn how to use the Facebook Pixel: This is an analytics tool that allows you to track conversions based on actions taken by users after they see your ad in their newsfeeds, among other things like demographic information related specifically toward people who have visited pages within an app or website as well as those who have signed up for newsletters from businesses through email providers like MailChimp, AWeber etcetera.
Where there has been some level of engagement between them already–so basically anything else besides just clicking “like” button could be considered a conversion point for tracking purposes!
Looking to expand your readership using Facebook ads? Discover 27 Simple Ways to Use Facebook Ads to Reach More Readers and make the most of your advertising efforts to engage a wider audience.
Make Sure Your Pixels Are Installed Correctly And Begin To Learn How They Work
The first thing to know about pixels is that they’re little pieces of code that you install on your website. They’re used for ad targeting and can be a great way to grow your audience, but it’s extremely important to make sure your pixels are installed correctly and begin learning how they work.
Pixels do several things:
- They allow you to track conversions and understand who’s engaging with your ads (and therefore getting value from them)
- They show ads only in front of people who have visited a specific page on your site or watched a video or clicked on an offer before
- They allow you to serve up relevant content based off what someone has already done, so if someone visits one blog post that talks about Facebook Marketing, then another post will be served up with information related to that subject
It’s Not As Simple As It Seems
Facebook marketing is not as simple as it seems. It is easy to get lost in the noise and just start promoting, but if you want to make sure your efforts are effective, then you need to be able to filter out the noise and focus on what matters.
You also need to be able to stay focused on what’s important for your business and not just jump from one shiny object after another. You don’t have time or energy for a bunch of distractions when it comes to Facebook marketing!
Build Relationships With Other Marketers
It’s important to build relationships with other marketers.
- Connect with those who are better than you: They’ll provide inspiration and some helpful tips for growth.
- Connect with those who are worse than you: You can learn from their mistakes, and they may learn from yours as well.
- Connect with people in your industry: This is a good way to keep up-to-date on trends and innovations that might affect your business, as well as get a sense of what other companies in your industry are doing (and how they’re doing it).
If you’re a business aiming to harness the power of Facebook advertising, don’t miss out on the insights shared in The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Ads for Businesses. This comprehensive guide offers valuable strategies for effective marketing on the platform.
Always Adapt, Always Improve, Always Keep Learning
I think it’s important to be open to change, new opportunities, and learning. There is always something you can do better. There are always people who are doing better than you (and they’re probably not as good at it as they think).
It’s also important to keep learning and improving yourself in different areas so that you don’t become stagnant or stuck in your ways.
For example:
- You could adapt by changing the way you run your online business by using different tools or strategies that might be more effective than what has worked for you in the past.
- You could learn from others by taking online courses or reading books about how other people have succeeded with their businesses and implementing those ideas into yours.
- Or maybe even both!
Learn From Your Mistakes And Move Forward
Don’t let your mistakes stop you.
This is something I’m still learning, but it’s important to keep in mind. When I make a mistake, it feels like the end of the world. But instead of allowing that fear to paralyze me, I try to use my mistake as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
Ask for help when you’re stuck and don’t be afraid to ask questions! This goes hand-in-hand with my point about mistakes don’t be afraid that asking questions will make others think less of you or hurt your credibility as an expert (if this is a concern for you).
In fact, asking questions shows people that we’re human! We all make mistakes sometimes; we all need help at some point or another. There’s no shame in admitting when we need assistance.
Don’t be afraid to fail either: failing gives us more opportunities for growth than succeeding ever could! Failing means learning how NOT TO DO THINGS which is just as valuable as learning how TO DO THINGS
If not more so because then we don’t waste our time doing unnecessary things over and over again without realizing there was another way until someone points out those flaws in our work plan/strategy/etcetera.
A compelling call to action can significantly impact your Facebook posts. Learn how to craft engaging CTAs with insights from Your Facebook Post Deserves a Call to Action and boost user engagement on your page.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help When You’re Stuck
I’ve been doing Facebook marketing for over a year now, and I’ve found that one of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they can do everything themselves.
When you’re starting out, it’s going to be difficult to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. You’ll spend hours on end trying random campaigns or strategies without any clear direction as to why they aren’t working.
I’ve been in this position many times before: I had no idea how to do something new, so I would just keep trying until it worked (or didn’t). Sometimes it worked; other times not at all. This led me down some pretty dark paths where people hated my brand because of poorly executed Facebook ads without any real purpose behind them!
Your Results Won’t Happen Overnight
Time. It takes time to get results.
Results aren’t linear: This means that you won’t always see growth at a constant rate, and sometimes it’ll look like you’re making no progress at all.
Results aren’t predictable: You may have all the right pieces in place and still not see results for months or even years. Or, on the other hand, one small tweak could change everything overnight (but probably not).
Results aren’t always what you expect: If your expectations are too high or too low, they can lead to disappointment when things don’t go as planned and this happens to us all!
You Can Never Be Too Consistent With Your Bidding Strategy
One of the biggest mistakes I made was relying on a single strategy. Even when the results weren’t what I wanted, I stuck with it year after year.
While that may be all right for some businesses, it’s not always going to work out for you especially if you don’t have enough data yet or have an extremely small budget.
No matter how perfect something seems at first glance, there are always ways that it can be improved upon later on down the road. That’s why it’s important to keep testing new strategies and learning from your mistakes; without this adaptability, you’ll never truly succeed in Facebook marketing.
If You Have Gut Feelings About What’s Going On With Your Ad Account, Trust Them More Often Than Not
If you’re reading this, I can almost guarantee that you’ve had a gut feeling about something. Maybe it was a situation at work or with your family, maybe it was an investment opportunity or even just a personal relationship.
Whatever the case may be, we all have these moments and often times they lead to some of our most important decisions.
In my experience in Facebook Marketing, and specifically with Facebook Ads, I’ve learned that those gut feelings are true more often than not. The only time I would advise against trusting your intuition is if there is absolutely no reason to do so and even then it’s hard not to listen!
Uncover the truth about Facebook’s potential for marketers by exploring Why Facebook for Marketers Is Not What You Think It Is. This article challenges common misconceptions and sheds light on the platform’s unique marketing opportunities.
Conclusion
I’ll leave you with this bit of advice: when you hit that wall, keep pushing forward. It might not happen right away, but it will get easier. You’ll fail many times before you start seeing consistent results (and maybe never at all).
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my journey as an online marketer, it’s that perseverance is the key to success.
Further Reading
Here are some additional articles that provide valuable insights into topics related to marketing and social media:
10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Marketing: Gain expert advice on navigating the world of marketing and learn from the author’s experiences.
Key Lessons Before Jumping into Facebook Advertising: Discover essential tips for a successful start in Facebook advertising and avoid common pitfalls.
Insights from Working in Social Media: Uncover seven valuable lessons learned by a social media professional, offering a unique perspective on the industry.
FAQs
What are some important considerations when starting a marketing career?
Starting a marketing career involves understanding your target audience, staying updated with industry trends, and honing your communication skills to effectively convey your message.
What should I know before delving into Facebook advertising?
Before diving into Facebook advertising, it’s crucial to define your goals, target audience, and budget. Additionally, understanding the platform’s ad formats and testing strategies can greatly impact your success.
What insights can I gain from professionals in social media?
Professionals in social media often share experiences about content creation, engagement strategies, and maintaining a consistent online presence. Learning from their insights can help you enhance your social media efforts.
How can I prepare for a role in social media?
Preparing for a role in social media involves developing strong writing and visual communication skills, staying adaptable to platform changes, and understanding the importance of engaging content.
What are some common challenges faced in marketing?
Marketing professionals often encounter challenges such as audience saturation, measuring ROI effectively, and keeping up with rapidly evolving digital platforms. Overcoming these challenges requires creativity and strategic thinking.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.