Are you a brick and mortar pet business looking to attract more customers?
Is your pet business operating entirely online and you want to reach your target audience?
Either way, small businesses can benefit from Facebook advertising in ways you wouldn’t normally dream of. And your potential customers are carrying mini-computers in their pockets at all times, which means…
Facebook is the way to go.
Not flyers. Not magazine covers. Not your local newspaper. That's not to say they can't be helpful. But, typically, the best way to reach your target audience is through the social media platform that has over 2 BILLION monthly active users, while 1.3 billion bare active every single DAY.
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider (or reconsider) Facebook advertising:
When consumers see your advertising on cars or flyers or within a magazine, they’ll see it once and almost immediately forget about it. With Facebook ads, you can collect their email addresses, direct people to like or message your page, and even create ads that retarget people who have already seen your ad!
They’re also going to think of the last business they saw when they need a particular product or service. Budgeting your business for frequent advertising will allow your brand to become more recognizable.
With Facebook advertising, you can track everything. You’ll know exactly who saw your ad and how they responded to it. Tracking your analytics is everything if you want to improve your Return on Investment (ROI).
When people see you on social media (whether via Facebook ad or organically), chances are they aren’t ready to buy at that particular moment. Therefore, you have to give them a reason to come back…
I could spend all day talking about the benefits of Facebook ads. Instead, I’m going to share some common misconceptions I hear all the time. Cuz girrrrlll (or boy), it’s really time to debunk some of these myths!
Myth #1: Advertising on Facebook is a waste of money.
Truth: You can spend as little or as much as you want on ads. Plus, advertising is going to cost money… so you should use a platform that’s both affordable AND allows you to specifically identify your target market. I will say here that a consistent strategy and quality testing can make all the difference on your Facebook advertising results.
Myth #2: I’ve tried ads before and they didn’t work for me, so it's just not effective for my pet business.
Truth: You probably used the “boost” ad… and that wasn’t designed for long-term advertising. 99% of the time, don't just boost your ad!
Also, You can't just pick a random picture, attach some text, submit the ad, and expect it to bring in results. Facebook ads do require a strategy and a lot of testing to figure out what works best for your business! Remember that.
I see pet business owners reluctant to advertise on Facebook because they’re service-providers or they’re a brick and mortar business. They think that a digital space like Facebook will only work for advertising digital products or coupons. You don’t have to necessarily sell a product directly or give away a coupon. Get creative with your ads and use them to grow your email subscribers! That way, you’ll have direct contact with targeted customers.
Myth #3: There’s no way for me to know if my ads are working.
Truth: Depending on the ad that you use, you can track absolutely everything! Be sure to integrate your Facebook pixel when running Facebook ads as well. It's such a powerful tool to help track your results.
Myth #4: With so many people on Facebook, I’m afraid my ads won’t be seen by the right people.
Truth: You can target your customers down pretty specifically. Before you publish an ad, you’re asked to fill out this form below. You can get really specific here in terms of age, location, and interests.
One of the most powerful Facebook advertising tools is creating a “lookalike” audience. Facebook will look at your database of most active customers and find other users with similar interests or behaviors. You essentially can create an audience that "looks like" your Instagram followers or website viewers! How great is that!?
If you've been following my blog or social media for a while, you know that I say this time and time again. You have to be willing to invest in order to grow and scale your business! Don’t let misconceptions get in the way of that. Yes, referrals and word of mouth is wonderful. But, that's not necessarily sustainable and reliable and doesn't necessarily get you the best customers possible!
