Everything You Need to Know About Facebook Ad Targeting

If you’re looking to reach new audiences with your advertising campaign, Facebook is the place to be. 68% of Americans use Facebook, giving you access to all kinds of consumers in just a few seconds. But the real advantage of advertising on Facebook comes down to ad targeting. When you create an ad on Facebook, you can choose exactly what kinds of Facebook users will see the ad. You can create a unique “audience” for your campaign to make sure anyone that comes across your ad will be interested in what you have to say. Read on to learn more about Facebook ad targeting and how it can help you make the most of your marketing funds.

Creating a Facebook Ad

There are two ways to advertise on Facebook. You’ll need to have a business page to use this service, so create one if you haven’t done so already. Head over to Facebook Ads Manager to get started. When you pull up the page and log into your Facebook account, click on “Create an Ad”. You’ll then need to choose your “Marketing Objective” from the options provided below. This is an important step in any marketing campaign, so think over what exactly you’re trying to achieve.

Choose “conversions” if you’re trying to get people to engage with your website. Or choose “brand awareness” if you’re looking to boost your following on Facebook.

Before you move onto the next phase, you’ll need to give your campaign a name, which is important if you have several campaigns going on at once. You can also sign up for A/B testing, which gives you the option of showing different ads to different users. Facebook will then show the ad that gets the most engagement. You can also sign up for what’s called “Campaign Budget Optimization”, which distributes your marketing spend across different ad placements to help you reach more users.

Choosing Your “Audience”

Now it’s time to create an “audience” for your campaign, which refers to the types of Facebook users that will see your ad. Facebook ad targeting lets you create multiple audiences for your campaign and create a separate budget for each, so you can target different kinds of users at the same time.

There are many different ways to create an audience on Facebook. The platform will charge you based on how many people see your ad, so targeting certain users will help you get the most bang for your buck. These are some of the main ways to narrow down your audience.

  • Age: Choose an age group that’s most likely to engage with your ads or take an interest in your products and services.
  • Geographic Location: If you’re a local business, choose users that live in your city or neighborhood. Think about the people that live in places you are targeting too.
  • Interests: Facebook records the interests of its users based on which pages and posts they “like” and share on the platform. Choose users that are interested in topics related to your business.
  • Gender: Think about whether your products will appeal more towards women or men. If it’s a gender-neutral product, include both.
  • Income: Think about how much money these users will have to spend on your products or services. If you’re selling luxury items, consider targeting users that make more than $100,000 a year.
  • Marital Status: Consider the lifestyle of your target audience. Are they constantly out on the town, trying to look their best, or do they prefer a quiet night in with their partner?
  • Engagement: You can also target users that have already interacted with your profile. Target users that already “like” your page or those that have “liked” one of your posts in the past.
  • Audience Optimization: You can also have Facebook create an audience for you based on the information you provide about your campaign. Instead of limiting yourself to a certain audience, Facebook will change the audience based on how your ads are performing.

You can always make changes to your “audience” later if your campaign isn’t pulling in the stats you were hoping for. You can also keep these “audiences” on file if you want to use them again.

Finally, you’ll need to choose the length and budget of your campaign. The more money you spend, the longer your campaign will be active and the more users will see your ad.

Creating the Ad

Finally, it’s time to create the actual ad. Use the platform to add photos, videos, and captions to the ad. Use Facebook’s photo and video recommendations, which appear on the right side of the screen, to make sure you’re using the right media. Choose high-quality imagery that’s sure to get people’s attention. You can then test and view your ad before it goes live. Include a link back to your website if you’re trying to increase your conversions or sales.

Reach the right kinds of consumers with Facebook ad targeting. It’s all about getting to know your audience and finding the best ways to reach them. Happy advertising!