Facebook’s targeting options are getting a face-lift and everyone is talking about it! The changes may sound scary, but things really won’t be changing too much for you if you have been using Facebook correctly and for the right reasons.
There’s probably a lot of features within Facebook ads manager that you might not be utilizing - don’t wait any longer!
WHAT IS BEING REMOVED
The big kahuna that is being removed from Facebook is the partner categories. These categories made it possible to target frequent buyers who are in the market for things like: new cars, specific job roles, and who were likely to move (a huge demographic to the real estate world). Behavioral data like this is EXTREMELY critical when trying to present consumers with the best marketing message at the perfect time during the consideration period. For brands and businesses that rely on this kind of information, this change is a huge hit- but don’t get too discouraged just yet. Facebook offers TONS of effective advertising options that will help you reach your market effectively.
HOW TO USE WHAT IS STICKING AROUND
Location
Location is a popular option used to target audiences in certain zip codes, cities, states, or countries, but make sure you utilize the options in this category. You can target location by everyone in this location, people recently in this location, people who live in this location, and people traveling in this location. These are great tools for making your audience more specific or a little broader depending on whatever tickles your fancy – (or works with your marketing budget).
Interest Targeting
This is Facebook's most basic way of targeting users. Anything you interact with on Facebook is considered an interested party, and that goes for all other Facebook users out there. This makes it ridiculously easy for Facebook to be able to collect data based on what users are interacting with on the platform. To tap into this source, simply browse through the categories and subcategories of the hundreds of interests that Facebook stores. Using interest targeting is a great starting point when developing audiences because the categories are based on ACTUAL user behavior.
By picking specific interests you will narrow your audience. This is important for reaching the right kind of audience for your business and not wasting your ad budget. You can also choose keywords in the interest field to create a perfect audience, but be mindful of getting too specific, this will limit your reach. Make sure to keep an eye on your cost per click; this will help you monitor your performance.
Using interest targeting is a great starting point when developing audiences because the categories are based on ACTUAL user behavior.
Audience Insights
One of the most important things in interest targeting is to understand your audience. This is where Audience Insights come in handy. This feature allows you to learn more about your targeted audience by discovering interests and finding new audiences that could potentially be interested in your business.
CUSTOM AUDIENCES
Website Custom Audience
Bite the bullet and install the Facebook pixel (you won’t regret it) so you can start retargeting people. And while you’re trying new things you should go ahead and take the next step by creating a Lookalike Audience from that retargeted group. By using a Facebook pixel you can match your website visitors with people on Facebook and create ads to show to that particular audience. Another plus about Lookalike Audiences is that they’re a targeted (and money-efficient) way to prospect for more business. Any group of visitors from your website can be created into a Custom Audience and reached with targeted Facebook ads. Do you want to target anyone who has been to your website in the last 30 days with a swanky ad for your business? You can do exactly that with a Facebook Pixel!
Any group of visitors from your website can be created into a Custom Audience and reached with targeted Facebook ads.
E-mail Custom Audience
Yup, it is exactly what it sounds like. You can upload your e-mail list to Facebook and match your leads to their Facebook accounts to target them with your fancy ads. This option is a fantastic way to simultaneously use the data you already have and broaden your ad reach by building a Lookalike Audience from this list.
Engagement Custom Audience
This custom audience is the definition of working smarter. By targeting users who have already engaged with your content you are moving the process along by nudging them closer to conversion. You know all of those users who have watched your videos and interacted with your page, Instagram profile, and your events? Yup you guessed it, you can create a custom audience off of those users and by doing so you have a highly targeted group of people who are already interested in your brand… YAY YOU!!
So, while Facebook may be removing some demographics that have been beneficial to us as marketers, it is important to remember that there are so many other options within the platform. Try out some of these targeting options and let us know how your ads perform. Creativity is key, so always be trying new things when it comes to your business.
- Brittany, Marketing and Customer Support Associate
