The document provides 8 golden rules for successful Facebook advertising based on case studies and best practices. The rules are: 1) Keep leads on Facebook if generating leads; 2) Repurpose top-performing images in page like ads; 3) Micro-target audiences if their interests are known; 4) Build audiences, amplify content, and engage fans; 5) Leverage existing fans who are the biggest fans; 6) Plan ads around best visual assets; 7) Amplify engagement-focused posts; and 8) Research audiences to give them relevant content. The document also discusses Facebook ad types, setup, metrics, and upcoming changes.

1. 8 Golden Rules for Sure-Fire
Success with Facebook Ads
February 19, 2014
Arik C. Hanson
Principal, ACH Communications

2. A little about me…
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3. Today’s agenda
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The state of social ads
Lingo overload
Types of Facebook ads
How to set up
Who’s using Facebook ads well?
Case studies
Recent Facebook changes
Questions?
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4. Current state
Social ads are projected to be
19.5% of total ad spend by 2017
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5. Current state
• Average spend breakdown
57%
13%
13%
15%
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6. Current state
Organic Impressions
200% Increase
w/ Paid Media
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7. Current state
Typical objectives of social media:
Branding: 45%
Both: 45%
Direct: 16%
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8. Facebook lingo overload!
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9. Types of Facebook ads
• Page post ad (most
common):
– Where it shows up:
News feed, right-hand
side of page, or in
search results.
– Why you use it: Spur
page likes,
engagement or traffic
to off-domain URLs.
– Suggested metrics:
likes, comments,
shares, impressions,
page views.
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10. Types of Facebook ads
• Page like ad
(second most
common):
– Where it shows up:
Right-hand side,
news feed
– Why you use it: To
spur page likes
– Suggested
measurement:
Page likes, costper-click
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11. Types of Facebook ads
• Promoted post
– Where it shows up:
News feed
– Why you use it:
Promoting to existing
fans and friends of
fans (also cheaper
than other options)
– Suggested
measurement:
Impressions,
engagement
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12. Types of Facebook ads
• Sponsored stories
– Where it shows up:
News feed
– Why you use it: Gain
new page likes by
showing friends which
friends have interacted
with your posts.
– Suggested
measurement: new
page likes, impressions
– Sunsetting in April
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13. How to set up a Facebook ad
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14. How to set up a Facebook ad
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15. How to set up a Facebook ad
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16. How to set up a Facebook ad
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17. Who’s using Facebook advertising well?
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21. Lesson #1: Generating leads? Keep
‘em on Facebook.
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22. Case study #1
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23. • What was our approach?
– First: Build an audience on Facebook using page
like and page post ads
– Drive traffic and sign-ups for HPK.org
(Primary goal)
– Raise awareness among our key audiences in
Minnesota and western Wisconsin
– Keep our key audiences engaged—and returning
to HPK.org for more lessons
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24. What worked—and what didn’t
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25. Using food-based
posts to spur
engagement,
awareness, and
page likes.
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26. Lesson #2: Repurpose
images that perform well
in promoted posts in
page like ads.
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27. Targeting more
narrowly routinely
produced better
results
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28. Micro-targeting Girl
Scout moms—and
addressing hotbutton topics—
yielded results.
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29. Lesson #3: If you know your audience,
target the hell out of them.
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30. By the numbers
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From 105 likes to 1,007 in nine months
1,181,943 impressions driven by Facebook ads
14,040 clicks driven by Facebook ads
Facebook drove 10 percent of all traffic to HPK.org
1,000-plus sign-ups for HPK in 2013 (doubling our goal!)
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31. Case study #2
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32. • What was our approach?
– First: Build an audience on Facebook using page
like and page post ads
– Drive in-store traffic to businesses along the
Green Line.
– Raise awareness for the Green Line opening
in 2014.
– Promote events along the Green Line as a way to
drive interest in local businesses.
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33. What worked—and what didn’t
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34. • Constantly shifting paid media strategies
• Started with page like ads—big impression
numbers (1.5 million-plus for first five months)
• Migrated to page post ads to drive engagement
AND page likes
• Wound down campaign focusing on mix of page
like ads (to fuel page growth) and promoted posts
(to spur engagement among existing fans)
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36. Lesson #4: Build. Amplify. Engage.
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37. Page post ads focusing on unique restaurants
really spurred engagement—and that pride
factor.
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38. Lesson #5: Don’t forget, your existing
fans are your BIGGEST FANS. Evoke
that pride with your Facebook ads.
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39. Promoted posts were cost-effective amplifiers
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40. Page like ads did the heavy lifting
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41. Still don’t think Facebook ads are worth it?
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42. By the numbers
– Grew page from 170 likes to 5,308 in 18 months
– 17,723,702 impressions driven by Facebook ads.
– 19,421 post likes
– 1,359 post comments
– Total spend: $15,944 (over two years; roughly
$600-$800 per month)
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43. Case study #3
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44. • What was our approach?
– First: Build an audience on Facebook using page
like and page post ads
– Drive traffic to BikeWalkMove.org—specifically to
timely blog posts
– Raise awareness for biking/walking among key
audiences in Minneapolis/St. Paul
– Solicit input/feedback from Facebook fans on key
topics around biking/walking
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45. What worked—and what didn’t
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47. Lesson #6: Identify your best visual
assets—and plan Facebook ads
around them.
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49. WITH Facebook ad
support.
WITHOUT Facebook ad support.
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50. Lesson #7: Amplify engagementfocused posts to spike likes,
comments and shares.
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51. Topic: Quicker to drive or bike
in the city?
Topic: More cost-effective to drive
or bike?
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53. Lesson #8: Do your homework. Give
fans what they want.
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54. By the numbers
– Grew page from 106 likes to 1,720 likes in 9
months
– 33,960,248 impressions
– 14,777 clicks
– CPC: $.61
– Spent: $8,983
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55. 8 Tips:
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Generating leads? Keep ‘em on Facebook
Repurpose images that perform well in promoted posts in page like ads.
If you know your audience, target the hell out of them.
Build. Amplify. Engage.
Don’t forget, your existing fans are your BIGGEST FANS. Evoke that pride.
Identify your best visual assets—and plan ads around them.
Amplify engagement-focused posts to spike likes, comments and shares.
Do your homework. Give fans what they want.
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56. Trends/Upcoming Changes
• Sponsored Stories sunsetting in April
• “Creative” must get better
• Need a stronger link from Facebook ads to
offline sales
• More page post ads—fewer page like ads
• New call-to-action buttons on page post ads
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57. Questions?
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58. More?
• Subscribe: arikhanson.com
• Contact: arik@arikhanson.com
• Tweet: @arikhanson.com
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