Reaching your online audience organically on social media platforms is hard, BUT HOLD ON! There are plenty of things to do BEFORE you start Facebook ads, and parting with your cash.
Yes, eventually, as a business, you will probably have to start paying for advertising if you want to generate website traffic. Why? Because Meta/Facebook/Instagram, TikTok, and Google are all businesses that want to make money like you. And while they have ways for you to do that for free, ultimately, they need to make money from you for them to carry on.
Without Advertising, it’s like setting up a party and deciding only to invite the people you see face to face – and asking them to tell their friends maybe. It might bring some people – but they won’t be your best friends, and there won’t be many!
Getting the following strategic foundation tasks in place will mean your audience will stay on your website because they will find relevant information branded to meet their needs.
In other words, they will stay at your party and maybe even come back!
9 things to do before you start Facebook ads
Know your audience:
You’re not going to invite some hells angels to a kid’s birthday party, so get clear on WHO will buy your product. WHO needs your service? I’ve said it before, but these are the only people that matter. You must be clear on your ideal customer profiles (and there will be more than one) to expect to reach them where they are. Trying to speak to everyone will end up speaking to no one.
Is your business branding in place?
I don’t just mean a logo. Do your tone of voice, colour palette, and typefaces represent your business mission and USP? Do all of these add together to speak to your audience?
Pick 3-5 adjectives that you would associate with your business. For example, if you would describe your company as “intelligent and articulate, but fun”, does every element of your website and communications reflect that?
Do your party decorations communicate the why, what and how of who you are?
Optimise your website
Clean up before your guests arrive, put signs up, so they know where to go, put their coats somewhere safe and offer them a seat. Your website should have clear calls to action so people can find what they need.
Is the site secure for transactions, are they reassured that all is as it seems? Even more basic – is anything broken? Do links work? How does the website look on a mobile phone?
Nurture your audience
You wouldn’t invite strangers to your house and expect them to have a good time. And you can’t just expect people to part with their money the first time they come across your business.
Introduce yourself to potential clients, and connect with them on different channels (social/email/networks). Offer them helpful information that solves their challenges, show them you are trustworthy and exciting before you ask for their number (or, more likely, their email), which leads me to…
Set up an email list
So you know who wants to come to the party next time!
If people come to your website and aren’t yet ready to buy/book your service but are interested in what you have to say, how can they be kept in the loop?
How easy is it for them to sign up?
Why would they want to?
Is there a discount or benefit to being on your list?
P.S. the list is also very much for nurturing, not just sales.
Optimise landing pages
Don’t promise champagne on the invitation; leave it in the cupboard and expect guests to search for it when they arrive – or confuse them because this doesn’t look like the place for champagne!
If your ad is to sell a product or service – link directly and make that page as excellent as it can be. Don’t link directly to your homepage, then expect them to search for your offer.
Check the touchpoints on your customer journey
What automated responses do they get? Do you provide a seamless customer experience you are proud of?
Every contact is a chance to reassure your audience you are terrific and that they are having a great time at your party!
Measure
Make sure you know what traffic and sales you are seeing before you start paying for ads because
- You’ll be able to see ROI once you do start paying
- If you’re not seeing any traffic or sales before now, you probably need to go back to number 1.
I’m not going to relate this to a party – because frankly anyone measuring the number of guests/drinks consumed/ measure of joy at their party, isn’t having enough fun themselves.
Planning and goals
Before you start paying for those ads:
- Plan your offer (WHY should they come)
- your audience (WHO)
- your call to action (WHAT do they get)
- and your goals – leads? Traffic? Sales?
Working through these things to do before you start Facebook ads will help your organic traffic growth as well, but you will also know that you have made your home the best place for your guests – and your website the best place for your customers to convert.
Now go ahead and party hard.
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