I’ve read frequently, and have experienced through my own attempts, that Facebook Ads just don’t function the same way AdWords does. But I think it’s way too early to write Facebook off as not being able to deliver successful ads. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think Facebook Ads could have an even bigger potential than AdWords – and I’m not the only one. It may just be that the success of your ads on Facebook may have everything to do with your mindset for using them.
Facebook is about trust. Google is about intent.
I think the fundamental difference between the two platforms is that Facebook is about trust. It’s qualifying content through sharing, through commenting, through liking, becoming a fan, and so forth. This trust economy is all given more power because every action you take – the trust you lend – is broadcasted to your trust network (your friends). On Facebook it’s more an experience, conversations. There isn’t a lot of immediate intent. Sounds a lot like e-mail.
Contrast that with Google where it’s all about the intent. When I Google something, I am looking for an answer, or specific information. If my answer means purchasing a product, then I may be open to that as well, especially when that’s exactly what I am searching for. This obviously creates a much simpler direct marketing channel, but not necessarily a loyal buyer. And is it a channel that’s better than Facebook? Not necessarily.
A potentially new kind of ad
A Facebook Ad may not get an immediate sale, but it does get you something potentially more valuable. Here’s why I think this could be the case:
- You get another fan for your Facebook page (this validates your page)
- Getting that fan broadcasts to all of that persons friends your company (giving your page/company more viral potential)
- You’ve now been given permission to share your news, photos, and other info with this new fan – right on their homepage.
- Because Facebook is real-time, you can share multiple times a day with your fans, giving more constant exposure
- You have the chance to drive a fan to your website time and again
- Each time a fan visits your website or page, that can be a potential selling opportunity
Given the above, a Facebook Ad gets you a fan which to me is speaking in terms of the lifetime value of a fan (or customer) not just the profit of a sale. With the above, too, I think Facebook Pages are akin to e-mail marketing. Usually it takes 7 – 12 e-mails to a single customer before they convert into a sale. Facebook Fans can very easily be treated with a similar outlook. People spend thousands of dollars on e-mail blast lists that hopefully work. A Facebook Ad, on the other hand, drives very targeted traffic specifically to a page that you can keep constant tabs of along with continued interaction (along with an easy way to gauge the success of your messaging).
I realize I went through a lot of steps and information there but I think the potential speaks for itself. If you can perfect your messaging, what you get from a Facebook Ad could be a brand advocate (like Mac geeks, etc), not just a potential quick sale that can frequently be the result of an AdWord buy. I think this is especially true when considering how Facebook Pages will evolve (based on Facebook’s recent development roadmap). What are your thoughts?
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by cambeck and NathanSnell, brian kress. brian kress said: Some good thinking here: RT @NathanSnell: Do we need to rethink how we use Facebook Ads? http://bit.ly/1iIzX0 (via @cambeck) [...]