These days, it’s so easy to become a “marketer.” You can get started on Google’s Adwords platform in a matter of minutes. You can whip up a Facebook advertising campaign in no time at all. There are countless display advertising networks that are just waiting to take your money. However, for the typical small business owner or entrepreneur, none of these advertising “quick fixes” will get you the results you’re hoping for right out of the gate.
Why? Because the best marketing campaigns were not built overnight. Marketing is both an art and a science. Crafting the right approach takes time, patience, planning, and plenty of coffee.
Unfortunately, I see so many folks jumping in and launching paid advertising campaigns without first doing their homework. They are setting themselves up for failure. Let me give you an example of how exactly this can happen.
Let’s look at Facebook’s advertising platform in particular. Right now, Facebook ads are hot! You can target just about anyone on Facebook so that they see your ad. Are you looking to target newlyweds between the ages of 25-35 who live in New York City? Facebook can help you find them. What about people who like watersports who have recently changed jobs? Yes, you can target them on Facebook.
Hopefully, you get the idea. If there is a group you’re looking to gain access to, and you have the right advertising budget, Facebook will gladly feed your ads to them.
So, what’s the problem with that you ask? Well, it all centers around the fact that people who have seldom used Facebook are now trying to advertise on the platform without really understanding social media.
You see, you and I are not on Facebook so that we can see more ads. I don’t think you woke up today eager to check your Facebook news feed so that you could see the latest and greatest sponsored posts from the local car dealership. You probably care about keeping in touch with your friends, family, coworkers, and maybe a few brand pages that you actually take interest in.
So when the average user sees an ad on Facebook, sure, many of them click on it. There is no doubt that Facebook advertising is getting clicks. The problem is that the best Facebook campaigns combine paid media placements with an active page that is filled with engaging (non-promotional) content, moderated by an attentive community manager.
And that, my friend, takes time and energy. You can’t just throw money at Facebook and expect to have an active and engaging page overnight.
So while you might have some killer ads on Facebook, you need to balance out your efforts with the right “organic” social media strategy.
Think about it like this: If you see an ad in your Facebook news feed from a page called “Joe’s Auto Repair” and click on the page name to see what they’ve been up to, only to discover that the page hasn’t published fresh content in months (besides a few sponsored ads), what are you going to think? Is that a page you want to be connected to? Probably not.
But imagine clicking through and seeing informative articles about how to maintain your car, how to save money on your next oil change, the most efficient way to check your tire pressure, and a few coupons for 10% off your next tune-up. Additionally, what if you saw a bunch of informative video content, plenty of visually appealing images, and an active community manager who was actually responding to questions and comments within each post?
That might make you want to stick around or at least click that “like” button so that you can see more from Joe’s Auto Repair in the future. The page looks fun, engaging, informative and not like they’re just trying to sell you something.
[Tweet “Become a resource that people can rely on, rather than just another Facebook advertiser.”]
In summary, that is what you want to become. You want to become a resource that people can rely on, rather than just another Facebook advertiser. But this approach takes time and effort. You need to create content, share content, respond to comments, engage with other social channels, promote your brand offline, run contests, give stuff away, and more.
Much of this will not directly get you a sale, and that’s why so many people don’t want to do it. But believe me when I tell you, this is the behavior that separates the pay-to-play advertisers from the true social media marketing experts. Essentially, all of this “fluffy” social media stuff is the best marketing that money can’t buy. And because so few brands are doing it right, you have a real chance to shine in this department, regardless of your marketing budget.
If you want some direction on how to activate your particular Facebook page, or just need more clarification on what I discussed above, feel free to contact me via email or on Twitter and I’ll be glad to offer some personalized advice.
And stay tuned for much more on this topic down the road. If you want to ensure that you don’t miss anything, be sure to subscribe and receive a copy of my free guide!
