Facebook Advertising explained

As an administrator of a Facebook Page you have access to paid Facebook Advertising, which allows you to share targeted adverts with both your followers and the wider Facebook community.

Facebook has been able to develop targeted advertising due to such a large number of the population regularly using Facebook and actively sharing information about themselves.

Due to the nature of Facebook, Facebook Advertising can be a much more targeted and cost effective way of getting your message out there, when compared with more traditional methods of advertising such as adverts in the paper or putting up posters.

This is not to say that Facebook Advertising should replace other forms of advertising but rather that it can be an effective way to complement what you’re already doing and perhaps engage new people with your activities.

The word advertising can sound off-putting and expensive, especially to a voluntary group but it doesn’t have to cost the earth - a little can go a long way. Read on for more information.

How Facebook Advertising works . . .

With Facebook Advertising you can specify the characteristics of exactly who you want to see your advert, so you know it is going to be seen by people that are likely to be interested in what you’re promoting. As a creative group or project you could use Facebook Ads to promote your upcoming show, send out a call for new members or invite people to the launch of a new project, to name a few examples.

Example: if you are looking for more men to join your choir, you can choose to share your ‘call for new members’ with men of a certain age, that live within 5 miles of where you meet and who have expressed an interest in singing and music. This ensures that the people who see your ad are those that are most likely to be interested.

Facebook adverts can be made up of text and a link with some images or a video - there are several options to choose from within Facebook Ads Manager. But as with all advertising, it’s important to think about the clarity of your message and how eye-catching your advert is.

Once your Facebook Ad goes live, if it gets lots of likes, shares and comments this tells Facebook that people like what they see and as a result Facebook will share your message with more people. So the more engaging your ad, the more people will see it and the more you get for your money.

If you have concerns about spending money on Facebook Advertising, it’s worth remembering the return on your investment.

Example: if you’re selling tickets for your group show at £10 per ticket, spending £10 on some targeted Facebook Advertising could engage new people with your group and result in an increase in ticket sales, meaning that you make your money back and more.

It’s also worth considering online advertising when putting together a funding application. If the application invites you to include promotional activity, it’s perfectly valid and accepted for you to include a Facebook Advertising budget.

As with all advertising, Facebook Ads require thought and experimentation to get the results you are looking for.

This step-by-step video provides more information on Facebook Advertising and how to set up an ad to promote your group . . .

Further reading:

- ‘How to create and manage Facebook Ads’ video tutorial by Technology Guru
- ‘How to create a Facebook Ad 2017 - from start to finish’ video tutorial by MegaGang Chucks

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