Social media advertising is a fast paced game. The rules are always changing and if you don’t keep up, you end up looking foolish for everyone to see. Not to worry, however, because we’ve gathered the six most common reason why social media ads suck and what to do about it.
You’re not posting enough
There’s no setting and forgetting in social media. Content keeps on moving, and your post from last week is already lost in the depths of the internet. It takes a continuous effort to make an impact. Not only that, the more you post, (and test) the more likely you’ll find out what’s working for your audience. Post often and experiment with headlines, images, video and even time and day to see what’s helping your company get noticed the right way.
You’re choosing poor, low quality images
Put yourself in your consumers’ shoes. If you’re happily scrolling along on Facebook or Instagram, you’re not stopping for just anything. Your image selection has to be high quality and arresting – every time. We recommend taking your own photos when possible, but if you choose to use stock images, get a subscription to a reputable company that has quality inventory. Oh, and make sure they make sense.
You’re not implementing video
The difference movement makes in your social media efforts is almost unbelievable. It doesn’t matter if it’s a video, an animation or even just a GIF, consumers respond in a good way. Just keep them short and simple and you’ve got a big leg up on your competition.
You’re writing unclear copy
As much as it pains me to admit this, words take a backseat to your images and design. That doesn’t mean copy isn’t important, just the opposite. Your message is everything. This simply means that you shouldn’t over do it. Don’t write more than you need to because it’ll only distract from what you’re trying to say. Your CTA, the headline of your link, is what your audience reads first. It has to say “do this” as succinctly as possible. Save the fluff for the regular Tweet or Facebook copy.
You’re not testing enough
Most social platforms, especially Facebook provide in-depth analytics and super-advanced targeting capabilities that, when implemented together, let you test for almost anything. Various demographics, geographics, likes and more are available to target, so you can get the perfect audience for any post. The trouble is that many marketers don’t take full advantage or they make one target and never test against other qualifications. This is a huge mistake, because you could be missing out on a whole group of people that could really use whatever you’re selling.
You’re posting the same ads across social platforms
Ask yourself this simple question. If your favorite clothing brand or restaurant posted the exact same content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc, why in the world would you follow them on every single channel? Not only is it boring, it’s leaving value on the table. Each social channel has a different audience, a different purpose and a different navigation. Again, experimentation is key, but plan your media according to how you, yourself, would take in content. Twitter is great for short bursts on info. Instagram is perfect for striking art and design. Facebook is somewhere in the middle and offers so many added benefits, being a more involved, immersive experience than the other two.
It’s always a good idea to see what similar brands are doing on social. Soon, you’ll get a feel of what’s good and what’s not. If you take anything away from today, make it this. Be consistent. Test like crazy. Make it make sense. Isolate any problems you come across and figure out what’s causing them.