We often hear this question: “I’ve promoted my post on Facebook – why isn’t it performing well?”
Many people assume that if one of their Facebook posts isn’t doing well, that if they promote it, this will improve its performance. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Promoting posts that aren’t doing well doesn’t help improve performance, and you would be better off spending your money elsewhere. The algorithm is designed to find the best posts, the ones with the best images, the best copy, and the best content and this makes total sense. Think about it – if your feed was filled with mediocre posts then you would get bored of Facebook pretty quickly and shut it down – the exact opposite of what they want you to do.
So, if your post doesn’t tick the right boxes, then the algorithm would usually deem it as a ‘poor user experience’, and it might only show it to a handful of people. Additionally, your cost per result will be much higher, and you won’t get the results you’re after.
Frustrating? You bet!
Here’s how to choose the right post to promote on Facebook:
When looking for a post to promote on Facebook, ask yourself these questions:
Is the post doing well already, when posted organically, in comparison to my other posts?
- To find out, take a look at the ‘Insights’ tab on your Facebook page, or head over to Creator Studio. Take note of things like engagement, reach, and post clicks.
- Be sure to select a post which points viewers to your product or service (Friday funny posts may get some great interaction but only be sure to promote them if they’re actually going to serve a purpose in getting sales or leads)
- PRO TIP: Videos are a great option. People are leaning more and more towards watching videos than reading text. So, if you’ve posted a video and it’s done quite well, consider promoting it.
Does it have a clear call to action (CTA)? For example, when people see your post, will they know what you want them to do? (make a phone call, visit a website, read a blog etc.)
- Take note of which CTAs have worked in the past and use that option whenever applicable.
- Don’t overuse your CTA. Simply saying ‘Call Us!’ at the end of each post, won’t get many results. Plus when you’re promoting posts, you’ll have more access to buttons like ‘learn more’ or ‘message’ so use them.
- Get creative! People want to know that you understand the problem they’re trying to solve so try different options. For example, “Only call this number if you’re sure you don’t want to be drowning in paperwork this tax time!” Or, “If the thought of working with a digital marketing team makes 2021 seem so much brighter for you, then call us today!”
Are images clearly visible?
- Make sure your viewers know exactly what they’re looking at and that their eyes are easily led to the focal point of the image. Don’t post photos of whole PDF documents that have teeny tiny text no one will be able to read properly.
- Ensure that the image is in keeping with your branding, voice, and message.
- Images taken by you or your team will outperform stock images any day. Irrespective of how great a photographer you are – or are not – keep your phone with you during the day and take photos whenever the opportunity arises. You never know when a particular photo will come in handy!
What’s your text to image ratio? If you have too much text, Facebook will automatically deem it as being a ‘poor user experience’.
- If you are struggling to cut down on text, think about what words can be added to the caption instead?
- Less is more – and it’s never truer than when creating graphics for social media. A few carefully curated words will always speak more clearly than full sentences.
- If you’re unsure of what the graphic is communicating, now that you’ve cut down on the words, show it to a colleague and ask them what they think the message is.
Now that you know which Facebook posts will perform well when promoted, the hard work is done! Once you’ve chosen your post, you can promote it to a new audience, for example. E.g. either promote it to friends of people who like your page or do interest-based targeting to find people who would be interested in your product or service.
To take your Facebook PPC skills to the next level, check out our blog here or attend one of our workshops!
