Using these tips, you can drive a lot more sales in both the short term, and the long term.

Create a custom call-to-action

If you ask me, this is one of Facebook’s best new features. Rather than using the simple box format, Facebook now let you create a personal call-to-action. It’s still hugely underused by brands and ecommerce sellers. Yet, it will drastically increase your click-through-rate.

When setting up your advert, head to the ‘text and links’ section. It will allow you to choose from a few drop down options, like ‘shop now’, ‘learn more’, ‘sign up’ etc. You can also enter your own custom call-to-action. This will actively drive your customers to click, and boost your potential sales.

Always put your product in the right hand

This trick might seem strange, but statistics show that products sell better when advertised in a person’s right hand. Crazy! But, true. This is all based on age-old marketing knowledge. In a shop, for example, items you buy regularly are placed on the righthand side as you move down.

Use a white background

Advertising experts have done thousands of tests, and concluded that white backgrounds drive more click-throughs. Why? Because, in general, it draws the eye. Web designers regularly use white space to make the main object stand out more.

 

 

In this image, see how the orange pops out of the screen. It’s boosted by the white screen behind it. The customer’s eye is automatically drawn towards it, and they’re much more likely to click on the link. Try it yourself with your own adverts.

Target your website visitors

Many shop owners instinctively use Facebook ads to reach out to new customers. However, it’s actually much more effective to target people who have already visited your website. They’re already familiar with your brand. They’ve already browsed your products. There’s already a connection there, so they’re more likely to buy from you. You just need to remind them! Using Facebook adverts, you can remind them about your website, and strengthen your brand identity in their mind.

First of all, you’ll need to use a little piece of code called a ‘Facebook pixel’. You place it on your website, so Facebook can gather information about who visits your site. Now, when setting up your advert, click the ‘Custom Audience’ option.

 

You’ll now see this option. Now, Facebook will target users who have already been on your website. You’re much more likely to get the click-through and sale using this technique.

Target people in the process of buying something

Facebook have recently launched a new section of their targeting algorithm. It’s called ‘behaviours’, circled below.

 

By heading to ‘purchasing behaviour’ on the drop down, you can choose to target people who are in the process of buying a particular product. Let’s say you’ve been browsing websites looking to buy a new games console. Using cookies on your browser, Facebook knows when you’ve been looking for a new console, so it starts serving ads to you tailored to gaming. You’ve probably experienced this yourself.

 

As an e commerce seller, you can flip the tables. Now you can target people who are in the process of buying a console. Perfect if you sell games or accessories. You can do this for just about anything: jewellery, fashion, sunglasses etc.

Target parents by the age of their children (or target expectant mothers!)

This one is great for anyone selling baby products, children’s clothes, or products for parents. But, obviously, there’s a huge age gap for parents with children. Targeting ‘parents’ could mean those with a teenager. Pretty pointless if you sell baby accessories. So Facebook break it down into the age of the parent’s children.

There’s also a great category just below this for ‘expectant mothers’. This is a huge market to tap if you sell baby clothes, and Facebook lets you promote directly to all the pregnant mums around the world!

Target people based on their income (or above-average online spenders)

If you stock expensive products, your advertising is generally wasted on a broke student! Let’s say you sell luxury bath soaps at $100 a soap bar, or premium sunglasses at $500 a pair. You’ve clearly got a specific, high-end market in mind. I’ve never seen a broke student drop $100 on a bar of soap, so you’re just throwing advertising money into the air if you promote your product to this wide audience.

By targeting people with only a high net worth or high average income, you’re more likely to hit your target audience.

Facebook also categorize those who spend more than average online. Naturally, these Facebook users are happy to get their credit cards out, and love a little online shopping! These are the perfect users to target, especially when narrowed down with interests and demographics.

Use a multi-product carousel

Facebook now allows you to choose a multi-product carousel advert. There are tons of reasons why this particular advert type increases click-through-rate and decreases your costs.

First of all, it’s intriguing and interactive. Customers want to scroll through and see more products. Our natural intrigue leads us to click and play with it. That draws more people to your brand, and engages them.

Secondly, you show a group of products that work together. Use this option to tell a story, or explain how multiple products interact.

Thirdly, use it show a wider range of products. Let’s say you sell snowboard equipment. Customers might not immediately want to buy a snowboard, but you can use the carousel to show them cheaper products like boots or wax. It gives them a much bigger reason to click.

Use Facebook ‘offers’

Everyone loves a sale, and your customers are much more likely to click when you offer a discount.

If you’ve got a sale on your products, you can create an advert specifically for the sale or offer. Why not create an introductory offer to entice people in? Look at how Macy’s offer 25% off all products over $100.

The best thing about this advert is that your potential customers don’t even need to leave Facebook to redeem it. There’s less friction, and it closes the gap between a sale. Clicking the ad gives them a unique code, that they can use on your website. This particular method also uses ‘social proof’, by showing others that ‘14,991’ people have already claimed it. All in all, this is a brilliant way to entice new and existing customers to your website.

Use a video advert

 

Facebook’s algorithm actively prioritizes video content. By using a video, your advert is much more likely to find its way onto people’s feed. Not only that, but it’s more engaging as a format. Statistics show that more than half of daily Facebook users watch videos on the platform every single day.

 

Your customers are much more likely to stop and watch a video, as it instantly starts playing when they scroll over it.

 

You can also use it to show your products in action. For example, Asos do this to show off their range of clothes. If you own a fashion store, you can do a similar thing yourself. When creating your advert, choose the video format.

 

 

(Although, judging by new ‘angry face’ emoticon, not everyone loves the new Asos range!)

‘Boost’ an existing popular post

Sometimes, we’re wary of launching an advert, because we just never know how well it will react. Will anyone click through? Will it be a waste of money? That’s why boosting an existing post is a great idea. You can pick a post that has already generated tons of shares, click-throughs, and interactions. In other words, you know it works. Now, simply boost it to reach thousands of new people.

You can choose to promote it to people who already like your page, or reach out to new people. (I’ll show you some more targeting tricks further down). The beauty of a boosted post is that you already know it produces results. Boost it, and you’re almost guaranteed more sales and attention.

Stop selling!

Not every advert needs to be focused on sales. In fact, studies show that we tend to tune out blatant adverts. We’re so used to seeing adverts online that we automatically ignore them. Instead, look for other ways to obtain value from your advert.

One option is promoting an event. As an e commerce owner, events are a fantastic way to grow brand awareness. Perhaps you could host a product launch event in your area. If you own a fashion store, you could host a catwalk event, or sponsor a clothing event. If you run a jewelry shop, you could host a workshop in your local area. Then use a Facebook event to build awareness for it.

 

Look at how Jasper’s Market use an event to show off their products. They aren’t actively selling anything, but it all contributes to eventual sales.