If you’ve ever considered Facebook advertising, you’ve likely heard the following: it’s great for B2C, but not B2B. B2B isn’t customer-centric. It’s focused on transactions, not relationships. Facebook is too “personal.” The list goes on and on. However, slowly but surely, those widespread beliefs are turning into myths. Facebook advertising for B2B can work — and work well.
In fact, digital B2B marketing and advertising spending continues to grow, and Facebook advertising for B2B is expected to be a big part of that. Don’t think that Google and LinkedIn are the only ways to drive B2B leads. Facebook has a larger audience, it delivers ads in a more prominent manner, and it offers the lowest cost per click.
More prominent ads in front of more eyes and a lower marketing spend? Sounds like a no-brainer. And in a lot of ways Facebook advertising for B2B is a no-brainer.
Here’s why.
Facebook Advertising for B2B — Effective Targeting to Custom Audiences
Many people think that Facebook is not the place for B2B advertising, but this thinking is simply not true. According to HubSpot, not only is Facebook the top social network in the US, but 43% of B2B marketers are using Facebook advertising for B2B — and getting new leads and customers because of it.
It’s true, Facebook isn’t strictly for pictures and videos of your friends’ kids and pets. No, it’s not the business networking hub like LinkedIn is, but Facebook does offer B2B targeting methods that are more effective than the ones on LinkedIn.
Facebook lets you target users based on age, gender, location, and more, but it also lets you dig deeper and reach people based on their job title, industry, employer, and office type. You can also upload your email lists and create custom audiences. Taking the custom audience one step further, Lookalike Audiences deliver new customers and prospects based on your existing custom audiences, website visitors, or Facebook page fans.
Finally, with the Facebook pixel, you can engage in conversion tracking, optimization, and remarketing. Remarketing is a great tool, as you can deliver your ads to anyone who has visited your website, giving you another way to reach — and convert — leads.
Key Things to Remember About Facebook Advertising for B2B
First and foremost, remember who you are! You are a B2B company selling to business decision makers, not end users. That means your ads — and your Facebook page itself — need to have a unified message that shows how you help businesses succeed. Lean on your past experiences and successes. Look at how you’ve solved a client’s problem in the past and craft a message around that. Position yourself as the thought leader in your industry or field.
Remember, Facebook advertising for B2B is about generating leads, not direct sales. Use your ads to get people in the door, then follow up with your expert sales skills to nurture and convert those leads. Show your clients that real people are available to help them with their business needs. Facebook, after all, is a social network for people. You’re marketing to businesses but you still have to humanize your brand.
The other unique thing you need to take advantage of when it comes to Facebook advertising for B2B is the sharing aspect. Facebook is built for sharing, and if you’ve spent any time on there, you know it — just look at all those political posts your Uncle Joe shares. B2B companies can get in on all the sharing by making shareable ads. Memorable imagery, engaging questions, funny commentary, descriptive videos, and, yes, click-bait headlines can make even the stodgiest of business decision-makers not only click on your ad, but share it so other like-minded decision-makers can see it as well.
Where to begin?
As easy as it is to create a Facebook ad, it’s a whole other thing to actually run a successful ad campaign. Start small and see what resonates with your audience. Test, test, and test again. Tweak every aspect of your ads and see how the results change. Do you need to change your message? Are you targeting the right audiences? Are you spending too much? Too little?
Luckily, Facebook is here to help with your testing needs. With their Split Testing feature, you can tweak and optimize where your ads go, who they’re delivered to, and how they perform. You’ll soon learn what works and what doesn’t and how to maximize your ROI on Facebook advertising for B2B.
Need some creative inspiration? Check out this list of 50 amazing B2B Facebook ads from AdEspresso.
Ready to get started with Facebook advertising for B2B? We can help. Contact CC Marketing and Communications today!
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