Some times it seems that the whole world is on Facebook. That is not entirely true but according to The Washington Post around 20 % of the world's population is active on the social media. So many people gathered in one place is an advertiser's dream but the dream is also some thing of a nightmare at times because Facebook is littered with ads and content - both sponsored and free. So to cut through the noise we present to you our Facebook native advertising best practices.
1. Think mobile first
According to RCR Wireless News in 2014 Facebook's mobile app engaged 60 % of smartphone users, averaging 500 minutes per month.That means your post must be optimized for viewing on a mobile display. So you have to make sure that your post is concise, that your call-to-action is clear and that your landing page is well designed. You don't want to make the ad or the sponsored post too crowded. Instead you want to focus on a simple, attractive headline and a great image.
Think mobile first because a huge amount of traffic on Facebook comes from mobile devices. Photo: Flickr
2. Think pictures
Speaking of images. Images has a significant value on Facebook. Facebook has with algorithm changes placed a much greater emphasis on the images brands and companies uses not just the content. So you need to use an image that represents the content you want to present to the user. This also means that you need to put more focus on the images you use in Facebook ads especially because of the size of the images in the news feed. To keep the ad at the top the news feed you have to have a large quantity of unique, constantly refreshed images. And make sure your image only contains 20 % text at the most.
It is important to have great images on Facebook. They help you draw in users but they also make sure that your post stays at the top of the news feed. Photo: Flickr
3. Make it relevant
You have to adjust your message and your content to audience you want to target. Knowing your audience and how your brand's value proposition will resonate with them is key in developing good content. But it is also important in keeping your post or ad at the top of the news feed. The more likes and interactions the post gets, the longer it will be at the top. Facebook allows you to set up a very specific target audience. By selecting from age, gender, country and more you will be able reach exactly the audience that will be most interested in your story.
[gdlr_quote ]The more likes and interactions the longer the post will be at the top.[/gdlr_quote]
4. Be critical of yourself
When working with content on Facebook - or anywhere else for that matter - there is one important question you need to ask yourself during the process: Would I want to read this? The question is important because the content - no matter how much you tinker with images and audiences - has to stands on its own, or you will lose your audience's trust. So you have to consider whether the content is helpful, inspirational and exciting before you create a post or an ad.
Photo credit: StartBloggingOnline.com
Native Advertising Institute
Pete Fergusson