Katherine BuchholzFacebook has become synonymous with mobile. Not only do 87% of Facebook users visit the social network on mobile devices, they spend an average of 21 minutes every day on the mobile app. As a result, marketers are using Facebook to reinvent their mobile marketing and generate more business, increase website traffic, and build brand awareness. Why else do you think Facebook’s mobile ad revenue is projected to make up one-third of all mobile ad spend this year?
Consumers Research and Shop Via Mobile Devices
The impact of mobile on the customer journey has marketers in nearly every industry responding in kind. Marketers see the numbers and know they need to take advantage of every mobile opportunity since that’s where their customers research and shop:
- 86% of consumers use mobile devices to plan their shopping trips (NinthDecimal)
- 54% of financial services shoppers only use their mobile devices during research and purchase (xAd)
- 4 out of 5 auto shoppers use their smartphones in the car purchase process (Cars.com)
- 50% of insurance shoppers start on mobile devices (IIABA)
- 72% of boomers (often the senior living decision-makers) with incomes over $ 75k own smartphones (Pew Research Center)
- Over 40% of U.S. adults booked travel reservations on mobile devices in 2014, up 20% from 2013 (Criteo)
To target these smartphone-first consumers, here are some tips from different industries to improve your mobile marketing on Facebook.
Auto Marketers: Don’t Wait to Advertise Your Brand to Mobile Car Shoppers
Most digital car ads are delivered in the final month before consumers make a purchase. But according to new research from Facebook, most shoppers have already settled on 1-2 models by then, so the ads are either redundant or irrelevant. Targeting these shoppers 6 months out – when they are still undecided – is important to raising your brand awareness and making their vehicle shortlist. Provide an appealing multi-media campaign of images and videos that excites a shopper about your brand. Promote posts from shoppers’ friends that like your brand to get it on their radar in a favorable, peer-endorsed way.
Hotel Marketers: Use Facebook Ads to Promote Mobile App Downloads
Research on the effectiveness of mobile apps in driving hotel bookings is mixed, but that has more to do with the value an app provides. But what is clear is that Facebook is an effective driver at promoting app downloads for both hotel brands and OTAs. Try running “Install Now” app ads and promoting things like mobile-exclusive deals, free Wi-Fi, or early check-in options for app users.
Insurance Marketers: Local Matters to Mobile-First Shoppers
Smartphone shoppers are most likely to click on ads with promotions, but they also respond often to ads that are locally relevant. 44% of smartphone shoppers want an insurance agent to be within 5 miles, so use location targeting to run Facebook ads promoting local agents.
Senior Living Marketers: Use Video to Promote Daily Community Life
54% of boomers and seniors watch online video, and 75% have taken action as a result. Create videos that show what daily life is like in senior living. Assuage their fears about the transition with videos showing the friends they will meet and the activities they will do.
Test These Two New Facebook Ad Formats
Two new Facebook ad formats (among others) have emerged to help marketers engage with mobile users. Facebook carousel ads can display multiple images and links in one ad. Facebook claims this format drives 30%-50% lower cost-per-conversion and 20%-30% lower cost-per-click than single-image link ads.
By using a “Call Now” button, customers can call you right from your ad in their news feed. It’s a great way to drive calls to the shopper’s closest local store or agent.
Don’t Forget About Attribution – It’s Critical
Thanks to smartphones, Facebook and social advertising will generate 12 billion calls next year. And since those calls convert to purchases, you can’t measure the return on your Facebook ad spend without measuring call conversions. Call attribution software helps marketers track every caller whether they come from Facebook, search, or another advertising source. Only when you close the loop on your attribution can you prove the full value of your ads and optimize spend for what’s really driving results.
We have a few more strategies up our sleeves. Download the guide now and they’ll be your strategies too: “New Facebook Ad Strategies to Convert Mobile-First Shoppers.”
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