Finding success with Facebook ads can be quite intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Many businesses and nonprofit organizations miss out on this huge marketing opportunity because they simply don’t know where to start when it comes to creating and managing Facebook ad campaigns.

It does not need to be an intimidating process to start taking advantage of the Facebook market. You just need to start.

First, a note about Facebook Ad Types

There are several different types of Facebook ads that can be used for different contexts and campaign goals. You can check out our post “Facebook Ads Tips” for more on ad types. 

If your goal is to gather leads, the most cost effective ad type you can use is a Lead Generation ad. Facebook users can complete your form and get your offer without ever leaving Facebook itself. The easier and “no brainer” you can make your offer, the more effective your ads will be.

If you want to be successful on Facebook, follow this 5 step blueprint to get your lead generation ads up and running.

5 step lead generation ads blueprint

First, you will need to be running a Facebook business page.

Second, under "Business Suite" go to you will need to go to publishing tools. This is located under Manage Page.

Third, you will want to do Leads Setup.

Facebook has moved their forms to Business Suite. Click “Try Business Suite” to be redirected to where you can build forms.

Fourth, after being directed, go to the Forms Library and create a new form. It is important to note that you’ll need a link to your privacy policy, and once you create your form it is final. Something else that is important to keep in mind is, if you add a non-standard field you will need to make sure the IDs match what is in your CRM. You can modify IDs in the Advanced Section.

After you have connected your CRM it’s time to build a form! Click on forms > in right top corner click create form.

Here, you will click new form.

Now, follow the steps Facebook will take you through to build out your form then click publish! 

Fifth, navigate to business.facebook.com where you can set up your business profile, if you haven’t already, and create your first lead ad. You’ll do this by navigating to the Consideration column and selecting Lead Generation. It is not necessary, but Campaign Budget Optimization is a great tool to use. You can even set a spend limit, which is wise to do on your first campaigns. It is recommended that you spend at least $150 on your first campaign if you have the ability to do so.

Now you are ready to set up your ad campaigns! You have all the steps to set up a successful campaign, but the most important part of running a successful campaign is engaging with the correct audience. You can target your audience by understanding their demographics and interests.

Target audience tips to make your Facebook ads really work

1. When you are selecting a service, choose job titles, engaged shoppers, or page administrators / business page administrators to target people.

2. The key is, after you set up your first target audience, you can continue to narrow your targets down further and then add more.

3. It is helpful to think through your target audience in statement form. For example, “I would like to reach 25-50 year olds who love marketing, support nonprofit organizations, and are extreme sports fans.”

Once you have all your target audience specifications set, it is important to duplicate the Ad Set within the Ad Campaign and continue to make tweaks within the audience. This gives you the opportunity to try different targets, or to try to narrow down random target audiences. Once you give the Facebook algorithm enough context to find your target audience, you can simply continue to feed it.

Choosing the best content for successful Facebook ads

It’s simple, the best way to get the most leads from your Facebook ads is to use content that gives people value in exchange for their email. It could be in the form of an ebook, checklist, template, or webinar. Make sure it is helpful to your target audience and related to the problem your business solves in your industry. This is a mutually beneficial exchange between you and your new potential customers.

Continue to monitor and optimize for the best results

The final and key step to making sure that your ads are working properly, is to watch your data roll in. You will have new data within hours, so it is vital that you do not wait too long to review. You can start by viewing these metrics: 

• Link Clicks

• Cost Per Link Click

• Leads

• Impressions

You even have the ability to filter data out by Dynamic Creative Asset which is a result of the areas that you add when creating the ads themselves.

Want some help setting up your Facebook lead ads campaigns?

Facebook ads may seem intimidating because of all of the different pieces, but ultimately, it is a channel that can help grow your business or nonprofit. Just follow along with these tips and tricks, and you will be rocking and rolling in no time.

If you want some help setting up and managing your Facebook ads campaigns, Soulheart is here to help. We offer ads services for Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and more. Check out more about our services here and complete this form to talk to a Soulheart specialist about what you need.

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Facebook Lead Generation Ads FAQs

What Are The Steps To Setting Up Lead Generation Ads on Facebook?

Step 1: Set up a Facebook Business Page

Step 2: Go to Publishing Tools in your Business Suite.

Step 3: Click the Leads setup option

Step 4: Create a new form in the Forms Library area.

Step 5: Navigate to business.facebook.com to set up your business profile  (if you haven’t already) and create your first lead ad. You can do this by going to the consideration column and selecting Lead Generation.

What Are Some Tips For Targeting The Right Audience?

Tip 1: When selecting a service, choose job titles, engaged shoppers, or page administrators. 

Tip 2: Continue narrowing your audience after you initially set up the targeting

Tip 3: Think of your audience in statement form. “I would like to reach 25-50 year olds who love marketing, support nonprofits, and love sports.”

What To Monitor and Optimize For The Best Lead Gen Ad Results?

You should monitor and optimize for Link Clicks, Cost Per Link Click (CPC), Leads, and Impressions.