Facebook…It Just Makes Cents

Ryan Faria - April 28, 2009

It’s pretty hard to ignore the impact Facebook has on our society; mothers, fathers, children, grandparents and everyone in between seems to have a Facebook profile.  But, the question advertisers seem to keep asking is, ‘How can I use Facebook to generate more sales or leads?’

Recently, I have had several hotel clients mention that they were running special deals due to the recent slump in the economy.  One option that I suggested was to advertise on Facebook.  Although, these clients were skeptical as to how this social media channel could drive sales and bookings, they trusted our expertise.  I explained that by using Facebook they can specifically target an audience with interests that closely matched activities either in or nearby the hotel.  For example, if the client was located in Aspen, Colorado, such interests worth targeting would be skiing, snow tubing, sledding and even Aspen.

In addition to selecting interests that match your company’s profile, you can also select age ranges as well as the gender you wish to target.  Best of all, advertisers can choose exact cities in the surrounding area; this leaves a huge opportunity to offer specials to local residents.

By having so many options to target your audience, Facebook makes it easy to find customers who are interested in the products and services you offer.  Many of the clients I have moved into Facebook are experiencing superb results. 

When starting your Facebook advertising, remember to set your budget small and see the results you receive before allocating more funds toward your advertising efforts.  Be sure that your message is clear and concise with a strong call to action.  Another extremely helpful hint is to include an image with your advertising copy.

Remember, Facebook is not just for ‘tweens,’ teens and college students; there are a huge spectrum of ages and interests waiting for you to target.