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In this course, we'll be creating ads using the Ads Create tool. This tool is the easiest way to create ads based on your advertising objective. If you don't recall from earlier, an advertising objective is what you want people to do when they see your ad. Think of the Ads Create tool as a guided tour. Facebook will determine what to show you, what questions to ask, and what is displayed based on this objective. You'll need to identify your objective first, and then you can start the process. There are ways to tweak your ad beyond this guided process, but for this course we'll be sticking to the basics.
To launch this tool, I selected Create Ads from the drop-down in the upper right. You can also get here by visiting facebook.com/ads/create. This is a good page to bookmark, as you'll be using it each time you create a new advertisement. Keep in mind there are other places to create an ad, but for simplicity's sake, this is a great page as all the ad options are present here.
As you hover over each option, you'll get a small tooltip explaining the definition of that objective. Let's go through these together, and I'll give you a simplified explanation of each. We will get into more detail of the ones that apply to you as a real estate agent later.
1. Send people to your website
With the Clicks to Website option, you'll be driving people off Facebook and onto your website. As an agent, you have to decide the value of your site. For many of you, your website may become simply a glorified business card, and your Facebook page will become your primary internet presence. Arranged correctly, your Facebook page can promote listings, have a schedule of open houses, contain a photo/video gallery of properties, collect emails, and much more-not to mention that your Facebook page will have a following that is automatically updated on any activity you do. Many agents do not realize that a Facebook page can do most, if not all, of the things your website can do. Plus it is free, it is hosted, and it will not crash on you. Whatever your strategy, you want to make sure your website and your Facebook page are working in harmony together.
2. Increase conversions on your website
For website conversions, you'll promote a specific conversion on your website. To use this, you'll need to use a conversion pixel, which we won't be covering in this fundamentals course.
3. Boost your posts
You will regularly post on your Facebook page. But when there is a message you really want to get out there, such as a new listing or a post that you really think can get you new leads, you will want to boost your post. We will get more into this later, but you should know that it is very effective and very easy to do.
4. Promote your page
Use the Page Likes objective to grow the number of likes on your Facebook page. This will become your base for who you will market to. Think of it like this. When you put a billboard in the street, you are hoping that right people walk by and see it. With this tool, you are isolating people who have a good chance of needing your service, putting them in a room, and showing everybody in the room your billboard.
5. Get installs of your app / Increase engagement to your app
The two functions relating to apps are rarely used by real estate agents, so I will not get into them now.
6. Reach people near your business
This is a great way to increase your brand in your community.
7. Event Responses
Event Responses is used to increase attendance via a Facebook event. This is a great function that is hugely overlooked by real estate agents. If you are holding an open house, a seminar, or any other community event as a way to get your name out there, then this is something you need to become familiar with. We will get into more detail about it later.
8. Get people to claim your offer
This is another one that is not hugely applicable to real estate agents, so we will leave it alone for now.
9. Get video views
Promote videos that show behind-the-scenes footage of your activity as a real estate agent, new properties, or a tour of your community. A fantastic type of video to include is customer stories and/or testimonials to raise awareness about what a great agent you are. There are many great things you can do with videos to promote yourself to your Facebook audience.