Facebook ads confuse me...

S

S M W

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May 13, 2009
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How the F do facebook ads work?! I never thought something so simple would have me so confused but wtf?

I'm trying to do some research on ads as I'm thinking of selling my own product on FB. So I've spent a few days searching for various keywords to see what ads will be shown. The results have me questioning if legitimate ads can actually get into FB and whether the ads will actually be shown to the customer.

Despite what keywords I use, I will inevitably be shown the Korean Tourism Organization, Dallas Habitat for Humanity, American Express Open, and a variety of Pets Games. None of this is related to the keywords that I enter.

WTF am I doing wrong? I've been using the search function to see ads - is there another way that I'm overlooking?

My question is: Is it possible to even show a targeted ad to a potential customer on FB?

How do advertisers make money on FB if your ads don't get shown to prospective customers???
 


No, it doesn't have to do with clicking the like button. He means that when you create the ad you choose the likes of the users you want to reach. So if your product is sport related, type in the "likes" section of the ad, "sports, football, basketball, soccer, etc.." stuff like that. The more likes you you enter limits the amount of people that will see the ad though, but it can also mean better conversions for your offer/product. It's actually quite simple..
 
No problem.

EDIT: Actually the more likes you have increases the amount of people that will see the ad, my bad. Only having a few likes will limit the amount of people that actually sees the ad. No likes means pretty much everyone is gonna see it within your age range/gender and other settings you made for your ad. The more specific your likes are the better conversions you will have.
 
S M W said:
Despite what keywords I use, I will inevitably be shown the Korean Tourism Organization, Dallas Habitat for Humanity, American Express Open, and a variety of Pets Games. None of this is related to the keywords that I enter.
Click to expand...
I am going to make a guess based on what I've seen at my own FB page: If no ads that fit your profile are available at the moment, ads based on your friends' likes or profiles are substituted.

In my profile I have alternated between "Agnostic" and "Apostate" as my religion :updown: yet I see ads on occasion for the Mormon Church. Somebody on my friends list is a Mormon. I also see ads for companies I know friends liked but I haven't.
 
S M W said:
Despite what keywords I use, I will inevitably be shown the Korean Tourism Organization, Dallas Habitat for Humanity, American Express Open, and a variety of Pets Games. None of this is related to the keywords that I enter.

WTF am I doing wrong? I've been using the search function to see ads - is there another way that I'm overlooking?

My question is: Is it possible to even show a targeted ad to a potential customer on FB?

How do advertisers make money on FB if your ads don't get shown to prospective customers???
Click to expand...

Ads are not shown based on search keywords like google. You need to change the demographics and interests in your profile to see different ads.
 
BlueYonder said:
I am going to make a guess based on what I've seen at my own FB page: If no ads that fit your profile are available at the moment, ads based on your friends' likes or profiles are substituted.

In my profile I have alternated between "Agnostic" and "Apostate" as my religion :updown: yet I see ads on occasion for the Mormon Church. Somebody on my friends list is a Mormon. I also see ads for companies I know friends liked but I haven't.
Click to expand...

I doubt you are being shown your friends likes, you are being shown more general advertising that you fall under.

e.g. if you are Female and 32 and an agnostic, but you are seeing Mormon ads then the advertiser has either targeted Female only, or Female and an age range that you fall under, and they are not targeting your religious views (or maybe they are :) ).

There are adverts out there that cover almost any major demo you are in (sex, age, country), so FB are not running out of adverts for you, don't worry.
 
BlueYonder said:
I am going to make a guess based on what I've seen at my own FB page: If no ads that fit your profile are available at the moment, ads based on your friends' likes or profiles are substituted.

In my profile I have alternated between "Agnostic" and "Apostate" as my religion :updown: yet I see ads on occasion for the Mormon Church. Somebody on my friends list is a Mormon. I also see ads for companies I know friends liked but I haven't.
Click to expand...

Maybe Mormon's are just really hopeful they can save you from going to hell!
 
BlueYonder said:
In my profile I have alternated between "Agnostic" and "Apostate" as my religion :updown: yet I see ads on occasion for the Mormon Church. Somebody on my friends list is a Mormon.
Click to expand...

You can't target by religion. Do you live in an area with a lot of Mormons?
 
S M W said:
How the F do facebook ads work?! I never thought something so simple would have me so confused but wtf?

I'm trying to do some research on ads as I'm thinking of selling my own product on FB. So I've spent a few days searching for various keywords to see what ads will be shown. The results have me questioning if legitimate ads can actually get into FB and whether the ads will actually be shown to the customer.

Despite what keywords I use, I will inevitably be shown the Korean Tourism Organization, Dallas Habitat for Humanity, American Express Open, and a variety of Pets Games. None of this is related to the keywords that I enter.

WTF am I doing wrong? I've been using the search function to see ads - is there another way that I'm overlooking?

My question is: Is it possible to even show a targeted ad to a potential customer on FB?

How do advertisers make money on FB if your ads don't get shown to prospective customers???
Click to expand...

I tried FB ads and it wasn't that good for me. I may give it a go again after the new year. I've had more success with free ad sources.
 
Yodie said:
I tried FB ads and it wasn't that good for me. I may give it a go again after the new year. I've had more success with free ad sources.
Click to expand...

I'm by hardly any measure a 'big time' advertiser, but I ran a few campaigns and for the most part I believe I was on the receiving end of a clickfraud campaign. :ugone2far:
 
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