Introducing Facebook Local Awareness Ads… And Understanding How They Work

As an independent retailer, you should know how important it is to be active on Facebook. And while posting to Facebook daily is imperative to your success on the network, it may also be worth your while to explore Facebook’s advertising options. Before you turn up your nose at the idea of “paying to play,” we’re here to bring some good news:  Facebook has finally developed an ad program with the independent retailer in mind. Advertising on Facebook as an independent retailer has become a lot easier, cost effective and results-driven.

Why is it important to place ads on FB?

Advertising on Facebook has become routine for retailers of all sizes and in some cases even more popular than traditional advertising. Nowadays it’s a no brainer to incorporate Facebook into your marketing plan.

Facebook is not only the most popular social network in the United States, an overwhelming influencer of purchase decisions. According to Jeff Bullas, 47% of Americans go to Facebook before buying a product.

Larger, more dominant brands are investing in Facebook because they’re seeing a return on their investment in a big way. Facebook’s new Local Awareness Ads option has been designed to help independent brick and mortar retailers yield those same results.

What is this new tool all about?

Local Awareness Ads are designed for you to reach more customers in your area for less money. You set the target radius and budget, and Facebook will charge only for the number of clicks your ad receives. Local Ads will show only to customers who have location services turned on and live nearby or are visiting your target radius. It’s an effective way to generate awareness and bring new customers to your store.

Another cool feature that makes Local Awareness Ads perfect for the independent retailer is the ability to give customers directions to your store through the ad. You can’t do that through commercials, radio or print ads. When you make it easy on the customer, you’ll see more of them at your store.

Why is this an improvement for indie retailers?

Rather than trying to target densely populated cities and states, the Local Awareness Ad tool will help you target people who are already close to your business. This helps you save money and reach the right people. This tool has different types of ads from which you can choose from, all designed for success. You can even get an estimate for the reach an ad will receive at a certain budget before it’s set.

It’s about time Facebook provided independent retailers a tool like this. If you’re itching to get started, learn more here and create your Local Ad today! https://www.facebook.com/business/a/local-awareness

Written by Hannah West, a recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. West is part of the SnapRetail team, where she is a marketing coordinator and is an avid contributor to their blog and social media. Hannah spends her free time with friends and family and attends as many Pirate games at PNC Park as possible. This article originally appeared on their website. Learn more about SnapRetail here!