Create Your First Facebook Ad

Meet Jill. She's an online running coach and small business owner who uses Facebook ads to connect and grow her community of “running sisters.”

But she wasn't always an expert in Facebook advertising. She started out setting small goals and improving as she went. Watch Jill's story to learn how she overcame the fear of getting started, her tips for staying motivated, and the lessons she's learned along the way.

Now it's your turn

We've created this step-by-step checklist to help you launch your first Facebook ad. You can even check off your accomplishments and share them with friends! You ready?

Define Your Goal. 15 MINUTES

The first step in any successful ad campaign is goal setting. Facebook considers this your campaign objective. It's important to determine upfront what you're trying to achieve: Website clicks? Conversions? Page likes? The objective you choose will influence how you measure the success of your campaign.

Identify Your Personas. 30 MINUTES

You might have an idea of who your customers are, but it's important to get really niche when it comes to creating a persona. What are your customer's interests? Passions? Motivators? Here's a downloadable worksheet to help you identify your ideal customer so you can create content that speaks to them.

Build Your Audience. 30 MINUTES

When you have a good picture of who you want to reach, you can start building your audience targets in Facebook based on demographics, behaviors, life experiences and more. You can also create lookalike audiences to match your website visitors, customers or prospects. To learn how to build your audiences, check out this how-to from Social Media Examiner.

Create a Clear Call-to-Action. 15 MINUTES

Your ads should provide clear direction on how you want prospects to take action. Your call-to-action (CTA) is your opportunity to really drive home the message. Make it count!

Set a Budget. 15 MINUTES

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to reach the right people. The great thing about Facebook ads is the ability to set a price that's right for you. Facebook runs on an auction structure on which buyers determine the maximum bid they want to pay for clicks, impressions and conversions. Budgets can be set daily, weekly, or even at a lifetime level. Here's a breakdown of Facebook's bidding structure so you can find what works for you.

Create Compelling Copy. 30 MINUTES

The copy in your ad is really important to drive an action from your audience. Make sure your headline, text and description deliver your message and drive people to take action. Here are seven formulas you can try. Save time with this helpful fill-in-the-blank Facebook Ad template.

Use Impactful Images. 30 MINUTES

The secret to getting more eyes on your Facebook ad is to use images to grab viewers attention. Look for high-contrast images with little to no text - these typically perform best. Canva and Pablo by Buffer are easy-to-use tools for creating social images on a budget. And sites like Unsplash and Pexels are great resources for high-quality, royalty-free photography. Here are some ideas to get you started. Or check out our checklist for creating a shareable image.

Beyond the Facebook Ad

Want to learn more? Here are some additional resources to help you create a winning social campaign:

The Essential Guide to Social and Email Marketing
Everything the email marketer needs to know about using social media to generate leads.

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7 Steps to Create and Measure Winning Facebook Ads
Learn how to quickly build Facebook ads that fit your budget, send engaged traffic to your website and grow your email list and your business.

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3 Ways to Get More From Your Facebook Ads
Social media expert Andrea Vahl shares her tips for boosting your Facebook marketing efforts.

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