The most effective advertising is aimed at customers you believe will respond to your appeals and take the action you desire, whether that’s buying a product or signing up for a newsletter. Imagine if you could hand-pick this audience for your video marketing.
One Facebook advertising tool allows you to do just that. Custom Audiences lets you create lists of customized targets using your own customer lists, pixel tracking, app activity and other data. It matches you up with the people you want to reach, and you can then serve social video to them or target them in any manner you desire.
Sound too good to be true? Well, you do have to know how to use this function to put it into action. Here’s a look at how, when and why to use Facebook Custom Audiences.
How to Implement Facebook Custom Audiences
You can target your audience using the Create Audience tool in the Ads Manager/Tool section. You can choose from a number of options, including:
- Customer File
- Website Activity
- App Activity
- Engagement Audiences
Each one relies on slightly different data, so you can drill deep on your targeting. You can even choose to engage with a “lookalike audience” that mimics the characteristics of other custom audiences you have built. Another choice is engagement — you can target those who have already watched your videos on Facebook, suggesting they would be open to more video content in the future.
You can set up different filters, too, such as people who watched only a few seconds of your video or those who saw the vast majority of it. This allows you to serve up different ads to people who have seen different things, increasing the potential effectiveness of your ad.
When to Utilize Custom Video Audiences
You can use Custom Video Audiences for many different purposes. The possibilities are endless because of the many ways to target them. Here are just a few ideas:
- Targeting different video ads at audiences who have seen your videos within 5-8 days and 9-12 days
- Targeting people who watched a video within the past six months
- Targeting people who viewed just three seconds of your video
Think about how different your messaging should be for each of these scenarios. With custom audiences, you have the chance to show a video that speaks to them based on what they’ve seen before, which means a better chance of engaging these viewers.
The Benefits of Using Facebook Custom Audiences
Any type of program that allows you to target more narrowly has a better chance of succeeding. The right audience can lead to stronger responses and results for your campaign. Facebook advertisers have reported using the feature to drive likes of their company page since you can employ the tool to go after only those who do not like your page. You can also target past customers with the tool, sending them a customized message, or spread the word about upgrades to those who already have bought from you.
The possibilities for Facebook Custom Video Audiences are almost unlimited. Need help formulating your strategy? You can always contact PixelFish for assistance.