5 Ways to Make Sure Your Facebook Ads Shine Through COVID-19

Nearly every recent email salutation says these are some “strange and unsure times.” Right now, more people are staying at home, which suggests more people going online. Now might be the right time for you to start placing Facebook ads for your company’s services and products.

According to The New York Times, day-to-day traffic to Facebook ads soared 27% since the onset of the coronavirus dilemma in the USA. Many brand names are creating a strategy to capitalize on this increased website traffic while continuing to be tactful and understanding to consumers.

It’s like walking a tight rope. Of course, you want to spread the word about your company, but you want to maintain a clean consciousness and a strong brand identity.

It’s possible to strike a balance when you take the right approach.

Why should you concentrate on Facebook ads?

Data from Hootsuite show that Facebook has 2.5 billion monthly users. Businesses that use Facebook ads can connect with 1.95 billion of those users. That’s virtually a third of the world population! And since Facebook activity is surging during COVID-19, you can’t afford to not focus on Facebook now.

With all this activity, yours isn’t the only business taking advantage of the increased web traffic. Undoubtedly, there be a lot of competition in the coming months. That’s why your Facebook ads must stand apart from all the others.

Start with these five ways to ensure your Facebook ads shine during coronavirus.

1. Create Facebook Ads that increase List building

A recent Wall Street Journal article explained that the cost of advertising on Facebook is decreasing. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, there’s a catch.

Conversion rates are also on the decline. This means that even though you increase your ad spend to benefit from the lower CPM, your conversion rates probably won’t improve.

This isn’t about giving up on a successful ad. It merely suggests you must pivot your strategy to focus less on conversion and more on collecting emails from leads.

Adjust your Facebook ads category from “Get More Website Visitors” to “Get More Leads.” When customers see your advertisements, the ads will trigger them to enter their contact info rather than converting on your web site.

Motivating people to fill out their information instead of pressuring them to convert is a better technique since all conversion rates are down. It also makes you appear less aggressive.

I understand it might be challenging to move away from conversion-based strategies for a while. Still, it’s the best way to benefit from the present situation.

2. Use Passion and Purpose in You Facebook Ads to Reach People

Needless to say, we’re not living in normal times. If you keep going on with business as usual, prospective customers could perceive your brand as being tone-deaf.

That is the last thing that you want. Don’t be afraid to show a little vulnerability, rather than trying to keep up a front of normalcy.

Some businesses are posting pictures of their workers working from home or their executives releasing a heartfelt letter. Some have upgraded some of their buildings to provide healthcare staff with protective gear. Many companies ran fundraising programs in support of the cause.

Facebook ads (even simple posts) about an effort like this can make it much easier for consumers to connect to and also trust your brand.

Use this also as a moment when the brand should step up. Some people are really struggling because of this pandemic. There could be something that you might do to help.

An article from McKinsey & Firm put it like this: “Is this the moment when purposeful companies demonstrate how to use profits for good, or that shows how everything a company does can be for good?”

Personally, I think how businesses act during this moment is extremely telling. Their real nature comes out when they’re under pressure.

So, what is your business’s real nature? What ways can your company use profits for good? Is there anything that your business can do to show that it cares?

Consider this ad from eco-friendly shoe manufacturer Allbirds as an example:

This ad does 3 things very well:

1. Plainly states specifically how the company served people in need.
2. Explains that the firm will continue to support.
3. Invites consumers to participate by buying or donating.

While your business might not have the ability to distribute half a million dollars’ worth of shoes, you can undoubtedly find a way to help. You can demonstrate how you want to continue to help and encourage people to support you in your project.

3. Be Informed & Lean Into the Moment

You may think constant COVID-19 references are annoying people, but the data says otherwise. This ViralSpace.ai graph shows the increased performance of postings related to coronavirus:

This doesn’t suggest that the blog posts have to be virus-focused or gloomy. It might be the negative tone – not the subject itself – that customers are actually tired of.

This technique again deals with finding a balance. Lean in, just don’t come across like some sort of an opportunist.

Although this is a frightening time, customers want you to see them and recognize what they’re experiencing. You can’t ignore it. Leaning into the moment is the far better choice. Brainstorm ways that your company can be relatable without always pointing out the pandemic. The content could exceed your other ads and messages.

If you are unsure, using the A/B testing feature on Facebook to compare a coronavirus-related advertisement directly to a regular ad. Let the data guide you.

Finally, make sure to combine your Facebook ads with COVID-friendly messaging using funnels and a landing page.

4. Use Humor to Increase Facebook Ads Engagement

As you can see from the increasing number of COVID-19 memes, people are using humor to deal with this circumstance. As long as you’re skillful regarding it, your service can make use of some humor, as well.

Light sarcasm, puns, or subtle references to pop culture can uniquely connect with your audience. If that fits the voice of your brand, it could be even more powerful when used in your Facebook ads.

While you are also likely looking forward to “the blessed day you’ll be able to leave the house,” consider using this kind of humor to your Facebook ads. A little sarcasm might even humanize your company.

Take care not to overdo, though. Sometimes a bad joke can lead to unwanted and dreadful attention.

To avoid that type of mistake, have a few of your colleagues, close friends, or family members look at your ad copy as a “sensitivity read.” They’ll let you know if the humor doesn’t land right.

5. Use Lookalike Audiences That Maximize for LTV.

Since conversion rates are low right now, you need to be precise and optimize by picking high LTV customers for the average order value. Using LTV creates the most effective version of lookalike audiences on Facebook. When using LTV, you target prospective customers that look like your most valuable buyers.

Look at it like this. Say you’ve got two clients: one who spent $50, and the other who spent $500. LTV helps you target people that look more like a $500 client than a $50 customer. You need to concentrate on attracting a high-value market while conversion rates are low.

Once you start targeting an audience that is similar to your customers with the highest value, you will get more qualified leads. Your email list will expand with more valuable potential clients; your future conversion rates will confirm it.

Conclusion

Covid-19 slowed the real world down, but the online world has shown no slowing down. In fact, it’s evident that life online is speeding up.

These tactics will help you take this extraordinary moment and make an incredible improvement in your Facebook ads strategy.

Leverage low CPM with lead-focused advertising. Do something positive for those people who are struggling. Lean in to show that you know how life has changed. Use a bit of humor. Remember to use LTV-optimizing lookalike audiences, because you’ll only target the most valuable future clients.

Want to go beyond Facebook ads to step up your digital marketing approach during COVID-19?

This is the time to try out other channels. Maybe it’s time to get SEO working for your business. Set up a time to talk and find out the best solution for your business.