The fast-paced digital era we live in today has made advertising on social media an essential strategy for many online businesses in South Africa. Social media platforms and their global presence offer great opportunities to reach and engage with a wider audience. As the biggest platform in the world, Facebook continues to pioneer the social media advertising space.
Unsurprisingly, Facebook leads the way as the most popular platform to advertise on social media. So to ensure a fair and safe environment for both sellers and customers, Facebook has implemented specific advertising and commerce policies that all businesses must follow.
If you’re looking to start selling your products or services online, this comprehensive guide unpacks the best practices for advertising on social media. It discusses various Facebook ad rules, highlights the best social media advertising platforms, and provides valuable insights to help you maximise your profits from social media ads.
Let’s dive into the world of social media advertising and unlock its immense potential.
Facebook’s advertising policies play a critical role in maintaining the safety and trustworthiness of the platform for customers and advertisers. If you want to effectively market and sell your products or services on social media, following these Facebook ads guidelines is essential.
You can find the complete outline of the platform’s advertising policies on the official Facebook Business Help Center. It takes you through the various aspects of ad generation, targeting, prohibited content, and ad placement.
Here are a few key takeaways from what Facebook’s ad policy says on these critical aspects:
Facebook prohibits the promotion of illegal products or services, adult content, discriminatory practices, instigating bias against a group, and misleading claims.
Ads must not violate Facebook’s Community Standards.
Content that may negatively affect people’s health and safety, like the illicit sale of drugs, weapons, and tobacco products, is prohibited.
Content that may lead to negative experiences is also prohibited. This would be advertising adult content or using poor grammar and profanity.
Content that promotes social issues, electoral or political views is not allowed.
Facebook provides specific guidelines for ad placement, including design and content requirements.
Difference between advertising policies and commerce policies
To ensure that you can advertise on social media without having your content barred or removed, you’ll have to familiarise yourself with two important concepts. Advertising policies and commerce policies are two distinct sets of guidelines that businesses must adhere to when operating on platforms like Facebook.
Below we explore the differences between these two concepts and how each has the potential to affect your business.
Advertising policies
In simple terms, Facebook’s advertising policies are a set of guidelines on the types of content the platform allows and prohibits. These policies ensure that ads are aligned with community standards, are visually appealing, and do not engage in discriminatory or misleading practices.
Advertising policies generally apply specifically to advertisements. So if you’re not the owner of the business, but you are running ads on Facebook on behalf of the business, you’ll have to comply with the platform’s advertising policies.
Commerce policies
On the other hand, commerce policies govern the real-time transactions and business practices that take place within the platform. These policies cover aspects such as payment processing, product listings, customer support, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Commerce policies govern the types of products and services that you can list for sale on your online shop. These guidelines aim to create a secure and trustworthy environment for users engaging in commercial activities.
If you’re a business owner and advertiser on Facebook, you’ll have to comply with both sets of guidelines listed under Facebook’s advertising and commerce policies.
Advertising policies vs. commerce policies
If you’re still struggling to grasp the difference between these two concepts, think about it like this.
Advertising policies focus on the promotion and presentation of products or services on Facebook. While commerce policies address the overall business operations and transactional aspects within the platform.
It is crucial for businesses to understand and comply with both advertising and commerce policies. This will ensure a seamless and compliant experience while advertising and selling on platforms like Facebook.
To further simplify the difference between advertising and commerce policies, we have created the table below.
Advertising Policies
Commerce Policies
Alcohol
Allowed with restrictions
Not allowed
Gambling
Allowed with restrictions
Not allowed
Medical and healthcare products
Allowed with restrictions
Not allowed
Animals and animal products
Allowed with restrictions
Not allowed
Subscriptions
Allowed with restrictions
Allowed with restrictions
Alcohol
Ads that promote alcohol are allowed under Facebook’s advertising policies, but they must comply with local laws, industry codes, licences, and approvals. Another critical consideration is adding a minimum age and country targeting criteria (e.g.18+ in South Africa).
The sale of alcohol is not allowed on any of Facebook’s commerce platforms. So you can advertise on Facebook, but you can’t sell alcohol products on Facebook Marketplace.
Gambling
Ads that promote online gambling must have prior written permission from Facebook. This also applies to advertisements that promote online games, specifically when anything of monetary value is required to play or forms part of the prize. This includes cash prizes or digital currencies such as Bitcoin. These ads must not target anyone under the age of 18.
The buying, selling, or abetment of online gambling for money or anything of a similar value is strictly prohibited under Facebook’s commerce policies.
If you want to promote the sale of prescription drugs, you’ll require prior written permission from Facebook. The outright sale of medical and healthcare products, including prescription drugs and ingestible supplements, through the platform’s commerce channels is strictly prohibited.
Medical and healthcare products
Facebook allows the promotion of medical and healthcare products provided that they don’t generate a negative self-perception or make misleading claims. For example, there were many contrasting opinions about the coronavirus vaccine, and as a result of Facebook’s updated COVID-19 policy, hundreds of accounts were banned.
If you want to promote the sale of prescription drugs, you’ll require prior written permission from Facebook. The outright sale of medical and healthcare products, including prescription drugs and ingestible supplements, through the platform’s commerce channels is strictly prohibited.
Animals and animal products
Facebook allows ads that promote the sale of non-endangered animals by brick-and-mortar entities, like pet shops. As well as ads on social media with the purpose of asking for donations, adoptions, or rehoming animals are allowed.
The platform does not allow attempts to buy, sell, exchange or trade, donate, or gift endangered species (or their parts). This also applies to live, non-endangered animals, except under very limited circumstances.
Subscriptions
Ads that promote subscriptions must meet Facebook’s subscription services requirements, like clearly showing the price of your promoted goods or services. The platform permits the promotion of subscriptions for physical products on its commerce channels. But it does not support the same for digital products, like e-books, including digital subscriptions.
Facebook ads allow the promotion of subscription products or services with automatic renewal, free-to-pay conversion billing, or mobile marketing. But these ads are subject to Facebook’s subscription services requirements.
How does the Facebook ad policy affect your business online?
Now that you have a firm understanding of the basics of advertising on social media, particularly on Facebook. Have a look at how these guidelines, under both Facebook’s advertising and commerce policies, can affect your online business.
Below we’ve highlighted the most critical aspects of Facebook’s advertising and commerce guidelines and how adhering to them (or not) affects your online business.
Ensuring a safe and trustworthy environment
Facebook’s ad policy mainly aims to create a safe and trustworthy environment for customers and advertisers. It does this by prohibiting the promotion of illegal products, adult content, discrimination, and misleading claims.
By complying with these guidelines, you can establish your business as a reputable and ethical advertiser or seller, which builds trust with its potential customers. Failing to comply with these guidelines may lead to your account being closed.
Ethical advertising practices
The ad policy ensures that your business engages in ethical advertising practices. It sets guidelines for advert content, including the design, messaging, and imagery, to ensure that ads are visually appealing and aligned with Facebook’s community standards.
Adhering to these guidelines will help your business create ads that are respectful, engaging, and relevant to its target audience. Failure to comply with Facebook’s ethical advertising practices can lead to being flagged by customers and possibly your account being blocked.
Targeting responsibly
Facebook restricts certain targeting options to prevent discrimination and maintain fairness among sellers and advertisers. Your business must avoid targeting based on sensitive attributes such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and health conditions.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your business and its ads reach a wide audience without engaging in discriminatory practices. Targeting responsibly and appropriately can make or break your business. Doing it right can maximise the monetisation of your business, but not doing so can see your business being closed down.
Enhanced user experience
Facebook’s ad policy aims to provide users with a positive experience on the platform by ensuring that ads are relevant and engaging. By aligning your business with these policies, you can create ads that resonate with a target audience, leading to a higher likelihood of engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction.
You can further streamline your business’s user experience by connecting your Facebook Business account with a platform like Netcash Shop to more easily advertise on social media.
Compliance and avoidance of penalties
Compliance with Facebook’s ad policy leads to a successful advertising campaign through social media. But failure to comply with the platform’s ad policy can result in penalties, like ad disapproval, account suspension, or even a permanent ban.
Adhering to the ad policy guidelines helps your business avoid these penalties and maintain a strong online presence. Compliance with the policy also demonstrates professionalism and a commitment to following the platform’s rules and guidelines.
Maximising advertising ROI
By following the Facebook ad policy, your business can optimise its advertising efforts and maximise its return on investment (ROI). Adhering to the policy ensures that ads are displayed effectively across the platform and capture the attention of the target audience.
This, in turn, increases the chances of ad engagement, conversions, and, ultimately, business growth. This is true for most social media advertising platforms, like Instagram.
Building brand reputation
Maintaining compliance with Facebook’s ad policy contributes to building a positive brand reputation. Adhering to ethical advertising practices and creating ads that align with community standards allows your business to enhance its brand image and establish itself as a trusted advertiser.
This reputation can have a long-lasting positive impact on the success and growth of the business. Other ways you can improve your brand reputation is by being active, responsive, and accessible when customers have queries.
Benefits of advertising on social media
Advertising on social media platforms offers numerous benefits for a business looking to enhance its online presence, monetise its following, and reach a wider audience. That’s why more than 200 million small businesses worldwide are using social media to grow their business.
Here are a few benefits of using social network advertising to grow your business:
1. Extensive reach and targeting options
Social media platforms have billions of active users, which provides your business with unparalleled access to a vast audience. These platforms allow your business to target specific demographics, interests, behaviours, and locations, ensuring that ads are delivered to the most relevant audience.
This precise targeting capability increases the chances of reaching potential customers who are more likely to engage with the ads and convert into customers.
2. Increased brand awareness
Social media advertising is an effective way to boost brand visibility and recognition. By reaching a large audience, your business can raise awareness about its products, services, or brand.
The ability to create visually appealing and engaging ads helps capture the attention of users, leaving a lasting impression and increasing brand recall. Consistent brand exposure through social media advertising can significantly contribute to overall recognition and top-of-mind awareness.
3. Enhanced customer engagement and interaction
Social media platforms offer interactive features that facilitate direct communication and engagement between businesses and customers. Social media ads can encourage users to like, comment, share, subscribe, or click through to learn more, fostering a higher level of engagement compared to traditional advertising methods.
This engagement allows your business to build relationships with its audience, respond to inquiries, gather feedback, and create a sense of community around your brand.
4. Cost-effective advertising
Social media advertising provides cost-effective solutions for businesses of all sizes. Compared to traditional advertising channels like printing and cold-calling, social media platforms offer flexible budgeting options.
These allow your business to set its own desired ad spend. Additionally, the ability to target specific demographics ensures that advertising budgets are allocated towards reaching the most relevant audience, hence maximising your return on investment (ROI).
5. Measurable results and analytics
One of the best advantages of using social media advertising is the availability of detailed analytics and measurement tools on platforms like Facebook. Social media networks provide in-depth insights into ad performance.
They provide information on the number of impressions, clicks, conversions, engagement rates, and demographic data. This data enables your business to track the effectiveness of its ads, make data-driven decisions, and optimise campaigns in real time to achieve better results.
6. Remarketing opportunities
Social media platforms offer remarketing capabilities. These allow your business to re-engage with users who have previously interacted with the brand. By leveraging website tracking pixels or customer data, you can target users who have shown interest in your products or services.
This remarketing strategy helps to reinforce brand messaging, nurture leads, and increase the chances of conversion.
7. Flexibility and diverse ad formats
Social media advertising offers a variety of ad formats to suit different marketing objectives and creative preferences. From image and video ads to carousel ads, stories, and sponsored content, your business has the flexibility to choose the format that best showcases its products or services.
This diversity of ad formats ensures that your business can deliver its message in a visually appealing and engaging manner, increasing the chances of user interaction.
Facebook ads checklist
Thanks to its massive user base and advanced targeting options, Facebook is a great platform to promote your products or services, reach your target audience, and drive business growth.
But to make the most of your Facebook ad campaigns, it’s essential to have a solid plan and follow best practices. This checklist is designed to guide small businesses like yours through the process of setting up successful Facebook ad campaigns.
Here’s a step-by-step roadmap to ensure you cover all the essential elements of running effective Facebook ads.
Step 1: Define your advertising goals
Clearly outline your objectives for running Facebook ads. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, generating leads, or boosting sales, having well-defined goals will guide your advertising strategy.
Step 2: Understand your target audience
Identify your target audience (or niche) based on demographics, interests, behaviours, and location. This knowledge will help you create highly targeted ads that resonate with your ideal customers.
Step 3: Set a realistic budget
Determine your advertising budget based on your business’s financial capabilities and advertising goals. Start with a conservative budget and gradually increase it as you receive feedback. Use the feedback to optimise your campaigns and improve results.
Step 4: Install the Facebook Pixel
Facebook Pixel is a piece of code that lets you measure, optimise, and build audiences for your ad campaigns. This is also a crucial tool for tracking conversions. Install it on your website to collect valuable data and measure the effectiveness of your ads.
Step 5: Create compelling ads
Design visually appealing and engaging ads that align with your brand. Use high-quality images or videos, concise and persuasive ad copy, and a clear call-to-action to entice potential customers to take the desired action.
Step 6: Choose the right ad format
Select the ad format that best suits your advertising goals and the nature of your business. Facebook offers various formats, like image ads, video ads, carousel ads, and collection ads. Consider the format that will effectively showcase your products or services.
Step 7: Create targeted ad copy
You should write short and straightforward advert content that grabs attention and clearly communicates your value proposition. Tailor your messaging to resonate with your target audience and highlight the unique benefits of your offerings. This will set you apart from other businesses in the same industry.
Step 8: Test multiple ad variations
Create different ad variations to test and optimise your campaigns. Experiment with different images, headlines, ad copy, and calls to action (CTAs) to identify the combinations that yield the best results.
Step 9: Optimise for mobile viewing
With a significant portion of Facebook users accessing the platform on their mobile devices, make sure your ads are mobile-friendly. Use responsive design, legible text, and compelling visuals that work well on smaller screens.
Step 10: Monitor and analyse performance
Regularly monitor the performance of your ads using Facebook Ads Manager. Track key metrics such as impressions, click-through rates, conversions, and cost per conversion. Analyse the data to make data-driven decisions and optimise your campaigns for better results.
Step 11: Continuously refine and test your ads
Don’t be afraid to make adjustments and experiment with different strategies. Refine your targeting, ad designs, and messaging based on the insights gained from data analysis. A/B testing can help you identify the most effective elements of your ads.
Step 12: Maintain compliance with Facebook policies
Familiarise yourself with Facebook’s advertising policies and ensure your ads adhere to them. This includes guidelines for ad content, targeting, and prohibited content. Compliance will help you avoid ad disapproval or account suspension.
Cost of advertising on Facebook
The cost of advertising on Facebook varies depending on several factors, like the target audience, competition, ad quality, and campaign objectives. From a South African perspective, understanding the cost dynamics of Facebook advertising is crucial for small businesses aiming to maximise their marketing budget and achieve optimal results.
Here are a few crucial aspects to consider when setting a budget for your social networking advertising campaign.
Reach and audience size
Facebook’s extensive reach and large user base in South Africa present both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, your business can tap into a significant audience and potentially reach a wide range of potential customers.
On the other hand, the larger audience size can lead to increased competition and potentially higher advertising costs. You need to consider the balance between targeting a broad audience for brand awareness and narrowing your focus for more precise targeting.
Ad auction system
Facebook uses an auction-based system to determine the cost of ads. You, as an advertiser, can bid for ad placements based on your target audience and objectives. The cost per ad depends on the competition for that specific audience segment.
In highly competitive industries or with broad target audiences, the cost per ad may be higher. However, by refining targeting and focusing on niche markets, your business can potentially achieve better results at a lower cost.
Quality and relevance
Facebook rewards ads that are high-quality, relevant, and engaging. Ads that receive positive engagement, such as many likes, comments, and shares, are favoured by the algorithm and may result in lower costs.
By creating compelling ads and targeting them to the right audience, your business can enhance the quality and relevance of its ads, potentially reducing costs while increasing effectiveness.
Campaign objectives and optimisation
Various campaign objectives on Facebook, such as brand awareness, website traffic, lead generation, or conversions, require varying levels of investment. Each individual objective has its own cost dynamics, and your business should align its objectives with its available budget and expected returns.
It’s essential for you to set clear objectives, closely monitor your campaigns, and continuously optimise them to achieve cost-efficient results.
Ad formats and placement
Facebook offers various ad formats – these are images, videos, carousels, and stories. The cost of each format may vary based on factors such as demand, engagement rates, and placement options.
Understanding the cost differences between ad formats and testing their effectiveness with your target audience can help optimise your budget allocation.
Seasonality and events
The timing of your Facebook advertising campaigns can also impact costs. For example, during peak shopping seasons or major events, like Christmas and Black Friday, competition for ad placements may increase, leading to higher costs. You should be aware of these fluctuations and plan your campaigns accordingly.
Monitoring and optimisation
To manage costs effectively, continuous monitoring and optimisation of campaigns is crucial. Analysing key performance metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and cost per result will provide insights into the effectiveness of your ads.
By identifying underperforming ads and making data-driven adjustments, your business can improve its return on ad spend and reduce unnecessary costs (like re-advertising).
How do these Facebook policies affect advertising and selling online?
Facebook policies play a significant role in shaping the advertising and selling landscape on Instagram, as the platform is also owned by Meta. Understanding these policies is crucial if you are looking to leverage Instagram as a marketing and sales channel for your business.
Here’s a snapshot of how Facebook policies affect advertising and selling online.
Adherence to advertising guidelines
Instagram follows the same advertising guidelines as Facebook, ensuring a consistent approach to ad content and quality. Your business must comply with policies related to prohibited content, including misleading claims, offensive material, or restricted products.
Adhering to these guidelines is essential to avoid ad disapproval or account suspension on both Facebook and Instagram.
Ad targeting and personalisation
Facebook’s advanced targeting capabilities extend to Instagram advertising as well. You can leverage Facebook’s targeting options to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviours on Instagram.
This enables your business to deliver relevant and personalised ads to its desired target audience or customers and increases the chances of engagement and conversions.
Ad formats and design
Similar to Facebook, Instagram offers various ad formats (photo, video, carousel, and story). Your business must adhere to the specific design requirements and guidelines for each format. Creating visually appealing and engaging ads that align with Instagram’s aesthetics is crucial to capture the attention of customers and will drive effective advertising campaigns.
Instagram shopping
Facebook’s policies on commerce also apply to Instagram, especially with the introduction of Instagram Shopping features. You can tag products in your ads; this allows users to discover and purchase items directly within the app.
However, your business must comply with commerce policies regarding product eligibility, accurate product information, and a seamless shopping experience.
Content moderation and community standards
Facebook’s community standards and content moderation policies extend to Instagram to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for users. Your business must adhere to these standards and avoid sharing content that violates policies related to hate speech, harassment, or harmful behaviour. Failure to comply can result in content removal or account restrictions.
Ad transparency and data privacy
Facebook emphasises transparency and user privacy across its platforms, including Instagram. You must comply with policies regarding data privacy, consent, and the use of customer data for targeted advertising.
You should be transparent about data collection practices and provide users with control over their personal information. In South Africa, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) is there to document the flow of personal and sensitive data between two or more parties. Businesses that collect personal information must adhere to the POPI Act.
Monitoring and enforcement
Facebook actively monitors and enforces its policies on both Facebook and Instagram. Automated systems and manual reviews ensure compliance with advertising and commerce policies. You should regularly monitor your ad campaigns, address any policy violations promptly, and stay informed about policy updates to ensure ongoing compliance.
Integration with Facebook Ads Manager
Instagram advertising is managed through Facebook Ads Manager, offering advertisers comprehensive tools for campaign management, performance tracking, and optimisation.
You can leverage Facebook’s robust analytics and measurement capabilities to monitor ad performance, track conversions, and make data-driven decisions to improve campaign effectiveness on Instagram.
How to capitalise and comply with Facebook’s advertising and commerce policies to sell on social media
To effectively sell on social media, particularly on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it is crucial to comply with the advertising and commerce policies set forth by the platform. This will help your business grow exponentially without the risk of being barred or your account blocked.
Here are some key strategies to maximise your success while adhering to Facebook’s policies:
1. Familiarise yourself with Facebook policies
Start by thoroughly understanding Facebook’s advertising and commerce policies, which is what you’re doing now, so you’re on the right track. Familiarise yourself with the guidelines, restrictions, and requirements for ad content, targeting, prohibited products, and prohibited practices.
This knowledge will help you craft your online marketing strategy for Facebook or Instagram within the framework of the policies.
2. Create high-quality and engaging content
Develop compelling and visually appealing content that resonates with your target audience. Focus on creating value-driven posts that align with Facebook’s policies and capture users’ attention.
Use high-quality images, videos, and persuasive copy to drive engagement and encourage sales. This will set a standard for your brand, and customers will recognize your commitment to creating valuable content.
3. Adhere to targeting guidelines
Facebook offers a wide range of targeting options to help you reach your desired audience. However, it’s essential to adhere to Facebook’s targeting guidelines and avoid discriminatory practices. So, you should always ensure your targeting choices align with Facebook’s policies and promote inclusivity.
4. Provide accurate product Information
When selling products on social media, accuracy is key since the potential customer cannot touch or test the integrity of the item. Provide clear and accurate information about your products, including descriptions, pricing, and availability. Misleading or false product information violates Facebook’s policies and can harm your brand reputation.
5. Implement a secure shopping experience
If you advertise products on Facebook or Instagram, prioritise the security and integrity of customers. Since your customers will be paying on the platform, ensure your e-commerce platform complies with industry standards.
6. Build trust and transparency
Transparency is vital for building trust with your audience. Clearly communicate your business practices, shipping and return policies, and customer support options. Respond promptly to inquiries and reviews, as this demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.
7. Monitor and respond to feedback
Regularly monitor comments, messages, and reviews to address customer concerns and maintain a positive brand reputation. Make sure you promptly respond to inquiries, resolve issues, and engage with your audience. This demonstrates your dedication to customer service and fosters customer and brand loyalty.
8. Stay updated on policy changes
Facebook’s policies are subject to updates and revisions. Stay informed about any changes to ensure ongoing compliance. You should regularly review Facebook’s official resources and attend webinars or training sessions. Make sure you stay connected with industry updates to keep your social media strategies aligned with the latest policies.
Step-by-step guide on social media advertising
With the power to reach a vast audience and target specific demographics, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp Business offer unparalleled opportunities to promote products, engage with customers, and drive business growth.
However, diving into social media advertising without a clear and concise plan can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created this step-by-step guide to help you navigate the world of social media advertising and achieve your marketing objectives.
Below you’ll find a brief guide on using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp Business to advertise your products or services.
Evaluate the success of your Facebook ad campaigns based on predefined metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). Use Facebook’s analytics tools to gain insights into ad performance, audience behaviour, and ROI. Based on these insights, make data-backed decisions to improve future campaigns.
Advertising on Facebook
This is a step-by-step guide on how to start advertising on Facebook.
1. Set up a Facebook Business page
Create a dedicated Facebook Business Page for your brand. Provide accurate information, including your company’s name, logo, description, and contact details. A well-optimised Business Page serves as a foundation for your Facebook advertising efforts.
2. Define your advertising goals
Clearly define your objectives for advertising on Facebook. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales, having specific goals will help shape your ad strategy and measure success.
3. Identify your target audience (customers)
Determine who your target audience is based on demographics, interests, behaviours, and location. Utilise Facebook’s robust targeting options to narrow down your audience and reach the people who are most likely to engage with your ads.
4. Choose the right ad format for your business
Facebook offers various ad formats. Select the format that best suits your campaign goals and resonates with your audience. Consider using visually appealing and engaging creatives to capture attention.
5. Set your ad budget
Determine your advertising budget based on your overall marketing goals and financial resources. Facebook offers flexibility with daily or lifetime budgets. Start with a conservative budget and increase it as you gain more confidence and see positive results.
6. Create compelling ad content
Craft persuasive ad copy and visuals that effectively communicate your brand message and value proposition. Tailor your content to resonate with your target audience and align with Facebook’s advertising policies. You can experiment with different variations to optimise performance.
7. Set up ad campaigns
Use Facebook Ads Manager to create your ad campaigns. Define campaign parameters such as objective, target audience, budget, ad placement, and schedule. Facebook’s campaign structure allows you to organise your ads and track their performance efficiently.
8. Monitor and optimise your ads
Regularly monitor your ad campaigns to track performance metrics like reach, engagement, click-through rates, and conversions. Identify top-performing ads and make data-driven optimisations such as adjusting targeting, modifying ad content, or reallocating budget to maximise results.
9. Test and iterate
Continuously test different ad variations, targeting options, and strategies to refine your campaigns. A/B testing can help identify the most effective elements and optimise your ads for better performance. Keep experimenting and evolving your approach based on insights gained.
10. Measure results and adjust your ad parameters
Evaluate the success of your Facebook ad campaigns based on predefined metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). Use Facebook’s analytics tools to gain insights into ad performance, audience behaviour, and ROI. Based on these insights, make data-backed decisions to improve future campaigns.
Advertising on Instagram
This is a step-by-step guide on how to start advertising on Instagram.
1. Create a Business Profile
Set up an Instagram Business Profile, or convert your existing personal account to a Business Profile. This will unlock additional features and insights that are beneficial for advertising purposes.
2. Define your advertising goals
Determine your specific objectives for advertising on Instagram. Whether it’s increasing brand visibility, driving website traffic, or promoting products or services, having clear goals will help shape your ad strategy.
3. Identify your target audience
Understand your target audience and their demographics, interests, and behaviours. Leverage Instagram’s targeting options to reach the right people. Consider factors like age, location, interests, hobbies, and connections to refine your target audience.
4. Choose the ad format
Like Facebook, Instagram offers various ad formats. Select the format that best suits your campaign goals and resonates with your audience. Create visually appealing and engaging content that aligns with Instagram’s aesthetics.
5. Set your budget
Determine your advertising budget based on your marketing goals and financial resources. Decide whether to allocate a daily or lifetime budget for your ads. It’s always good to start with a reasonable budget and adjust it based on performance and results.
6. Create compelling ad content
Write captivating ad content that effectively communicates your brand message and captures attention. Use high-quality visuals, compelling copy, and a clear call-to-action to engage your audience and drive desired actions.
7. Set up ad campaigns
Utilise Facebook Ads Manager or Instagram’s ad creation tools to set up your ad campaigns. Define campaign objectives, targeting options, budget, and the schedule. Monitor the performance of your campaigns and make necessary adjustments to optimise results.
Final thoughts on social media and Facebook advertising policies
In conclusion, strict adherence to Facebook’s advertising policies is crucial for businesses to thrive in the dynamic landscape of social media advertising. By complying with these guidelines, businesses can create impactful campaigns, safeguard user privacy, and cultivate a positive brand reputation.
Leveraging the numerous benefits of social media advertising while maintaining compliance enables businesses to drive success and achieve their marketing goals effectively. It is imperative to stay updated with any changes in policies and ensure ongoing compliance to harness the full potential of social media advertising on platforms like Facebook.
Now that you know what it takes to make money using social media, visit Netcash Shop to set up your online store and start selling your products or services today!
Author: Candice Sergeant
eCommerce Product Owner
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Candice Sergeant is an experienced eCommerce Product Owner at Netcash, driving the growth strategy for SaaS e-commerce solutions in South Africa with global partner Ecwid by Lightspeed. Candice is skilled at uncovering opportunities to optimize the online presence and operations of startups and medium businesses across a range of industries.
Difference between advertising policies and commerce policies
Ensuring a safe and trustworthy environment
