Facebook has gone thru several rounds of changes when it comes to privacy and advertisers.  As a result, the way businesses target their customers will end up changing as a result.

Does this mean that advertisers will no longer be able to connect with their targeted audiences?  No of course not.  It does mean that the way we as advertisers reach the desired audience must change.

As an example, in the past, you could use demographic options such as income to target an individual, but soon we will have to use a new strategy to accomplish the same thing.

For many businesses the ability to leverage targeting in this manner was essential.  However going forward we simply need to change the way we go about targeting, to achieve the same result.

So How Do We Do This?

First, we must truly develop an Ideal Client Profile.  While we still want to identify income as a demographic in our profiles, we won’t be utilizing them directly to create audiences.  We must put ourselves into the shoes of the individual who we are wanting to market to.  Aspects such as income, net worth, etc all leave clues as to how we target an individual.

To begin the process, start by asking yourself what are the things my ideal client is already interested in.  For example, if you are wanting to target people who are looking to potentially buy or sell their home, you will want to expand your understanding of what behaviors this person might demonstrate.  To target these individuals, start with what websites are they visiting.  Also, think about what type of stores does your ideal client shop at.  In the image below is an example of how someone could potentially target a particular type of prospect utilizing interests.

In order to find out what converts best for your business and location, you will ultimately have to test a variety of audiences and offers to determine what will work best for you.  You will need to explore the various targeting options to determine what combinations will work best to reach your ideal prospect utilizing Facebook advertising.

 

Next Steps…

Before the various targeting options are removed from the platform this coming August and Septemeber in 2018, you will want to conduct a series of tests.  If you are running ads successfully you have a baseline to measure the effectiveness of your new campaigns.  Over the next couple of months, you will want to begin testing various audiences to determine which is the most effective in converting prospects into clients.  This will be essential as many businesses will be caught off guard by the changes giving you the opportunity to stand out in the marketplace.

This change showcases the importance of utilizing a solid content marketing strategy to build audiences that will be interested in your services.  When utilized properly, a solid content marketing strategy will position your business ahead of the competition as you will have people who are truly interested in your services, as well as them forming a relationship with you.

Remember people will do business with people they know, like, and trust before anyone else.  Thusly now is the time to begin the relationship process to position yourself for success.