A lot of people ask me what the best Facebook ad campaign type is. The truth is, there’s a difference between the BEST campaign for beginners and the easiest campaign for beginners. I think the BEST campaign for people who want to get serious about running ads is a list-building campaign. (Also called a “lead generation campaign.”) A list building campaign is a Facebook ad campaign that uses ads to grow your email list.
It works like this:
1. You create a “lead magnet” which is something free that people want.
2. You offer that thing in exchange for an email address.
3. You run ads to the page that offers your free thing.
4. You use Facebook to count & track who signs up for your free thing.
5. You use Facebook to show ads to more people who might also be interested in that free thing.
6. Your email list grows because people have signed up for your free thing.
7. You can sell your products or services to your email list.
A list building campaign will give you the best bang for your buck. And as long as you have a little time or money that you’re willing to invest in the process, then, hands down, a lead generation campaign is the way to go.
Here are five reasons why I think it’s the best:
1. A lead generation campaign earns you the right to engage with the person who clicks on your ad more than one time. Once they’re on your email list, you can reach them on your terms, not Facebook’s terms.
2. Lead generation campaigns are a “smarter” type of campaign. They use more advanced technology than a traffic campaign.
3. Lead generation campaigns are usually cheaper than a sales campaign, or other ad campaigns where you are trying to get people to buy something.
4. You have much more control over how you can connect with your customers once they are on your email list. You never know who Facebook is going to show a post or an ad to. But you can be certain that your emails are delivered to the vast majority of the people you send them to.
5. Since it almost always takes multiple exposures before someone actually purchases from a brand that they have encountered, having someone on your email list allows them to get to know you a little bit and trust you a little more. People who trust you are more likely to buy from you.
Questions about whether or not you’re ready for a list building campaign? I’ve got a checklist you can grab here.