Marketing on Facebook

[Brian G Turner]

A cautionary tale about getting the settings right: Thinking of Running a Facebook Ad? Proceed with Caution | Jane Friedman

Personally, I think it's scandalous that Facebook isn't better policing its own ad system - the issue of poor click-value is precisely what killed Yahoo's advertising network.

 

[Boneman]

Great article, Brian.

 

[Steve S]

Many thanks for this, Brian. I'm thinking of dipping my toes in the water of Facebook advertising, so this is a timely read for me...

 

[-K2-]

*Pulls up my Depends like a big kid, takes a shot of Geritol and just says it*

I'm old... How old? Well, let's just say I'm so old that I refused to use ICQ because it tracked your location online. You know, when your dial-up modem was active. In fact, I'm so old that I just don't cotton to all this info sharing and interlinking regarding my life. Privacy and the like, you all remember, like Grandma used to talk about Heck, I don't even use a cell-phone.

Point being, how important is facebook, instagram, twitter, etc., etc. pertaining to promoting a novel, is it really a must, or what? I've never used them and am not too keen on starting.

K2

 

[Droflet]

Thanks Brian. I used to use it and the feedback was zilch. So, bye, bye FB.

 

[Cathbad]

I don't buy ads on Facebook, but I do throw my own up. I do get some feedback and a few sales. I don't think the paid ads would be worth it, though.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I don't buy ads on Facebook, but I do throw my own up. I do get some feedback and a few sales. I don't think the paid ads would be worth it, though.

I can confirm they are not in my experience

 

[tinkerdan]

Thanks for this information.

I've been struggling at work, with my boss, over the value of mobile devices and click rates and the final result and this gives me some more ammo to add to my argument. I suspect that many of agencies he's working with are not as savvy with marketing and advertising as they are with statistical demonstrations of how to generate clicks. Clicks cost money and anyone collecting advertiser's money for clicks is going to spread the ads generously across the platform that generates the largest number of clicks regardless of whether your market is there. Presently over 50% of the clicks come through mobile devices--they used to be about 20% and I can't account for any new sales from all of this, in fact sales are down.

 

[Lew Rockwell Fan]

I don't know what FB claims. I wouldn't trust it anymore than the inflated figures Second Life put out during their decline. But what ground truth I've seen suggests people are leaving it in droves for mewe.com and minds.com. I understand their stock underwent some pretty dramatic loss in value. I just can't understand it. All they want from you is a little info for their files - like what you think, who your friends are, your homemade porn, and now your banking data:

Facebook to Banks: Give Us Your Data, We’ll Give You Our Users

https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtis...ably-accesses-your-banking-data/#6499e7606877

There is a 4 letter word for people like this: "evil".

 

[Phyrebrat]

Also, a small branching point: if your target market is MG, YA, I’d recommend giving FB a wide berth.

All the kids I work with (7-21 year olds) now view FB as a bit lame and most SM-ing is done via Instagram.

I’m in 8 schools per week and noticed this a couple years ago when referring to FB in class.

pH

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Also, a small branching point: if your target market is MG, YA, I’d recommend giving FB a wide berth.

All the kids I work with (7-21 year olds) now view FB as a bit lame and most SM-ing is done via Instagram.

I’m in 8 schools per week and noticed this a couple years ago when referring to FB in class.

pH

Yeah - my kids are all over Insta

 

[Scookey]

Also, a small branching point: if your target market is MG, YA, I’d recommend giving FB a wide berth.

All the kids I work with (7-21 year olds) now view FB as a bit lame and most SM-ing is done via Instagram.

I’m in 8 schools per week and noticed this a couple years ago when referring to FB in class.

pH

Can deof confirm that via my own kids. Instagram for school goers is the main one of value now. Snap Chat too but not Facebook. That's for us oldies...

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Just thought I'd drop by and point out that Facebook owns Instagram
And WhatsApp
And a whole load of others, listed here so you can avoid them

List of mergers and acquisitions by Meta Platforms - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To paraphrase a meme
"All your data are belong to us"

 

[Laura R Hepworth]

I've not run any FB ads for my book, but a number of years back I tried it for my jewellery business. It was a complete waste of money and the ROI was zilch. I think if I ever decide to try ads for my book(s) I'm just going to stick with Amazon ads and maybe Instagram.

 

[zmunkz]

I've not run any FB ads for my book, but a number of years back I tried it for my jewellery business. It was a complete waste of money and the ROI was zilch. I think if I ever decide to try ads for my book(s) I'm just going to stick with Amazon ads and maybe Instagram.

Yeah I’ve managed several business and clients through FB and the clicks were all garbage from what looked like bot accounts. Terrible conversion rate, I’d not go there with a book either.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Bot Bait

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

As has been said elsewhere, the business model of both Facebook and Google is selling their users' data to companies.
The fact that the adverts have little to no ROI for the companies is irrelevant to Facebook and Google. They've already got their money from the companies who bought into their advertising scam.

Do a search for "facebook google dominate ad industry" to see loads of articles giving the facts and figures

Here's a fairly recent one

Facebook & Google: The Duopoly’s Dominance Increases - ExchangeWire.com

A report from eMarketer published this week suggests that Facebook and Google’s dominance of the UK digital advertising market has continued to increase,

www.exchangewire.com