How to Create a Custom Audience of Your Instagram Engagement (for Facebook Ad Targeting)

by Emma Watt | Jan 26, 2022 | Facebook™ Ads, How To

For many digital entrepreneurs, the people who engage with you the most on Instagram will always be the audience you profit from the most. Think about it… Instagram is a social media platform meant for connection, storytelling, and engagement. The followers who keep up with you there, comment on your posts, DM you regularly, and like everything you post are the ones most captivated by your content. They LIKE you as a business and a human, and so of course they’re more likely to buy from you. But, did you know you can create a custom audience for Facebook Ad targeting using Instagram?

I’ve found that this audience will be your best buyers when using them as a target for ads. And it’s a great audience from which to create a Lookalike audience, as well.

First, and most important to note, you need to have a business Instagram profile to make this possible. It needs to be either an Instagram Creator Account or an Instagram Business Account. After your profile is set up as a business account, follow these steps to use your Instagram profile to create a custom audience

5 Steps to Create a Custom Audience for Facebook Ad Targeting Using Instagram

Step 1:

From your Ads Manager, you’ll go into Audiences.

Step 2:

Click Create Audience and select Custom Audience from the dropdown.

Step 3:

Then select Instagram Account from the box that opens. Click Next.

Note: You will only have this option if your Instagram account is linked to your Ads Manager AND if your IG account is a business account.

Step 4:

Select the appropriate IG account and then make your selections. I like to create multiple audiences for IG profiles.

So, for example, I might create separate audiences for each of the top 3 selections shown here (everyone who engaged, anyone visiting your profile and people who engaged with a post or ad).

On top of that, I would also create audiences for multiple timeframes. So, the default is 365 but I will likely repeat these steps to create an additional audience for 180 days and maybe 90 days too so that I can test which audience works best when running ads.

For example, it might be okay to use an audience that’s been building for 365 days (a full year!) OR maybe you’ll find that an audience that has engaged in the last 30 days works best at converting because they’re freshest. But it’s better to have more than enough audiences to choose from.

Step 5:

Adjust your number of days, name your audience, and click Create! Repeat the steps to adjust the “events” and number of days to create as many custom audiences as you’d like.

Remember, they build in real-time so it’s best to create them NOW so they’re ready when you need them.

That’s it! You’ll be able to test and deliver ads to your Instagram pals and reach those who already love engaging with your stuff.

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The ONE strategy you need for the most effective advertising

by Emma Watt | Jan 19, 2022 | Facebook™ Ads, Strategy

I get asked alllll the time for my best ad tips and tricks, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of my j.o.b! There’s so much goodness to share about the magic that are Facebook and Instagram ads. From pinpointing the right target audience to writing ad copy that converts to picking the best assets that draw people in—there are ample opportunities to streamline your ad efforts in your business. But today, I want to talk about just ONE strategy that is often forgotten about, but that can make for some of the most effective advertising…

And that’s nurture campaigns.

What are nurture campaigns & why are they one of most effective advertising formats?

My favorite type of nurture campaign is to publish a video ad that displays on your target audience’s feeds. From there, you can create custom Facebook audiences based on the viewers who watched the video.

You can then retarget those custom audiences with another ad, so that they continue becoming familiar with you and your brand.

Essentially, nurture campaigns are a mega-effective way to take a cold audience to warm, and to gauge exactly who is interested in your offers. It’s a quick way to introduce people to who you are, what you’re about, and how you can help them.

And it’s the lowest barrier to entry for THEM, which is important. They don’t have to read a bunch of copy or click through to anything else. All they do is watch the video right in front of their eyeballs, and then they’re in your court! Score! (Okay, that’s enough sports lingo for me, y’all.)

Why do people forget about nurture campaigns?

As effective as nurture campaigns may be, they can also be scary because these ads are more of an investment. Although video ads are typically cheap to run, there’s no immediate return with nurture campaigns. Think of it as playing the long game, though. (Never mind, I guess we’re not done with sports analogies.) You won’t see an immediate return, but as long as you have an offer coming up in the next month or two, these ads will pay off.

While nurture campaigns don’t HAVE to be video ads, these are my favorite kind of nurture campaign. They’re inexpensive to create—just hit record on your phone or computer camera and share something your target audience will find valuable. And they build engagement audiences quickly because they can get to know you and your business from one quick video.

Plus, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel here. If you’re selling a digital course or you have video of a speaking engagement you did, you could simply pull a small portion from there… something you are teaching or something inspiring! No need to go out and hire a full camera crew, hair, and makeup, or video editors. Take what you have, or create something simple from scratch using what you have, and go from there.

What to remember about nurture campaigns

Think of it like this: The video is simply a way to warm people up to YOU! And as much as this gal loves an image ad or long-form copy… nothing can replace your bright, shining face on screen, sharing a piece of your heart and business. People connect with people, and as much as an image or great copy can endear some folks, a video goes so much farther.

Now, more than ever, in this post-iOS-update world, video is KEY! Video engagement on Facebook is an easy way to gather data directly ON Facebook, which, not only is a perfect way to gain audiences insights and warm them up at the tippy-top of the funnel, things you do ON Facebook are more likely to be able to be seen (by Facebook) whereas when you’re directing traffic OFF of Facebook, and given the iOS update, it’s more difficult for Facebook to keep track of.

After you’ve got your video ready to go, you would run these ads using the objective “engagement” or “video views” for them to be the most effective.

And be sure to set up a custom audience for the video you’re using AND answer any comments and questions on the ads. This is important! If you are showing up on video to humanize your brand, then it needs to expand to the comment section. If people are sharing their excitement or asking for clarity, you or someone on your team needs to be showing up for them to feel seen and heard (marketing 101, anyone?).

That’s it, sweet friends! You’ll be all set to rock nurture campaigns and take a cold target audience to a warm audience, ready to buy what you’re selling, in no time.

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My Favorite Ad Copy Template

by Emma Watt | Jan 12, 2022 | Facebook™ Ads

I want to share a favorite ad copy template of mine today that I’ve used in a variety of ways dozens of times. While it’s definitely a go-to for our brand and our clients’ campaigns—and one that I think you’ll likely be able to get great use out of—I also want to mention that templates are not a one-size-fits-all thing. Think of them like a helpful guide that you can customize, tweak, and morph to fit your OWN voice and your own audience’s needs.

There is no big “secret” to writing ad copy that converts… The biggest thing I want to impress upon you is that you’ll need to test different variations of copy to see what impacts your audience. And…Always inject YOU in your copy. That’s how you’ll attract the right people.

5 tips to write better ad copy

So while I love a great template, I also think it’s important to keep in mind a few extra tips that will help you write ad copy that meets your target audience and gives them what they need.

1. Get to know your audience.

Who are you talking to in your ads? It’s important to understand who your target audience is so you can speak to them in a way that resonates.

2. Understand how you can connect with them.

What are their pain points, desires, and wants that you can help solve?

3. Become an expert at telling stories.

Most of us learn, connect, and pay attention best when a good story is involved. If you can weave a story into your ad copy, you’ll be golden. It could be your own origin story, a story of a client overcoming a challenge, or some other turning point.

4. Keep your ad copy succinct.

Now, this doesn’t always mean SHORT, though sometimes short-form ads do great. I just mean: keep your sentences and paragraphs short, and get to the point ASAP.

5. Don’t be afraid to show personality.

Use emojis, write the way you actually talk, and have some fun with your ad copy. This isn’t a textbook—you can be real in your ads! In fact, it’s better if you do.

Another thing: As mentioned, testing is KEY. What does your audience prefer? Try different types of ads, try different strategies like piquing curiosity to get the click, or focusing on understanding their pain and then alluding to the solution. You could also focus more on the results (aka, what they will experience if they take you up on your offer). Experimenting with different approaches is the BEST way to figure out your best ad strategy!

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My favorite ad copy template

Okay, now let’s get to the template itself. If you’ve ever worked with me or learned from my resources, you may know there are five types of ad copy: short-form, story-like, long-form, cart open, and cart close. You can get my download here for examples of templates for ALL FIVE types of ad copy, as well as tips to make them as effective and high-converting as possible.

For now, I’m going to share with you my go-to short-form copy template! Simply add in your offer and your own brand voice and spice, and you’re all set for a fabulous ad:

“So… are you ready to change/skyrocket/save [what will be different if they take you up on your offer]? And are you ready to change it NOW?

Imagine [what will they have/accomplish – really paint the picture here for them].

[Offer] is the NUMBER ONE way I/my clients [drive traffic/make money/save time/etc] and you can too!

[Snag/grab/download/other verb] your very own [offer] to [reiterate their goal] and [one more massive benefit]. I promise, my friend, THIS is what you’ve been waiting for.”

Here’s an example of how this might look all put together:

So…Are you ready to skyrocket your Instagram follower count and grow a lucrative Influencer business? Are you ready to do it right now?

Imagine having loads of business inquiries right in your inbox from brands and prospects that found you on Instagram. Yes, and please, right?

Instagram is the NUMBER ONE way I drive sales in my business and you can too!

Grab my Ultimate Guide to a Massive Instagram Following to turn those pretty squares into a money-making dream in under 30 minutes/day. I promise, my friend, THIS is what you’ve been waiting for.

Get yours right here >>> LINK

Pro tip: Another way to get a quick short-form ad written up is to use client testimonials!

There you have it. You now have a simple formula to write an awesome ad, but if you’re needing even more inspo, don’t forget to check out my templates, and tips for writing ultra-effective ads!

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How to Scale Your Ad Campaigns

by Emma Watt | Jan 5, 2022 | Facebook™ Ads, How To

If you’re seeing results trickle in from the ads you’re running, it may be time to scale your ad campaigns so that you’re maximizing your efforts, budget, and outreach! I recommend scaling your ad campaigns as long as you… 1. Have the budget to scale them and 2. Have seen consistent lead generation and conversions from your existing ad efforts.

It’s an exciting milestone to scale your ad campaigns because it means what you’re sharing is working AND you’ll be able to get it out in front of even more of your target audience. I like to say that you can scale ad campaigns either vertically or horizontally.

What it means to scale your ad campaigns vertically:

Vertically is typically the avenue people think of and use when scaling their campaigns. This is where you increase the budget on an existing campaign. If you scale in this manner, I’d recommend you do so incrementally over a period of time.

I typically will stick to 20% or less increases over 2 to 3 day increments. This slower increase will prevent the ad from starting over in a new learning phase. Using this strategy also means it will take longer to scale your campaigns, however, the life of a campaign tends to be longer, as well.

The other way to scale vertically is to duplicate a high-performing ad set and use a much larger budget. Once both are running smoothly, I’d recommend turning off one of the campaigns, as the audience overlap could inhibit positive results.

What it means to scale horizontally:

There are a few ways you can scale your ad campaigns horizontally.

1. Add new audiences

You would either create a new Lookalike audience—think opt-ins, page visitors, engagers, any email lists you’ve uploaded, etc.

2. Expand on your interest targets

So, if you’ve got all the usual business pages, for example, consider adding an ad set that has interests by job title or interests by tools that your audience might use i.e. Infusionsoft, Constant Contact, Nikon, etc.

3. Add new creative and/or new copy

This is an extra consideration you could do! It’s a more passive way to scale via experimentation, but it can work. I actually just did this for a client… One specific version of copy and headline was yielding all the purchases in the campaign, so we crafted a new graphic using that same lingo and copy, and voila! More conversions came immediately.

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See? You have a LOT of options when it comes to scaling your ad campaigns. Consider your budget, your bandwidth, and your ultimate goals, and then go to town using one of these tactics. And drop any scaling questions in a comment for us to answer in a future blog post!

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Facebook ad resolutions to make in 2022

by Emma Watt | Dec 29, 2021 | Facebook™ Ads

It’s officially a New Year (what?!), which means that resolutions are ~all the rage.~

And, let’s be real… a lot of resolutions stress me out. Plus, they really just remind me of things like losing weight and creating a budget and, just… ugh.

But, business resolutions? I’m ALL about those.

Enter: leveraging Facebook ads to make big-time money in your business.

Wondering why to run ads in your business?

The benefits of running Facebook ads in your business are huge, for so many reasons. First off, they’re remarkably personalizable… and you can continue to tweak and retarget them as you go. Next up, running ads is a highly cost-effective way to market your business. When implementing an ad strategy in your business, you can tailor your budget to your needs… and then you can tailor it again.

Plus, they work. Likely, your ideal clients are on social media — and advertising to them there is smart. What on earth could be better than that?!

Facebook Ad Resolutions to Make in 2022

So, this New Year, I want you to ignore the cleanses and the workouts and instead focus on a resolution that’s (actually) good for you and your business. And, ya know me — I’m here to help you with good ideas!

Here are 5 Facebook ad resolutions to make in the New Year:

1. Don’t give up on your ad strategy.

Ad strategy requires consistency to succeed — and then it requires consistency again. And again. Are you picking up what I’m putting down? 🙂 See, I’ve spent a long time in this business helping clients scale the heck out of their own… and the best results I’ve seen are from the clients who stick to marketing their business consistently.

And, by consistently, I mean all the time.

So, as you slide on into the New Year, challenge yourself to set a monthly marketing budget and STICK to it. Use that marketing budget to truly and intentionally engage prospects and generate sales, and then use a portion of that budget for Facebook ads… each and every month. You don’t need to make it complicated. You just need to make it consistent.

I promise.

Side note: I see a lot of small businesses only run ads when it’s time to sell, but I want to underline the importance of really, really trying to stick with the *consistency.* Trust me here — if you incorporate a regular ad schedule, you’ll build more quickly and in turn have a much bigger audience to sell to when it’s time.

2. Run some engagement ads!

If you’re ready to start implementing a cheap but effective ad strategy, run some engagement ads and start warming up a new audience with ads! Engagement ads — AKA, polls, videos, etc. — can get you really far for little spend. Engagement ads are at the top of the funnel, so you can capture a good amount of people and prospects!

Plus, engagement ads are something that you can continually run, over and over again. Cheap, effective, AND long-term? Yes, plz.

3. Do an ad audit.

The New Year is *the* perfect time to figure out what’s working and what’s not — which is why I so recommend that everyone I know does an audit of their ad collateral. Take some time to dive into all of your existing ad copy and images, and also pull data from your last few months of ads.

Now, start digging in. What’s working? What’s not? What are your winners and your losers? Once you’ve figured out what’s going on, start putting that audit to work. I’m a big believer that refreshing all of your ad collateral is an excellent idea and a great way to capture more leads, so consider taking the time to freshen up your copy and images with time-pertinent info.

4. Video, video and more video!

Listen, I am NOT one to talk… I’d rather scratch my eyeballs out than talk into a camera, it’s true. But, video is where it’s at in the realm of FB and IG. People love to feel a genuine connection with anyone they’re considering buying from, and video is a really excellent way to do it – which is why I love video ads so much.

Here’s the thing: with video ads, you get so much bang for your buck. Video views are CHEAP to run, they encourage engagement, and they’re incredibly authentic. Plus, video ads are the best way to give prospects real-time YOU and to build loads of warm, engaged audiences quickly.

5. Diversify your advertising.

So, one of my Facebook ad resolutions has, well, absolutely nothing to do with Facebook. In fact, it’s to go PAST Facebook and to try new things. Here’s why: your ad dollars can go really far on Facebook. But they can also go really far elsewhere, too.

For me, Pinterest has been so freakin’ fun to play around with — and it’s offered my clients a way to diversify their dollars, too (especially in light of all the iOS updates). Pinterest can also be a big traffic driver, and it’s great for reaching brand new audiences!

So, here’s your challenge: find another outlet to test! See how far you can take your ad dollars, whether it’s on Pinterest, YouTube, or even Linkedin. Find out where your people are, give it a whirl, and have fun!

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Alright friends, you’ve got it — 5 resolutions to help you create some Facebook ad magic! Now take ‘em and run. I’m so proud of you and excited for you!

What you’ll find behind the curtain of my Facebook™ Ads business, is someone who loves systems, strategy, family, fishing, flipping houses, interior design, everything Southern, animals, a hefty dose of sarcasm, Instagram stories and some of the most amazing clients on the planet.

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The Quickest Way to Identify Sales Funnel Problems

by Emma Watt | Nov 1, 2021 | How To, Sales Funnels

So, your sales funnel isn’t converting. You think your offer is pretty bomb-dot-com. You’re pretty sure each piece of your funnel is strategic and important. What gives? I see this all the time, friend. And the thing is, your funnel probably is pretty great and well thought out. But it’s important to do a run-through from top to bottom in order to identify sales funnel problems that might be leading to stalled conversions.

By running through this checklist, you should be able to uncover the missing link or shoddy piece of the funnel—and then fix it—so you can start reaching more people in your target audience and making conversions. Yes, please!

HOW TO IDENTIFY SALES FUNNEL PROBLEMS

I recommend starting at the beginning or top of the funnel and working your way through each step and seeing how effective it is.

SO, START FIRST WITH THE ADS.

First look at: Are people clicking and engaging with your ads? If not, you might have either a targeting problem or an ad problem. (I.e., the ad isn’t appealing in its language, images, or overall content.)

Try adjusting your targeting, image, and/or the copy. Play with a few versions to see what works best. You can do long-form copy, short-form, story-based, results-based, or objection-based. Try different images with faces and objects (like flat lays). Different messaging and imagery appeal to different audiences, so test a few things to see what your audience prefers.

ONCE YOU’VE GOT PEOPLE CLICKING THE AD, THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING?

If it’s an opt-in page, are they choosing to opt-in? If not, you might have a landing page problem. Landing pages should have a high conversion rate because you’ve likely honed your ad to target a specific audience, and those who click through to land there are people who should have a significant interest.

If your page doesn’t have a high conversion rate, adjust your messaging first. The best landing pages address the problems your target audience is facing head on, and then point to how your offer is the solution.

Also take a look at the functionality of the page. Is it clear how to take the next step? Are there links to click away? Ideally there is only ONE thing to do on a landing page: opt in or buy.

ONCE PEOPLE ARE OPTING IN, THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Are they not moving along in the funnel? If not, it’s typically one of three problems:

Not a great offer. It’s not what your audience actually needs or wants.

Your messaging isn’t working. It’s not connecting with your audience’s desires and pain points.

Your funnel doesn’t have enough steps. You’re asking them to buy too quickly, before they know and trust you.

Think through each of these possibilities and adjust your offer, messaging, or funnel as needed. Sometimes small tweaks can make a HUGE difference.

START AT THE TOP AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN

Essentially when diagnosing funnel performance, you want to start at the top of the funnel and work your way through as if you were a prospect. When you break it down piece by piece, it will become clear where people are getting tripped up, and that’s where you can start to tweak your funnel.