5 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Marketing

by | Feb 2, 2022 | Entrepreneurship, How To

There are a lot of things that make marketing (and Facebook ads, of course!) more effective, from in-depth strategy all the way to gorgeous graphics. However, my fave? Social proof.

Why, you ask? Because social proof allows you to really and truly take what your audience and customers are saying to heart — and then to use it to remind potential audience members and customers that you really do care about what they say, too.

Wait… what’s social proof?

Truly, social proof is exactly what it sounds like: it’s proof (AKA, feedback) from clients and customers that your product or service is really, really great and transformative.

See, here’s the thing: people like to watch other people. I mean, hey — what on earth would social media even BE if people didn’t like to watch other people?!

Social proof allows you to capitalize on that and then to grow as a business owner.

Win, win.

Now, let’s talk about a few ways you can do this in your own business, yeah?

 

5 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Marketing

Adding social proof to your marketing strategy (and, in turn, your ad strategy) can be a really easy and powerful expansion tool. The cool thing about social proof is that it’s really already done for you by your audience and customers — you just have to leverage it.

 

1. Run a carousel ad of testimonials.

Running an ad with testimonials is 100% sure to be a super, super engaging way to get people interested in your ad… and, it’s also my *fave* way to showcase some social proof.

Here’s why: when people can swipe through customer testimonial after customer testimonial, they can start to really and truly  SEE the transformation that your product or service brings real, authentic people. And, when they start to really and truly SEE that transformation, they start to think “if all these people did it, why can’t I?”

And then… sale. Voila.

 

2. Simplify it with screenshots.

Truly the world’s easiest way to showcase social proof is with a good ole’ screenshot. 

(So, essentially, I gotta tell you… you kind of have no excuse not to try this one out.)

Every time you get really great feedback that might inspire someone else to work with you, take a screenshot and keep it in a folder in your Google Drive or on your desktop. Then, you have an arsenal of ready-to-go social proof that you can drop into Facebook ads, onto sales pages, and even into your social media feed.

 

3. Share testimonial videos.

Videos in and of themselves are one of the most effective ways to instantly engage an audience, especially on a Facebook ad or in a social media post. Combine that engaging technique with a testimonial, and BAM. You’ve made magic. 

(These are great to use in a variety of ways, but I especially love ‘em on a Facebook ad.)

Wondering how to get testimonial videos? It’s simpler than you think: just ask! I love asking my clients for short vids (or even voice memos) of their testimonials and feedback, and they’re always more than willing to give it. I know yours will be, too!

 

4. Use partner or brand logos.

Have you ever clicked on a website or a sales page and been suuuuper impressed with the logos you’ve seen or the partner names you’ve spotted?

Me, too — the power of social proof, baby!

When you work with a client you’re really proud of, don’t hesitate to snip their logo and include it on a sales page or a website. It’s a great way to attract similar clients, and there’s 1,000% nothing wrong with bragging on yourself a little.

I promise.

5. Case studies, case studies, case studies!

If you want to get a little more in-depth with your social proof, I’m a huge proponent of writing and publishing case studies on your site’s blog or even on your LinkedIn profile. Case studies are an effective way to really break down a project in a more detailed way than you’d usually be able to, and they can showcase nitty-gritty numbers and goals that really underline your success.

Plus, they don’t need to be complicated. Instead of stressing about how to write a case study, keep it simple. I like asking and answering questions like these:

  • What was the #1 goal for this product/service/transformation?
  • What were the key performance indicators (KPIs)? AKA, how we could tell if it was working?
  • What did the client love about the product/service/transformation?

All you have to do is answer the questions and stick ‘em in a blog post. It’s so much easier than you might think!

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Friends, there you have it — some of my go-to ways for including social proof in my clients and my marketing collateral. Do you have any other methods of social proof you love? Share ‘em with us!

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

by | 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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How to Scale Your Ad Campaigns

by | 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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The Quickest Way to Identify Sales Funnel Problems

The Quickest Way to Identify Sales Funnel Problems

by | 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.

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3 Ways to Supercharge Your Ad Strategy

3 Ways to Supercharge Your Ad Strategy

by | Sep 22, 2021 | Facebook™ Ads, How To, Strategy

When it comes to your Facebook ad strategy, your mission should be this: to constantly, constantly level it up. We live in a preeeeeetty much ever-changing world, and Facebook is an ever-changing social platform — so learning to supercharge, level up, and mix up your Facebook ad strategy is KEY to growth.
 
 
Luckily, though, leveling up doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. Instead, you just need some go-to methods for switching it up and expanding your Facebook ad techniques (think: engagement ads, optimizing your ad audiences, and being you).
 
 

Luckily, that’s what I’m here for! You ready?! Here are the processes and techniques I implement with my clients.

 

 

3 Ways to Supercharge Your Ad Strategy

 

Before anything else, remind yourself that the key to Facebook ad strategy is to learn how to pivot and grow, no matter what. When you can remember that you’ll always want to switch it up with your Facebook ad strategy, it’s way easier to get yourself in the mindset.

 

 

1. Run engagement ads.

 
When you want to constantly grow your audience and excite the people scrolling your ads, you have to hook ‘em in — and that’s where engagement ads come in. Not sure what engagement ads are? They’re just what they sound like! Engagement ads are specifically built to draw people in and encourage them to click, usually through methods like video, polls, or imagery.
 
 
My fave way to run engagement ads is video… allllll the way. Video ads are super engaging, they’re cheap to run on Facebook, and they’re instant — i.e., they don’t require people to drop an email or take a click. All they have to do is watch, making it the best way to introduce people to your brand or re-engage custom prospects.
 
 

Pro tip: don’t forget to create a custom audience based on the viewers who watched your video so that you can re-target them with a new ad. That way, they keep learning from you + engaging with your content. It’s like magic.

 

 

2. Combine your Facebook ad audiences.

 
Based on the current state of the Facebook algorithm, the more people the better. Enter: combining your audiences to maximize your conversions and your reach. This is the best way to reach a bigger audience and optimize your results, and it doesn’t require as detailed of targeting or segmenting as the past.
 
 
Wondering how to do it? It’s easy! If you have several different client or email lists of warm audiences, try combining ‘em all and using them in one ad set. If you have a bunch of Lookalike audiences, combine those together and use them in one ad set. It’s simple, really: the wider the target, the more room the algorithm has to find your people. Give it the room to find your people!
 
 

3. Be. Yourself.

 
Here’s the thing: people want to do business with PEOPLE. They don’t want to do business with faceless brands and engage with super dry ads, especially on Facebook. Your job? To remember this, because the more personality you can infuse in your ads, the better! Regardless of whether or not you’re trying to be the face of your biz doesn’t matter — just work to add in voice and joy and fun wherever you can.
 
 
The goal? Humanize, humanize, humanize. Unless you’re a massive business with tons and tons of recognition (like Gap or Coca Cola), odds are that not everyone is going to know who you are! Find ways to bring your (or your business’s) humanity into your ad sets, whether it’s by using a signature character a la Flo from Progressive or simply by intermingling in a non-corporate sounding voice.
 
 
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No matter who you are or what kind of business you’re in, you know that trying new things and new methods is part of life — and that goes for your Facebook ad strategy, too. Instead of being worried about constantly needing to do something new, just try out different things and see what works. It’s that simple!

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