Facebook is mainly associated with communication B2C, but it is also increasingly being used in marketing B2B. Facebook adverts B2B can effectively help to build brand awareness and generate leads. However, the right approach to targeting and communication is crucial.
Why is it worth advertising on Facebook?
Facebook is a powerful marketing tool. It is used by 42.3 per cent of Poles, which amounts to a total of over 16 million users. The largest age group consists of people aged between 25 and 34. This social media platform therefore allows you to reach a really large group of people. Importantly, you can also tailor it very effectively to your own requirements. Advertisements for all kinds of products and services aimed at individual users work well on Facebook. However, sales targeted at other businesses can also be developed very effectively using Facebook adverts.
The purpose of the advert
To create a good advert on Facebook, the most important thing is to have a well-thought-out and planned objective. You therefore need to consider what you want to achieve. At first glance, advertising is associated with boosting sales of specific items. Of course, this is the format most commonly chosen by companies that sell clearly defined products. However, selling a specific item is not the only form of advertising you can choose. In the long term, such advertising is always intended to lead to an increase in sales to some extent, but there are various ways of achieving this.
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Raising brand awareness
Various types of promotional videos and static adverts work well for this. It is important that they capture the customer’s interest. The aim of such advertising is to reach as wide an audience as possible, whilst, of course, staying within the chosen target group.
Generating website traffic
The aim of this type of advert is to drive as many users as possible to the company’s website. Generally, the ultimate goal is for them to make a purchase, place an order, download something or provide their contact details. The latter two objectives are often linked to generating so-called leads, i.e. contact details. These can then be used in further marketing activities.
Sales of specific products
This is a very popular type of advert in which specific products to be displayed are specified. Usually, the price is shown straight away. Clicking on the advert takes the customer to a subpage of the shop featuring that product. This type of advert is created in the so-called ‘carousel’ format.
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Remarketing advert
This is a specific type of advertising that is often underestimated but highly effective. Numerous studies show that customers do not decide to make a purchase during their first interaction with a shop or business. It is only subsequent contact that gives them the confidence to make a decision. This is precisely what remarketing advertising is designed to do. It targets people who have already visited the company’s website.
Advertising targeting: the most important thing
If an advert is to be effective, it must reach those people who are actually interested in what a shop, wholesaler or company has to offer. Therefore, selecting the right target audience is the first step towards ensuring the advert is effective. It is worth creating working personas to represent potential customers. Ideally, you should assign each persona a specific name, job title, social status, place of residence, education and hobbies. If the client is a company, describe the company employee who will have a need for the product in question. All of this will allow for a better match with the audience. This is precisely because Facebook allows you to target the people your adverts are intended to reach very precisely, including factors such as place of residence, hobbies or interests.
Where should the advert be placed?
Ads on Facebook do not always have to appear amongst posts. This is, of course, the most popular method and works very well in many cases. However, it is also worth considering other placements. These could include videos placed as ad breaks whilst users are watching short videos, or adverts on Messenger or Instagram. In the case of short videos, adverts placed as ad breaks between videos on Facebook are ideal.
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Types of adverts
There are three main types of promotion worth highlighting here. A standard advert in the form of a Facebook post. It should include a short caption and some graphics or, alternatively, a video. It is important that it quickly catches the viewer’s attention. If someone scrolling through Facebook doesn’t pause on the advert, its effectiveness will be minimal. That’s why it’s worth spending a bit of time on it to ensure it grabs the viewer’s attention at first glance. In the case of videos inserted between those being watched by users, these should be around 10 seconds long. They must therefore pack as much content and message as possible into that time. A carousel advert is one that works well for selling specific products. You can link multiple products to it at once, which saves a lot of time.
Pixel, Facebook and a summary
Facebook can be a valuable marketing channel for B2B, provided the adverts are well planned. Effectiveness depends on precise targeting and tailoring the message to the business audience. The Pixel is a very useful tool. It allows you to analyse customer behaviour on the website. The fact that a customer clicks through to the website via an advert does not always result in a sale. The Pixel helps you find out at what stage the customer left the site, how long they spent on it, and so on. This also lets you know whether the advert is ineffective or if there is something wrong with the website. As you can see, Facebook is a powerful promotional tool. You can really make the most of it in many different ways. As well as running adverts, you can also manage a fan page where you can post interesting updates or video reports. Above all, it is important to always tailor the content to your audience, so that your message really resonates with them.
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Questions and Answers
Is Facebook suitable for ‘B2B’ adverts?
Yes, provided the advertising tools are used effectively. The platform enables you to reach specific professional groups and decision-makers.
Which advertising objectives work well on B2B?
These are most commonly lead generation, driving traffic to the website and building brand awareness. Direct sales are rarely the main objective.
Are the adverts at B2B on Facebook any different from those at B2C?
Yes, the communication at B2B is more informative and educational. It is the substantive value that counts, not an emotional impulse.
How do you target ‘B2B’ adverts on Facebook?
You can use demographic data, job titles, interests and your own contact lists. It is important to narrow down your target audience precisely.
Is Facebook Ads effective for generating leads B2B?
Yes, particularly when combined with lead forms and high-quality content. The results depend on the quality of the offer and the message.