Let It Go Social

There are still some tickets left for my in-person workshop to teach you how you can take advantage of Facebook ads to grow your business! But hurry - spaces are limited.

Get ready to learn the ins and outs of Meta Ads Manager, targeting and what's different in 2024, the anatomy of a successful ad and much more!

Plus, there'll be snacks and coffee to keep us going 😋.

"My Facebook ads generate me so much interest and client leads...I'm getting so many quality potential clients and not enough time to contact them all straight away - I'm fully booked now until the end of January and I still have clients I need to contact...Honestly my business wouldn't run as well as it does without Sarah. I recommend her to everyone."

Click the link to get yours:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-started-with-facebook-and-instagram-ads-with-sarah-murdoch-tickets-845851583857?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

There are SO MANY ways that Facebook and Instagram ads can be used incredibly effectively to grow your business.

Whether that's letting more people know about your business in your local area, increasing your audience size on Instagram to nurture and sell to, growing your email list, or promoting an irresistible offer to a wider audience that you know people are loving already.

AND the best thing is, you can do all of these things successfully on a small budget (one of my clients got over 300 new email subscribers last month on a budget of just £5 per day!)

The trouble is, when you've tried them in the past, Facebook Ads Manager has seemed incredibly intimidating and confusing, you've had no idea whether your ads have been set up for success, or you've resorted to boosting posts randomly (it's super easy and seems like a no brainer, right?) has left you feeling like you've just thrown money in the fire as you've seen little or no return.

If this sounds like you - then my in-person workshop 'Getting Started With Facebook And Instagram ads' is perfect for you.

You'll learn your way around ads manager, the anatomy of a successful ad, all about targeting and what's important in 2024 and much much more!!

AND there'll be pastries, tea and coffee to keep your energy levels up throughout.

Walk away feeling confident and ready to set up your first ad campaign on the two biggest social media platforms.

You can sign up now by clicking the link below, but hurry - spaces are limited!!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-started-with-facebook-and-instagram-ads-with-sarah-murdoch-tickets-845851583857

Wondering why there's a bottle of cleaning spray in my post?

I bought a bottle of this stuff around 2 years ago after seeing a number of very persuasive Facebook ads showing just how much better for the environment they were and also how much better for my pocket!!

However - this post isn't about how great the ads were or why I bought - it's about the impact that running ads can have that might not be reflected as sales in ads manager.

For example, because I loved the product and what it stood for, I told friends, family, people in my network - word of mouth and recommendations are a strong driver of a brand's growth.

I know for a fact that at least two people bought this product after I told them about it. These sales probably wouldn't have been shown in ads manager but wouldn't have happened if I hadn't seen the ads originally.

You are also going to see increased follower growth and email subscribers as more people become aware of your brand - they like you, but they aren't quite ready to buy. You can then nurture them and a percentage WILL buy from you at a later date. Again, this may not show up in ads manager, but their purchase was a result of the ads that originally made them aware of you.

It's great to see a strong ROAS in ads manager but also consider the ripple effect your ads will have over time, leading to the gradual, sustainable growth of your business.

What side effects have you noticed since running ads?

A lovely testimonial from one of my wonderful clients...

"Working with Sarah and her team has been a real eye-opener as to what can be achieved with the right people in place. She has done an incredible job of working with us through the process to get our business to where we want it to be. The Facebook and Google ads have done an amazing job of getting us in front of a new audience and growing our client base. They have also been instrumental in gaining a new ongoing B2B contract. Sarah is a real pleasure to work with and great value.” WH James

I have been working with Daryl and his team since January 2022 (I am so grateful my clients stay with me 🤗).

He and his partner had grown their heating and electrical engineer business within the London area, and had a strong client base of B2B contracts. However, they new they could scale the business further by tapping into the B2C market. With a brand new website in place with an online booking system, they wanted to use Google and Facebook ads to get in front of this new audience.

As their business is mainly reactive maintenance we concentrated on Google ads, supplementing with Facebook ads for brand awareness within their target area.

After a few months of testing and optimising, the results have been outstanding. The business is getting regular bookings from new clients from within their new target audience as well as new B2B contracts as well.

When I'm scrolling through my feed - this is one of the biggest oversights I see...weird thumbnails that have been selected automatically in ads manager.

It's part of the set-up process that can be easily forgotten - especially at this time of year when there are so many new promos, new ads and new campaigns being built!

To save on data, most people's phones won't be set to play video instantly, so you need to change that thumbnail to attention grabbing image that's going to stop the scroll...a blurry picture of an arm just won't cut it.

Changing your thumbnail is REALLY easy...

At ad level, you go to the ad creative section, click edit (the little pencil), hit thumbnail, then manual. You can then select a better frame from the video, or even upload an attention-grabbing image!

Go and check yours now...and share this post if you think others could use the reminder too :-).

So I was scrolling through Facebook today and want to know what I noticed?

The huge lack of social proof and reviews in the ads that I saw.

So many businesses overlook the importance of utilising this vital element in their ads (and on their website) and it bewilders me every time!!

Social proof is like gold dust when it comes to advertising...

It builds trust among your target audience.

It allows people to see that other people have made the investment that they're thinking about making and that what they got was worth every penny.

It shows them what's so great about your service in their words.

It makes them feel confident that they aren't going to regret their purchase.

Social proof can be in the form of case studies, press mentions, UGC, reviews (both video and written), awards, influencer marketing, or showing the number of customers who have bought your product (eg. Join the thousands of people who have chosen...).

Are you using social proof in your online advertising? Which do you find works best for you?

Test something else...😊

Test different copy, test different imagery, styles of content, headlines, audiences.

So many people give up after running one ad because they get nervous about spending money and not seeing immediate results.

They panic.

They turn the ad off.

They give up.

All advertising is an investment. It costs you either time or money (or both) and all advertising needs testing.

And if you don't get the outcome you're looking for the first time around (highly likely!) - learn from the data, make some adjustments, test something new and compare the results. Move forward. Your money isn't wasted - you're one step closer to that winning formula.

Ads will always need that initial investment (they're good but they can't perform miracles!) - you're buying data that will lead to eventual success.

However, I know it can be nerve-wracking...no one ever said advertising is easy!

Want someone to hold your hand in the process? My consultancy packages offer the support needed to guide you through the testing process (like having a little ads angel sitting on your shoulder 😇). Want to find out more - book in for a free chat!

Want to know one of the biggest mistakes I see on potential clients' websites?

The lack of a strong method of capturing visitors' email addresses when they land on whatever page they're sending them to with their ads.

They are spending all of this money, sending a tonne of traffic to their website (and sometimes the ads are doing a great job with strong creative and copy!) - but when they get there, the offer isn't TEMPTING enough for them to leave their information, OR there isn't an offer (have you ever signed up to a newsletter solely to get the latest info or updates of a brand???), OR it isn't apparent where to sign up OR the function isn't even there 🤦‍♀️.

Think about it...even with a strong conversion rate of 3% - you are still losing 97% of people who land on your site. Even the MOST interested individuals are unlikely to buy the first time they visit.

If you have a strong, tried and tested method of capturing that data, you can use your emails to retarget those customers with a robust email sequence that will push those almost buyers into buyers, and keep you front of mind to those who take a little longer.

And the likelihood is, that that this will happen within the attribution window of your Facebook/Google ads, pushing your ROAS higher, meaning you will be confident spending more money on your ads, sending more people to your website and the cycle continues...

Have you checked recently how well your email marketing is working? Have you tested any other offers? What works best for you? Let me know in the comments below 👇

Are you doing this? Then you might as well just be sending money directly to Zuck's bank account 💰

The other day I chatted to a lovely business owner who was doing exactly this . She had a business that was doing well and she wanted to use ads to reach a wider audience - she knew that using organic alone wasn't going to cut it anymore.

So she was doing this the only way she knew how and spending £600 on boosted posts 😱.

The trouble was, she had no idea whether they were working or not. There just wasn't a strategy.

The great thing was, the answer was simple - rather than chucking another £600 down the drain, I was able to work with her to teach her how to set her ads up properly, how to read the data - how to test different ads to get the BEST results 🔥.

She's now able to run her ads with confidence and is able to see whether they're working and what to do next 🙌

That's what I do in my Nurture Packages. 3 hours of 1:1 coaching, so you no longer feel like you're just chucking money at Facebook with little return 😎.

If you would like to find out more about this or any of my services, get in touch by clicking the link in my bio.

Have you heard about the new government campaign to encourage business owners to slash their prices by cutting marketing?

This all seems well and good, however, this could potentially be a recipe for disaster for businesses who rely on their marketing to get sales.

With little or no marketing, fewer people will learn about your brand, and even those customers who are familiar with you are likely to forget about you pretty quickly.

AND it will also allow those who continue or increase their marketing efforts to swoop in and take your place in the forefront of your potential customers minds.

The knock-on effect could be huge.

What are your thoughts on the matter? If you're a small business owner, will you be cutting your marketing spend in line with this advice?
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Great copy is an essential part of a winning ad. Use these tips to make sure yours is doing the job!

✅ Speak in their language. Notice the words your customers are using when they are talking about your product. What are they saying when they are writing reviews? What words are they using when they are asking questions? By using their language you are far more likely to make that essential connection you need to make.

✅ Answer their pain points. What problem are you solving for your customers? For example, if you're selling garden pods, a clear pain point would be your customer is sick of working from their spare room! Explain clearly how you solve that pain point for them.

✅ Make is snappy. It's true that you should test both long and short copy but make sure it's easy to read. Short sentences and line breaks for the win!!

Need some help with your ad copywriting - no problem. I can do this during one of my Power Hours. Just click the link in my bio and I can get you booked in and writing slick converting copy in no time!!

Crazy amount, right? So for everyone who starts a purchase, on average, 8 will not complete.

That's why you need to make sure that:

FIRST - you're getting rid of as many barriers to purchase as possible.

Are your shipping costs too high? Is your customer journey as quick and as easy as it can be. Are you using easy payment systems such as Apple and Google pay? Think about EVERY DETAIL to make buying from you as quick and as easy as possible.

But let's be honest - even when websites have the best systems in place, there are going to be a lot of abandon cart situations. Life gets in the way - the doorbell rings, a child shouts, you've got to be somewhere...

The answer: RETARGETING.

You can either retarget them organically, for example, by email (this is where a highly attractive lead magnet comes in handy!).

OR you can retarget them with your Facebook and Instagram ads.

If you can do both, you've got the best chance of getting in front of them again, and the best chance of them completing the purchase.

If you're running ads, but you're unsure whether you're retargeting effectively or if you're just interested in finding out more, click the link in my bio and book in for FREE discovery call and we can talk things through.

Here are 5 of my top tips for improving the conversion rate on your website.

So when you start running ads to get more of your ideal customers to your website, you're converting as many of those people into buyers as possible - getting the best ROI 🤑.

1. Optimise for mobile - Did you know 82% of users ONLY access Facebook via their mobile phone? 😲 Even more for Instagram. So if you're advertising (paid or organic) on either make sure your website is optimised for mobile. It should look great AND run smoothly.

2. Check your loading speed 💻- No one has got time to wait around for your website to load. In fact, 40% of polled internet users report abandoning a site if it took longer than 3 seconds to load. That's a lot of wasted money if you're running paid ads.

3. Make the buying process as easy as possible 😌 - make CTA buttons clear and easy to find, get rid of any information fields that are not needed, use easy payment options such as Apple or Google Pay, and DON'T make people create an account unless absolutely necessary.

4. Check your shipping costs! 🛳 One of the biggest reasons that people choose not to go ahead with a purchase is because of high shipping costs - don't let this be the reason why your potential customers abandon cart.

5. Make sure your social proof is on your website ❤️ . It should be right there when anyone lands on your website, don't assume that people will go looking for it.

When I run your Facebook/Instagram ads one of the first things I do is check your website and make sure everything is up to scratch so when we're sending all that new traffic to your website, it's converting as many as possible, allowing for the best ROI 💰.

Previously known as the Facebook pixel.

Do you have it installed on your website yet?

If not, I strongly advise you go ahead and do so STRAIGHT AWAY?

WHY? I hear you cry. I'm not running any Facebook ads. I'm not even THINKING of running Facebook ads! I don't even know if I EVER will.

Well - unless you know 100%, without any doubt whatsoever that you will NEVER run Facebook (or Instagram) ads then, PLEASE, go ahead and install the Facebook pixel. It's totally free (and usually pretty straightforward to do).

Too often I have businesses come to me wanting to run ads, but there isn't a pixel on their website.

Meaning they have missed out on collecting data about their previous website visitors and the actions they took.

This precious data can make a huge difference when it comes to how efficiently your ads run.

Any questions? Feel free to send a DM or post in the comments below!

These were the words of a business owner I spoke to this morning.

She'd run ads before without much success, spending money with little return.

As a Facebook ads strategist, a big part of my job is to be open and honest about whether ads will work for you, and what you need to do before you start running them to make sure you get the best possible outcome.

Facebook ads can get incredible results, but you need to lay the foundations first.

You can read about some of the signs that tell you whether you're ready for Facebook ads (as well as some of the signs that you're not!) in my latest blog:

https://www.letitgosocial.com/post/5-signs-your-business-is-ready-to-run-facebook-ads

Still unsure? Don't worry 😊. That's what my FREE discovery calls are for! Head over to my website.

Wondering whether Facebook ads are right for your business?

There's a few things you should consider first.

One of those things is definitely your conversion rate.

There is a huge misconception out there that Facebook ads will sell your product for you, no matter what. What a great Facebook ad actually does is drive the right kind of people to your website.

BUT if your website isn’t converting, then your ads won’t change that, no matter how great they are!

I highly recommend your website has a conversion rate of at least 2+%. Anything less than that, then you’re going to really struggle to get a decent ROAS from your ads.

You can find out more about whether you're ready to run Facebook ads right here in my blog: 5 signs your business is ready to run Facebook ads

https://www.letitgosocial.com/post/5-signs-your-business-is-ready-to-run-facebook-ads

A couple of weeks ago I went on holiday!

And it was glorious.

However, as a business owner, holidays are always a little different than they were when I was employed by someone else.

As a business owner, I feel I can never really switch off from work - I always have to take my laptop with me, so I can check in on any ads make sure that everything is running as it should be and optimise campaigns here and there when needed.

And I will usually have my phone on me to answer any new enquiries (although I do draw the line at actually taking a call!).

However, working for myself means I can choose how often I go on holiday and for how long. There’s no one telling me that I can’t take holiday for this reason and that - I just decide and that is that!

I also love what I do, so as long as it doesn’t interfere too much with family time, then I really don’t mind. Although planning in advance and communicating with clients is crucial for this to work well.

Business owners - what do you think? If you’re not able to hand over fully to someone else - how do you make sure you get some downtime when having that much-needed break?

It's now easier to contact Let It Go Social.

Want access to a wealth of social media marketing knowledge from over 100 experts in the industry?

Launching today - this incredible initiative by The Two Lauras, founders of a community of freelance social media managers, developed to raise funds for the Ukraine crisis.

Over 100 social media experts have offered their expertise in exchange for donations, where 100% of all money raised will go to the Save The Children (Ukraine Appeal) and War Child.

To get access to this wealth of knowledge all you need to give is a donation - the link is in the bio.

Wondering which form of paid advertising might be best for your business?

For many businesses - both Google Ads and Facebook Ads can work brilliantly together and a strong marketing campaign can often definitely benefit from using both.

However, if you are choosing between the two, here are a couple of things that might help you make that choice.

Firstly, where in the funnel are the people you are targeting?

Google Ads are great for targeting those people who have a problem, and they already know the answer to it - ie. They are working from home and they know they need an outdoor office built by a local expert.

However, if you are targeting those at the very top of the funnel - ie. People who are working from home and haven't realised an outdoor office is the answer, then Facebook ads are a great option to inspire those people into taking some action.

Secondly, are people actually searching for your product on Google?

If you are selling something new, or it's so specific that it's not really something that many people will type into the search engine, then Google ads aren't for you. With Google ads, you're relying on people using keywords when searching. They aren't likely to do this if the above is true.

However, using Facebook ads to target the right people may lead to them realise your product is just the thing they need.

There are many other things that you might consider when choosing between the two, and often, you won't know which will bring you the most success until you test them both.

Think Facebook ads are the right option for your business? Get in touch and we can chat further. Not sure? Then we can discuss this too! 😊

Funnels - what are they and do you really need one?

A funnel is simply another name for the journey your customer takes from being someone who has never heard of your business before to being someone who is ready to buy.

At the top of your funnel you'll have your cold audience (those who are coming across you for the very first time) and at the bottom of your funnel you'll have your warm and hot audiences.

And some products need a much longer funnel than others - normally those with a higher price point and therefore need more consideration.

When running Facebook ads you need different messaging depending on where people are in your sales funnel in order get the best results - the ad speak to them in the right way at the right time of their journey.

Understanding this fully is vital when running Facebook ads.

Not sure whether you have an effective funnel in place? That's where I can help. Book in for a Power Hour and I will take an in-depth look at what you have set up, giving detailed guidance on how to get your ads working for you. You can book in by clicking the link in my bio!

Everyday I get served a tonne of ads that just blend into the background. They get lost among the noise of social media. I'm scrolling right on by.

REMEMBER: The primary job of your ad's image is to grab your audience's attention - it's not to sell your product or service.

So if the images you have chosen for your ads show off your product beautifully, but they just don't stand out from the millions of other ads being served in people's feeds, then you might want to test something a little out of the box.

Need help selecting your images? That's exactly what my power hours are for. Send me a DM and we'll get you booked in.

When you first start running Facebook ads, you might think that your beautiful, professionally taken photos would be the ones that will get you the best results - and in some cases, that might be the case.

The thing is, people on Facebook and Instagram are not on there to be served ads. Often, they don't even want to be served ads, so if it's immediately obvious that what they are being shown is an ad, then they are likely to just swipe on by.

However, if you image looks a little less ad-like, that it's perhaps an image that has been shared by one of their friends or family, then it may well do a better job of grabbing their attention. And before they know it, they are reading your copy, and if you've done a good job, taking the action you want them to take.

These ads are called native ads and they are used by hundreds of big brands for a reason. They work.

Need help selecting your images for your ads? Get it touch - I run power hours that are designed exactly for this reason. Just send a quick DM 😊

The number one priority when you are choosing an image for your Facebook ads should be that it is scroll stopping. Obviously, you want to sell your product but if that beautifully polished image doesn't grab your audience's attention, then they are going to scroll right past you.

Some things that can help with this are:
⭐️Bright colours (for obvious reasons)
⭐️Pattern disrupters (anything that would make someone look twice)
⭐️Images of people - and - this may come as a surprise - often ones that look like a quick snap on your phone perform really well!
⭐️Images with movement - as in still images where something looks like it should be moving

There are many others, of course...have you come across any that work particularly well for you? If you still feel like you don't know where to start, give me a shout 😊.

So it's been a couple of days and your ads aren't doing what you want them to do...something must be wrong, so you better try and fix it before you spend more money on an ad that's not working, right?

Wrong!

You really need to give your ads time - we suggest a good 7 days (sometimes even longer due to the effects of IOS14.5) - to get a true picture of how well an ad is working before testing something else.

I know it's hard, but you just need to tie those hands behind your back and have some patience.

Still confused with your ads? Then I am here to help - I run power hours for exactly this reason, helping business owners get their ads on the right track.

Thank you !

I have absolutely loved working with this business! Her knitwear is beautiful, she has a strong and active organic social media presence, other forms of marketing in place AND her product was already selling well. She is a small business, but she already had the key elements in place before using Facebook ads to get in front of MORE of her target market. She had already tried on her own, but just didn't have the time or the knowledge to get the results she wanted.

Does this sound familiar? Do you want to find out more about whether Facebook and Instagram ads are for you? Get in touch, I'd be more than happy to have a chat. Just click the link in the bio or send a DM.

Do you want your ads to work for you?

Then knowing your target audience inside out is absolutely crucial.

How old are they?
Where do they live?
What are their interests?
What p**ses them off?
How do they use social media?
Who or what influences their decisions?
How does your business solve their problem?
Why might they NOT buy from you?

REALLY GET INSIDE THEIR HEAD!

This is vital for the set up of your ads, when selecting who your ads are going to be shown to.

More importantly, your target audience needs to be in the forefront of your mind when you are selecting your images or when your are writing that winning copy that speaks directly to that ideal customer. So much so, that they feel the ad has been written just for them.

Need any help with this?

Do you know who you are targeting with your marketing? Give me a thumbs up in the comments. If not, get in touch - I'd be more than happy to help 😊.