Best Way To Advertise On Facebook: Overlooked Method

Want to generate a better return on your recent Facebook campaigns?

You can use a service like TopMercury for Facebook Ads management or you can make things work on your own.

If you’re running solo, try this counterintuitive suggestion that has worked wonders for several of our clients: send your leads to a third-party site that discusses your brand and/or products in a positive light.

I know this sounds insane. Why would you spend your hard-earned dollars sending your best leads to Business Insider instead of your own website?

Whether we like it or not, modern consumers are more savvy than ever, and if you can find a way to direct them to a glowing third-party review about your business, they’ll listen…and then head over to your site and purchase.

Here’s how to get started creating your next sales-based campaign.

Unbiased, Third-Party Acknowledgement May be the Best Way to Advertise on Facebook

Nothing, I repeat nothing, takes the place of a good, unbiased review at some point in the purchasing funnel.

Here’s a personal example.

Last Christmas, the Oculus Rift was on fire. I had yet to try VR. I saw dozens of commercials for Rift and was told that it was a “life-changing experience” by a sales rep at Best Buy.

But, I didn’t buy it.

A few weeks went by and I saw a review of the Rift + Touch in Business Insider with a video. Astounding! It looked amazing. And Business Insider? They’re a smart group of people, they’re telling me this is a great purchase. Bam. Customer.

And I was a great customer! I purchased the Rift + Touch along with an Acer supercomputer in under an hour.

The moral of the story is that we crave acknowledgement from vetted thought leadership before we spend our dollars. And leveraging that might be the best way to advertise on Facebook.

And guess who sent me to that Business Insider article?

Oculus.

It’s well worth your time and resources to send your leads offsite to a good third-party review of your product, regardless of where they are in the purchasing funnel.

Supply Your Best Third-Party Reviews to Leads

Take control of your leads’ path to purchase by sending them to a third-party review of your choice. One that converts.

Here are a few examples of wonderful creative that provided value to their leads by simply letting thought leaders in their respective space explain their merits.

Both Combatant Gentleman and the Cosmopolitan are doing this extremely well, each in their own way. Let’s see if you can use the best way to advertise on Facebook almost no one is using.

Combatant is simply sending its leads offsite to Men’s Journal, one of the primary thought leaders in the men’s apparel space. When a lead visits the site, I’m sure he’s far more interested in Combatant Gentlemen’s products because Men’s Journal provides social proof that Combatant Gentlemen suits really are exceptional.

On the other hand, Parachute is sending users to Business Insider. One of the primary thought leaders in new technologies and products. When a lead visits the site, I’m sure he or she’s far more interested in Parachute’s products because Business Insider provides social proof that Parachute sheets really are exceptional.

Both of these companies’ ads get potential customers to read about their specialities and successes. Also, they do so in a way that isn’t intrusive. They’re not overreaching.

Don’t Be Too Obvious

And that’s an important note. You can push your leads to third-party sites, but you need to respect their integrity without making it too obvious.

Parachute actually takes this a step further, sending users off-site to an article that actually has nothing to do with their products.

While we wouldn’t recommend this for most brands, there is something to be said for really providing value to your leads on Facebook.

Basically, there’s nothing wrong with saying “Hey, we know you’ve visited our website.”

“But instead of sending to you an ad about our sheets, we’re going to send you to a post about some really successful women.”

Because, we know you’ll be super interested in it.

This is an advanced, B2C funnel strategy, and one that only works if the lifetime value of your customers is substantial.

How would you construct your sales funnel if you took a different approach? What if you weren’t concerned with making sure every post you made on Facebook revolved around a sales pitch?

The Results Speak for Themselves; Maybe the Best Way to Advertise on Facebook.

Sending leads to third-party sites that speak fondly of just your brand can be enough to attain a crazy ROAS on Facebook.

The above data comes from one of our clients. All of the ads in this set were sent to third-party sites. Business Insider, Forbes, and the Huffington Post, to be exact.

Moreover, no article is actually about this client’s products. Rather, the articles simply discussed this client’s brand and growth over the last year!

It’s not everyday you get a 25x ROAS on Facebook. These types of results are insane. And show this overlooked method to be the best way to advertise on Facebook no one is using. Best to take advantage. Either use the press you’ve received, or get on top of acquiring fresh third-party brand trust.

Take Care of Your Leads and They’ll Take Care of You

Stop trying to convert your leads at every turn. Simply provide and pay for ways for them to learn more about your brand and/or products in a genuine way. You’ll make more money than you ever have on Facebook.

On Google Ads, you are the haystack and you’re trying to find your needle. On Facebook Ads, you are the needle and you’re trying to find your haystack.

You’re never going to find your haystack if you don’t concede that not everyone is on the hunt to purchase your products 24/7.

Ironically, once you realize this, you’ll make more sales than ever before!
I hope you enjoyed this article on third-party Facebook ads! If you want help, contact TopMercury today and we’ll chat about what we can do for your business.