Facebook announces Local Awareness ads

[Margaret Ornsby]

Facebook Debuts Local Awareness Ads - AllFacebook

Key takeaways

• Local awareness ads will be rolled out in the U.S. ?over the coming weeks? and globally ?over the coming months?
• Users? privacy is protected, as brands can only select locations, and not specific individuals
• Users will only see ads based on their locations if they have chosen to enable location services on their mobile devices
• Research shows when it comes to driving in-store sales, an ad?s reach is far more important than the engagement it receives

Can't wait to try it - anyone working with this yet?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks so much for posting Margaret. I wanted to post earlier but didn't have time so much appreciated!

Here is a post by Greg at MarketingLand too.

<a href="http://marketingland.com/facebook-announces-local-awareness-ads-smbs-102898">Facebook Announces "Local Awareness Ads" For SMBs</a>

 

[HurricaneK8]

Awesome news! We've used the strategy of targeting businesses nearby our dentists for Facebook advertising in the past (If they work nearby, they will be more likely to book an appointment so they don't have to take a day off work). I can see this working well for retailers and service providers...

In a way, it's like taking Google's Remarketing and following people in the "real world" instead of just on the web Can't wait to try it!

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I really only see this working for retailers after only reading this topic and not the official announcement.

Any other opinions?

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Hi Joshua

Without using it and only going on what I've read, it won't be as good as something like proximity marketing where you can send a text as they walk by your shop door. What I think it could be good for is reaching out to people in the local community in a channel you normally don't think of targeting and *may* be better able to target hyper-local better than you can do with Adwords.

Yes, retail sounds great. Dentists, restaurants, physio, doctors, lawn care, a whole bunch of service business models come to mind - *if* I understand it correctly.

You probably could do this anyway with careful FB advertising and custom audiences. It looks like this is simply making that easier.

Could be wrong - as I said, it's not available here so I haven't compared.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

It sounds like it's based on your location, right?

I guess I could see dentists if someone worked nearby and wanted to make an appointment. Maybe chiropractors.

I don't see non brick and mortars benefiting though.

Thoughts?

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Really good questions, Joshua. Glad they're being asked.

Kinda why I asked if anyone was using them yet and how they might be performing. Would love to know the answers myself

 

[Lloyd Silver]

So it looks like the only targeting is location, gender, and age? Well, I guess it's a start. I still struggle to figure out how to use Facebook ads for typical local businesses like carpet cleaners, plumbers, etc. Sure you could just blanket an area and pick some demographics that make sense, but to me the value of Facebook ads is the fantastic targeting. Without targeting the cost goes up significantly.

 

[HurricaneK8]

I don't think "local businesses like carpet cleaners, plumbers, etc. " would actually use these ads. I think they're more for targetting potential customers of hotels, restaurants, bakerys etc. that people would make a fairly spontaneous decision about and would be passing by while they're in need of the service.

So age and gender might make sense for a pub-- they know that males eat more & drink more, so they might target 19-35 year old males who are in a 5km radius of their pub.

I can't see a plumber, or carpet cleaner using this, as they travel to the customer anyways.

 

[RobinOctane]

Awesome news! We've used the strategy of targeting businesses nearby our dentists for Facebook advertising in the past (If they work nearby, they will be more likely to book an appointment so they don't have to take a day off work). I can see this working well for retailers and service providers...

In a way, it's like taking Google's Remarketing and following people in the "real world" instead of just on the web Can't wait to try it!

Where do you find this in the FB Ads manager, adding the target "work nearby". All I see is "living nearby".?

 

[Amber Robinson]

Thanks for sharing, Margaret! I really appreciate your key takeaways, too

I have a client that is interested in the FB ads. (They sell electronic cigarette juices.)

If he goes through with it I will keep everyone updated on the results!

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Sorry Robin, can't see it yet across the pond. Maybe someone who's trialling this can tell you.