I feel like this should go without saying, but it doesn't.
Social media isn't like any other marketing channel you've ever worked in.
It isn't like PR; it isn't like direct mail; it isn't like email; it isn't like affiliate networks; it isn't like comparison shopping engines; and it certainly isn't like paid search.
So you can't and shouldn't approach social media like any of these other channels.
People seem to often get hung up on the success (or, rather, failure) of their Facebook PPC campaigns.
Why isn't Facebook conducive to PPC ads the same way that a search engine, like Google, is? I mean, in 2009 alone, Google made $23 billion on AdWords.
Isn't some of that success transferable to social networks? The short answer is no; we know that people have different goals on search engines versus social networks.
People are in completely different mindsets.
On Google, a search mindset might be, "buy circular saw," and we probably know that they're about ready to buy a circular saw, possibly just looking for the best price.
On Facebook, a search mindset might be, "I wonder how Jenny's vacation in California is going? Let's see if she posted any pics," (ie.
they're almost never trying to buy anything!).
To go along with that, people's eyes are drawn to different parts of the page on Facebook as compared to Google (just search for "Facebook heatmap" and "Google heatmap," thanks Mulley Communications).
See how the first sponsored Google ad gets burned right through immediately while the Facebook ad gets little love? And since you know what blog you're reading, here's an analogy to explain: It's 5pm, you're at the grocery store, and you see an attractive member of the opposite sex.
You go up to him or her, and what do you say? If you were a Google PPC ad, you would probably say "Would you like to go out with me? I'll give you 50% off Dinner and Drinks.
" Late afternoon at a grocery store, this direct approach probably isn't going to work.
That person is thinking about what they're making for dinner, and you're not involved.
Flash forward.
It's 1:30am at McFadden's.
You see an attractive member of the opposite sex, and now what do you say when you walk up to them? Your Google PPC ad might work this time, because that person isn't thinking about grocery shopping - they're in a different kind of shopping mode.
If in the first scenario, you were a brand on Facebook, is it better to walk up to the person in the grocery store and offer them dinner and drinks with a promo code, or is it better to strike up a conversation about that new organic salad dressing that he or she is inspecting.
"Oh I tried that one last week, it's really great! I put it on salad and chicken, but the label says you can put it on just about anything!" That will probably get you a better response, or at least a request for more information (ie.
a click).
Now back to 1:30am at McFadden's.
Try striking up a conversation about how "I just tried this awesome salad dressing last week; you NEED to try this stuff," (insert any unrelated conversation there) and you'll most definitely get ignored.
This may seem like a very convoluted analogy (and it is), but the idea is that Google is like a crazy bar right before they kick everyone out, and your request for a date in this setting is very much like a Google PPC ad.
You can be very direct; they are in buying mode.
Facebook is like the grocery store, and your ad will most likely fall on deaf ears, especially if it's an ad to buy something (ie.
a date) because their mind is on dinner, the last time they cooked, who they were with, etc.
Much better to subtly offer value about something they're already discussing or thinking about - in this case, the salad dressing - and engage them, rather than hitting them with a PPC ad which asks them to do something for you.
Social media isn't like any other marketing channel you've ever worked in.
It isn't like PR; it isn't like direct mail; it isn't like email; it isn't like affiliate networks; it isn't like comparison shopping engines; and it certainly isn't like paid search.
So you can't and shouldn't approach social media like any of these other channels.
People seem to often get hung up on the success (or, rather, failure) of their Facebook PPC campaigns.
Why isn't Facebook conducive to PPC ads the same way that a search engine, like Google, is? I mean, in 2009 alone, Google made $23 billion on AdWords.
Isn't some of that success transferable to social networks? The short answer is no; we know that people have different goals on search engines versus social networks.
People are in completely different mindsets.
On Google, a search mindset might be, "buy circular saw," and we probably know that they're about ready to buy a circular saw, possibly just looking for the best price.
On Facebook, a search mindset might be, "I wonder how Jenny's vacation in California is going? Let's see if she posted any pics," (ie.
they're almost never trying to buy anything!).
To go along with that, people's eyes are drawn to different parts of the page on Facebook as compared to Google (just search for "Facebook heatmap" and "Google heatmap," thanks Mulley Communications).
See how the first sponsored Google ad gets burned right through immediately while the Facebook ad gets little love? And since you know what blog you're reading, here's an analogy to explain: It's 5pm, you're at the grocery store, and you see an attractive member of the opposite sex.
You go up to him or her, and what do you say? If you were a Google PPC ad, you would probably say "Would you like to go out with me? I'll give you 50% off Dinner and Drinks.
" Late afternoon at a grocery store, this direct approach probably isn't going to work.
That person is thinking about what they're making for dinner, and you're not involved.
Flash forward.
It's 1:30am at McFadden's.
You see an attractive member of the opposite sex, and now what do you say when you walk up to them? Your Google PPC ad might work this time, because that person isn't thinking about grocery shopping - they're in a different kind of shopping mode.
If in the first scenario, you were a brand on Facebook, is it better to walk up to the person in the grocery store and offer them dinner and drinks with a promo code, or is it better to strike up a conversation about that new organic salad dressing that he or she is inspecting.
"Oh I tried that one last week, it's really great! I put it on salad and chicken, but the label says you can put it on just about anything!" That will probably get you a better response, or at least a request for more information (ie.
a click).
Now back to 1:30am at McFadden's.
Try striking up a conversation about how "I just tried this awesome salad dressing last week; you NEED to try this stuff," (insert any unrelated conversation there) and you'll most definitely get ignored.
This may seem like a very convoluted analogy (and it is), but the idea is that Google is like a crazy bar right before they kick everyone out, and your request for a date in this setting is very much like a Google PPC ad.
You can be very direct; they are in buying mode.
Facebook is like the grocery store, and your ad will most likely fall on deaf ears, especially if it's an ad to buy something (ie.
a date) because their mind is on dinner, the last time they cooked, who they were with, etc.
Much better to subtly offer value about something they're already discussing or thinking about - in this case, the salad dressing - and engage them, rather than hitting them with a PPC ad which asks them to do something for you.
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