5 Facebook advertising tips for service businesses

The types of service businesses range from the common plumber, through to the specialist musical instrument luthier, with everything in between. Some services, like plumbers and mechanics, enjoy a steady flow of “inevitable” leads. I mean, who else would one call if your toilet started spewing out all sorts of previously-flushed materials? Where else would you go if crippling, agonising toothache struck you out of nowhere? This article is for all services business, but especially for those who are too specialised to rely on word-of-mouth business primarily.

1. Map a unique customer journey

How do you want your interaction with each customer to go? Their journey with your brand starts when they see an advert, and how things will go after that point is up to your business and the decisions the customer will make along the way. A compelling Facebook advert should click through to further information (or a video), which could link to a website. It’s important to walk the customer journey; see their interaction with your brand through your interaction with it.

2. Don’t forget good housekeeping

You might be putting out better-than-solid Facebook ads. Still, if your Facebook business page (and any associated pages or accounts) isn’t up to scratch, customers might get a bad impression (especially if they’re looking for contact information. Potential followers use a Facebook business page to see who the brand is. If there are scant status updates, photographs, and reviews – they might move on to the next service provider on the list.

3. Choose your goals carefully

How do you process most of your service requests? Perhaps you prefer prospective clients calling you on your phone, or maybe you like to deal with people over instant messaging apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. Facebook allows advertisers to set goals for each campaign, including getting interested parties to send the business a message on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, or call you immediately on their mobile phones.

4. Spend time on your targeting

There is no point in paying over your hard-earned money for advertising to individuals who will never require your services. Therefore, effective ad campaign targeting is critical. Facebook lets us target users by geographic location, which is great for service businesses looking to attract people in their immediate vicinity. Targeting also includes desired demographics, where the Facebook ad will only be shown to people interested in certain things.

5. Craft effective advert elements

Lastly, service business marketers should pay close attention to the various elements that are being advertised. Posts with engaging imagery, impactful messages, and clear calls-to-action are going to attract attention on social media. Think about it: brands are competing for the attention of Facebook users who see hundreds of posts every day, from their friends, family, and brands (some of which might even be your competitors).

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