Facebook is one of largest social media platforms out there, with over two billion monthly users.

The platform gives you access to thousands of people who may be interested in your products and services.

But still, a lot of business owners and companies are throwing in a lot of hard-earned money in ineffective Facebook ads campaigns.

What went wrong?

The truth is, Facebook is a tricky platform to use, especially with its unique targeting features that allow you to get the best results you desire based on your budget.

Fortunately, we’ll share with you five rookie advertising mistakes when it comes to Facebook ads:

Mistake #1 – Setting the Wrong Objective

A lot of brands set objectives such as “creating awareness,” or “generate more likes and shares on my page.”

It’s true that big brands such as Coca-Cola spend a lot of money creating awareness of their products and services. But unless they’re your size, you should redirect your efforts on one thing ‒ and that is to make a sale.

Your primary focus is to make a lead. Ideally, you want your ads to generate a tangible result which can cause a fantastic return on investment. Either through monetary gains or vital information that your sales team can use to follow up and eventually make a sale.

Mistake #2 – Using the Wrong Ad Type

Facebook allows you to experiment with different ad types. Newsfeed ads are one of the most common ads to create. However, you also mustn’t overlook the fact that Lead and Video ads can be excellent options that you should consider as well.

To give you a clear picture, here is a list of the different Facebook ad types:

Newsfeed Ad

Beginners commonly use newsfeed ads for a reason they’re easy to set up and super simple to create.

Right Column Ad

Usually, you can see this type of ad on your desktop newsfeed and usually has a headline, a description, and an image.

Lead Ads

You can recognize lead ads by their “download” CTA button. This ad type provides a convenient way for people to pt into newsletters, ebooks, and other offers directly from their device.

Carousel ads

Carousel ads usually show up to ten images, as well as links in just a single ad.

Dynamic Product Ads / DPA

Dynamic product ads are remarketing ads that specifically target users, based on the actions that they perform on your site.

Page Like Ads

The primary goal of this ad type is to gain more likes on your Facebook page.

Canvas Ads

These ads are animated and mobile optimized to help tell your brand story.

Mobile App Install Ads

Promotes your app and for people to install it on their mobile devices.

Event Ads

Promotes your upcoming events, making people more informed about attending.

GIF Ads

Advertisers can now also ad GIFs to their video ads as well.

Pro Tip: Here’s a list of free stock photo resources that you can use for your next Facebook Ad campaign.

Mistake #3 – Not Optimizing Facebook Ad or Campaign

You have the option to choose what you want Facebook to optimize in your ad campaign. It includes your unique daily reach, clicks, and actions. However, what you optimize can also be different from your current objectives.

Facebook usually tweaks the delivery of the ads based on the results that you’re getting from it. For example, if your ad is doing well with a particular demographic, they tend to show your ad more to that specific group.

The problem with that is when you run that particular ad too quickly, you’ll end up using up your entire budget before Facebook has even had the chance to optimize your campaign.

Mistake #4 – Using the Same Ads for Everyone

Another rookie mistake is targetting all Facebook users with the same ads, whatever their stage is on your marketing funnel. For instance, you show the same set of advertisements to the people who have already added products to your online shopping cart.

Technically, the ads that you need to show them must be different. At this point, your focus should be making retargeting ads such as a unique coupon code or promotional offer

Meanwhile, the type of ads that you have to come up for newcomers who don’t know your brand yet should focus on the benefits your products or services provide.

Just try to be more educational rather than promotional, as a lot of people are turned off by overly-promotional messages.

Here’s a comprehensive Facebook advertising guide by Shopify to help you reach the right audience and generate more sales.

Mistake #5 – Avoiding Facebook Stories

Facebook stories are one of the most recent additions on Facebook. Stories provide users with a full-screen mobile experience. Thus, it has more power to capture their attention than a typical post on their newsfeeds will.

By incorporating elements such as video, sound, and images, Facebook stories are an effective way to drive in traffic to your site.

You just need to learn the most effective times to post on Facebook to get more engagement.

Read Next: This is Why You Should Use Facebook for Marketing

The Final Takeaway

You may have made one or two rookie mistakes in the past, but don’t get discouraged.

After reading this article, it will be relatively easier for you to avoid committing these rookie mistakes ever again.

Over time, you’ll be noticing some notable improvements. So be ready to take charge of your campaigns, and build successful ones for your business or brand.