Facebook Archives - Chloe Anagnos

How to Use Facebook Pixel to Increase Your Adspend

March 25, 2019 · In: Marketing, Technology

Have you ever been scrolling through your Facebook feed only to find multiple ads of a product or service you searched for just moments before?

Though some say the Facebook pixel is creepy (and it kind of is), it’s also an ingenious marketing tool to better serve your target audience.

So what is it exactly? If you’re unfamiliar, a Facebook pixel serves as an identifier.

Essentially, it’s a snippet of code installed on your website, so that you can track your all of your traffic down to the type, information about what your audience likes, how many items users have put an item in their cart on your site, or even whether they purchased a given item or not… so you can see where some people can get uneasy.

But if you use the Facebook pixel correctly, you can see a significant return on your adspend over time by simply installing the pixel on your website to better target your traffic.

Where do you start? I’ll walk you through step by step how to create a Facebook Pixel so you can produce higher quality and targeted ads than ever before.

Create a pixel

You can either create a pixel through Facebook Ads Manager or Business Manager, but if you’re looking to grow your business (which you should be), be sure to stick to the Business Manager to have a dashboard that lets you manage multiple pages, ads, and audience insights all from the same place.

So to create an actual pixel, complete the following steps: visit your business manager account > select settings > select data sources > select pixels > select add. Name your pixel something specific if you’ve got multiple ventures (like your website name or another identifier) because Facebook will let you create up to 15 of them.

You’ll want to be able to quickly differentiate the given purpose of each pixel if you have multiple websites, e-commerce platforms like Etsy or Shopify, etc.

Install your pixel

Now that you’ve got your Pixel created with a name and ID, you have two options: to use a platform integration if you are using a well-known web platform like WordPress or Squarespace, to install your pixel, or take a DIY approach.

If you choose to do it yourself, take the piece of code Facebook gives you when setting up your pixel, and paste it into the header code of your website. Otherwise, the integration will complete this step for you.

Test your pixel

Facebook Pixel Chrome Extension is a plugin you can install directly on Google Chrome in order to test and see if your Pixel is live on your website. (It’ll also reveal how many websites you view are tracking your data with multiple pixels, but that’s another story).

That way if at anytime your pixel shows inactive, you’re able to monitor and adjust accordingly. You can also test traffic through Facebook’s test feature once you’ve completed the proper steps to ensure you’re up and running.

Create a custom audience for your pixel

Now, this is where the magic happens. Once your pixel tracks at least 100 conversions or clicks to your website, you can actually create a Lookalike Audience. Why’s this important?

Though Facebook Ads allows you to target people specifically based on region, pages liked, or other interests when you create an ad, using a Lookalike Audience through the Pixel is 100 times better. No longer are you guestimating your target audience based on these principles, because the Lookalike feature allows you to target people who are already engaging with your website.

This feature takes all the data Facebook has accumulated about your visitors and then matches as many data points as possible to market to the same people. Again, genius.

Create an ad and use your pixel

You’ve done all the legwork, and you’re on the home run stretch. Create an ad with a clear and specific call to action, choose a result that converts, and use the Lookalike feature for the best results. You won’t believe what you’ll find.

Measure your results

Track, measure, and analyze everything you produced via your ad. How many leads did you generate? How much revenue resulted in your ad? How many people engaged with your ad? Take note, implement necessary changes, and watch your investments grow.

Get Hired With These 5 Marketing Certifications

January 28, 2019 · In: Marketing, Professional Development

Simply put, digital marketing has changed the face of modern business across the globe. Most degrees are no longer the only deciding factors when hiring. In fact, sometimes they aren’t even prerequisites.

Today, employers are less focused on where you went to school and more interested in your experience and demonstrated ability.

So if you never graduated B-school, don’t be too worried. Marketing positions are constantly opening and the freelance opportunities are endless.

Certifications are an effective way to stay up to speed with your digital skills, make a great addition to your Linkedin profile, and each serves as experience and talking points for your resume.

Whether you’re looking for a new gig, developing your own business, or on the search for a digital side hustle, here are five certifications to help you get hired and to sharpen your skills.

Google Ads

According to SEO Tribunal, Google is responsible for 96 percent of all smartphone search traffic and 94 percent of total organic traffic.

Google Academy for Ads offers a free certification course, and will guide you step by step on how to implement successful campaigns for your business or for your clients. This platform is king considering most online purchases are still made in search before they’re made in social.

Hootsuite Social Marketing

Though Hootsuite has had some competition over the last few years as more social scheduling platforms have come on the market, they are still the first platform with the most credibility when it comes to scheduling social media.

Hootsuite’s certification exams do start at $200, but their social media certification is arguably the most well-rounded. Their course focuses on core strategies to develop your social media presence as a brand and will give you the foundational principles you need.

Hubspot Inbound

Inbound marketing is an excellent strategy in the digital marketing world, and is essential to understand and implement – especially as a small business. Hubspot’s inbound certificate is free and focuses on fundamental marketing concepts that many of us tend to skip right through. This course builds an excellent foundation on how to engage your audience, target prospects, maintain a pipeline of leads, understand the buyer journey, and really know your audience.

Google Digital Marketing

Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Certificate is yet another free certification that lays a strong framework for almost every area within digital marketing. If you don’t have a marketing degree, this course covers just about everything you need to know in terms of building a digital marketing foundation. This course covers multiple platforms and strategies from email marketing to social media.

Facebook Blueprint

Social media has shifted more into a “pay-to-play” model, so unless you’ve got a strong personal brand and/or became an “influencer” before the market became saturated, you’ll want to consider Facebook advertising. Facebook’s certification is $150 and will get you up to speed to ensure you get the most value for your dollar.

How to Cure Online Slacktivism

October 10, 2015 · In: Technology

This article was originally published on October 5, 2015.

We’ve all experienced it. Profile pictures changed to colored ribbons. Cartoon characters assigned to timelines. Multiple “shares” and “likes” for non-profits on social media.

Since the dawn of the internet, your hippest and most politically active Facebook friends have been able to fill you in on the latest online gimmick to raise “awareness” for whatever is cool at the time. (Remember #KONY2012, anyone?) The idea behind the posts, likes, and shares is all fine and dandy. But, the slacktivism isn’t and it needs to end.

Slacktivism is defined as, “actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, e.g., signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website.”

…Or saying something like, “like my status in support of…” You get the picture.

Slacktivism is easy. It requires mindless clicks to make others think that you’re super involved. (A colleague of mine wrote an article recently that summed up my complete feelings on the subject. You can read it here.)

What’s even worse than the laziness that causes slacktivism is the low-information slacktivists that spread around misinformation.

For example, yesterday the dreaded Facebook copyright hoax went viral again. When it originated in 2011, most telecom junkies like myself thought that by 2015, people would realize that Facebook is free and always will be. Alas, it was back despite the countless news stories that were circulated regarding the hoax.

Not to mention the countless “click-bait” stories that get shared about everything from the 2016 election to abortion and beyond. One would think that in an age where information is at our fingertips, it would be unheard of to not have the truth immediately.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Take any example of a high-profile legal battle, a politician’s speech or a viral video and you’ll surely find conspiracy theorists and “Facebook lawyers” that have stated their opinions about the “facts” before the story is even a day old. (And the year 2015 has had plenty of those kinds of news stories to go around.)

Believe it or not, there is a way to cure slacktivism.

First, get off your computer. Second, make a list of the causes you actually care about and/or have donated money to in the last year and actually get involved in them. Run (or walk) a 5K, volunteer on the weekend or have a bake sale to benefit said cause.

Lastly, actually research what you share on Facebook. Is that news story actually true? Did Donald Trump really say that?

Find out what the other side of the aisle thinks. If you’re interested in a more complex issue that can’t be fixed with a 5K or a bake sale, contact your Congressman or Congresswoman and ask them to help. March in a rally. Attend a school board or city council meeting.

Just “liking” a photo of the disaster relief efforts in Nepal solves nothing. “Sharing” a post from the World Wildlife Fund of a sick koala does nothing.

Getting informed and getting involved solves everything.