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#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Get Customers to Stop Scrolling & Start Buying With Facebook Ads with Tony Christensen

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Get Customers to Stop Scrolling & Start Buying With Facebook Ads with Tony Christensen

by | Feb 7, 2020 | ContentWritingChat

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Get Customers to Stop Scrolling & Start Buying With Facebook Ads with Tony Christensen

Our guest host for this month’s chat was Tony Christensen. Tony is the founder of Tony Does Ads, where he teaches Facebook ads for e-commerce business owners. He shared some great tips with us throughout the chat, so let’s dive into the recap!

Q1: What should people do BEFORE running Facebook ads?

The reality is, you shouldn’t just jump right in and create your first ad. There’s some important work to be done first! Here’s what you need to know: First up, you need to make sure you’ve installed your Facebook Pixel. This will help with analytics, generating your audience, and conversion tracking. Tony also suggests determining if your messaging is resonating with your target audience. You can do this by posting organically and building your community before you start running Facebook ads. You also want to consider where your target audience is spending their time online. Yes, Facebook is a great platform for advertising. But if your audience isn’t there, your ads won’t be as successful as you hoped. While you’re at it, consider what your audience would care about seeing. What would get them to stop scrolling and pay attention to what you have to say? It’s also important to understand the goal behind your ad. What are you hoping to achieve? Knowing what you’re working toward will shape your ad’s content and tell you which metrics to monitor.

Q2: What are some common mistakes people make when creating ads?

Sometimes things can go wrong when running Facebook ads. And those mistakes can cost you money! Make sure that doesn’t happen to you by avoiding these errors: Don’t try to sell too early. As Tony said, you need to warm up your audience first. Focus on building the Know, Like, and Trust Factor before asking for the sale. People will be more inclined to buy after they’ve established a relationship with you. Don’t pick the wrong campaign objectives. Your objective should be chosen based on the action you want people to take. Remember that there’s a learning phase when it comes to starting your campaigns. Tony said to give your Facebook ads enough time for this phase to complete and then make decisions based on the data you receive. Failing to optimize your ads is definitely a mistake. After you’ve given your ads some time to run, figure out what’s working and what’s not. And of course, don’t forget to make sure your Facebook Pixel is installed! Remember that there’s a difference between a full-blown ad and a boosted post.

Q3: What are some tools people can leverage to help with Facebook ads?

If you’re ready to take social media advertising seriously, it’ll be helpful to have some great tools in your arsenal. Here are some suggestions: Tony suggests doing competitor research using the Facebook Ads Library. You can also do some research on your ideal customers through Audience Insights. And you’ll want to use the Text Overlay Tool to ensure your images don’t contain too much text. Otherwise, Facebook will penalize your ads! Another recommendation for conducting your competitor research via the Facebook Ads Library! Don relies on the AdParlor mockup generator.

Q4: What’s the best way to test different Facebook ads?

As we all know, testing is key to creating a successful ad! Here are some tips to ensure your testing phase is effective: This is great advice from Tony! Definitely make sure you’re following these tips when testing your Facebook ads. Test any big changes first and then work on narrowing it down. Don suggests testing only one thing at a time. This way, you’ll be able to see what’s actually making the difference. And of course, you need to make sure the changes you make are measurable. Otherwise, how will you know if it’s working for you? Jason suggests split test campaigns or utilizing Facebook’s Dynamic Creative. You can provide a variety of options for text, photos, CTAs, etc. And Facebook will mix and match to see which combination drives the best results. Make sure you’re testing things like headings, copy, and imagery to see what gets you closer to reaching your goals.

Q5: How can people create better video for their advertising?

There’s no denying that videos can be very effective for social media ads. But how can you be sure your videos get people to stop and watch? Keep these tips in mind: Tony knows the importance of creating a hook at the beginning of your video. This is crucial for grabbing the attention of your audience. He also suggests keeping your audience engaged by adding transitions or graphic overlays, which can help create visual interest. Don’t forget to add captions as well so people can watch your videos without sound. And remember that it’s the message that matters. Things don’t have to be perfect, so get started now. It’s also helpful to get a better understanding of your audience so you’ll know what appeals to them. Survey them by sending out a questionnaire or by polling them. Their feedback can make a huge difference.

Q6: How can people improve their copy for their advertising?

Your ads definitely need to have great copy! So, how can you be sure your words will appeal to your audience? Here’s some advice: Tony said to find out why your audience chose you, as well as what problems your product/service solves for them. You can use that to strengthen your ad copy. He also suggests looking at how people speak about your products/services. And of course, make sure the first line of your copy is going to hook people! Make a bold statement, ask a question, or share a statistic. All are great options! To really get your audience to take action, speak directly to their pain points. And then, communicate how your offering will help them. They won’t be able to resist. Jason agrees that it’s all about identifying and speaking to the pain point of your audience. Explain what your offering is going to be beneficial, as well as why people should trust you. You’ll also want to make sure your ad gets straight to the point. And don’t forget to include a call to action because people need to know what that next step is after reading your ad. And finally, make sure you have someone proofread it. There’s nothing more frustrating than an ad that’s littered with typos and spelling or grammar mistakes.

Q7: How has Facebook advertising changed over the years?

Things change! And it’s important we keep up with all the updates being made. Here’s how Facebook ads have changed over time: Tony pointed out a few changes, including the fact that ads now take longer to get approved and there’s more competition (resulting in higher costs). Jason feels that it’s gotten easier to find and reach your desired audience, which is really beneficial.

Q8: Where can I stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook updates and advertising strategies?

Continue your learning with these resources: Tony has a live show called Managing ADspectations, which is worth checking out! Carla suggests following Social Media Examiner and Mari Smith. #ContentWritingChat happens on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central Time. Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest and we’ll see you at the next one! ]]>

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating a Strong Content Marketing Plan for 2020

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating a Strong Content Marketing Plan for 2020

by | Jan 10, 2020 | ContentWritingChat

With a brand new year upon us, we need to make sure we’re prepared with an incredible content marketing plan that’ll make our brands stand out and attract the right people.

But wait… How do you do that?!

In the latest #ContentWritingChat, we shared some of the basics of creating a content marketing plan for 2020. And we’ve rounded up some of the advice from this month’s chat in value-packed recap. Get ready to take some notes!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating a Strong Content Marketing Plan for 2020

To start the year off, we decided to forgo a guest and host a community chat where the spotlight is on our incredible chat participants. And they certainly didn’t disappoint! Everyone chimed in to share their amazing advice so all of our content marketing efforts can benefit the year ahead.

Q1: An ideal first step in creating a content marketing plan is to set your goals. What are some common goals you might want to achieve?

Haven’t decided on your content marketing goals for this year? Don’t panic! These suggestions from the chat will give you some ideas of what you should focus on:

Gene mentioned a number of great goals that many brand set out to achieve. You may aim to grow awareness, educate your audience, inspire your audience, serve your existing customers, or introduce a new product or service.

Gaby suggested increased sales, thought leadership, and improving your brand reputation, among other goals that you might want to work toward this year.

Consistency is definitely important if you want to stay top-of-mind for your audience! As Michelle pointed out, people could turn to your competitors if you aren’t working to keep their attention.

Lexie knows that providing valuable content for your readers is always a goal to strive for. You want your readers to feel like they’ve gotten something out of your content.

And remember, don’t worry about vanity metrics such as reach, impressions, and views. Jason feels the metrics that truly matter are things like clicks, conversions, downloads, and comments.

Q2: It’s also important to decide which content channels will be best for your brand. How do you choose? And what’s your go-to: blogs, videos, or podcasts?

These tips will help you decide where you should direct your content creation efforts so you can ensure you’ll be successful:

Gaby shared some great questions you should ask yourself before making a decision. She encourages you to ask things like where your audience spends their time online, what your goals are, and what your strengths are. It’s important to be where your audience is, but you also need to consider which content formats allow you to shine.

Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to figure out what works for you, so don’t be afraid to change your course if needed.

Gene suggests experimenting with other content formats as well. After all, it can’t hurt to try something new and at least you’ll be able to say you tried. If it doesn’t work out, then no harm done!

If you’re already creating a variety of content, look at your analytics to see what’s been working for you so far. This will give you an indication of where you should be directing the majority of your attention.

Jason suggests picking two or three formats and putting your all into those. The key is to share content that’s valuable and to also be consistent with posting.

Julia recommends picking one channel and mastering it first before introducing something else into your strategy.

Q3: Once you’ve chosen your main content channels, you have to think about the topics you’ll cover. How do you decide what to talk about?

It can be challenging to come up with content topics, but it doesn’t have to be stressful when you remember these tips:

As Julia shared, you need to have a strategy first. You need to define your goals, know your audience, and plan out your sales cycle. Once you have a strategy in place, then you can begin brainstorming topics that fit into the bigger picture.

Do some research to figure out what’s relevant to your audience. When creating your content marketing plan, it’s always important that you choose topics that are going to appeal to your audience’s wants and needs.

Make sure you’re paying attention to what your audience is saying. If you really listen, you’ll pick up on various struggles they may be dealing with. And from there, you can create the content that solves their biggest problems.

Maddie suggests using tools like SEMrush or Answer the Public to find topics for your upcoming content. There’s a ton of information there if you look for it!

And of course, it never hurts to just ask your audience what they want to see from you. Ask what they’re struggling with and what they’re interested in. They’ll tell you. You just need to listen to what they have to say and deliver.

Oluwafemi agrees that asking your audience is a great way to go. Create a survey and send it to your audience. You can also find your target audience on other blogs and forums and engage in the conversations they’re having to get to know them better.

You can also scroll through Quora or Reddit to generate new ideas. Or you can check in on your competitors to see what they’re up to. Just make sure you aren’t copying them! You can, however, see if you notice any gaps in their content strategy or if their audience is asking for specific content.

Q4: Do you have any advice for filling up your content marketing plan’s content calendar months in advance?

You’ll always know what to post and when if you follow this advice from the chat:

Lexie suggests looking at some of your past content and figuring out what has been popular before. You can expand on that topic or find a way to put a new spin on it.

When creating your content marketing plan, it helps to consider seasonal content first. This will ensure you’re posting it in a timely manner, instead of scrambling to create it at the last minute. Always give yourself ample time to work on holiday posts!

Gaby suggests consuming content yourself to come up with fresh ideas. It just might help get those creative juices flowing.

Tamara’s advice is to be aware of any changes or trends that come up in your industry. These could be worthwhile content topics to write about.

It’s also important to ensure your content will be relevant by the time you’re due to post it. You don’t want it to already be stale by its publication date!

Focusing on evergreen content is a great way to guarantee your posts, videos, etc. will always be relevant.

Q5: Once your content has been created, how can you distribute it and spread the word to get more eyes on your work?

These tips will help you generate plenty of traction for the content you’ve worked so hard to bring to life:

Julia says to share your content to the social media platforms that your audience is most active on. This is how you increase the likelihood that they’ll see what you’ve created. For her, email and Facebook groups are key.

And if you have quoted or sourced anyone in the content, let them know! They just might share it with their audience.

Other ideas you can use to boost traffic include: creating an infographic for your content, retargeting your audience, or sending an email newsletter.

It’s also beneficial to repurpose/recycle/upcycle! This will help you get the most out of the content you’ve already worked hard to create.

And as Michelle said, don’t be afraid to share your work. Be proud of it. Confidently spread the word to others who need it.

Q6: How often should you check in to see if you’re making progress toward your goals with your content marketing plan?

Weekly? Monthly? Quarterly? What’s the right way to go? Consider this advice:

As Lexie pointed out, you won’t always see immediate results, so don’t get frustrated and throw in the towel too quickly. Make adjustments as needed and keep moving forward.

For Gaby, she has a regular process to track the results of her content marketing plan. She reviews everything monthly, quarterly, and yearly. And she keeps an eye out for patterns and opportunities that appear from year to year.

Julia likes to check SEMrush for stats on a bi-weekly basis for all four of the sites she manages.

Maddie prefers a monthly approach. This gives you plenty of data to review without obsessing over the numbers too much.

Q7: If you aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, how do you turn things around?

First, don’t panic. Next, follow this advice:

Lexie suggests reviewing your content. Is it as clear and as helpful as you initially thought? Are there any technical issues? And if you want, you can even directly ask your audience for their thoughts.

Gaby’s advice is to look for patterns, gaps, and changes in your analytics.

And of course, make sure you’re testing to see what works and what doesn’t!

Just remember Julia’s advice: KEEP GOING.

Q8: Which tools will you be relying on to make your job easier and keep you on track with your content marketing plan?

These tools are definitely worth checking out:

Gaby’s favorites include Buffer, Sprout Social, Slack, and Outlook Calendar.

Maddie’s go-to tools include SEMrush and Answer the Public.

BuzzSumo and Yoast are also must-have tools!

Hootsuite, HubSpot, and Asana are also popular tools.

Ready to join the next #ContentWritingChat? We chat on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central! Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.
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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Using Social Media to Connect With Your Audience & Generate Leads with Bernie Fussenegger

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Using Social Media to Connect With Your Audience & Generate Leads with Bernie Fussenegger

by | Dec 6, 2019 | ContentWritingChat

As a business owner, your social media presence is crucial.
It’s a place for you to share content that builds your community, while also giving you the chance to get to know and better understand your audience.
Not only that, but social media is also a great way to generate new leads… When you do it the right way! And luckily, that’s what we talked about in this #ContentWritingChat!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Using Social Media to Connect With Your Audience & Generate Leads with Bernie Fussenegger


Our guest host for this month’s chat was Bernie Fussenegger. Bernie is a digital marketing leader, as well as the host of #Digital360Chat on Twitter.

Q1: How do you choose which social media platforms are worth the investment?

The first step in building your social media presence is determining which platforms are worth your time and energy. Because the thing is, you don’t have to be everywhere! So, how do you choose the platforms that will deliver the ROI you’re searching for? These tips will help you make the decision:


Bernie’s advice is to first figure out where your audience is spending their time online. You want to make sure you’re somewhere that they’ll actually discover you, otherwise your content won’t be seen by the right people.
For him, his go-to social media platforms are Twitter and LinkedIn, but he still stays updated with other platforms so he can best serve his clients.


Gene shared two great points. It’s important to do some research to figure out what makes the most sense for your brand. Determine where your audience is, as well as how you can best serve them.
But another thing to consider is which platforms are the most appealing to you. Where do you have the most fun? Where do you really shine when it comes to creating content and being present?


Lexie agrees that it takes a little research to get it all figured out! She says it’s important to be where your audience is. And don’t be afraid to check out your competitors to see where they’re spending their time. Can you identify areas where they’re struggling and step in to do better?


John suggests considering the demographics of your audience as well. This will be a good indication of which platforms those in your target audience may be using.


Jason also feels knowing your audience demographics is key. If your audience is older, Facebook might be your best bet. If they’re younger, you might want to give Tik Tok a try. And of course, there’s always Twitter!


It’s also worth experimenting to see which platforms are actually working for you. Don’t be afraid to give a new platform a chance and see if it’s delivering the engagement you want.

Q2: Once you’ve picked your platforms, what should you be posting to attract the right people?
Posting the right content on Twitter is a huge part of your strategy. You want to make sure you’re sharing things that will appeal to your desired audience, otherwise you’ll end up with all the wrong people following you! And if you want to ultimately make sales, you need to have an audience that’s interested in your offerings.


Bernie is all about testing to see what kind of content works for you and your audience! Experiment by posting videos, graphics, links, questions, polls, and more to see what moves your audience to take action. Have fun with it!
Also, you want to make sure you’re engaging with your community. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking them what they want to see.


Lexie knows that posting helpful and engaging content will go a long way when it comes to building your community. Think about what your audience is most interested in and start by sharing that. She also encourages you to try out different content formats to see what really resonates.


Helpful, actionable will always be a winner! Amanda feels it’s important to think about the next step that you’re leading your social media followers to take. It could be joining your email list, purchasing your offerings, or something else. That’s how you start getting leads!


Jason’s tip is to NOT follow the best practices that you find online. The reality is, what worked for someone else might not cut it for you. That’s why you need to do some research and figure out how you can provide value to your audience.


Gene said to share content that shows your expertise/perspective, while also helping your audience in some way. And if you can do that while keeping them entertained and engaged, that’s a win!


Don’t forget that it’s also important to spread the word about your content. There’s no reason to be shy when it comes to sharing your blog posts, announcements, etc.

Q3: How can you create more engagement on social media to build relationships?

If you’re ever feeling bummed by the lack of engagement going down on your social media platforms, let’s make a change! These tips from the chat will help you boost conversations and ultimately build your brand:


Bernie knows that Twitter chats are where it’s at! They provide a fantastic opportunity to connect with people from all around the world. You can learn from them and make new connections. It’s also important that you’re actually engaging with others and listening to what they have to say.


If you want more engagement, you need to be social yourself. Jason’s advice is to ask questions, answer questions, share insights, and more. Don’t just promote your products. Think about what will get people talking.


As Michael said, you need to actually be present on social media if you want to drive engagement and see real results. This is why it’s important that you check in and engage with your audience regularly.


Engage with others and you’ll increase the likelihood that you’ll see engagement in return. Michelle says it’s important to spend time on the platforms of your choosing so you can read and respond to replies.


Marcy’s advice is to be willing to learn and be social. Having that mindset will really go a long way in creating success.

Q4: What’s the key to converting social media followers into clients and customers?

Now that you’ve got the followers, it’s time to start turning them into paying members of your community. After all, don’t you want to sell your products and services? To get people to take that next step with your brand, make sure your keep this advice in mind:


Bernie suggests providing value, being transparent, honest, and respectful. It’s not a game you can win overnight. But in time, people will connect with you and ultimately be willing to purchase from you.


John’s tips are to add value, build trust, and make it easy for people to discover and buy your offerings.


Jason says it’s all about consistency and quality. When you have established yourself as an authority and built trust, they’ll be more likely to buy.


If you want to make the sale, don’t be afraid to ask! You have to promote your offerings in order for people to discover them. Don’t expect them to find it on their own.


And don’t forget, you need to show up consistently!

Q5: How can you set up your Twitter profile to drive leads?

Now that you know how to drive leads with your content, what about your profile? There are different things you can do on your Twitter profile to drive people to your site and boost sales. Here’s what you can do:


Bernie said it’s important to keep things professional. You want to portray yourself in a good light to your target audience. Use your cover photo to show what you do, write a descriptive bio, and include a link to your website or services.


Always make sure your profile is completely filled out! Don’t leave anything blank because that doesn’t tell your audience anything.


Gene said to make sure you have a profile photo, a cover photo, a bio, and a pinned tweet. These elements can all help people learn what you’re about so they’ll know if you’re right for them.


Mara knows there are a number of ways to personalize your Twitter profile, so you want to take advantage of it all. Definitely don’t forget about that pinned tweet, as it can often be overlooked.


Tony said to use your Twitter profile to say what you do and who you help in your bio, link to your website, and have a pinned tweet with a lead generation offer.

Q6: How will you know if you’re seeing results with your social media efforts?

So, you’re putting in the work… The next step is to actually track and see if you’re generating the results you want. This is how you do that:


Bernie doesn’t put too much attention on the vanity metrics, but instead he looks at engagement, comments, impressions, and growth. These are all great to watch, but as he mentioned, your metrics will change based on the campaign. Consider what’s most important for you to track.


Lexie knows that it starts with setting smart goals! You need to know what you’re trying to achieve in order to know which metrics are the most crucial. From there, keep an eye on built-in analytics from your social media platforms and/or Google Analytics.


Don’t forget to check in often to see how things are performing. This will let you know if things are going well or if you need to tweak your strategy.


Just make sure you aren’t overwhelming yourself with metrics. Establish those KPIs and pick out the most important metrics from there.


Once you’ve collected some data, you’ll want to compare it to previous data to see how things are performing.


It’s also smart to have goals per campaign, not just general social media goals. Each campaign will likely have a different focus and you’ll want to track the right metrics to ensure success.


When looking at growth, it’s active, loyal followers that really make the difference. Having 1,000 followers that are listening and engaging is much more powerful than 10,000 follows that aren’t paying attention to you.


And as Michelle said, it never hurts to just ask people how they discovered you! This will show what’s really working in your strategy and where you can make improvements.

Q7: What tools and resources can help you make social media management easier?

Let’s make your job of social media management a little easier, shall we? There are tons of great tools out there that can help, as well as resources we can learn from. Here are some that are worth checking out:


Bernie has a number of tools he loves, which includes Twitter Analytics, Google Analytics, and TweetDeck.


Michelle’s go-to tools are Buffer and Pablo by Buffer. Buffer is great for scheduling, while Pablo will help you design imagery for your posts.


Crowdfire and SproutSocial are essentials for John.


Amanda relies on tools like Buffer, Tailwind, Canva, and Photoshop.


And of course, SEMrush is always a great one to use as well!
Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Our Twitter chat takes place on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central. Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat to stay updated!
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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Getting Maximum ROI From Facebook Advertising with Amanda Bond

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Getting Maximum ROI From Facebook Advertising with Amanda Bond

by | Nov 8, 2019 | ContentWritingChat

There’s no denying that Facebook advertising is HOT.

Ads, when done right, can be an effective way to reach your target audience and ultimately give your business a major boost.

But how do you make sure you’re going about Facebook advertising the right way? Well, that’s exactly what we discussed in this #ContentWritingChat!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Getting Maximum ROI From Facebook Advertising with Amanda Bond

Our guest host for this month’s chat was The Ad Strategist herself, Amanda Bond. Amanda is a pro when it comes to Facebook ads and she shared some incredible tips with us throughout the chat. Be sure to check her out, but first… Let’s dive into the recap!

Q1: What makes Facebook advertising worthwhile and how do I know if it’s right for my brand?

To get things started, we asked everyone to share why they felt Facebook ads are beneficial for a brand’s overall strategy. And how can you determine if you’re actually ready to invest in advertising? Here’s what some of them had to say:

Amanda mentioned that Facebook ads can be a wonderful investment when they’re done right. But as she pointed out, not everyone is ready for advertising because it can lead you to lose money fast if you aren’t sure what you’re doing.

She feels you need to have a sales process that’s already converting if you want your ads to be a success.

Other things to consider, as Ray pointed out, include whether or not you have the budget for advertising and if Facebook is the best place to target people. If your audience isn’t actively using Facebook, focus your advertising efforts on the platforms they are using.

Lexie agrees. If your audience isn’t using Facebook, it’s not worth your effort to run ads there. You’ll want to find a better platform to use.

Q2: What are some key elements that every successful ad should have?

Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to create ads of your own, you want to make sure they’re standing out from the crowd and generating results. These tips just might help you do that!

Amanda knows that having a strategy is crucial when doing Facebook advertising. You need clear intentions, goals, and ways to measure your results if you want to ensure your ads are performing as you hoped.

Besides just having a strategy in place before you begin crafting an ad, the ad itself should have strong copy and a clear call to action.

Ray’s plan to master Facebook advertising is definitely a winner. And it all starts with knowing your goals.

The ads that grab Julia’s attention have a solid plot, relatable characters, and contain comedy and storytelling.

Elizabeth feels great ads have compelling graphics, a clear call to action, and a measurable goal for the brand to track.

Mara feels that great ads are eye-catching. You need to get them to stop scrolling and take notice of your ad. She feels that bold colors and a great font can help with that.

Q3: Do you have any tips for creating captivating copy and eye-catching images for ads?

We know that copy and visuals will make or break your ad, so how do you make sure you’re appealing to your target audience? Keep these tips in mind:

Amanda loves the look of “stealth ads,” which look more like a typical Facebook post than an advertisement.

When creating the ad, design it with your audience in mind. Consider who they are, what they do, and why they behave the way they do.

Gerry suggests incorporating animation or video into your ads. He also feels the copywriter and graphic designer should work together to better tell the story in conjunction with one another. This will help avoid any disconnect between the two.

Things like an attention-grabbing headline, getting straight to the point in your copy, and speaking to your audience’s imagination will surely make for an effective ad.

Truly connecting with your audience through your Facebook advertising will really pay off!

It’s also important to make sure you’re following Facebook’s guidelines about advertising, including how much text you’re using in your visuals. You don’t want to do anything that may hurt your ad’s overall performance.

It’s also worthwhile to pay attention to the ads that stand out to you. Note the qualities you like in these ads and determine how you can evoke the same in your own.

Q4: What do you think makes an ad irresistible to Facebook users?

So, what’s the secret to making everyone stop and check out your ad? And then making them actually take action? This advice is sure to help!

For Amanda, it’s all about honesty. Don’t pretend there’s limited seating when there’s not. Don’t pretend your webinar is live when it’s not.

And ultimately, it’s about making sure your ads are truly relevant to the people you’re targeting and providing them with some sort of value.

Irresistible ads offer a solution to the pain points your audience is experiencing.

You want to show your audience you understand them by speaking to their interests and needs. Otherwise, it won’t be relevant!

Ray suggests running ads from organic content you’ve already shared that performed well. This could be the ticket to generating great results.

Q5: How do you know if your Facebook advertising efforts are generating the right results? Which metrics are important to track?

It’s crucial that you’re paying attention to the data. If your ads aren’t performing as well as you hoped, you can’t keep running them. You have to make changes! These tips will help you identify if your ads are driving results:

One of the first things to look at is whether or not your Facebook advertising efforts are actually bringing in any cash. If not, something needs to change!

These are the top seven metrics Amanda likes to track, which you might want to look for on your own ads.

Carla agrees that it’s all about whether or not you’re making money.

Even here at Express Writers, our ad goals ultimately lead to sales and conversions.

The metrics you pay the most attention to will always be dependent on the goals you’ve set for each individual campaign you’re running.

Elizabeth agrees that it all goes back to knowing your goals and what you’ve set out to achieve.

Q6: If you aren’t hitting your goals with your ad, what kind of tweaks should you make to see improvements?

Don’t completely abandon your ads if they aren’t performing. Figure out what’s wrong and fix it! Here’s some advice to help:

If your ads are bombing, Amanda says to turn them off! From there, you need to put in the work to figure out where the leaks are in your sales process.

Ask yourself whether they’re clicking on your ad and then not converting. If so, it could be an issue with the landing page. If the ad itself isn’t generating clicks, it could be your copy or visuals.

Elizabeth also feels it’s important to narrow down where the issue is occurring. Are your visuals and copy truly resonating with your target audience? Is your landing page covering and functioning properly? There are so many factors you need to check out.

Ray’s advice is to change one independent variable against your baseline and testing accordingly. Running multiple ads with small changes on each one will allow you to see what’s resonating and what’s not.

Make sure you’re reviewing things like ad placement, copy, visuals, the call to action, your budget, and your demographics.

You may want to try something as simple as swapping out your visual to see if it that creates a better response.

Carla also suggests checking your sales copy, keywords, and your target audience.

Q7: Which brands are doing a great job with their Facebook advertising? Have you seen an ad that really stands out on your feed?

Get some inspiration for your next ad from these brands!

Amanda loves checking out the ads the brands in her program are creating.

Storytelling always resonates with Julia and this is one ad that recently grabbed her attention.

For Lexie, the holiday ads are certainly getting her to stop scrolling this time of year! Pay attention to any that catch your eye the next time you’re on Facebook.

Q8: Open Q&A for Amanda!

Here are a few of the questions that were asked as the chat wrapped:

Educate yourself first!

Great advice for calculating your budget beforehand.

Want to join us for the next chat? It happens on Twitter on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central! Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.
The profitable content marketer skills cheat sheet

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Incorporating Psychology Into Your Content Marketing with Elise Dopson

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Incorporating Psychology Into Your Content Marketing with Elise Dopson

by | Sep 6, 2019 | ContentWritingChat

When you’re crafting your content marketing strategy, does psychology ever come into play?

If not, it really should!

In this #ContentWritingChat, we discussed why emotion should be incorporated into your content, which emotions make people buy a product or service, and how you can successfully target emotions in the content you create.

Want to learn more? Let’s dive into the recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Incorporating Psychology Into Your Content Marketing with Elise Dopson

Our guest host for this month’s chat was Elise Dopson. She’s a B2B content marketing expert. And you can usually find her crafting blog posts on sales and marketing for various B2B SaaS companies around the globe. Elise shared some incredible tips, so let’s get to the questions!

Q1: Do you think about psychology when planning your content? Why or why not?

To kick things off, it only made sense to gauge where our community was at when it comes to incorporating psychology into your content marketing efforts. The answers were all across the board, so here’s what a few people had to say:

Ray says this is something he absolutely does. He feels it’s important to always know the state of mind your audience is in when you’re planning and creating the content they’ll consume.

Tamara agrees. She thinks psychology can help you better understand the thought processes of your target audience, plus how they might react to certain things.

For Gene, it’s something that’s always in the back of his mind because it plays such a big role in leadership, as well as marketing.

Not everyone in the chat had jumped on board with this idea just yet. But that’s totally okay! Doing these chats is a great way to teach people new techniques that they might want to incorporate moving forward.

Q2: Why should a content marketer include emotion in their content?

So, why would you want to start incorporating emotion into your content? Well, let’s talk about the benefits it can provide to show you why this might be worthwhile for you!

As Elise said, you’re writing for humans at the end of the day. And well, humans feel things! By incorporating psychology into your content marketing, you can spark those feelings.

To put it simply, you cannot expect to build relationships with your target audience if you aren’t adding their emotions into the equation.

Emotion plays a role in drawing your audience into your content and can keep them engaged. Plus, emotions can drive them to take action (like convert on your opt-in or purchase something.)

Shelly agrees, as she knows evoking emotions in a reader is key to getting them to take that next step with you and your brand.

Emotion is going to make your audience feel something powerful. As Bill pointed out, that could be humor, fear, fear of loss, inspiration, aspiration, connection, and being understood.

It’s also a way to make your content more relatable, which will help readers connect to it on a deeper level.

Ultimately, it’s emotions that will get people reading in the first place. And it’s emotions that will draw them in and keep them reading as well.

And as John said, a lack of feeling in your content might just leave your audience thinking you’re a bot. No one wants that!

Q3: How do you find out which emotions/feelings make your audience tick?

Let’s be honest here. We’re not mind readers! We need to be smart about understanding out audiences and these are some tips to help you do just that:

Elise’s advice is to do some research. You can conduct a survey and use it as an opportunity to better understand what does and doesn’t resonate with your target audience.

You can also take some cues from Rachel and conduct polls. Polls are great for sharing on Twitter, Facebook, and even Instagram Stories. It just depends where your audience is most active. Determine what you’d like to know and start polling!

Gaby’s suggestions include: listening to your audience, conducting focus groups, doing A/B tests, and more to figure out what truly makes them tick.

You can also view data from past campaigns and even observe content from your competitors as well.

Make sure you spend time actually talking to your audience. It’s the best way to truly connect with them and to understand their personalities.

It’s also crucial to listen to what your audience has to say. Pay attention to what they’re writing about you on social media. Plus, you want to monitor which content they typically engage with the most.

Q4: Which emotion(s) make you buy a product or service?

We all have different driving factors behind what makes us purchase something. So, what makes you hit the “buy” button? Here are some things that trigger our community:

Elise has previously felt a major fear of missing out (FOMO) when seeing other people rave about a product. This is definitely a common motivator to make a purchase.

Even Tamara has felt the FOMO before!

A solution to a problem you’re struggling with is definitely reason to buy!

John is more likely to purchase something if he feels the seller has his best interests in mind. When purchasing, you want to know the product understands your pain points and will address them effectively.

For Bill, he doesn’t give into fear-based tactics. He would rather purchase something based on aspirational emotions, such as how he sees himself.

Gene feels the same as Bill. He’s not one to give into scare tactics, as it can sometimes come off as manipulative if you aren’t careful. For Gene, it’s more about trust and helpfulness.

Sometimes it could be deeper feelings, such as anxiety, that encourage you to buy.

Even a feeling of relief could be the driving force behind your next purchase!

Q5: What techniques can you use to target emotions with your content?

Now that you’re sold on the power of emotions, you probably want to start incorporating psychology into your content marketing. But how do you do that? Check out these tips:

Knowing the paint points of your audience really helps. Then, you’re able to follow Elise’s advice of sympathizing with them through your content. It shows you understand and makes them feel like you care.

Ray suggests where and when people are connecting with your content, as well as why and how they’re consuming it. Then, produce content, analyze it, and keep following these steps.

This “Hero’s Journey” technique that Eric shared is definitely worth trying out with your audience.

Bill knows you want to paint a picture for your audience. Show them what their life could be like with your product or service so they can see the value and how it’ll change things for them.

Imagery and social proof always make a difference!

You can also incorporate emotional storytelling, color psychology, and more.

And ultimately, just make sure you’re being authentic with people. If you’re being fake, they’ll see right through you and they’ll be turned off.

Q6: When was the last time you felt FOMO for a product/service all of your friends had, but you didn’t? What was it? And did you buy it?

Our community has felt FOMO too! Here are some things they wanted to buy so they didn’t feel left out among their friends:

Mara remembers the feeling of having a Blackberry while her friends and cousins had moved over to the iPhone. She ultimately made the switch as well.

When everyone on social media is raving about a chicken sandwich, sometimes it’s hard to avoid giving in and trying it for yourself.

For Gaby, it was a pair of boots. And she’s surely rocking them now that they’re part of her wardrobe!

And sometimes, FOMO makes you purchase some expensive things like a new laptop.

Sarah remains strong, however, and doesn’t give into FOMO!

Q7: How do you instantly grab a reader’s attention and convince them to read your content?

And to conclude the chat, we asked everyone to share some tips on how to grab a reader’s attention and keep them reading all the way through to the end of your content. These are some of the great tips that were shared:

It starts with understanding the needs of your audience. Put yourself in their shoes and consider what they want to read from you. Then, deliver it.

A great headline always wins!

You also want to be clear about the problem you’re solving for your reader. And of course, make sure you’re actively promoting it. Don’t wait for traffic to show up.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Mark your calendars because it happens on the first Tuesday of every month! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for the latest.