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Selling online through digital platforms can be a great way to extend the reach of your business – but, for the best results, it needs to be done strategically. Here are five mistakes you don’t want to make if you’re selling products or services though Instagram or Facebook, and what you could try instead.
Exploring new ways to connect with customers to make a sale is an important part of running any small business. We asked McNaught Media founder and digital marketing expert, Kasia Jones, for her thoughts on selling products and services through Meta platforms, particularly Instagram and Facebook.
“If you're consistent with your content, use the right tools, and stay curious about what’s working, Meta can absolutely help you grow. But like anything in business, it works best when you’ve got a strategy behind it.”
Here are five mistakes small business owners might make with their Meta marketing – and Kasia’s thoughts on how to avoid these.
Mistake #1: Boosting posts instead of using Meta Ads Manager
“Boosting might feel easy, but Ads Manager gives you way more control, better targeting, better value for your budget and access to all the data you need to make informed decisions,” said Kasia.
“If you're going to spend money, you might as well do it properly and learn how to use Ads Manager.”
Mistake #2: Not using reels
Kasia believes that not creating reels (short vertical videos) is a missed opportunity for many businesses. “Reels still offer the best reach on Meta, both organically and in paid campaigns.”
“According to Meta, 79 per cent of people have purchased something after watching reels, and 87 per cent of Gen Z have followed a brand because of one. If you’re not using them (or not putting effort into the creative), you could be missing a huge opportunity.”
Mistake #3: Skipping content testing
Experimenting with what works – and what doesn’t – is an essential part of marketing any business. Kasia recommends small business owners don’t use the same ad creative format (such as an image) over and over again.
“Try out different options for your ads: carousels, reels, single image ads, dynamic product ads (for eCommerce brands) — and even different headline/text variations and let the results guide you. Meta's AI tools in Ads Manager even help automate a lot of this now, including generating text variations according to your brand and even target customer personas, as well as creating new images or different backgrounds for photos.”
Mistake #4: Ignoring the data
According to Kasia, Commerce Manager, Ads Manager and Meta Business Suite Insights offer potential goldmines of free information for business owners.
“You can look at your organic or paid content and see what’s working best across Facebook and Instagram. Then you can adjust your approach quickly and start using organic social content that's already working well in ads, as well as stop wasting effort on underperforming creative. You can also get valuable info about your audience demographics and use this to fine tune your targeting for ads.”
Mistake #5: Hiding the human side of your brand
It’s important to be professional online, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide the human side of your business. Kasia sees this as a unique selling point for your products and services.
“People buy from people. Show behind the scenes footage, share real customer stories, and use UGC (user generated content) wherever you can. It builds trust and gives your content that extra layer of relatability and social proof.”
Find out more
To learn more about digital marketing, eCommerce and the platforms best suited to your business book your place in one of our upcoming SBDC sales and marketing workshops.
