SHOULD YOU BE USING FACEBOOK ADS?

I still get a lot of push-back on Facebook ads.

I get it, Facebook is now losing more users than they are gaining, there are continued concerns about privacy, some question the effectiveness of the ads themselves, others simply do not see the value.

But Facebook is a worthy ad platform. Here's why:

1. It has 6 billion active users, most of whom log on every single day (or multiple times per day) to "like" activities, check up on friends and family, or share their own experiences. That's a huge number of people who are in a captive environment and are consciously wasting time - i.e. are in the right mindset to click on something if it's interesting enough.
2. Users openly share what they are interested in, resulting in unmatched relevancy and targeting opportunities. Targeting with Facebook ads includes showing ads to people who outwardly "like" specific groups or topics, those who are simply connected to groups or topics via behavior, and users who are connected to others that are interested in specific topics or targets.
3. On that same note, connection targeting is powerful and hasn't truly been used properly yet. Studies show that people trust referrals above any other form of advertising - Facebook ads tap into this with their connection targeting which shows ads/pages to users based on whether their friends like it. This adds a level of social credibility to your brand or ad.
4. Powerful demographic targeting can layer on top of other targeting to allow for specific messaging, creative or approaches. 
5. It's very effective for content, promotions or events. Although Facebook ads drive a ton of impressions, its impact on awareness is still a question mark. What's not a question, at this point, is whether Facebook ads can successfully promote limited time events, promotions or content. Users are highly likely to engage with one of these ad types and calls to action. If your brand uses offers, relies on events, or produces interesting content (especially things that are audience-targeted), you'd do well to jump on Facebook ads.
6. It's cost-efficient. Facebook runs on a cost per click model, like Google Paid Search ads, but the targeting levels and lower competition means lower costs and high impression levels.
7. Drive page "likes" or website traffic. Though I've seen greater success in page likes, which generate a captive and recurring audience to talk to, you can also drive content downloads or website visits, just like any other online ad. This gives you flexibility based on campaign objectives and long term goals.

Facebook ads aren't for everyone; B2B advertisers will have to put much more thought into their overall marketing program or CRM before truly committing to Facebook, which other advertisers should carefully consider how to best exploit Facebook's targeting and content features to drive specific objectives. With those things take into consideration, Facebook is a valuable digital marketing tactic for many brands today.