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Google Dumps on Facebook

by The Copy Nazi Banned
22 replies
Facebook has less reach, and its individual ads are less effective, than old fashioned web advertising, according to WordStream's numbers, which it delivered--naturally--in the form of an infographic.
Most alarming for Facebook: The average click-through rate for an ad on the internet generally is just 0.1 percent. At Facebook, it's even lower: 0.051 percent. Google's CTR is 0.4 percent.
#dumps #facebook #google
  • Profile picture of the author Doceye
    People are finally catching on to social marketing's lack of teeth. Five-hundredths of one percent CTR? Are you freakin' serious?

    Burning a bonfire of money to warm up your prospects would be more effective.

    Even GM is running the other way. http://blogs.computerworld.com/20181...they_dont_work
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  • Profile picture of the author taylormarek
    lol, that's funny. And yet somehow, through all of that, Facebook and Google are raking in TONS of money.
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    • Profile picture of the author Doceye
      Taylor, me dear laddie, since you won't listen to a marketer with 30 years under their belt re: this FB thing, how about a feller who's been doing it for 50?

      And please don't attempt to "dinosaur" either one of us. You will learn that time doing something almost always equals getting very good at said thing.

      Time will indeed teach you (and anyone who threw their money away on the IPO) what FB really is. I'd suggest reading this and saving yourself a whole bunch of time.

      The Muddled Math of Social Media Marketing | Facebook’s IPO Conundrum : Page 1 of 2 : Target Marketing

      All said in the interest of furthering the education of anyone interested.
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      • Profile picture of the author Harlan
        Facebook advertising doesn't work.

        Extra extra read all about it.

        You can all stop advertising on Facebook.

        No one clicks on the ads.

        Now I'll admit, Google gives me typically a 7:1 return on my money.

        But I'll take Facebooks 4:1.

        Like clockwork.

        Always believe what other people say.
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        Harlan D. Kilstein Ed.D.
        Free NLP Communications Course at http://www.nlpcopywriting.com
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        • Profile picture of the author Doceye
          Yeah ... especially when those other "oh-so-smart" people purport to be more savvy than GM and oh, about a dozen other big-arse companies who are finally realizing FB is a complete hoax for advertisers. Chiefly because Prince Zucky and his minions can't decide on an advertising model.

          Yeah, you're the one who'll prove 'em all wrong.

          Hey, maybe you can NLP 'em into submission. I mean, you do have that "doctorate" to mesmerize them with.

          Sheesh.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Hill
    Ok, before we paint all Facebook advertising with the same massive brush of failure, are there many advertisers that ARE finding Facebook to be an effective marketing platform?

    Maybe it's a matter of matching the advertising to the medium. When people are in a social mood, do they want to see big corporate entities trying to worm their way with blatant marketing pitches into their fun little family-and-friends sessions? Bet not.

    Wouldn't you just love to get in a little circle with other Chevy-owning strangers and play fun Chevy-owner games and trivia contests for fun little Chevy hats? I doubt it.

    On the other hand, fun family vacations in the Bahamas might be attractive, or dating ads, or something else that's social or individual-related (like learning, books, self-improvement, Starbucks coffee offers, or whatever Harlan's selling).

    It would be informative to have a chart with the most popular FB ads and their CTRs. Clearly FB isn't for every advertiser, but seems like it should be good for some.
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    • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
      Originally Posted by Steve Hill View Post

      Ok, before we paint all Facebook advertising with the same massive brush of failure, are there many advertisers that ARE finding Facebook to be an effective marketing platform?

      Maybe it's a matter of matching the advertising to the medium. When people are in a social mood, do they want to see big corporate entities trying to worm their way with blatant marketing pitches into their fun little family-and-friends sessions? Bet not.
      I like this thought, Steve. I once read an article that said FB ads would fail because it's like your local bar - no one wants to be sold to when enjoying themselves at the local bar.

      Except that's not entirely true. If you're a smoker and someone comes in selling some cigs, you might be inclined to buy. If you brought your lady friend to the local watering hole and one of those dudes selling roses came in, you might be inclined to buy.

      Do I go to the local dive bar in search of more info about GM and my next new car? Meh.

      I think the big companies bought into the hype without stopping to think if it's the best place to reach their target market. The only ads I personally click on within FB are the ones offering me discounts or coupons to places I regularly go to. Just like any other marketing tool out there in someone's arsenal, it has to be used properly. Buying in just to be where the cool kids are strikes me as a pretty useless strategy.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Hill
        Originally Posted by angiecolee View Post

        I think the big companies bought into the hype without stopping to think if it's the best place to reach their target market. The only ads I personally click on within FB are the ones offering me discounts or coupons to places I regularly go to. Just like any other marketing tool out there in someone's arsenal, it has to be used properly. Buying in just to be where the cool kids are strikes me as a pretty useless strategy.
        Good point. Maybe the winning difference is interaction with social, local, or fun activities vs. analytical or even stressful activities like buying a car?

        For example, there are fishing businesses (guides and resorts) on FB with hundreds of friends and customers keeping up with the fishing and friends they've met on trips. For those companies, FB is a very effective, engaging, and cost-effective advertising medium. I could see that working for tour and travel companies too.

        Maybe FB hasn't worked out the best advertising models yet, but using the marketing tool in a way that engages the target audience in some meaningful way (not just "fun games for fun prizes") does seem to be a criteria for success on FB.

        That's Marketing 101, to be sure, but it seems to be a step that's often overlooked.
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    • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
      Originally Posted by Steve Hill View Post

      Wouldn't you just love to get in a little circle with other Chevy-owning strangers and play fun Chevy-owner games and trivia contests for fun little Chevy hats? I doubt it.

      On the other hand, fun family vacations in the Bahamas might be attractive, or dating ads, or something else that's social or individual-related (like learning, books, self-improvement, Starbucks coffee offers, or whatever Harlan's selling).

      It would be informative to have a chart with the most popular FB ads and their CTRs. Clearly FB isn't for every advertiser, but seems like it should be good for some.
      You won't appreciate this, but I have seen Chevy's FB efforts from the inside out. If I told you what really happened you'd laugh your ass off, like I did.

      They didn't "get" FaceBook. And someone snookered them big time on the adspend.

      Can't blame FaceBook for that little mis-step.

      ----

      I have one project where the partner is using FB traffic almost exclusively. Why? Because he understands the mindset.

      The promotion just launched and he's getting on average 2.9% from initial click to sale with FB traffic exclusively. No email follow-up yet. We've redone the video 4 times in the last two weeks.

      I bring it up because it's an example of FB working. It's not off the charts yet, but give us 3-4 months and it will be.

      ----

      Like any of these traffic sources, you have to learn the medium.

      I think most fail because they dabble. Kinda like going to Vegas once a year expecting to win big.

      This attitude applies to the Fortune 500 as well, maybe even more so.

      - Rick Duris
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      • Profile picture of the author Doceye
        Always love to hear about exceptions that make the rule, Rick. But I'm left wondering why so, so many cos. with money to burn don't "get" social media and botch it so badly.

        Is it really that complex? Is it not like Denny Hatch posits in his latest article for DM? Isn't it simply about metrics ... just like all marketing? The whole "community will sell for you" angle just smacks of horse pucky to me.

        It seems to me the magic so many thought social marketing would work hasn't turned out so magical. It's just another hammer or screwdriver in the toolbox, right?

        And ultimately it has to (and will) be held to the same accountability standards as everything else. So why are so many skipping that last step? Staff cuts? Greed? Stupidity?

        I'm glad you're doing well for your client. That makes me at least hope the possibility of social marketing eventually making sense exists.

        Time to write a book, my son.
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        • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
          Originally Posted by Doceye View Post

          Always love to hear about exceptions that make the rule, Rick. But I'm left wondering why so, so many cos. with money to burn don't "get" social media and botch it so badly.

          Is it really that complex? Is it not like Denny Hatch posits in his latest article for DM? Isn't it simply about metrics ... just like all marketing? The whole "community will sell for you" angle just smacks of horse pucky to me.

          It seems to me the magic so many thought social marketing would work hasn't turned out so magical. It's just another hammer or screwdriver in the toolbox, right?

          And ultimately it has to (and will) be held to the same accountability standards as everything else. So why are so many skipping that last step? Staff cuts? Greed? Stupidity?

          I'm glad you're doing well for your client. That makes me at least hope the possibility of social marketing eventually making sense exists.

          Time to write a book, my son.
          1. In the example I gave, I was just talking about driving traffic using FaceBook ads. NOT the whole social media marketing strategy.

          In that example, we were told by gurus, you can't get 30% optins. Actually, right now we are. On a very crappy looking optin page we just through together.

          2. Why don't we spend some money and get a better looking optin page? We will maybe. Right now, we're just testing different "big rock" stuff. May not even keep it eventually.

          3. We were also told that people won't click off FB and watch a 30 minute video. Guess what? They are. Enough for us to spend the time optimizing it.

          4. As for the social media marketing angle, I have another client who's launching and that's one of the main marketing strategies he's using.

          We'll see. Especially with FB's new rules and such.

          - Rick Duris
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          • Profile picture of the author WinstonTian
            Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

            1. In the example I gave, I was just talking about driving traffic using FaceBook ads. NOT the whole social media marketing strategy.

            In that example, we were told by gurus, you can't get 30% optins. Actually, right now we are. On a very crappy looking optin page we just through together.

            2. Why don't we spend some money and get a better looking optin page? We will maybe. Right now, we're just testing different "big rock" stuff. May not even keep it eventually.

            3. We were also told that people won't click off FB and watch a 30 minute video. Guess what? They are. Enough for us to spend the time optimizing it.

            4. As for the social media marketing angle, I have another client who's launching and that's one of the main marketing strategies he's using.

            We'll see. Especially with FB's new rules and such.

            - Rick Duris
            We do have the option of creating
            "landing" pages on Facebook groups...

            They often give a much higher rate (in my
            tests) instead of shooting a link straight into
            a "sneaky" (Oh NO...) squeeze page.

            At least it mixes into the medium... Just like
            how magalogs are disguised as magazines,
            and newspaper ads are disguised as articles.


            Sincerely,
            Winston Tian
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            Cheers,
            Winston
            The Beginner's Doctor

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        • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
          Originally Posted by Doceye View Post

          It seems to me the magic so many thought social marketing would work hasn't turned out so magical. It's just another hammer or screwdriver in the toolbox, right?
          I think you're right.

          I think there's an "if you build it, they will come", attitude among the uninitiated.

          I think it requires more marketing savvy, not less.

          You have to enjoying tinkering with the marketing. You have to be ok with being transparent and having your marketing mistakes publicly scrutinized.

          Tall order. Especially for the F500.

          - Rick Duris
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Hill
        Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

        They didn't "get" FaceBook. And someone snookered them big time on the adspend.
        <...>
        I think most fail because they dabble. Kinda like going to Vegas once a year expecting to win big.

        This attitude applies to the Fortune 500 as well, maybe even more so.
        Originally Posted by Doceye View Post

        ...But I'm left wondering why so, so many cos. with money to burn don't "get" social media and botch it so badly.

        Is it really that complex?
        <...>
        And ultimately it has to (and will) be held to the same accountability standards as everything else. So why are so many skipping that last step? Staff cuts? Greed? Stupidity?
        Social media implementation in larger companies today has remarkable similarities with website implementation in the mid-90's.

        The companies not only don't know how to use the medium yet, but even worse, the people making the hiring and approval decisions are not qualified to do so because they don't understand it. They also don't know what a good return should be.

        There are some good new media marketing companies out there, but the long-time commercial marketing companies are typically slow to catch up.

        The marketing companies can also be obsessed with looks over functionality, and are are often relectant to take direct responsibility for results.

        Maybe what these companies need is more people like Obvious Adams that take the time to stop, look, and listen, then proceed accordingly.

        (For those not familiar with Obvious Adams, it's a timeless classic short story about a man that creates obvious advertising that people understand and respond to. The story can be found here: Obvious Adams eBook | PDF eBook | obviousadams.org)
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        • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
          Originally Posted by Steve Hill View Post

          Social media implementation in larger companies today has remarkable similarities with website implementation in the mid-90's.

          The companies not only don't know how to use the medium yet, but even worse, the people making the hiring and approval decisions are not qualified to do so because they don't understand it. They also don't know what a good return should be.

          There are some good new media marketing companies out there, but the long-time commercial marketing companies are typically slow to catch up.
          True- it does seem major brands are still trying to figure out the best way to handle social media. Some are doing innovative stuff but for the most part they are set up for buying massive GRPs to get their message out. That model doesn't always work well in new media.

          Good tip on Obvious Adams. Here's another source:
          Obvious Adams: The Story of a Successful Businessman - Robert Rawls Updegraff - Google Books
          click on "Ebook- Free" for a PDF download
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          Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
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  • Profile picture of the author ejm7788
    Most people's fb ads suck period. The Images are stale and the body copy looks like a paragraph of fluff with no CTA. And The Headlines? LOL

    Plus I bet those numbers are a bit manufactured with the crazy adsense fake clicks I've fallen victim too personally.

    FB ads CAN and DO work if you're not dull.
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  • Profile picture of the author jennycdb
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Gaqua77
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      • Profile picture of the author JakeDaly
        I thought it was common knowledge that no one clicks on the actual ads? But, tell Tony's pizzeria down the street that their Facebook page doesn't help them build a community around their small business. Tony will call you a liar, because Facebook helps Tony very much.

        Tony uses the new Facebook platform to easily post his menu, update followers on recent promotions and menu items and he was even able to post pictures of Biker Night from 2 weeks ago. Tony loves Facebook, and he's figuring out that even his older customers are easily reaching and interacting with his Facebook page. After careful thought, Tony decides to laugh at each and every person that doubts the multi-billion dollar valuation placed on Facebook.

        Heck, even Sergey Brin & company didn't know how to properly monetize Google until about 2004. Give Zuckerberg a little time. I dislike the guy, personally, but Facebook as an entity is worth tens of billions of dollars.. I don't think anyone can dispute that. But, like Google, they'll have to learn and adapt if they wish to live up to that evaluation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rodney21a
    it remains to be seen if CEO Mark Mark Zuckerberg even wants to focus on advertising as a source of revenue. In his 2,500+ word letter to shareholders this month, he mentioned advertising just once
    In My opinion here is what I see as the folly of FB.

    You have Zuckerberg who is playing CEO, when Google started the founders were savy enough to get an experienced CEO to hold the reigns until they could take them. From the start Zuckerberg has had a death grip on them. I don't see a long term future for the company if he doesn't hire competent expericanced business men(Some Mad Men type stuff) to help run his company. Can you imagine Erick Schmidt ever sending out a letter to shareholder mentioning advertising just once?

    Zuckerbergs allowing shares of FB to be traded so heavily on the secondary market has already showed its effects on the company's craptastic IPO performance.

    Question?

    Do you think Mark Zuckerberg is the businessman who can make social media profitable?

    I don't
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  • Profile picture of the author BulletheadX
    I don't even look at FB ads. I sure as hell don't click on them. If they make them more intrusive I'll stop using FB.
    However, there's a local restaurant that we like a lot, and we (and others) have been consistent about "checking in" when we're there, posting pics/prices, sharing their page and generally trying to get the good word out. Since this sort of grassroots push took hold earlier this year their business has been steadily increasing, when almost everything else they have tried has failed.
    I think you can get very good results with social media, but not if you try to use it like TV.
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    I suspect 5 - 10 years from now, we'll all chuckle at what is currently considered social media marketing brilliance.

    ----

    I believe social media marketing will eventually be part of a three-legged marketing stool of the future: branding/institutional advertising, direct response marketing & social media marketing.

    When companies have all three firing on all cylinders, that's going to be something to create a case study on.

    ----

    Until then, what's really funny in a sad sorta way are the folks buying likes and paying for hashtag tweets. Even folks like McDonald's and the Discovery Channel are not above it all.

    - Rick Duris
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  • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
    Banned
    Today's news - from the British "Telegraph" -
    Facebook crashes below $30 in 'worst IPO in a decade'

    Shares in Facebook have dropped below the $30 mark, capping what has been hailed as the most disastrous start to trading of any major flotation in the last decade.
    More here - Facebook crashes below $30 in 'worst IPO in a decade' - Telegraph
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