There is a little bit of confusion concerning the nature of Facebook Ads—and more specifically, the cost involved. We are advocates for the Facebook Ads platform, for reasons outlined in other posts, but we are often met with hesitation from dealership owners. After all, they say, isn’t Facebook supposed to be basically free?
Free Facebook Advertising
To an extent it certainly is. Signing up for a Facebook account is free, and creating a Facebook Business Page for your dealership is similarly devoid of cost. What’s more, you can use that Facebook Business Page to do some content marketing, which will cost you some of your time but won’t necessarily come with a price tag attached.
And content marketing is a key component of Facebook advertising. You can and should use Facebook to share news and updates about your dealership, and about new discounts or promotions. You can also share articles that offer tips and strategies for vehicle maintenance, financing, and upkeep—invaluable ways to connect with buyers and to earn their trust.
Why You Need to Pay for Facebook Ads
All of this is free, and all of it is helpful—but it’s not necessarily enough. For one thing, Facebook’s algorithms will be more favorable to you—and thus your content will get seen by more people—if you throw in a few advertising dollars. What’s more, you have to pay to use the Facebook Ads platform, which is a uniquely powerful way to get highly-targeted, data-backed social advertising.
But the question is, how much do you actually have to pay to make Facebook Ads workable? This is a question to which there isn’t really an easy answer. To put it most succinctly, you could pay a single dollar or really any amount above that. It’s up to you, and up to your marketing budget.
Guidelines for Facebook Ads
What we recommend is starting small, with a more limited Facebook advertising budget, and working your way up from there. Become familiar with the platform. Figure out what works for your dealership and what doesn’t. Track everything you do, and use data and analytics to fine-tune the ads that get results.
Of course, working with an automotive marketing firm, like Get My Auto, can also help you make prudent decisions about your Facebook budget. We’d love to work with you to put an effective strategy into place. Start that process today by reaching out to the Get My Auto team directly.