Ads Not Converting?
Jan 13, 2024
Testing Facebook Ads can be challenging.
Especially when you feel you've tested everything under the sun, and nothing seems to be working.
Thankfully, I've found a way to come up with endless Facebook Ads ideas, which has been a game-changer for me (you can read more about this here).
But if you're struggling to get any sort of traction with Facebook Ads, there are a few likely reasons why your Ads aren't working:
#1: An Audience Issue
As I talk about in Jumpstart Facebook Ads For Authors, your Ads create their own audience.
So, if you're not calling out your ideal reader in your Ads, the wrong people are going to be seeing and clicking on your Ads.
#2: Confusing Ad
Tied into number #1 above, if your Ad isn't specifically spelling out that it's a book you're advertising, the algorithm may show your Ad to the wrong people, who don't know what they're clicking on (aside from a pretty picture).
#3: Product Page Problems
If you're getting plenty of traffic to your book product page, but very few sales, there's a problem on the page.
This could be for several different reasons:
– Price
– Reviews (Number and/or Quality)
– Blurb/Description
– Book Cover
– Sample/Look-Inside
– Delivery Costs (Direct Sales)
– Delivery Timescales
One of the reasons I love Direct Sales is that you have the opportunity to handle any common objections as to why people don't buy on your product page, in your own words.
#4: Misalignment Between Ad and Book
The other reason is a misalignment between what people are seeing on the Ad and what they are seeing on the book product page.
They may be expecting a gritty crime thriller from what they've seen and read on the Ad.
But when they land on the book product page, your book sounds more like a cozy mystery.
Bit of an extreme example, but you get my point (hopefully).
There needs to be a connection between your Ad and your book product page.
People need to know they're in the right place, and that their expectations are being met.
How Do You Know What The Problem Is?
If you're brand new to Facebook Ads, but you've sold a lot of books in the past organically, or through other marketing channels, it's likely a Facebook Ad issue.
If you've only ever sold a handful of copies, despite the marketing you've done, it's more likely going to be a book product page issue.
These are just theories, of course, nothing is concrete, but I've found the above to be true a lot of the time.
If you want to know whether it's your book that's the problem, run a 99¢ sale for 5-7 days, run some Facebook Ads to it and see if that starts things moving.
If it does, great, you "potentially" have a book that can be advertised successfully.
If sales don't pick up, then there's very likely something not quite right with the book itself or the book product page.
If people aren't picking up a 99¢ book, there's some work to do on the book front.
Or it could just be a book that's not right for advertising.
Most Ads Will Fail
On a final note, know that for me, 1 in 10 Facebook Ads I test are winners; 2 in 10 at best.
The rest flop.
I'm trying to improve that ratio all the time, but that's pretty average.
So don't beat yourself up if you're struggling to find a winning Ad.
It happens to every advertiser out there.
Keep your head up and keep on keeping on.
It's a quiet Saturday morning here in the Holmes house. Yesterday, the boys went to the yard with Lori to feed and groom the horses, etc.
Today, we're off for a bike ride in the woods. Run them hard and they're actually quite pleasant!
Have a wonderful weekend.
To Your Success
– Matt
