800 million people log in to Facebook at least once a month to post photos, update statuses, like friends’ statuses, and learn more about (and engage with) favorite companies and brands. It’s that last aspect of the Facebook user experience that fascinates us.
Did you know that the average Facebook user is connected to 80 community pages, groups, and events? This is an eye-popping number when you consider that the average Facebook user only has 130 friends.
If your business is using Facebook, or any social media sites for that matter, as marketing tools, the million-dollar question is “How do I capture my target audience’s attention when there is so much to compete with?” One way to make sure that your page, app, or location gets the attention it deserves is through Facebook’s Sponsored Stories. Sponsored Stories are posts from your friends or Pages that you like on Facebook that a business, organization or individual has paid to highlight. As noted by Facebook, they are regular stories that a friend or Page you’re connected to has already shared with you.
You may be asking yourself, “Why would I pay to feature a story that the people I am advertising to may have already seen?” The answer is simple. With the vast amount of updates that scroll through a typical user’s news feed each and every day, the chance that they have seen and retained that specific piece of information that relates to your business is pretty minute. By featuring a “story,” you greatly enhance the likelihood that a user will see, remember, and interact with it. You also get the added benefit of real-life, word-of-mouth referral within the Sponsored Stories themselves.
Here’s how the process works:
1. A user likes your page or app, or checks in at your location
2. The “story” appears in that user’s friends’ news feeds
3. If you are running Sponsored Stories, then likes, posts and check-ins will have the possibility of showing in the right rail when your fan’s friends navigate within Facebook!
The right rail is different from the ticker. Most of your firends' activities appear in the ticker, but quickly filter off the screen. If you pay for Sponsored Stories, then when someone likes your page or product, there is a chance that it will become a semi-permanent fixture in the right rail, below the ticker.
Why Sponsored Stories Are A Great Marketing Tactic
It is well-known that people are more likely to buy something if it comes highly referred from someone they trust. Facebook is no different. Users will be much more likely to like your page, interact with your content, and visit your establishment if they see that someone they know has already done so. When setting up your Sponsored Stories, you can even implement targeting metrics – geographic, demographic and behavioral - to ensure that they reach users of specific locations, age groups, genders, relationship statuses, education levels, interests and more!
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