What is the value of Facebook Behavioral Marketing/ or Dark Posts?

Why are they called (nasty sounding) Dark Posts?

This type of social media advertising is called dark post because it behaves as a news feed, like a shared wall post and then delivered to selected Facebook readers that don’t publish to your Timeline, and don't show up in your followers' feeds organically. So, while appearing as a news post, they are marked ‘sponsored’ and contain your website’s link along with an attractive, tempting photo, a short pitch, and call-to-action. Right now, Facebook allows status updates, photos, videos, links or an Offer.  Very productive.  

For the time being, people have developed on line shopping habits. Imagine you are going through your Facebook news feed and a post shows a delectable plate of food; you are hungry; your impulse is to take a peek, unable to resist what this plate of sizzling shrimp is selling. If the post (ad) is set up properly, then you will easily find the link to the advertised site, along with a CTA (‘call to action’) button along the bottom of the post, usually bottom right corner. You have effectively created hyper-marketing without alienating and spamming your followers.   Part two of this ingenious marketing is that it was actually targeted to you, it's no fluke you received it. 
 
So we can speak of targeting behaviors like:
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• Those who have already inquired about your business;
• Those who are already looking for your product/service;
• Those who have shown interest in your product through search habits;
• Those who are a certain age;
• Those who fit a desirable niche (Toyota Camry may target young married people);  

 
Behavioral Marketing can be complicated, but experience takes the mystery out of it. You will be able to target your audience and talk directly to them with a very specific message.  Using the car example again, a manufacturer does not have to parade an entire fleet to a customer to sell a car.  Imagine the specific ad as an irresistible graphic of one particular car that appeals to your more concentrated demographic.  The cost is less because you are not wasting impressions on individuals who you know will not be interested in the product, and the reader who you have targeted will be inclined to click through to your website or call to action (‘order here’).  Concentrated and focused advertising exponentially raises the response percentages, and provides a much better ROI.

You have the ability to test market in Social Media Ads. 

It gets even better.  Let’s say we institute a certain campaign for a product.  We think we have it right but the response is less than expected.  Either the message is not being received or the urge to react to the CTA is not there, the campaign can be adjusted immediately, much different than any magazine or television advertising where you are fixed in the campaign until it runs its course.  We believe that the likelihood of wasted dollars is reduced dramatically. This is A/B marketing where testing is relatively inexpensive. Changes can be implemented immediately if response is tepid. 
 
Facebook Behavioral Marketing has become tremendously beneficial for business owners for leading the way to for them to get in front of their clients, the clients who will react positively according to the product being offered. Facebook's ability to define spending habits, personal preferences, demographics regarding age, sex, marital status and so on, make this type of marketing very desirable. This ability makes  Dark Post ads focused and responsive.  We always offer and usually recommend Social media marketing as a method of advertising that can be very lucrative for a local business and all forms should be looked at. 
 
Finally, today’s world is social media and mobile driven;  According to PEW Research Center: “a national survey of 1,520 adults conducted March 7-April 4, 2016, finds that Facebook continues to be North America’s most popular social networking platform by a substantial margin: Nearly eight-in-ten online Americans (80%) now use Facebook”    
 
It is hard to imagine a campaign that does not include Facebook advertising, especially Behavioral advertising that controls demographics without spamming your followers, or those who you know will not have an interest in what you offering. It makes good sense to consider this marketing and RoughRider Marketing has the know how to utilize Facebook (as well as other social media marketing) to the best advantage if this area interests you.     ​​