At Numeral Digital, we’ve spent over 8 years helping businesses grow through Facebook ads, constantly refining our approach based on real-world results. Recently, we took $5000 and ran a series of focused experiments on the platform, testing everything from ad copy to audience targeting. These experiments provided key insights into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to maximizing the effectiveness of Facebook ads.
In this article, we’ll break down the lessons we’ve learned through hands-on experimentation so you can avoid costly mistakes and implement strategies that lead to measurable success. If you’ve ever wondered, “Are Facebook ads worth it?” or how to get the most out of your budget, read on to discover what our experience has taught us.
1. Facebook Delivers Exactly What You Ask for
One of the first things we realized was that Facebook’s algorithms are laser-focused on the objective you set. Suppose your goal is to increase post likes. In that case, Facebook will target users who are most likely to engage with posts—but that doesn’t necessarily translate into valuable actions like website visits or purchases. If you want more sales, you need to optimize your ads for conversions, not just clicks or likes. For example, optimizing for link clicks and landing page views are two different things, and knowing the difference can save you both time and money.
2. Trust the Algorithm—It Knows Your Audience Better Than You
Entrepreneurs often make the mistake of narrowing their audience too much, thinking that hyper-focused targeting will yield the best results. However, our experience showed that Facebook’s machine learning can be even more effective when given more data. By casting a wider net—targeting broader groups, such as all men aged 30–50 in a given location—Facebook can gather enough data to refine the audience on its own, improving results over time. The algorithm will quickly learn which users are more likely to take the desired action.
3. The Painful Lesson of Testing and Learning
Spending your own money on ad experiments is a fast but often painful way to learn. It’s one thing to read about Facebook Ads in books or follow an online course, but the real lessons come when you’ve put your own budget on the line. Mistakes, like targeting the wrong audience or sending traffic to a poorly optimized landing page, can cost hundreds of dollars. However, every dollar spent is an investment in learning how to optimize campaigns better.
4. Always Be Testing
One of the biggest revelations from our experiments is the importance of constantly testing different ad elements. You can take two ads with similar images and text, but the results can vary drastically. For example, one ad might attract three times more clicks than another. Testing is the only way to find out which images, copy, and audience segments are working best. We found that testing minor changes can lead to major improvements in click-through rates (CTR) and conversions.
5. Video Ads Drive Engagement—But Conversion is Tricky
Facebook has aggressively promoted video ads, and many marketers recommend using them to build awareness and retarget viewers later. We ran multiple video ads to cold audiences, which generated high engagement and seemed to build a large, warm audience. However, when we retargeted those viewers, the conversion rates were underwhelming. It turns out that Facebook targets people who love watching videos—but that doesn’t always mean they’re interested in buying your product.
6. Facebook Shines in Retargeting and Omnipresence
The most cost-effective way to use Facebook Ads is to retarget audiences already familiar with your brand. Using the Facebook Pixel, we tracked website visitors and created custom audiences for retargeting. This strategy worked especially well in reinforcing our brand presence and increasing conversions. The concept of omnipresence—showing up everywhere your audience is—builds trust and keeps your business top-of-mind for potential customers.
7. The Power of Ubiquity in Marketing
Facebook Ads can create a sense of ubiquity that traditional ads struggle to match. After visiting your website, your potential customers see your ads on Facebook, Instagram, and even YouTube. The constant presence of your brand across platforms helps solidify your business in the minds of your audience. We’ve seen clients impressed by how often they encounter our ads across the web, not realizing that this is a targeted retargeting strategy in action.
So, are Facebook ads worth it? Absolutely—but the key lies in understanding how to leverage Facebook’s powerful algorithms, constantly test your ads, and make the most of retargeting. At Numeral Digital, we’ve already done the hard work of experimenting with strategies, so you don’t have to.
Ready to see results from your own Facebook Ads? Book a Free Strategy session with us today, and let our experts help you create high-performing campaigns that convert.
