Meta

This guide will tell you all you need to know about aligning your Meta campaigns to benefit from word-of-mouth using Herdify targeting.

The targets

The Herdify targets for Meta are provided in a CSV file which can be uploaded directly into Meta Ads Manager.

Uploading the targets to Meta

1. Navigate to the Audience section of ad set creation/management and select Add locations in bulk.

2. In the dropdown next to Location type select Postal codes and next to Default country select United Kingdom.

3. Drag and drop the targets file into the dialog box. You will see postcode targets in the display window. Click Match Locations.

4. Review the changes. Once satisfied click Add [#] locations to add the locations to your audience.

Implementation

The goal of a rollout is to provide additional benefits in Meta campaigns, not to replace the knowledge and expertise that have already been implemented.

Testing

Many users want to set up a test to measure the benefit of targeting word-of-mouth. Testing can identify how this targeting can best work within your mix of Meta campaigns and can help you report the value of targeting word-of-mouth.

We recommend that testing follow some simple guidelines:

1. Select a small number of your current campaigns to test first, no more than 3. We recommend selecting your largest campaigns by budget and/or responses (sales, web visits, whichever outcome is your key focus). Focusing on these larger campaigns will enable you to get meaningful results more quickly.

2. Introduce word-of-mouth campaigns. For each of the selected campaigns you should implement a version with word-of-mouth targeting.

3. Test the campaigns as you would any new campaign - Consider each of the word-of-mouth campaign as a new campaign and test these how you would test any other change to your ad set up. The three most popular ways of doing this are:

   1. Running a test campaign in parallel to the existing campaign Re-directing a fraction of the budget for the equivalent main campaign towards the word-of-mouth targeted campaign (we recommend 15%) and comparing performance.
   2. Testing a new campaign against performance targets Re-directing a fraction of the budget for the equivalent main campaign towards the word-of-mouth targeted campaign (we recommend 15%) and comparing the new campaigns performance against established targets.

      Warning

      When running the original and word-of-mouth targeted campaigns at the same time there is the potential for the new campaigns to compete against the existing ones. This can result in high CPMs or one campaign delivering a very small volume. If this is observed, then you may want to exclude the locations in word-of-mouth clusters from your other campaigns.

   3. Using Meta's built-in testing tools. For testing the benfits of word-of-mouth campaigns GeoLift tests should be used.

      Adverts in word-of-mouth clusters are more effective because of the offline conversations happening between people in the location.

      Both Conversion Lift and Brand Lift split the audience within a word-of-mouth cluster between test and control groups, but people in both groups are still involved in conversations.

      GeoLift will split word-of-mouth clusters between test and control groups, so everyone within a cluster is in the same group.

4. Observe the campaign performance However you have set up the test campaigns we recommend letting any test last for at least a month, to ensure significant results. After a month capture the results and compare the campaign performance to determine the results of the test. What success looks like will depend on your objectives for the campaign.

   Warning

   Measurement using in platform metrics, and other forms of digitally tracked attribution can misrepresent the value of campaigns, especially those targeting word-of-mouth clusters. Relying solely on in platform metrics can lead to a false view of what is working well.

   Campaigns that target word-of-mouth clusters benefit in two principal ways:

   1. People receiving the ads are more likely to have heard of the brand, been influenced positively towards it, and therefore more likely to respond to the ad by clicking and purchasing.

   2. People recieving the ad and then speaking to their friends, families and colleagues about it. Generating multiple real-world impressions with other people who may go on to purchase.

   We recommend using a third-party platform, such as triple whale, to get a better understanding of the value of your campaigns. If you do not have this avalible then Herdify can provide an analysis of your transactions data over the course of the campaigns which may help to measure their impact.

5. Next steps If the word-of-mouth targeted campaigns have performed better than the baseline campaigns or exceeded their targets then you will want to extend the rollout. If the campaigns have not performed better then we would recommend speaking to your Customer Success Manager who can help you identify additional campaigns on which to test.

Rollout

Following a successful test you will want to maximise the benefits of targeting word-of-mouth clusters by expanding their use in two ways:

1. Increasing the budget spent in these areas

   We recommend starting with 15% of the original campaigns budget targeting word-of-mouth areas.

   We suggest increasing this budget in increments of 10%.

   As the spend increases in the word-of-mouth areas it is possible that performance will start to decrease, because of the greater amount of budget being spent on a smaller audience. Each time you increase the budget wait at least 2 weeks to see the impact on performance.

   Increasing by a small amount each time, enables you to find a point that balances your needs for efficiency and volume from the campaigns.

2. Implement word-of-mouth testing in more campaigns

   We recommend following the same testing procedure as above when implementing word-of-mouth targeting in any additional campaigns.

   Following a successful test, look to optimise the budget spent in those areas.