We all want to have repeat buyers. If somebody purchases a pair of running shoes, we would like to sell him running apparel too. Repeat customers are a gold mine, right? What about buyers who changes their mind? Surely you have encountered buyers who put items in the cart only to change their mind in the check-out counter. We’d want a chance to reengage them and coax them to make the purchase.

One of the great features of Facebook Ads is it allows us to retarget our audience based on their activity. We can convince the shopping cart abandoner to push through with the purchase by giving him an enticing deal. We can also show the runner some outfits that would go well with the shoes he just bought. This advantage that this feature gives cannot be denied; however, the task may seem intimidating to undertake without some form of automation.

You can do this automation in Facebook’s dynamic product ads without compromising retargeting.  Read this post and you will know how to run your campaigns on autopilot by using dynamic product ads.

First, what are Facebook Dynamic Product Ads? Dynamic product ads are used to show your audience advertisements that contain products they recently looked at. Since the product already caught their attention, maybe a little push is all they need to make the purchase. By using a basic template, you can create ads that have different products and its information and show the same to the right audience. The ads can be carousel ads, collection ads or single image ads.

How To Set It Up

Be forewarned that setting up the dynamic ads takes longer compared to regular campaigns. Given that, the effort will surely pay off.

  1. Set up a Catalog
    1. Create a product catalog for Facebook if you don’t have one yet. Upload the catalog toBusiness Manager under Assets. (insert slide)
    2. Click Create Catalog. (insert slide)
    3. Choose a category and where to assign the catalog – page or business.
    4. Add products to your catalog through a CSV file. You may also connect to Shopify, Woo Commerce feeds or data URL feed. (insert slide)
    5. You may opt to upload your products in one go or ask FB to regularly look for new products or those whose stocks are running out. (insert slide)
  2. Running Dynamic Ad Campaigns
    1. The first thing you need to do when creating ad campaigns is to identify your marketing objective.
    2. Then, choose which pixel you want to use.
    3. You will notice some differences in the ad creation process compared to what you were used to, like in audience targeting, you can now choose from several retargeting options.
    4. Choose your retention window. (insert slide)
    5. Create your template. You may choose from single image ads, collection ads or carousel ads. (insert slide)
    6. In the creatives section, you can choose between creating one set headline or newsfeed link description like a tagline. You can also do without the headline and instead put product name, brand, short description or price. All this information is provided by your data feed or CSV. (insert slide)

Targeting Strategies for Dynamic Ads

Dynamic product ads work best on audiences you had previous interactions with. Since they already have a relationship with you, your offers would be more relevant and personal.  Who are these people?

  1. Window shoppers – A lot of shoppers do window shopping first before purchasing. They see something they like then they research or read feedbacks about it. You can show these shoppers the products they have browsed to keep these items in mind.
  2. Past customers – A satisfied customer is a prime candidate for cross-selling. He already has a pleasant shopping experience with you. It’s safe to say that it will only take a little convincing for him to buy again. Use dynamic product ads on someone who has purchased a mobile phone. Show him a matching phone case to protect his new phone or a power bank that would be good to have.
  3. Up selling – You can upsell to people who have recently bought from you or those who haven’t bought yet. Present to them a more expensive item compared to what they looked at and highlight why this is better.

Best Practices

Keep in mind the following practices to ensure successful campaigns:

  1. Have a large budget because this means more ads but have a reasonable bid. Bids that are locked at a reasonable rate will ensure an efficient automation process that is not too expensive.
  2. Make sure products that are out-of-stock are not included in your catalog.
  3. Before your campaigns go live, check your pixels for possible errors.
  4. Choose a long retention window. See how a retargeting window of 30 to 90 days works for your campaign.
  5. Use a large product set. You can do more ads with a large product set.