Facebook Ads for Book Marketing: Are They Worth it?

You may have heard a lot of buzz about Facebook ads, both good and bad, and wondered if they’re worth it for you. We get asked about them often by our clients, so we know there is some curiosity there, but not a lot of understanding. Since our main goal is to help our clients and those with similar needs, we wanted to cover what we know about using Facebook Ads for book marketing. 

What to Know Before Using Facebook Ads for Book Marketing

There are a few things you should know before using Facebook ads for book marketing. Being armed with the knowledge of how they work, and how effective they can be, and under what circumstances will save you time and money. You don’t want to go in blind. 

First, You’ll Need a Facebook Author Page

In order to even use Facebook ads for book marketing, you need a business account. This is set up as a professional, public page. In the case of authors, you will need to create a Facebook Author page or other professional page. Then, that page will automatically have access to what Facebook calls the Ad Center. Then it’s just a matter of adding your payment information and setting up parameters for who can manage it, and how it will be managed. You can’t do this or create ads without a professional page. 

Here is a YouTube video showcasing a successful Facebook Author page. 

How Do These Ads Work?

 At a basic level these ads work by letting you:

1. Set a goal. This refers to what you want out of the ad. For example, more clicks, more leads, etc. 
2. Write a headline. This shows as the caption on your ad. 
3. Choose an image. This is the main focus of your ad. You create an image and upload it. 
4. Refine your target audience using categories such as interests, demographics and area.
5. The run dates of the ad and how long to run it.
6. How much money you want to spend per day. 

Facebook makes it pretty easy to do all this. It’s a step by step process. The hard part is doing your audience research beforehand and working within the limited categories they have available. Of course, the details and strategies involved are much more complex than this list, but you get the idea. We have a link below that covers these details and strategies.

You Don’t Have to Rely on Trial and Error Entirely, But There Will Be Some

The good news about using Facebook ads in book marketing is that many, many others have gone before you. This means that even though Facebook’s algorithms and practices remain shrouded in mystery, some strategies have been tested and proven effective. We’ll cover more on these strategies after we discuss the elements of a good ad. 

Some Proven Tactics Used in Facebook Ads for Book Marketing

Before you begin worrying about finding your target audience and leveraging the tools available, or how this even works, focus on the ad itself. Luckily, there are some elements that have proven successful. In other words, we already know the type of ad that works on the platform. 

The Elements of a Good Ad

Because social media is very image focused and the algorithms now heavily favor images (and video), first and foremost you’ll need a good image to grab attention.

These images should be:

• High-quality
• Genre appropriate
• Emotive and appealing
• Not overly complicated

Rember, the images used in Facebook ads for book marketing will need to grab the viewer right away. They don’t necessarily have to be a photo of your book either. They could be based on the themes within it, for instance. Note: You can also use video in Facebook ads, and even place them in Reels or on Instagram and more.

You’ll also need excellent copy. Not just in your headline, but within the image and the description box. As far as the call to action button, these are preset and chosen for you based on your ad goals.

Good copy features:

• Compelling, tone-appropriate language
• An alluring hook
• Important information 
• A character and word count that is in the sweet spot

A Facebook ad’s content should pretty much fit within, and follow the conventions of, advertising on other platforms. This part isn’t a mystery. You can find detailed instructions on the process and strategy of using Facebook ads for book marketing here. 

Successful Facebook Ads for Book Marketing Have Some Things in Common 

From what we’ve found through the case studies that are available, and some anecdotal evidence, there are some things successful ads have in common. You can read a case study right here. The authors using Facebook ads for book marketing all create ads with fantastic, professional looking imagery. They have done the research and used trial and error to dial in their audience and objectives. And they create a budget and stay on it. 

These authors also:

• Use Facebook ads as part of their long-term strategy. They are not using a one and done approach. 
• Have written more than one book and leverage existing books to sell their new ones.
• Use these ads in conjunction with other marketing efforts and have a solid strategy and brand established.

Unsurprisingly, those authors using facebook ads for book marketing successfully are using them as part of a larger, well-established strategy. They are savvy and they put in the work required. They use these ads as PART of their book marketing strategy, not the whole thing. 

These Scenarios Can Spell Less Success 

Unfortunately, those who find the most success using Facebook ads for book marketing are the ones who are using tactics that are successful elsewhere. It’s also important to realize that you won’t find lasting, sustainable success by using Facebook ads alone. They are not keys to the kingdom. These ads are just one of the many tools you can use to effectively market your book/s. 

Another cause for lack of success that we see often is this:  if you only have one book and no plans for writing more in the future, you’ll have less success with Facebook ads and in marketing your book in general. 

Also, if you’re not putting in the effort to do all the other little things required for marketing your book/s like having an SEO strategy and generally putting yourself out there, you may find yourself disappointed.

Ultimately, the work you put in is what you get out of it. Of course, you could try a short and simple ad campaign and see if it does anything for you. Because you have control of your daily spending with Facebook ads, it is easy to stay on budget. So, it’s up to you! Just don’t expect miracles.