•
I opened my first Facebook account 11 years ago, completely naïve to the fact that it would one day become a huge part of my professional life.
As I’m sure many of you can relate, my relationship with the social media giant has been an interesting evolution. I began my Facebook journey at thirteen, sharing memes that my friends and I would edit in Microsoft Paint after school. Fast forward to 2020, and I am now using Facebook as an integral part of my digital media strategies for several powerhouse clients in the financial and tourism industries to name a couple.
Facebook has been right there with us with analysis of online behaviors.
It continues to evolve with the ever-changing media landscape. Being consistently bombarded with such changes can be overwhelming, even for “digital natives” like myself. This is why the Facebook Marketing Partner program is so important.
As a partner, a status earned by agencies who use the platform frequently, we have quick access to a wealth of information. In the blink of an eye, we are able to pull Facebook-related insights and trends across various regions, industries, lifestyles and even specific holidays or life events.
Need to know what kind of financial content millennials want to see on their social feeds? Facebook’s insights will tell you. Wondering which Facebook apps travelers use the most to communicate while they’re traveling? There’s an insight for that.
These powerful data points give us the tools to plan and execute effective media strategies.
Because Facebook has compiled years and years of data, we know what works and what doesn’t. In addition to these quick-bite insights, Facebook grants their Marketing Partners access to research collateral by strategy and industry. These decks are filled pages of statistics and easy-to-digest graphs that dive deep into consumer behavior (both on and off Facebook), client success stories, research by generation and predictions on how consumers will think and behave in the future. What’s unique about this collateral is Facebook does not just focus on its own product; it discusses strategies for how brands can use its products as a compliment to other forms of media, such as television.
Facebook even provides tips for creative development based on consumer research.
The Creative Hub feature exhibits best-in-class examples of how their ad formats can be used to create unique and engaging content.
There are also virtual training sessions for creatives, such as how to leverage Facebook and Instagram stories. These virtual training sessions also discuss methods for analyzing creative performance, tying both creative and strategy together.
On the media buying and planning side, professionals may take the Facebook Blueprint Certification exam, allowing them to learn new skills and stay up-to-date on the latest ad technologies that Facebook has to offer. These certifications range in experience and difficulty and are complemented by courses that media personnel can take virtually.
We’ve come a long way from Facebook’s early days.
It’s no longer just a place for us to share that we got a new puppy, or that we’re drinking our morning coffee. It is a cultural powerhouse that has altered how nearly three billion people think and behave in their daily lives, both on and offline.
As brands continue to voyage into some of these uncharted territories, it has never been more important to stay abreast of the latest and greatest new media technologies. Facebook’s Marketing Partner program gives us the resources to do just that.
About The Author
Jane uses her creative energy and strategic mind to create and integrate comprehensive media plans for ABC clients. She’s always looking for the edge when it comes to our creative, whether that’s deploying tried-and-true media or experimenting with something new.
On the nerdier side of things, Jane can research keywords and break down analytics with the best of ’em. She brings a bachelor of science in new media marketing and a double minor in advertising/public relations and international business from RIT to ABC.