Facebook might not be the newest or prettiest social network, but it’s still certainly one of the most useful platforms for marketers. For example, 93% of social media advertisers use Facebook ads, which clearly suggests that it’s worth your while.

And if you find that statistic motivating, we’ve compiled nine more helpful data points below to help inform your strategy and take your Facebook marketing to the next level.

1. 39% of Facebook users say that they follow Facebook Business Pages because they want to receive special offers

Offering those who follow your Facebook Page exclusive offers will help motivate your target audience to smash that “Like” button.

This tactic works for businesses both large and small – for example, a restaurant called Brickhouse Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia has developed an enormous following just by offering those who like or comment on their posts a free pizza.

2. A post’s average organic reach is only around 6.4% of the pages total likes.

There was a marketing-world rumor that this reach only extended to an average of 2% of the page’s total likes, but in actuality it’s more like 6.4%.

While having a high number of likes on your Page is important, the Facebook users who like your Page won’t do the work for you – you need to produce engaging posts, no matter how many likes you have. The more you understand about how to generate engagement through your posts, the better.

3. 47% of Facebook users only access the site through the mobile app

That means that almost half of all Facebook users see your ads on their phones. Additionally, mobile app fans are arguably the more frequent users, as they have Facebook right in their pocket 24/7 rather than just when they can access a desktop computer.

You know what that means? Your content needs to be mobile-optimized.

In addition to making sure any landing pages your ads point to are mobile-ready, consider posting more vertical photo and video content, and keep long-form posts easy to read, limiting the use of the “read more” button.

4. One study says that the most effective length for Facebook ad titles is four words, with 15-word link descriptions

While there’s definitely a time and place for long-form content, your Facebook ads and link descriptions apparently aren’t it. If those four words in the title, plus a bit more info in the link description, can elicit FOMO (fear of missing out) and draw the reader in, even better. Don’t overshare here, you want a high CTR after all.

5. Videos with auto-playing sound annoy 80% of users

Most of us scroll through our Facebook feed in public – on the subway, in class, or waiting in line at the grocery store. Ironically, these places each include about a dozen people who will definitely give you a dirty look when an ad pops up and starts sounding off immediately.

Because of this, you need to consider that the majority of your ad viewers are going to be consuming with sound off, so ensure that you include relevant subtitles and visual queues to lessen the need for audio.

6. Videos with closed captions increase viewing time by about 12%

Reiterating the point above – closed captions will prompt viewers to stick around longer. This way, Facebook users can still watch and understand your videos, no matter where they might be.

7. Your video ad has about three second to capture viewer attention

Three seconds sounds like nothing, but your video has a ton of opportunity to pack a punch in that small amount of time.

Similar to post titles, ensure the first three seconds of your video are informative, but mostly full of FOMO. A bit of suspense, or the idea that your video isn’t revealing everything right away will give your viewers incentive to keep watching.

8. Shorter posts get about 23% more interaction than longer Facebook posts

Keep it short and sweet. Again, your audience is likely consuming on the go, so you need to get their attention quickly – and trust that your subsequent landing page will hold their interest beyond that.

9. Video posts get more shares than any other post type

This is another good reason to incorporate video content into your Facebook marketing strategy – the average video share count is about 89.5 shares.

When looking at companies with successful marketing strategies, this stat adds up – for example, this video by Glossier got 15 shares, whereas the photo-only post below (for the exact same product) only got one share.

Facebook offers significant opportunity for businesses, but also significant challenge. Hopefully these stats and tips will point you in the right direction to help you drive better results from your Facebook marketing efforts in 2019. 

Article written by: Phoebe Bain