It seems as though every two or three months, I sit down and write a blog to help explain some new change that Facebook had made to their platform and how it affects homebuilders. Staying up-to-date with the latest rules and best practices is an inherent part of our job as marketers, but communicating these changes to you is a part of our continuing efforts to help you navigate the fluid world of digital marketing.

So strap in. Changes are aplenty.

We wrote a blog and mentioned it on our DriveTime Marketing podcast that Facebook would be eliminating some targeting options to eliminate discriminatory advertising practices. Discriminatory advertising practices are well defined for the housing industry in the Fair Housing Act, but Facebook is taking it a step further.

With the launch of their new advertising platform last week, they also started rolling out new restrictions for the housing, credit, and employment industries.

At the beginning of the ad creation process, in the campaign section, advertisers will be presented with a checkbox to indicate if they are advertising for one of those three categories.

Of course, you could simply not check the box - but we strongly advise against this. Violating Facebook's terms and conditions is not something you should mess with.

Upon checking this box, you'll be given a very brief description of how that changes your targeting options. Here is where Facebook punches us in the gut:

Ages are fixed to 18 to 65+. Gender selection is unavailable. A lot of detailed targeting options are unavailable. Excluding any detailed targeting options is unavailable. The location radius is limited to 15 miles on the small end. Lookalike audiences are gone (this is the worst) and using any previously saved audiences are unavailable.

Wow. That's rough.

So what can you do? There are a few strategies you can implement to combat these changes.

1. Custom audiences are still here.

Whether you're using your email list, purchaser lists, Facebook Pixel data, or offline events,  you can still retarget your audience. What we lose here are lookalike audiences that are built from these custom audiences to find new prospects.

2. You could spend more.

I generally hate telling our marketing partners just to spend more money. It takes the romance out of building an effective campaign. However, since the audiences are shifting to span more geographical area, the competition will probably increase. One great way to get in front of your audience is to outspend your competition. Just be careful, just because you increase an ad budget, doesn't mean targeting and creative are less critical. Also a word of warning: if you partner with an ad agency, make sure you're aware of any increase in fees they might charge for an increase in ad spend. If you partner with BD, we never charge you more for spending more.

3. Trust the algorithm.

By now, I probably sound like a Facebook rep by telling you to spend more and trust Facebook more. But, with the playing field shifting yet again, they are solid strategies. Facebook's algorithm is a topic of conversation in and of itself. When your ads begin running, they go through an initial learning phase where Facebook learns what kind of people in the Facebook world respond the best to your ad. After the learning is complete, Facebook starts to deliver ads to that specific audience. It's kind of like an A/B test; only the audience is the variable, not the creative.

4. Nail your creative.

Spend a few extra minutes on those creatives (which are also changing, by the way). Excellent video and photos go a long way in creating engagement and earning web visitors. The fundamental core of Facebook ads is still intact: create an effective ad that people like, that ad becomes cheaper.

5. Don't give up. 

There are billions of active users on Facebook every day and it continues to be one of the most affordable ways to drive new traffic and retarget returning traffic to your online model home (aka your website). Stay with it. Invest in good creative and make sure your online experience is as frictionless as possible.

Navigating the world of digital marketing can be challenging. That's why we partner with homebuilders across North America to empower them to reach their goals through web, SEO, and digital marketing. If you have a question about your digital need, give us a call or set up a meeting with Amber!

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