Author Topic: Facebook / Google advertising help (Read 9026 times)

fotoVoyager · « **on:** April 29, 2021, 03:16 »

Since the dreaded Covid has done for my job for a good while yet (travel photographer) I've started making the backpack camera bags I've always wanted and built a website to sell them (gokyogear.com).

Obviously a venture like this lives and dies by advertising and I figure Facebook advertising is a good place to start. I have no idea how that works, how much it costs or where to start.

Has anyone used Facebook advertising to sell stuff? Can you pick who they target with your ads? Do you have to pay up front for x amount of ads, or buy credits that get used up when people click on them?

What about Google ads? I presume you have to choose keywords and the cost of those varies with their popularity. Any tips on using Google would be appreciated.

Also, feel free to test my website effort to destruction, it's the first time I've made something like this, so there's bound to be mistakes.

Firn · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2021, 08:32 »

It's been a couple of years since I used both Facebook ads and Google ads for my products, so I am not sure whether things have changed by now. They probably have a bit.
At least back then, yes, you could pick who to target audience on Facebook. You have to set your budget when you create a campaign, but payment was made at the end of the month. Facebook charged you for every time the ad was shown to someone, and, if I remember correctly, charged a different amount when someone actually clicked on the ad. I only tried out Facebook ads 2 or 3 times and the first time when I had a free coupon, then I gave up again, because the "view vs. click ration" there was insane. My ad was shown to a great amount of people and I had to pay for that, but hardly anyone actually clicked on the ads. In the end I did not think it was worth my money.

Google ads is something I used for a couple of years and I always felt like you got way more for your money than with Facebook ads.
The cost doesn't (or at least back then didn't) change with the keywords. With Google ad it is a bit different, because there every site that is a partnet site of google ads sets their own price for ads. So each time someone clicks on your ad, the costs may be very different, depending on what the person running the site wanted for the ad. But you can set limits how much you are willing to pay for a single click.

My advice would be to watch out for promotion offers from Google ads. From time to time Google ads is offering free coupons. It's most often (but not always) for new registered members and it's usually something like "Invest 25$ and get 50$ for free" and I would suggest to look out for something like this.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2021, 10:55 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on April 29, 2021, 03:16

Since the dreaded Covid has done for my job for a good while yet (travel photographer) I've started making the backpack camera bags I've always wanted and built a website to sell them (gokyogear.com).

Obviously a venture like this lives and dies by advertising and I figure Facebook advertising is a good place to start. I have no idea how that works, how much it costs or where to start.

Has anyone used Facebook advertising to sell stuff? Can you pick who they target with your ads? Do you have to pay up front for x amount of ads, or buy credits that get used up when people click on them?

What about Google ads? I presume you have to choose keywords and the cost of those varies with their popularity. Any tips on using Google would be appreciated.

Also, feel free to test my website effort to destruction, it's the first time I've made something like this, so there's bound to be mistakes.

Nice website, pops up nice and very colorful. Says what someone needs to know, right from the start without wasting time. https://gokyogear.com/

I noticed you say no logos. As far as marketing goes, maybe you should have an orange (or whatever color) gokyogear on the bag. You asked about advertising and I'll have to say, that people who have and use your product, will carry your logo around for others to see. Doesn't have to be obtrusive or large, but that could pay back in having your name be seen?

Doesn't need to be any larger than 1 inch.

Example, anyone know who this is? It's on all their products and not a big obnoxious logo, but says, who made it.

Not very exciting, but you get the idea.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2021, 13:18 »

I'm kind of attracted to the idea of no logo - I'm a bit tired of advertising someone else's brand after paying for their product.

In reality, the reason I didn't brand the bags was I developed them in lockdown and I couldn't go and investigate embroidery shops in person. So that may change soon.

I'm thinking of sewing a 'Made in the UK by xxx' label on the inside like Hilleberg do with their tents for a really personalised feel.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2021, 13:20 »

I'm going to try Facebook ads first since they come with an image which I think is a great help, especially for non-English speakers. £10 for 10 days, so £100 experiment.

Then after I'll try Google Adwords for a similar amount.

tickstock · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2021, 14:53 »

Been looking for a new travel bag. I have a ton already from ones that can carry 2 complete setups, to crumplers, to sling bags. Every few years I change what I want to carry and it really is important to get the right bag for what you are shooting. I don't think what you're making is right for me but it does have some features I do like and seems really utilitarian for your needs. I hate the logos on bags and camera straps. I always see people with straps that advertise which model they have and think how helpful that must be to anyone looking to steal only the most expensive cameras. Congrats on the venture!

A few of my thoughts to improve: Writing over the fabric close up is hard to read, show more specs (weight, dimensions), show the inside, what are the flaps on the bottom for?, place for batteries or filter?, what's the name mean. Good luck, I'll bookmark your site if you move into other styles.

Firn · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2021, 23:59 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on April 29, 2021, 13:20

I'm going to try Facebook ads first since they come with an image which I think is a great help, especially for non-English speakers. £10 for 10 days, so £100 experiment.

Google ads come with an image as well?

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2021, 06:42 »

Quote from: Firn on April 29, 2021, 23:59

Google ads come with an image as well?

They didn’t seem to offer me that option when I was going through the ad setting up process. Maybe I didn’t go far enough.

Firn · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2021, 12:00 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on April 30, 2021, 06:42

Quote from: Firn on April 29, 2021, 23:59
Google ads come with an image as well?

They didn’t seem to offer me that option when I was going through the ad setting up process. Maybe I didn’t go far enough.

I only ever placed image ads on Goodle (I don't see the point in text ads, who ever clicks on a text ad?) and, at least back then, uploading an image for the ad was actually the very first step when starting a campaign.

stockastic · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2021, 10:53 »

Facebook is just selling you 'likes' and they'll put your photo in front of hundreds of people who they know like to click 'like'. And if look at the public profiles of some of them you may find they have little to do with your targeting choices. I found it a total waste of money.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2021, 12:57 »

I think Facebook is selling me clicks on the ads 'shop now' button, which has generated 250+ clicks so far at a cost of 0.12 per click.

I can't say if that's value for money yet, or even a complete waste of money, but it's definitely not 'likes' on a Facebook page.

Firn · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2021, 13:11 »

They are charging for reach/views, interactions (comments, likes) and clicks:

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2021, 07:58 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on May 02, 2021, 12:57

I think Facebook is selling me clicks on the ads 'shop now' button, which has generated 250+ clicks so far at a cost of 0.12 per click.

I can't say if that's value for money yet, or even a complete waste of money, but it's definitely not 'likes' on a Facebook page.

Interesting and good luck. Please keep track of your results as many of us could learn something from your experience.

Quote from: fotoVoyager on April 29, 2021, 13:18

I'm kind of attracted to the idea of no logo - I'm a bit tired of advertising someone else's brand after paying for their product.

In reality, the reason I didn't brand the bags was I developed them in lockdown and I couldn't go and investigate embroidery shops in person. So that may change soon.

I'm thinking of sewing a 'Made in the UK by xxx' label on the inside like Hilleberg do with their tents for a really personalised feel.

I agree with you. I'm not into fashion like some people who want to show they can afford the best, because it has logos or names from expensive or popular brands. I'm not a source of free advertising for a company, I resent that they over label products. But a tasteful logo or brand name isn't a problem.

But at the same time, if I was making a product, I'd want the free promotion?

Something subtle and distinctive is what I was getting at, so if someone else sees your product, and says "hey that's nice", they at least have a connection and identity GG, not "oh nice black camera case", what's for lunch, and you are forgotten.

Sometimes brand recognition is just color, or patterns. I know you are doing black and totally sturdy and functional. That's nice. Even a dark, dark, dark, brown would be an identity? Or of course a small orange logo?

Good fortune with your venture.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2021, 05:47 »

Nearly at the end of my 10 day Facebook advert - they say it's been seen by 35,000 people, 900 of whom have clicked through to my website at a cost of 0.09 per click.

I'll wait a couple of days and try the same experiment on Google.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2021, 10:37 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on May 08, 2021, 05:47

Nearly at the end of my 10 day Facebook advert - they say it's been seen by 35,000 people, 900 of whom have clicked through to my website at a cost of 0.09 per click.

I'll wait a couple of days and try the same experiment on Google.

Best to you and I hope you see some returns for your advertising. Please report back?

I'd think this would work best for a specific subject or special interest, rather than "stock photo".

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Author Topic: Facebook / Google advertising help (Read 9026 times)

fotoVoyager

Firn

Uncle Pete

fotoVoyager

fotoVoyager

tickstock

Firn

fotoVoyager

Firn

stockastic

fotoVoyager

Firn

Uncle Pete

fotoVoyager

Uncle Pete

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