How multi-unit brands can benefit from Facebookâs new local awareness tools

Facebook has announced improvements to its location-based local awareness ads, and the changes will be music to the ears of bricks-and-mortar brands with multiple outlets.

According to Google, four out of five consumers want ads to be customised to their immediate surroundings, so just like location targeting in AdWords, Facebook is introducing dynamic localised ads.

Multi-unit brands can now run ads which target nearby customers by showing dynamic ad copy and calls to action based on their location – meaning Facebook will show users tailored ads with relevant calls to action for whichever outlet they’re closest to. The targeted and localised nature of these ads should make them more effective and cost-efficient – but of course, only time will tell.

(Source: Facebook)

In a blog post, Facebook explained how a business could use the new features:

‘For example, if a café with multiple locations across the UK decides to run local awareness ads, they could choose to automatically populate the city name in their ad copy, depending on where the people seeing the ad are. So, people in Glasgow would see “Join us for lunch in Glasgow,” while people in Bristol would see “Join us for lunch in Bristol.”’

In order to create the dynamic campaigns, it looks like businesses will need to set up a Facebook page for each of their outlets and manage them via the Locations tool. Ad reports will be available for each location, giving brands better performance insight and hopefully allowing them to spend their social advertising budget more efficiently.

But Facebook didn’t just stop there – Page Insights have changed too, with the addition of a new tab to help local businesses learn more about the people near their outlet.

(Source: Facebook)

Businesses should be able to find out the busiest time of the day and day of the week in their area, as well assee aggregate demographics of people nearby, including their age and gender and whether or not they are local residents. These types of insights should help brands to tailor their local marketing, giving them the insight they need to drive footfall to their outlets. They’ll also be able to see the percentage of nearby people who have seen their ads.

Mobile accounts for 78% of Facebook’s ad revenue, and paid advertising on the platform remains an effective campaign and awareness exercise for high street brands. What we’re now seeing from Facebook is a move todemonstrate offline conversions through better local insight and draw a connection between local ads and business outcomes – something that bricks-and-mortar brands will welcome.