In the world of digital marketing, finding the right audience for your Facebook ads is crucial to achieving success. In this blog, we’ll dive deep into how you can find your tribe by selecting the right audience, optimizing your ad variations, and leveraging Facebook’s powerful algorithm to get the best results. We’ll also explore the importance of audience size, targeting, and understanding the human psychology behind your audience’s behaviour.

The Power of Variation in Facebook Ads

One of the most important aspects of running successful Facebook ads is variation. In the previous videos, we discussed testing five different angles, each with its own caption and ad set. Within each ad set, you can test three different visuals or ads. This creates a total of 15 different combinations for the algorithm to test.

For example, if you run these ads to an audience of 500,000 people, the algorithm has the potential to test 7.5 million different combinations. This is because each of those 500,000 people can see any of the 15 combinations of your ads. This demonstrates the power of variation and how simple it can be to achieve results when you give Facebook the variation it needs.

However, it’s important to note that these variables must be high-quality to get great results. The algorithm’s ability to go through millions of combinations is what makes it so powerful, but it requires you to provide it with the right tools to work with.

How the Facebook Algorithm Works

Facebook’s algorithm is smarter, faster, and more capable than any human being at showing your ads to the right people. It has data about everyone, which means it understands your audience better than you or anyone else can. Your job is to give Facebook the audience you want it to search through, and the algorithm will do the rest.

The algorithm is constantly learning who to show your ads to through a process called optimization. It doesn’t just randomly show your ads to people within your target audience. Instead, it looks at who specifically is taking action on your ads and then finds more people like that within your audience. The more money you give Facebook, the more people it will find, and the smarter it will become over time.

Choosing the Right Audience

When it comes to choosing the right audience for your ads, there are three key factors to consider:

1. Audience Quantity

Facebook recommends using one large audience or as few audiences as possible for better ad performance.

• Efficiency: A single large audience allows Facebook’s algorithm to optimize ad delivery more effectively.
• Budget Allocation: Splitting a $1,000 budget across 10 audiences means each gets only $100, limiting the algorithm’s ability to optimize. Instead, allocating the full budget to one audience yields better results.
• Privacy Updates: Due to Apple’s privacy changes, Facebook’s ability to track iPhone users has declined, making audiences smaller than they appear. Consolidating into a single audience helps counteract this.

2. Audience Size

Your audience should be as large as possible while still being well-targeted:

• Local Businesses: Define your audience based on your geographic area. The size depends on your selected radius.
• Non-Local Businesses: If location isn’t a constraint, aim for 1–5 million people. Keep the audience size between 100,000 to 10 million for optimal performance.

This range ensures long-term results while maintaining relevance.

3. Audience Targeting

Audience targeting falls into two categories:

• System-Based Targeting (automated by Facebook’s algorithm)
• Human-Based Targeting (manually defined audiences)

We’ll dive deeper into each below.

System-Based Targeting vs. Human-Based Targeting

System-Based Targeting Categories

System-based targeting refers to the targeting options available within the Facebook ad system. Here are the seven categories you can use to define your audience:

1. Demographics: Age, gender, and location.
2. Keywords: Words related to your niche (e.g., fitness, health, weight loss).
3. Interests: Magazines, public figures, podcasts, TV shows, books, etc.
4. Behaviors: Actions users take on Facebook (e.g., Facebook page admins).
5. Competitors: Target people interested in your competitors’ brands.
6. Platforms: Websites, apps, and services your audience uses (e.g., Shopify, MailChimp).
7. Lifestyle: Specific activities or habits (e.g., frequent travelers).

You don’t need to use all of these categories in your targeting, as it may narrow down your audience too much. The goal is to keep it broad but defined.

Human-Based Targeting: Understanding Your Audience

While system-based targeting is important, understanding the human psychology behind your audience is equally, if not more, important. Here are some key questions to ask when defining your audience:

• What desires, pains, and fears do they have?
• What biases, beliefs, and values do they hold?
• What misconceptions or objections might they have toward your ad?
• What stimulates them (e.g., entertainment, inspiration, education)?
• What makes them unique compared to the general population?

For example, if you’re advertising a boxing-related product, targeting people interested in Muhammad Ali might not be specific enough. Instead, you could target people interested in multiple boxers or brands that make boxing gear. This ensures your audience is more relevant and targeted.

Understanding these human-based elements allows you to craft ads that resonate with your audience on a deeper level. It’s not just about the Facebook ad system; it’s about understanding the people your ads will be shown to.

Key Takeaways for Successful Facebook Ads

Here are the key points to remember when creating and optimizing your Facebook ads:

1. Variation is Key: Test multiple angles, captions, and visuals to give the algorithm enough data to work with.
2. One Large Audience: Focus on one large audience rather than multiple small ones to maximize your budget and efficiency.
3. Audience Size: Aim for an audience size of 1 to 5 million people, depending on your niche and location.
4. System-Based Targeting: Use Facebook’s targeting options to define your audience, but don’t over-narrow it.
5. Human-Based Targeting: Understand your audience’s psychology and create ads that resonate with their desires, fears, and beliefs.
6. Optimization: Trust Facebook’s algorithm to find the right people for your ads. The more data and budget you give it, the smarter it becomes.

Conclusion: Play the Man, Not the Odds

When you truly understand the people you’re targeting, the Facebook ad system becomes secondary. A great ad that resonates with your audience will perform well, even if your targeting isn’t perfect. So, take the time to deeply understand your audience, and you’ll see better results in your Facebook ad campaigns.