While Facebook ads for car dealers continue to resonate with people year after year, did you know it’s possible to take the power of Facebook advertising off the Facebook platform itself?  

Keep reading as we explain the power of the Facebook Audience Network when it comes to online advertising and to find out if your dealership should utilize it in your own Facebook ad targeting. 

What Is the Facebook Audience Network? 

While people spend a lot of time on Facebook (about 38 minutes a day, according to MarketingLand), they also spend time on other apps and sites. 

Introduced by Facebook in 2014, the Audience Network is a collection of Facebook-approved mobile apps and websites where ads are shown. 

Even if a person does not have a Facebook account, they can still be shown Facebook ads on the sites and apps included in the Audience Network, so it can broaden your ads’ reach. 

Audience Network ads can take five different forms: 

1. Banner: Ads that appear at the top or bottom of an app
2. Interstitial: Full-screen ads that capture attention
3. Native: Often the most “natural”-looking ads that fit seamlessly in content (which comprise about 80% of all Audience Network ads) 
4. In-Stream Video: Video ads shown before and during other video content
5. Rewarded Video: Video ads seen by people using gaming apps who receive an in-game reward for completing the video

Just like ads found in the Facebook news feed or right column, ads in the Audience Network placements encourage people to take an action (such as clicking a link), which will bring them to a web page that meets their expectations. 

Why Advertise on the Audience Network? 

You may be thinking, This Audience Network thing sounds cool, but does it actually work as well as (or better than) advertising on the Facebook and Instagram platforms alone?

In one Facebook ad campaign study, conversion rates were eight times higher among people who saw ads across Facebook, Instagram, and the Audience Network than people who saw the ads only on Facebook. 

Additionally, you can make the most of your Facebook ad budget with the Audience Network, as cost per click is often lower than other on-Facebook placements, like the the news feed, Stories, and right-column ads. 

So, when they’re set up properly, expanding your Facebook ads to the Audience Network can actually expand your reach at a lower cost. 

How to Advertise on the Facebook Audience Network 

Perhaps the best part about advertising on the Audience Network is that it takes very little extra time to set up if you already utilize Facebook advertising with Ads Manager. 

Want more insight into how to advertise on Facebook? Download our free eBook, Facebook and Instagram Ads for Auto Dealers!

[eBook] Facebook and Instagram Ads for Auto Dealers (2nd Edition)

Before You Start Checking Boxes…

As with any form of advertising, there are a few pain points you may need to work through to fully take advantage of the Audience Network.

Before you start checking those Audience Network boxes in your Facebook ad targeting, here are a few things to consider.

Audience Network Isn’t Available on All Campaign Objectives

While the Audience Network is available for most Facebook campaign objectives, you cannot select it if you are using the following objectives:

• Lead Generation
• Page Likes
• Event Responses
• Store Traffic
• Messages

Advertisers Can’t Control Where Audience Network Ads Appear

Another possible downside to advertising on the Audience Network is that you can’t control where your ads appear. 

With your “normal” Facebook ads for car dealers, you know they will remain on the Facebook platform (and Instagram, if selected). The Audience Network is much larger, including thousands of apps and websites. 

For some auto dealers and advertisers, the idea of not knowing where your ads are showing is uncomfortable. 

Facebook does provide a publisher list that details the thousands of URLs where it could place your ad on Audience Network in-stream videos, native, banner, and interstitial ads. 

If, after reviewing this publisher list, you find any websites on which you are uncomfortable advertising, you can upload them as a block list to guarantee your ads do not appear on those websites. 

How to Block Your Facebook Ads from Appearing on Controversial Websites

Improve Your Facebook Ads for Car Dealers on All Platforms and Placements!

Do you know the platforms and placements on which your dealership or business is advertising? Maybe you do know, but you’re unsure whether these platforms and placements are right for your business goals and KPIs.

Our team has years of experience working with auto dealers and other businesses to reshape and improve their Facebook advertising. We’d love to help you, too.

Schedule your digital marketing assessment today!

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