Facebook & Instagram Advertising: Strategy Guide for UK Businesses

Whilst Google Ads captures customers actively searching for solutions, Facebook and Instagram advertising excels at creating demand—reaching potential customers before they even know they need your services. With 44 million UK Facebook users and 31 million UK Instagram users, these platforms offer unprecedented targeting capabilities and visual storytelling opportunities.

At Silver Spider Media, we manage social media advertising campaigns for businesses across sectors—from landscaping to manufacturing, accounting to home services. In this comprehensive guide, we'll show you how to create Facebook and Instagram campaigns that drive real business results, not just vanity metrics.

Why Facebook & Instagram Advertising Works

Social media advertising offers unique advantages:

Visual Storytelling: Showcase your work through photos, videos, and stories in ways Google Search ads can't match.

Granular Targeting: Reach people by demographics, interests, behaviours, and connections—not just keywords.

Brand Building: Create awareness and desire amongst audiences who aren't actively searching yet.

Remarketing Power: Follow website visitors across their social feeds with timely, relevant messages.

When we launched Eden Gardens NI's Instagram campaign showcasing their stunning landscaping projects, they generated 127 qualified enquiries in 3 months from homeowners who hadn't been actively searching for landscaping services—they were inspired by the visual content.

Understanding the Facebook/Instagram Ecosystem

Platform Differences

Facebook:

• Older demographic (25-65+)
• Longer-form content performs well
• Strong for B2B and considered purchases
• News Feed, Groups, Marketplace placements

Instagram:

• Younger demographic (18-45)
• Visual-first, aesthetic-driven
• Strong for B2C and lifestyle brands
• Feed, Stories, Reels, Explore placements

Placement Options

Your ads can appear across:

• Facebook Feed
• Facebook Stories
• Facebook Right Column
• Instagram Feed
• Instagram Stories
• Instagram Reels
• Facebook Marketplace
• Messenger
• Audience Network (third-party apps)

Pro Tip: Start with automatic placements to gather data, then optimise based on performance. Often Instagram Stories outperform Feed for certain objectives.

Campaign Objectives That Drive Results

Facebook offers 11 campaign objectives. Here are the most valuable for local businesses:

1. Lead Generation

Best for: Collecting contact information without leaving Facebook

Why It Works:

• Native lead forms within Facebook/Instagram
• Pre-filled with user information
• Lower friction than sending to website
• Average cost per lead: £5-£25 depending on industry

When we ran lead generation campaigns for Bourne Accounting offering a "Free Tax Planning Guide," they collected 89 leads in 30 days at £8.70 per lead—significantly cheaper than their Google Ads cost per lead.

Setup Tips:

• Keep forms short (3-5 fields maximum)
• Offer genuine value (guide, consultation, quote)
• Follow up within 60 minutes for best conversion rates
• Use CRM integration for automated follow-up

2. Traffic

Best for: Driving website visits, blog readers, landing pages

Why It Works:

• Optimises for link clicks
• Great for building remarketing audiences
• Promotes content marketing
• Average CPC: £0.15-£0.80

Use this objective when you have conversion-optimised landing pages or valuable content to share.

3. Engagement

Best for: Increasing post interactions, page likes, event responses

Why It Works:

• Creates social proof through likes/comments
• Increases organic reach
• Builds brand awareness
• Very low cost per engagement

We use engagement campaigns to boost high-performing organic posts, creating social proof that makes other campaigns more effective.

4. Conversions

Best for: Driving specific website actions (purchases, form fills, calls)

Why It Works:

• Optimises for people most likely to convert
• Requires Facebook Pixel with conversion data
• Best once you have 50+ conversions/week
• Can significantly outperform traffic campaigns

Premium CNC Cut & Design ran conversion campaigns targeting engineers and manufacturers. Their ads linked to specific product pages with enquiry forms, generating 34 qualified B2B leads at £23 per lead.

5. Messages

Best for: Starting conversations in Messenger or Instagram Direct

Why It Works:

• Direct communication channel
• Good for complex services requiring discussion
• Automated responses for qualification
• Feels personal and immediate

Audience Targeting Mastery

Facebook's targeting is extraordinarily powerful. Here's how to use it:

Core Audiences (Demographic/Interest Targeting)

Location Targeting:

• Specific postcodes/neighbourhoods
• Radius around your business
• Multiple locations if multi-location
• Exclude areas you don't serve

Demographics:

• Age ranges (be realistic—not everyone is your customer)
• Gender (if relevant)
• Education level
• Job titles (for B2B)
• Relationship status
• Parents vs. non-parents

Interests:

• Relevant hobbies and interests
• Pages they like
• Behaviours (purchase patterns, device usage)

Example for Landscaping Business:

• Location: 15-mile radius around Belfast
• Age: 35-65
• Homeowners
• Interests: Gardening, Home Improvement, Interior Design, Property Shows
• Income: Top 25%

Custom Audiences (Your Data)

Website Visitors: Target people who've visited your website in the last 30-180 days. These convert 3-5x better than cold traffic.

Segments to Create:

• All website visitors
• Specific service page visitors
• Blog readers
• Shopping cart abandoners
• People who visited but didn't convert

Customer Lists: Upload email addresses or phone numbers to target existing customers with retention campaigns or upsells.

Engagement Audiences: People who engaged with your Facebook/Instagram content:

• Video viewers (25%, 50%, 75%, 95% completion)
• Post engagers
• Profile visitors
• Form openers (didn't submit)

Lookalike Audiences (Expansion)

Create audiences of people similar to your best customers:

1% Lookalike: Most similar (smaller, higher quality) 5% Lookalike: Broader reach (larger, less similar) 10% Lookalike: Widest reach (largest, least similar)

Best Sources for Lookalikes:

• Customer email list
• Website converters
• High-value customers
• Email subscribers

When we created a 2% lookalike audience based on Right Choice Roofing Specialist's existing customers, the campaigns generated leads at 42% lower cost than their cold audience campaigns.

Targeting Strategy by Campaign Stage

Awareness (Top of Funnel):

• Broad interest targeting
• Lookalike audiences
• Engagement objectives

Consideration (Middle of Funnel):

• Website visitors (last 30 days)
• Video viewers (50%+ watched)
• Lead form openers
• Traffic or lead gen objectives

Conversion (Bottom of Funnel):

• Website visitors who viewed key pages
• Lead form starters who didn't finish
• Engaged audience members
• Conversion objective

Creative That Converts

Social advertising lives or dies on creative quality. Here's what works:

Image Ads Best Practices

Photography Quality:

• High resolution (1080x1080 minimum)
• Bright, well-lit images
• People in photos when relevant
• Show your work/results

Text Overlay:

• Keep under 20% of image (Facebook's old rule still works)
• Clear, bold headline
• Contrast for readability
• Mobile-first design (70% see ads on mobile)

Testing: Always test 3-5 creative variations:

• Different images
• Different headlines
• Different offers
• Different layouts

Video Ads (Highest Engagement)

Video ads consistently outperform static images:

• 10-20% higher engagement rates
• 1.5-2x better conversion rates
• Build emotional connection

Video Specs:

• Length: 15-30 seconds ideal (attention spans are short)
• Aspect Ratio: Square (1:1) or Vertical (4:5, 9:16)
• Captions: 85% watch without sound
• Hook: Grab attention in first 3 seconds

Video Content Ideas:

• Before/after transformations
• Customer testimonials
• Service process walkthroughs
• Team introductions
• FAQ answers

For LA Engineering Northwest, we created short videos showcasing their fabrication process. These video ads generated 3.2x more enquiries than static image ads at 34% lower cost per lead.

Carousel Ads (Showcase Multiple Services)

Show up to 10 images/videos in swipeable format:

• Perfect for showcasing different services
• Before/after progressions
• Step-by-step processes
• Product ranges

Pro Tip: Put your strongest image first—most people won't swipe through all cards.

Ad Copy That Sells

Hook (First Line): This appears before "See More"—make it compelling.

Bad: "We're a Belfast-based landscaping company..." Good: "Transform your garden into a stunning outdoor living space..."

Body Copy:

• Focus on benefits, not features
• Address pain points
• Include social proof
• Create urgency when appropriate

Call-to-Action: Be specific:

• "Get Your Free Quote"
• "Book Your Consultation"
• "Download Our Guide"
• "View Our Portfolio"

Social Proof Elements

Include whenever possible:

• Star ratings (4.9/5)
• Number of reviews (31+ five-star reviews)
• Years in business (Family-run since 1998)
• Customer count (500+ happy customers)
• Certifications/credentials

Campaign Structure for Success

Campaign Organization

Campaign 1: Cold Traffic (Awareness)

• Objective: Engagement or Traffic
• Audience: Interest-based, lookalikes
• Creative: Educational, brand-focused
• Budget: 30-40% of total

Campaign 2: Warm Traffic (Consideration)

• Objective: Lead Generation or Traffic
• Audience: Website visitors, engagers
• Creative: Service-focused, benefit-driven
• Budget: 30-40% of total

Campaign 3: Hot Traffic (Conversion)

• Objective: Conversions or Lead Gen
• Audience: High-intent (service page visitors, form abandoners)
• Creative: Offer-focused, urgency-driven
• Budget: 20-30% of total

Budget Recommendations

Minimum: £300-£500/month

• Enough to test audiences and gather data
• Focus on 1-2 objectives
• Limit to Facebook/Instagram placements

Growth: £1,000-£2,000/month

• Full funnel campaigns
• Multiple audience tests
• Video and image creative
• All placements

Scale: £2,000+/month

• Comprehensive testing
• Lookalike expansion
• Seasonal campaigns
• Advanced optimization

Advanced Targeting Strategies

Exclusion Targeting

Exclude audiences to improve efficiency:

• Existing customers (unless retention campaign)
• Recent converters (no need to keep advertising)
• Job seekers (searching for employment)
• Competitors' employees

Dayparting (Schedule)

Run ads when your audience is most active:

• B2C: Evenings (6-10pm), Weekends
• B2B: Business hours (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
• Service businesses: When you can answer phones

Connection Targeting

Target or exclude based on connections:

• Target: Friends of page likers (warm audience)
• Exclude: People who already like your page (awareness campaigns)

Measuring Success

Key Metrics to Track

Efficiency Metrics:

• CPM (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions): £5-£15 typical
• CPC (Cost Per Click): £0.20-£1.50 typical
• CTR (Click-Through Rate): 1-3% good, 3%+ excellent

Conversion Metrics:

• Cost Per Lead: Industry dependent
• Conversion Rate: 5-20% from cold traffic, 20-40% from warm
• Lead Quality: Track lead-to-customer conversion

ROI Metrics:

• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): 3:1 minimum
• Customer Acquisition Cost vs. Lifetime Value
• Revenue per Ad Pound Spent

Facebook Pixel Implementation

Essential for tracking and optimization:

Standard Events to Track:

• Page View
• ViewContent
• AddToCart (if e-commerce)
• Lead
• CompleteRegistration
• Contact (form submission)
• Schedule (appointment booking)

Custom Conversions: Create based on URL rules:

• Thank you pages
• Specific service inquiries
• High-value actions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Targeting Everyone

Problem: "Everyone needs my service, so I'll target all UK adults 18-65" Reality: Broad targeting wastes budget on uninterested audiences Fix: Start specific (narrow demographics + relevant interests), expand once profitable

2. Ignoring Mobile Experience

Problem: Ads and landing pages optimised for desktop Reality: 70%+ of ad views are on mobile Fix: Design mobile-first—test everything on your phone

3. Expecting Instant Results

Problem: Stopping campaigns after 3 days because they "aren't working" Reality: Facebook needs 7-14 days and 50+ data points to optimize Fix: Run for 2 weeks minimum before making major changes

4. No Testing

Problem: Running same ad/audience for months Reality: Ad fatigue kills performance Fix: Test new creative every 2-4 weeks, refresh top performers

5. Driving Traffic to Homepage

Problem: Ads link to generic homepage Reality: Homepages have 5x lower conversion rates Fix: Create dedicated landing pages matching ad promise

When we restructured campaigns for Eden Gardens NI—narrowing targeting, creating mobile-optimised landing pages, and implementing systematic testing—their cost per lead dropped from £47 to £18 whilst lead volume doubled.

Seasonal Campaign Strategies

Peak Season Acceleration

Strategy for Busy Periods:

• Increase budget 50-100%
• Broad targeting to maximize reach
• Urgency messaging ("Book now, limited availability")
• Conversion objectives

Off-Season Nurturing

Strategy for Slow Periods:

• Maintain smaller budget to stay visible
• Educational content building expertise
• List building for future campaigns
• Engagement objectives

Holiday Campaigns

Major Opportunities:

• Christmas/New Year
• Easter
• Summer holidays
• Bank holidays

Tailor messaging to holiday context—people are more receptive to certain services around specific holidays.

Integration with Other Marketing

Social advertising works best as part of integrated strategy:

With Google Ads

• Google: Captures active searchers
• Social: Creates awareness, nurtures interest
• Together: Cover entire customer journey

With Email Marketing

• Use Facebook ads to build email list
• Retarget email subscribers who don't open
• Lookalike audiences from subscribers

With SEO/Content

• Promote blog content via ads
• Build remarketing audiences from content consumers
• Use social engagement to validate content topics

With Google Business Profile

• Promote Google reviews in ads (social proof)
• Drive traffic to Google profile for local visibility
• Use address targeting around business locations

Compliance and Best Practices

UK Advertising Regulations

Follow ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) guidelines:

• Truthful claims only
• Don't mislead about pricing
• Disclose paid relationships
• Age-appropriate targeting
• Privacy compliance (GDPR)

Facebook Advertising Policies

Avoid:

• Before/after health claims
• Unsubstantiated claims
• Targeting sensitive categories
• Excessive text in images (old rule relaxed but still relevant)
• Prohibited content (weapons, adult content, etc.)

Your 30-Day Launch Plan

Week 1: Foundation

• Install Facebook Pixel
• Create custom audiences
• Research competitors' ads (Facebook Ad Library)
• Gather creative assets
• Write ad copy variations

Week 2: Campaign Build

• Set up campaign structure
• Create audiences
• Build ads (3-5 variations)
• Set budgets
• Review and launch

Week 3: Monitor and Learn

• Check daily performance
• Add to remarketing audiences
• Note winning creative
• Test one variable
• Scale working campaigns

Week 4: Optimise

• Pause poor performers
• Duplicate winners with higher budget
• Test new audiences
• Refresh creative
• Plan next month

Professional Management

Social advertising requires ongoing attention—creative testing, audience refinement, campaign optimization. If you're spending £1,000+/month, professional management typically delivers 2-3x better results.

At Silver Spider Media, we create and manage social advertising campaigns that complement your overall digital strategy. Our clients see an average 4.2x return on ad spend across Facebook and Instagram campaigns.

Our services include:

• Comprehensive audience research and targeting
• Professional creative development (images and videos)
• Campaign setup and management
• Landing page optimization
• Monthly reporting and strategy consultation
• Integration with Google Ads, SEO, and Google Business Profile

Discover our paid advertising services or get a personalized quote.

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Ready to harness the power of social advertising? Contact us for a free strategy session to discuss your goals and opportunities.