How to target Facebook groups with Facebook Ads

Are you looking to target specific Facebook groups with your Facebook ads? While there isn’t an official method to do so within the Facebook ads platform, we have a workaround that can help you achieve your desired results. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of targeting Facebook groups using video posts. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Create a Compelling Video to Post in the Group

To begin, you’ll need to be an administrator or at least a member of the group you want to target. Being the admin is advantageous because you can pin your video post at the top of the group or list it as an announcement, ensuring more views. The trick here is to choose a group with a considerable number of members. Ideally, aim for at least 1000 members to maximize your video’s reach. However, a couple of hundred members can be a good start, providing you with enough data to retarget in the ads platform later.

Step 2: Craft an Informative and Valuable Video

Next, create an informational video that adds value to the viewers. Avoid making it all about selling your product or service. Instead, focus on sharing something worthwhile that makes people want to watch. Remember, the longer they watch your video, the more accurate your targeting will be. Even a 2-second autoplay can be enough to retarget, but targeting those who viewed at least 15 seconds (ThruPlay) will give you a more qualified audience interested in what you have to offer.

Step 3: Build Your Ad Campaign around a Custom Audience

Now, onto the magic part! When creating your ad campaign on the Facebook Ads Platform, choose your desired objective. As you start building your Ad Set, create a new Custom Audience. This custom audience will be built from the views of the videos you posted in the targeted Facebook groups. If you’re targeting multiple groups, you can aggregate the viewing data from all those videos to create a comprehensive audience. Alternatively, if you’re targeting one group at a time, create a custom audience based on the views of the video you posted in that specific group.

When selecting the video to target, you have the option to choose viewers who watched for at least 15 seconds (ThruPlay), 2 seconds, or any other duration. The more engaged viewers are likely to be among the ThruPlay viewers, but don’t overlook the 2-second viewers. Targeting them will help you reach a larger audience and provide a better representation of the general group members. If you have the ability to pin the video at the top of the group or your business page, you’ll gain even more views, making your ad campaign more effective.

While you can’t directly target group members in the Facebook Ads platform, this workaround enables you to reach a significant portion of group members and serve them relevant ads. It may require a bit of creative flair in your video to ensure at least 3 seconds of viewing, but the results will be worth it!

This article was updated on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

Are you interested in learning more about Facebook ads and improving your digital marketing skills? Visit Mr Reviews for free 1-hour webinars and join our community of digital advertisers. Happy targeting!