Facebook is testing lifestyle templates — digital print catalogs — with about a dozen brands, including West Elm, Williams-Sonoma, and J. Crew. The newest addition to Facebook Collection ads draws inspiration from print catalogs with its magazine-like, full-width photos.
According to Business Insider, this new ad format is pretty much like your usual print catalog, but interactive. Brands indicate items available for purchase in the showcase photo with a white dot. Clicking on a particular item on the picture displays product information such as name and price, among other things.
Like the product? Click “SHOP” and it’ll take you to the brand’s online shop or web page detailing the nearest brick-and-mortar store.
Although the new ad format won’t be available until October, we’re already seeing why it could work for both brands and consumers. Here’s why:
1. Zero Printing Cost
The cost of printing catalogs and mailing them out to loyal and “potential” customers ranges from a couple of thousand dollars to as high as tens of thousands, Mike Carr notes. But is all that money spent on printing catalogs generating enough sales?
The answer is yes. In 2000, Land’s End sales declined by $100 million after reducing print catalog mail-outs, a study said. It turns out that most of its customers got a hold of the catalogs first, before visiting Land’s End’s website. See its interactive ad sample here.
Although not all brands will likely suffer the same fate, it seems like printed catalogs still have a place in the digital age. And yes, it is more than just the deals and special offers.
“Of course we’re trying to sell clothes and accessories, but it’s more to inspire and engage,” Anthropologie chief marketing officer Suzy Korb told NY Times. And customers think the same.
Facebook’s lifestyle templates, a.k.a digital catalogs, serve the same purpose but with no printing cost involved. That’s a sizeable amount which brands can use to thrive.
2. Zero Clutter
Not all consumers fancy print catalogs as well as the other ads in their mailbox and for a good reason: clutter. Although print is still a very effective mode of advertising, customers are bound to make an effort to free up some space in their homes.
3. Real-time
Launching new collections and reaching your target audience is vital, quick, and almost pretty easy on Facebook. It can generate sales by driving up impulse buying. Catch Forever 21’s ad here.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the sense of excitement will pass in 20 minutes, giving visually catchy ads with solid CTAs and hard-to-pass-up online offers a standing chance.
4. Optimized Reach
As of June 2017, Facebook is home to 1.32 billion daily active users. Imagine having that much potential audience for an ad campaign — plus not having to worry about the target audience.
Facebook ads are targeted to users based on location, age, gender, interests, and more. All of these are literally handed to Facebook as profile information. And it is something highly-valuable that brands (especially start-ups) would have to spend dollars on.
User activity on Facebook apps and services, including other online activities such as websites visited, purchased and carted items, and the use of mobile apps also influence the ads every user sees.
5. Buying Made Easier
These days, products are literally just a few clicks away.
This may be a great advantage to most digital ads and online shopping in general. But it is one advantage too that sits strong among the plethora of digital era benefits. It is convenient and quick! Feel free to check Courts Trinidad & Tobago Facebook ad.
Today’s shoppers value fast buys so much that “click (buy) and collect” is becoming a trend. According to a study, the option of shopping online and picking up the items from the store entices buyers partly due to the quick in and out buying experience without having to wait in line. Saving on shipping cost is just a bonus.
