Lookalike audiences allow you to find new customers who are similar to your existing customers on Facebook. This can be a powerful way to expand your reach and find qualified leads for your business. In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how to create a lookalike audience on Facebook in just a few simple steps.
What is a Lookalike Audience?
A lookalike audience is a way to target new potential customers on Facebook who share similar characteristics with people who are already engaging with your business. For example, if you have an email list of existing customers, you can create a lookalike audience based on that list. Facebook will then find users who are similar to those existing customers in terms of demographics, interests, behaviors and more.
The key benefits of lookalike audiences include:
- Reach new customers who are likely to be interested in your products/services
- Expand your target audience on Facebook beyond just existing fans and followers
- Improve ad performance by targeting ads to relevant audiences
- Drive more conversions and sales from new audiences
Lookalike audiences are created using either Customer Lists or Pixels. Let’s take a look at both options:
Customer Lists
If you have an existing customer email list, you can upload that list to Facebook and create a lookalike audience based on your customer data. This allows Facebook to analyze your customer demographics, interests, behaviors and more to find similar users to target your ads to.
Pixels
The Facebook pixel is a small tracking code that you place on your website. It allows Facebook to track user activity and create custom audiences and lookalike audiences based on how people interact with your website. For example, you can create a lookalike audience of all visitors to a certain product page.
Step 1: Choose Your Source Audience
The first step is to choose the source audience you want to base your lookalike audience on. As mentioned, you have two options:
- Customer List: If you have a customer email list, you can upload it to Facebook as a .csv file. This allows Facebook to analyze the demographics and attributes of the people on your list.
- Pixel: If you have the Facebook pixel installed on your website, you can use it to create a lookalike audience based on any custom audience (e.g. visitors to a certain page). Make sure your pixel is tracking the website activity you want to target.
In most cases, starting with a customer list is the best option, as you have clear data on existing buyers. Though you can also test lookalikes created from your pixel data.
Step 2: Upload Your Customer List
If using a customer list, you first need to upload it to Facebook. Here’s how:
- Export your customer email list as a .csv file. This should contain a column for first name, last name and email address.
- Go to the Audiences section in Ads Manager and click “Create Audience”.
- Select “Customer File” as the source.
- Give your audience a name (e.g. “Email customers”).
- Upload your .csv file.
- Check the data and hit “Create Audience”.
Facebook will process your customer data and create a new audience. This is the base you’ll use for your lookalike audience.
Step 3: Create the Lookalike Audience
Once your customer list is uploaded, it’s time to create the actual lookalike audience:
- In the Audiences section in Ads Manager, click “Create Audience” again.
- Select “Lookalike” as the source.
- Choose your customer list audience as the source.
- Select the country you want to target.
- Choose the size of your lookalike audience (1-10%). 1% is the closest match.
- Give the audience a name and hit “Create Audience”.
Facebook will now generate your lookalike audience based on your source customer data. This process may take up to 24 hours.
Step 4: Analyze Your Lookalike Audience
Once your lookalike audience is created, you can view the demographics and details:
- Go to Audiences and select your new lookalike.
- Scroll down and view the audience insights.
- See the demographics, interests, behaviors and more.
- Download the audience details as a .csv file.
Analyzing this info helps you understand who your lookalike audience is targeting and optimize your ads accordingly.
Step 5: Target Your Lookalike Audience
Now you’re ready to target your new lookalike audience with ads:
- Create a new ad campaign or use an existing one.
- When choosing your target audience, select your new lookalike.
- Set up your ad creative, budget and placements.
- Launch your ad campaign.
Be sure to track performance over time. Test different lookalike audience sizes and interests to see what resonates best.
Tips for Lookalike Audience Success
Here are some top tips to help maximize your lookalike audience campaigns:
- Start with a large, high-quality customer list for the best results.
- Test lookalikes in 1-5% sizes to find the optimal match.
- Add interests/behaviors to refine your lookalike targeting.
- Create new lookalikes regularly as your source data changes.
- A/B test lookalikes against interest targeting for better performance.
Conclusion
Lookalike audiences are a powerful feature in Facebook Ads Manager. By targeting users similar to your existing customers, you can drive greater results from your campaigns and find new audiences for your business.
The process involves just a few simple steps – upload your customer data, create the lookalike, analyze the details and start targeting your ads. Be sure to test and optimize over time.
Used strategically, Facebook lookalike audiences can become a valuable source of new leads and sales for your business. Just make sure you are starting with quality source data to create accurate lookalikes.