Targeting your Facebook audience by phone number can be a great way to reach potential customers who may not engage with your page organically. With phone number targeting, you can serve ads directly to people who have shared their phone number with Facebook, allowing you to get your message in front of an audience that is already engaged with the platform.
Why target a Facebook audience by phone number?
Here are some of the key benefits of targeting your Facebook audience by phone number:
- Reach engaged users – People who provide their phone number are typically more engaged Facebook users who are willing to share information with the platform.
- Target a specific audience – You can target ads exactly to the phone numbers you want, allowing precise targeting of your ideal customers.
- Drive conversions – Phone number ads make it easy for people to call or text your business quickly from the ad unit, driving conversions.
- Remarket across devices – You can reconnect with people who have shared their phone number with Facebook across devices for consistent remarketing.
- Closed-loop reporting – When people call or text from your ads, you can track conversions directly back to your Facebook campaign spend.
How to target a Facebook audience by phone number
Here is the process to target your Facebook ads by phone number:
- Upload your phone number list – In Facebook Ads Manager, go to “Assets” and upload a .txt or .csv file with the phone numbers you want to target. You can target both landline and mobile numbers.
- Create a new ad campaign – Set up a new Facebook ad campaign for your phone number targeted ads. Be sure to select “Phone number” under “Detailed Targeting” in the campaign setup flow.
- Select your phone number asset – Choose the phone number list asset you uploaded from the detailed targeting options. This will make your ads only show to the phone numbers in that list.
- Design effective ad creative – Create compelling ad images, video and text that will motivate people to call or text your business from the ad unit.
- Monitor performance – Track clicks, calls, texts, conversions and ROI to refine your phone number targeting over time for optimal results.
Tips for successful phone number targeted Facebook ads
Follow these best practices when running Facebook ads targeted to phone numbers:
- Keep your list updated – Continuously update your phone number lists with new, engaged contacts to keep targeting fresh.
- Personalize your message – Use the phone number to customize your ad copy and speak directly to the individual.
- Focus on conversions – Structure your ads to drive calls and texts that will convert to sales, not just clicks and impressions.
- Call extensions – Use call extensions to insert a clickable phone number in your ads.
- Text message ads – Text ads with special messaging click actions can drive high response rates.
- Remarket across Facebook’s family of apps – Create lookalike audiences and detailed targeting groups based on your phone number lists for additional targeting options.
- Supplement with email – Combine phone number targeting with email address targeting for maximum reach and conversions.
Rules and restrictions for phone number targeting
Here are some important rules to follow when using phone number targeting for Facebook ads:
- User consent – Phone numbers can only be used for targeting if they were provided directly by users to Facebook voluntarily.
- Hashed data – Phone numbers are hashed and encrypted by Facebook before being matched for targeting.
- No plain text numbers – Phone numbers can never be used in plain text in ad copy or creatives.
- US and Canada only – Phone number targeting is currently only available for advertisers running campaigns in the United States and Canada.
- Political ads – Phone number targeting cannot be used for ads about politics, elections, social issues or matters of national debate.
Uploading your phone number list
To target your Facebook ads by phone number, you first need to upload a list of the phone numbers you want to target. Here are some tips for preparing your list:
- File format – Save your phone number list as a .txt or .csv file. This allows easy upload to Facebook.
- One column – Your file should only have one column titled “Phone number” with the actual phone numbers below.
- Include country code – Make sure to include the country code before each phone number.
- Only include numbers who have consented to marketing outreach and have a relationship with your business already.
- Scrub for accuracy – Double check that all numbers are entered correctly and are legitimate phone numbers.
- De-dupe – Remove any duplicate phone numbers so each person will only be targeted once.
Here is a sample format for a properly structured phone number list:
| Phone number |
|---|
| 1-800-123-4567 |
| 1-800-234-5678 |
| 1-800-345-6789 |
Custom audiences from phone numbers
In addition to targeting active ads directly to a list of phone numbers, you can also use your phone numbers to create custom audiences in Facebook Ads Manager:
- Go to “Audiences” and select “Create Audience”.
- Choose “Customer File” as the source.
- Select your phone number list and map it to “Mobile Advertiser IDs”.
- Name your audience something like “Email Subscribers”.
- Use this audience for additional ad targeting and retargeting.
Some ways to use custom audiences from phone numbers include:
- Lookalike audiences – Find new people who share qualities with your existing contacts.
- Engagement re-targeting – Serve ads to people who have engaged with your content before.
- Website re-targeting – Target people who have visited your website.
- Video re-targeting – Reach people who have watched your video ads or content.
- App re-targeting – Connect with people who have used your mobile app.
Measuring results of phone number ads
It’s important to closely monitor the performance of your phone number targeted Facebook ads. Here are the key metrics to track:
- Clicks – The number of clicks your ads receive. Aim for relevant clicks at a strong CTR.
- Calls – The number of direct calls from your ads. Watch this closely to optimize for call volume.
- Texts – The number of text messages driven by your ads. Monitor for response rates.
- Cost per call/text – The average amount you spend to generate a call or text. Lower is better.
- Conversions – Sign-ups, leads, sales, or other goals from call/text conversions.
- Return on ad spend – The revenue generated per dollar spent on ads. Aim for a positive ROAS.
Continuously optimize your ads to lower your cost per conversion and improve ROI over time.
Top use cases for phone number ads
Here are some of the most effective uses cases and verticals for running Facebook ads targeted to phone numbers:
Lead generation
Motivate your target audience to call your business directly from ads to capture new potential customer leads instantly.
Appointments
Drive calls to book appointments, estimate requests, consults and other scheduled services.
Restaurants & fast food
Encourage phone orders for pickup and delivery from your Facebook ads.
Retail & ecommerce
Capture direct calls to your stores, catalog orders or personalized shopping assistance.
Financial services
Advertise rates and promotions to get qualified consumers on the phone with your sales reps.
Travel & hospitality
Boost direct bookings by targeting ads to numbers of past customers.
B2B sales
Use highly targeted phone number lists to reach key decision makers.
Events & entertainment
Promote new shows, concerts, festivals and events to target audiences.
The unique call and text capabilities of phone number ads on Facebook make them advantageous for driving immediate conversions across many different industries.
Conclusion
Targeting your Facebook ads by phone number can be an extremely effective strategy for getting your message directly in front of qualified audiences and driving conversions from calls and texts. By following Facebook’s policies, uploading a properly formatted phone number list, creating compelling ads focused on calls-to-action, monitoring ROI and optimizing your campaigns, you can tap into the power of phone number targeting for your business. Combine phone number ads with other detailed targeting parameters for even greater precision. With strategic use of phone number ads, you can get the right message to the right customers at the right time, resulting in more conversions and ROI.