Blog Directory

Azure Integration and API Management

Azure Integration and API Management

API management is probably one of the best services you can use for abstracting back-end services and for presenting sets of APIs via one HTTP endpoint.

 

However, here are two important questions most organizations ask about API management:

 

1 – How to protect API management’s Internet-facing public endpoint?

2 – How to expose selected APIs while keeping others internal?

 

The good news is that Microsoft offers a blueprint to support this. There are a couple of architectural components you need:

  • Deploy the API Management in the internal VNET Mode
  • Get the WAF Application Gateway to expose subsets of APIs externally

 

Here is a diagrammatic representation of what goes on:

However, there are some challenges you will face to achieve this. The blueprints work, but there are some comprehensive elements it omits. This post aims to provide a clearer guide to this scenario.

 

Architectural Overview

How to deem parts of the API “external” via the internet?

Is the configuration App Gateway or API-M?

The answers to these questions are easy:

Within the API-M, there are separate APIs created based on their /external and /internal URLs

The path-based routing rule inside the API Gateway redirects all API requests that have /external in their URL to the API-M back-end.

This same routing rule eliminates API requests with /internal in the URL

Here is what happens:

image_2020_06_30t12_39_59_036z

Note: The VNET integrations are available in either Premium or Developer tier. Work with the Developer mode for as long as you can because the Premium mode is quite costly. Maybe, eventually, Microsoft will offer a Basic and Standard tier in the future.

Certificates

If you want to add a custom domain to API-M and expose it via the App Gateway, you need two things:

  • A public name to which you can add DNS records
  • SSL certificate for the domain

Remember, the deployment script assumes that you would have these two certificates:

  • yourdomain.org — for the API gateway
  • yourdomain.org — for the developer portal

Use sslforfree.com for testing these certificates at no cost (free).

 

Deployment Script

Here are some important rules to recall before you proceed.

Adding a routine rule may not allow you to create the maps or allow you to apply routing rules in one single operation. This is why, the script first deploys the App Gateway, and then proceeds to apply the “external” routing rule.

It takes time to deploy the resources. Expect at least 60mins run-time.

Here is the extra code you may need for the routing rule:

 

DNS Resolution

When you configure the API Management to a custom domain, it will respond only to the new host address, i.e., those mentioned above.

These two scenarios follow:

  • Externally: external DNS – >App Gateway Public IP Address
  • Internally: internal DNS/hosts file – > API-M private IP Address

Testing

You have two scenarios you must test:

1. Assess the API across the Internet via the App Gateway

a – The external API should succeed

b – The Internal API should fail

2.  Assess the API’s internally

a – Both external and internal APIs should succeed

Conclusion

There may be some differences in the architecture, and you need to find the missing pieces on your own.

Individual configurations of these components are quite straightforward.

With this setup, you can have a single API-M and use the Application Gateway to publish a subset of APIs.

Saima Naz

Jun 30, 2020

What is AWS – Snowball?

What is AWS – Snowball?

AWS Snowball, which is a part of the AWS Snow family, is a two-channel edge server, data transfer, and boundary storage tool. Optimized devices provide Amazon S3 compatible block storage and 40 vCPUs. They also include Amazon S3 compatible object storage, and are suitable for local storage and transfer of large-scale data. Optimized systems have 52 vCPUs, block and objects storage, and an optional GPU for the application of cases such as advanced machine learning or full movement video analysis. Such systems may be used to gather data, to train and process machines and to store data in intermittingly connected environments (such as manufacturing, industry and transport), or in remote places (such as military and sea operations), until shipping them back to AWS. Such tools can also be rack-mounted to build larger temporary structures and grouped together.

 

To build and test in AWS Cloud, applications can be used to store, pre-process and ship data to AWS on devices in remote locations, with Snowball supporting different Amazon EC2 instance types and AWS Lambda capabilities. Common uses include data migration, data transportation, picture collection, IoT stream capture sensors, and machine learning.

 

Some Benefits of Using AWS Snowball

 

Easy Data movement

Snowball moves terabytes of data almost within a week. You can use this to move databases, backups, files, medical records, analytical data sets, IoT data sensors and media content, especially when network conditions prevent realistic timeframes for large amounts in and out of AWS.

 

Process & analyze data locally

To perform local processing or analyzes on the Snowball Edge appliance, run EC2 AMIs and use AWS Lambda Code. Without network access you can run applications directly on the system as a consistent AWS environment. This ability lets you build and check your software tools in the cloud but runs them in areas with minimal or non-existent network connections before returning data to AWS.

 

Scalable

Multiple data terabytes and many tools may be used parallel or clustered together for the transmission of data petabytes into or from AWS through snowball. Snowball is available in some areas and the location is reviewed once a job is created in the AWS Management Console.

 

Security

Snowball Edge apps use sophisticated components, 256-bit encryption and Trusted Platform (TPM) industry-standard modules designed to guarantee the data protection and custody. Encryption key is handled by the Key Management Service of AWS (KMS) and never saved on the computer.

 

How AWS Snowball works

Pick your favorite computer from the AWS Snow Family app, Snowball Edge Optimized or Snowball Edge Optimized Storage. Easy notification service (Amazon SNS) for monitoring and configuration options for monitoring like Amazon AMIs EC2 and GPU, generates a job with the Amazon S3 bin. In approximately 4-6 days, AWS will prepare and ship to you the computer. After arrival, power up the computer to activate AWS OpsHub. Link your LAN.

 

Attach your LAN. Use AWS OpsHub for device management, data transfer, or EC2 instances launching. After completion, shut down and return the AWS unit. The dispatch mark appears on the E-Tin panel automatically. Upon arrival in the region of AWS any information stored in the on-board seal is transferred to your S3 seal and checked at approximately the same time you loaded the unit. All data is then removed safely from the computer and any customer information is sanitized.

Saima Naz

Jun 29, 2020

5 SEO Hacks for Small Businesses in 2020

5 SEO Hacks for Small Businesses in 2020

Small businesses are usually on a tight budget yet they want to be on the top of every relevant search result. For your website to rank on any search engine, you must perform proper SEO.

 

Irrespective of size, most companies find SEO a cumbersome exercise. But this becomes especially difficult when you have limited money, time, and other resources.

 

Great organic ranking does not happen overnight. However, there are 5 hacks you can focus on to start moving the needle for your small businesses.

 

1.    Use Free SEO Tools

You don’t necessarily need a coterie of SEO experts to monitor the performance of your website. There are many free programs out there, such as Google Analytics, that will track the performance of your website.

This tool can enable you to see which search queries and landing pages will help attract web traffic from the search results. With this information, you can tweak your SEO strategy accordingly.

 

2.    Optimize Metadata

Meta tags like the title tags and meta descriptions in your website’s backend are critical to update when you create web pages, as it helps search engine crawlers to recognize the web page’s content and validate you as a reliable source of information.

The title tag and meta description are there to reassure online searchers that your content is exactly what they’re looking for.

Here are some definitions to help guide you through:

 

  • Title tag: This is the text appearing as the title in the search result pages.  When the user clicks it, it may not be the same title found on the actual page, so it is recommended that you adhere to the same title. The title tag should not exceed a maximum of 55 characters.

 

  • Meta description tag: The meta description is like a teaser, a short rundown of what’s on the page. It’s shown in the search engine result pages below the title tag. An optimum meta-description is 150-160 characters long.

 

  • H1 tag: The H1 tag displayed on the web page usually contains the page title. Short for “Headline 1,” this is usually a page’s biggest font and most people see it as the header. Make sure there is only one H1 tag on each page that contains a keyword relevant to what the page is all about. Other smaller subheadings are generally in the group H2, H3, or H4.

3.    Allow Comments on Your Posts

Allow, interact and engage with comments on the page.

This is because it’s a great SEO opportunity, among other reasons.

Commenters often leave information that you may have missed, and post visibility increases with conversations, comments and shares.

 

4.    Put Quality Outbound Links in Your Content

Google’s search algorithms are all about discerning content of high quality from contents of low quality. In Google’s eyes, high-quality content is informative, authoritative and has a good reputation elsewhere on the web.

Therefore, it is important to make other sites link to your website. There are opportunities to do so but a lot of it isn’t in your reach. What you should do, however, is to embed insightful links into your content of reputable websites. This means that your content is informative, well-cited, and, therefore, of a high quality in Google’s view.

 

5.    Manage Local Business Listings & Citations

You need to monitor the accuracy of your local business data, in addition to Google My Business.

Consistency is pivotal

Data aggregators (e.g., Neustar Localeze, Factual) exchange local business information, including the name, location, and telephone number (NAP).

Make sure the NAP information is consistent and accurate for your business. Local business listings and quotations (i.e. online mentions of a business) can actually boost your local presence.

The simplest option to local directories and citations is to sign up for a service that distributes your business’s NAP information.

 

Saima Naz

Jun 19, 2020

10 Point On-Page SEO Checklist

10 Point On-Page SEO Checklist

In this post, we have highlighted 10 of the most important on-page SEO considerations today.

page-seo-checklist-infographics

E-A-T

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritative, and Trustworthiness, which is the framework used by Google raters to evaluate content creators, web pages, and websites in particular.

Title Tag

In the header section of each webpage, the title tag, an HTML tag, gives an initial cue or context as to what the topical subject matter is of the respective website on which it is placed.

Meta Description

Meta descriptions and meta tags explain what the page is about; they are often shown in the SERPs below the page title.

Headlines

To stand out on the SERPs, headlines need to spark an interest. A great headline can mean the difference between a click and an impression.

Header Tags

Header tags are HTML elements (H1-H6) used to identify headings and subheadings from other text types (e.g., paragraph text) within the content.

Content Audit

It’s important to audit the existing content. Many producers of content focus on creating new content so much that they forget to audit their existing content.

Image Optimization

By optimizing images optimally, you can make the most of a valuable SEO asset. But not all images are created equal; some may slow down the website.

User Engagement

Improving the on-page SEO elements of your website is only half the battle. The other half is to make sure users shouldn’t bounce.

SEO Writing

SEO writing means writing content that takes into account both search engines and users.

Keyword Cannibalization

Identifying whether keyword cannibalization is present on your website is critical. Resolve it right away.

Saima Naz

Jun 16, 2020

What is Facebook Pixel: How to Optimize Social Media Campaign

What is Facebook Pixel: How to Optimize Social Media Ca...

Facebook Pixel is a business tool for Facebook It can monitor conversions on your website as a part of your Facebook Ads, target different audiences, and give insight into how users engage with your content.

 

What is Facebook Pixel?

The Facebook Pixel is a piece of coding that you position on your website, enabling you to analyze sales from Facebook ads, automate advertising, build targeted audiences for potential ads, and target people who may have already connected with your website. The Facebook Pixel functions by dropping a cookie that will record visitors to your website so that they can be reached afterward, often known as retargeting.

When you advertise for people who have been on your website, you could also include the Facebook Pixel to monitor their conduct when they get back on your website. That, in addition, lets you find out what ads are most successful, thus allowing you to reach audiences with increased relevance.

 

Do You Really Need to Set Up a Facebook Pixel?

Of course, yes, For the following reasons,

  • Optimizing ads for conversions
  • Facebook conversion tracking
  • Facebook retargeting
  • Optimizing Facebook ads for value
  • Discovering lookalike audiences
  • To get more Facebook ad tools and metrics

Steps for Creating a Facebook Pixel 

You can develop and execute the Facebook Pixel from the Ads Manager

  • Go to the Pixel section4
  • Click ‘Create a Pixel’

pixel_creation-989x460-cropx0y0-is

  • Type the name of your Pixel

3

    • Click ‘Install Pixel Now’
    • Copy the Pixel’s base code and paste between the tags on each web page or in your webpage template to install it on your whole web site.
    • If you would like to make note of various sorts of actions on particular pages add ‘events’ to that particular page. The event code allows you to track and leverage certain activities in advertising

     

    Note there’s only one Facebook Pixel per account and you can always add multiple Pixel in events on different types of pages. Use the Pixel Helper, a tool that helps you verify your Facebook Pixel. With the help of this tool, you can test if your Pixel is working properly, solve basic problems, and learn how to improve performance.

Add the Facebook Pixel to Your Website

untitled-2

When your pixel is created what you need to do is follow a little more step to get everything fully set up. These steps depend on your role and your understanding of the back-end of the website.

  • If you do not regulate the back-end of your website

You need to send the installation instructions to him or her. This is done easily by navigating to the pixels tab in your Ads Manager, selecting Set up Pixel” and then “Email to Developer Details about how to install the pixel would be sent direct to the email addresses you choose when you press “Send.”

  • If you update your website’s back-end

If you’re trying to install the Facebook retargeting pixel on your own, first, you’re going to have to find the header code for the website. Then copy and paste the code to the bottom of the header above the closing tag.

Then finally to make sure your Facebook retargeting pixel works, press the Send Test Traffic” button and wait a couple of minutes. If you don’t get any response check to make sure you have configured your pixel properly. But if you are still having trouble, please contact Facebook support.

After you’ve completed the procedure, your pixel will be ready to go. And if you want to, you can power it up to do even more.

Conclusion

Facebook Pixel offers a variety of useful information to business owners and marketers alike. You can use this to see what Facebook captures for visitors to your website.

Now with all the hard work of setting up your pixels is done, it’s really easy to use and reuse them in your future Ads. And as long as your pixels are set up on the right pages, you’ll be able to monitor traffic, conversions, and audiences that benefit from your Ads and boosted posts.

Facebook ads can be highly lucrative and generate a substantial amount of quality traffic if pixels are properly set up, implying they are as much targeted as possible and carefully monitored. You can also make use of social media marketing tips for better conversions. 

Saima Naz

Jun 15, 2020

What is EC2? And How Is It Beneficial?

What is EC2? And How Is It Beneficial?

EC2 stands for “Elastic Compute Cloud,” which is an exceedingly popular service at the very primary part of the AWS platform. This service allows you to effortlessly rent components of computer power, storage, and network connectivity units functioning within AWS’s gigantic set-up.

 

When you decide to deliver your customers, users, or readers with a web-based interface—anything from a communal wiki to a fully advanced, multi-level mobile business program. You can use those resources to build a virtual machine that will function and look like the real thing to the outside world.

 

What is EC2 in AWS?

Amazon EC2 is one of the utmost used and most straightforward services in Amazon, so according to logic, starting with EC2 is the best decision if you are new to AWS. However, the main question is: what is EC2 in AWS?

It is an engine with an operating system, and it can fit any hardware components of your choice. But the difference is it’s entirely virtualized. Several virtual computers can be run in solo physical hardware.

EC2 is one of the essential mechanisms of the AWS environment. EC2 allows on-demand and accessible computing using the AWS cloud.

 

How Does Amazon EC2 Work?

Using Amazon EC2 work is quite simple. You can use the pre-configured AMI (Amazon Machine Images) template. On the other hand, you can construct AMI, making sure it contains all the important files, libraries, configuration settings, and applications that you require.

Network access and security can be arranged through Amazon EC2 for customization of settings. Then you can determine the AMI instances and choose if you want to run it on multiple sites. You can also use static IP endpoints with the use of minimal AWS Console.

 

After everything is done, boot, terminate and track all the instances you need. Any management tool and web service can be used to do this after paying for the resources.

 

The elasticity of the services you use is reflected using the Pay-for-What-You-Use bill mode. The VM environment can be used to check the resources you use.

 

It differs from conventional on-site hosting, usually presenting you with a restricted number of resources for a defined time. This shows that you frequently can’t answer hastily to an alteration in usage as you do in a secure, elastic, and stable environment of Amazon EC2.

 

Key Features and Benefits of EC2


Easy to Use

The architecture of AWS is so easy to pick up that a beginner can easily understand it. A newbie or an experienced person would have no problem using it. The AWS Management Console and the organized web services are the reason why it is so easy to use.

 

Instance Type as per Requirements

It is explicitly enhanced to fit several cases, such as providing a broad array of instance types. In general, multiple variations of networking capacity, storage, memory, and CPU provided by different instances, will facilitate different choices for your applications to have a perfect mix of resources.

 

Amazon Machine Image (AMI)

A template that contains the software configuration needed to launch your application server, applications, and operating system is known as AMI. AWS Marketplace supplies a variety of options to choose from, including AMI.

 

Networking Configuration

For the EC2 to be secure, you need to make the following: Public & Private Subnet, Internet Gateway, VPC, Route Table, NAT Gateways, and Auto-assign Public IP.

 

Termination Protection

Unexpected Termination won’t happen using the EC2 as it enables protection against it. You can use the API or command line to terminate your instance through the Amazon EC2 Console.

 

User Init Data

To transfer configuration files, cloud-init supply a system with a set of rules for execution of boot time, which is an early service for the initialization of operating on cloud distributions.

 

Storage

If you needed a cost-effective, multipurpose, and easy to use data storage, Amazon EC2 has got you covered. It has unique stability and combination. The storage options can be matched individually as well as combined.

 

Security and Reliability

If you want your infrastructure to be secure, AWS has an end-to-end solution for it. It delivers top-quality security and stores your data in data centers of AWS so that your privacy can be preserved. It just shows how effective and functional the AWS cloud is. Users rely on AWS because of their highest security standards.

 

Store the .pem File Securely

The .pem file created can be securely downloaded to the server.

 

CloudWatch Detailed Monitoring

You can monitor AWS resources and real-time applications running on the AWS using the Amazon CloudWatch. You can collect and track variables that will help you keep track of your applications and resources. For your ease, the notifications and alarms can modify your resources automatically however you would have to state the rules for it to work.

 

Adding Tags

Customers can assign metadata to form AWS resources using Amazon Web Services. Each tag contains customer-distinct keys and to make things easier it has voluntary values for filtering, managing, and searching for resources.

Saima Naz

Jun 9, 2020

Video Marketing Trends to Follow in 2020

Video Marketing Trends to Follow in 2020

We’ve seen developments in video marketing evolve over the years, from 30-second ads to viral videos to vlogs and live streams. In fact, new technologies have paved the way for more immersive video formats, such as experiences in 360 degrees, ephemeral videos and shoppable videos. According to HubSpot, ‘78% of people watch online videos every week, and 55% view online videos every day.’

 

Video marketing trends have advanced greatly from 30-second ads to viral videos to vlogs and live streams. Now the path is paved for more captivating video formats such as 360 degrees, shoppable and ephemeral videos due to the new technologies.

 

New trends are coming up this year, and some are fading away. Video marketing is one of the top social media marketing tips to revamp your marketing strategy

 Here are some of the trends you should consider.

Live Videos

live-videos-blog

Live media is one of the most engaging concepts out there. This is due to living interactions with real people.

If you are a Snapchat or Instagram user, you might have noticed that a lot of people whom you follow go live numerous times a day. These lives consist of people answering questions sent by other people in real-time. Some might also take dares from other users to do. This content is meant to be interactive.

 

You can save your life using Instagram’s feature; however, people will not revisit a Livestream, which is why video style is so effective.

Remember, when live radio and television used to be famous among people around the world, live videos recreate the same type of experience by giving people the same phenomenon all around the world at the same time. Live videos are a trend that is here to stay, so it is best to experience with the type.

 

Shoppable Videos

shoppable-videos-blog-2

One of the biggest trends evolved in the past few years is selling on social media. This has made the interactions between vendors and customers easier and simpler, which makes it up to date to the on-demand industry. A lot of businesses benefit through social media content.

 

There are plenty of videos that allow users to shop on the spot without having to search up anything. They may not have to search for the product manually. They must click on the product, and they will be redirected to the respective site.

This trend should not be ignored as recently in 2020, we have seen an increase in the likeliness of customers wanting to purchase a product after watching a video about it.

 

Interactive 360 Videos

interactive-360-videos-1

Another major trend is the interactive 360 videos. We can experience wide-ranging musicals, sports games, and iconic locations using it.

Interactive videos might not work every time, but there are different ways of using virtual reality to make it engaging and fun. An example of this could be of an interior design company that would make their audience experience a virtual tour of their projects using virtual reality.

As AR and VR continue to grow, we expect to see a more immersive and futuristic style of videos like these. If you are ambitious, you can do something like this yourself.

To captivate the customer base, making a video on the product can be quite challenging but very helpful for your business.

 

Soundless Videos

soundless-videos-2

Sometimes you are in public and would watch a soundless video. This is a trend evolving which prefers to show rather than explaining through sound.

Social media users would like to watch with no sound, or sound can be accommodated using subtitled videos. Creating videos that do not need sounds to be understood or using captions would be a wise idea.

These videos can help us understand different scenarios, such as appearance, mechanism, composition, and involvement in daily life. Specifically, rearranging Ikea furniture, silent video trends, and immersive ads trend.

 

Vlogging

vlogging-blog

After seeing the growth of vlogging channels on sites like YouTube, vlogging continues to develop. People document their everyday life, share their experiences, talents, or to express their feelings and personality to the public using vlogging. Actors and influencers use vlogging to communicate with their fan base. We have also seen a lot of brands branch into vlogging.

Celebrities and influencers reach out to their followers using vlogging. Companies can interact with their customers with the help of vlogging. Vlogs are a more authentic and unfiltered version of your brand as compared to a company produced project. This gains the trust of the consumer and helps personify your brand.

 

Social Media Stories

social-media-stories

Publishing ephemeral content in effective ways is one of the advantages of social media stories. After 24 hours of posting stories, they are automatically removed from the site as they comprise of texts and pictures.

These have become a new form of vlogging, which is low-fi and does not need the extra effort of editing. Stories will continue to gain fame as they are being implemented by sites like YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

Saima Naz

May 14, 2020

Top 8 Facebook Ad Hacks to Reduce Costs and Increase Conversions

Top 8 Facebook Ad Hacks to Reduce Costs and Increase Co...

Facebook is undoubtedly a persuasive platform for advertisers for countless reasons, including potent targeting options and reasonable costs.

 

Done properly, a Facebook ad campaign can significantly improve your conversion rate, the number of website visitors and your overall performance. But to make your advertisements effective on this well-known social media platform and know what advertisements to run and where can take some time and money. So, if you are looking for better ways to bring the best results, you should do proper research. Any of your Facebook ad costs depend on a number of factors, including your audience, industry, goals, and optimization settings.

 

Here are the top 8 hacks which can drastically reduce costs and increase conversions.

 

1.  Start off with the right audience

A strategy is a must even before you think about your Facebook optimized ads. To succeed, you must know your right audience. A thorough understanding of your targeted audience includes what they like, share or mostly respond to. When you narrow down and focus on targeting the right audience, you can greatly cut competition from other brands running advertisements to comparable audiences. You should precisely know that you are in a bidding war with various other brands and you just need to bid on who you really want to reach. So, before you begin optimizing Facebook ads, check your ad reports to see if you target the relevant audience.

 

2.  Ad frequency also counts

Facebook experts do not give any specific claims or practices about the frequency of showing the same ad to a single user. But we should also consider the fact that people should not turn off your ad or label it as spam after they get annoyed by seeing it too many times. Do a little research and try to estimate how frequently people will notice your ad when it’s shown to them. A simple way of doing this is by rating the ad’s visuals. You should show each ad a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 times in Facebook’s newsfeed. For the sidebar, you could jump to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 40 ads.

 

3.  Optimized time slots

Time frames matter the most in Facebook ads. If you ever noticed, there are some days and time frames when your posts get more likes and those days outperform as compared to the rest of the days; that’s when you need to set up your ad campaigns. No campaign runs successfully 24/7. So, analyze which days perform better in terms of conversions at the lowest CPA. You can go to your Facebook Ads Manager reports and use the Breakdown menu to break down your campaigns by day.

 

4.  Keep your ad copy catchy and concise

People nowadays are too caught up to give time to a long-written copy. Pressed for time, they only tend to skim the lengthy text. So, the tricky part of this is creating a compelling ad within this short copy. Keep your brains all active and write a two-line (or maybe one) copy that sums up all the specific points and also a CTA. So, give your best shot and prepare a catchy and concise ad copy while retaining all the elements of a ‘good’ ad.

 

5.  Facebook Messenger ads are the new cool

Facebook messenger ads are comparatively cheap if set up rightly and effectively. They show up on the home screen of the Messenger. Placement of the ad also plays an integral role. So, if you are already using Facebook ads and their manager, then the placement of the ads become quite simple. You may also use some of the advertisement material which is already there.  The biggest benefit of Facebook Messenger ads is that you directly send people to your website or initiate conversations in order to connect with the users. The good thing: all these conversations are handled by bots, which direct users to the best offers.

 

6.  Redeem bailout checkouts via videos

People tend to leave abandoned checkouts for unknown reasons. So, retargeting them with videos can get them back, which results in increased conversions. So, what you need to do is put a video on Facebook about what it is like to be a customer and what benefits and value they may get in return. This video is intended to directly help them see what they’re going to get, and the video format is perfect for bringing this kind of personalized message across. This is an excellent way to get them to rethink stuff and, ideally, become a bona fide customer.

 

7. Placement plays a huge role

If your ads are placed rightly, they can bring a great increase in the conversions and hence results in cost reduction. When it comes to serving social media ads, Facebook placement is the original gangster. Not all placements will be available for mobile, and not all will be available for desktop. You need to place your ads accordingly, keeping in mind your target audience. Some Facebook ad formats and placements may better serve your goals than others, depending on your campaign’s priorities.

 

Adidas, for instance, determined that using video with the collection feature of Facebook would be a useful way to display its Z.N.E Road Trip Hoodie’s various features. As a result, Addidas has been able to reduce conversion costs by 43 percent.

 

Once you become sure of the placement and format that is working best for bringing conversions, you can raise your bids on top-performing placements. But if an ad placement doesn’t meet your targets, you may remove it from your ad set.

 

8.  A/B Testing is a must

Although A/B testing offered by Facebook isn’t the best thing to rely on as it is difficult to use and not entirely accurate, it is still good to run an A/B test with the ads you have. It is always better to be on a safe side with at least some data rather than none. With Facebook A/B testing options, you’ll get a good idea on what’s working and what’s not.

 

 

Saima Naz

May 8, 2020