How to Use Facebook Effectively for Your Digital Magazines

There are four important things in life: cat videos, quotes by Gandhi, Martin Luther King or the Dalai Lama and pictures of babies, infants and toddlers (in no specific order). At least that’s what my Facebook timeline tells me. By the way, I’m well aware this may be saying something about me, too. With its 9.4 million users and counting, Facebook is by far the largest social media channel in the Netherlands. In this article, I will show you how to use Facebook for maximum effect in combination with your digital publication.

After reading this article you will know:

• How to embed a remarketing code in your magazine;
• How remarketing works through Facebook;
• How to convert Facebook page likers into email subscribers to your web publication;
• How to convert magazine visits into Facebook page likes;
• How to create a Facebook advert based on your mailing list.

Let’s first debunk a myth: ‘Facebook is primarily suitable for B2C marketing.’ Nonsense, rubbish, BS. This is your typical Facebook user:

“I’m bored, let me have a look on my timeline to see if there’s anything entertaining there.”.

That entertainment could be information about our social environment, but equally, it could be some kind of work-related content. You can create highly segmented advertising on Facebook; don’t forget you can also advertise by profession or branch.

How does remarketing work?

First, you need a basic understanding of online advertising. Remarketing or retargeting is something you experience every day. You visit website A and receive a tracking cookie in your browser. Then you go to website B where an ad based on your visit to website A has been placed in the background according to a bidding system. The assumption is that people who have already shown interest in your content, are more likely to convert. Here’s an explanation, in fewer words, of how this principle operates on Facebook:

Create a Facebook pixel and add it to your magazine

This works by using a Facebook pixel (a piece of code) that you embed in your magazine. When you create an ad on Facebook, you automatically receive an advertising account that enables you to create a pixel. For complete information, read the instructions on Facebook. Embed the code you receive in your magazine by going to the tab Settings > Advanced. Enter the code in the ‘Remarketing code’ text. That was the technical part. Easy as pie.

Objective: Convert magazine readers to Facebook page likers

Let’s say you want to want to expand your audience/page likers on Facebook through your magazine. You want to increase your reach on Facebook. Facebook users who have previously read your magazine are more likely to like your page, as they have already shown interest in your content or brand.

This is your strategy:

• You distribute your magazine by email
• Recipient X visits your magazine from their email and receives a tracking cookie
• Recipient X has not yet liked your Facebook page and visits Facebook
• Recipient X receives an ad inviting them to like your Facebook page

Facebook uses ‘custom audiences’. This feature allows you to divide Facebook users according to customized segmentations. In this case we will create a customized audience consisting of people who have read the magazine within the past 60 days. In your Ad account, go to: Tools > Audiences > Create Audience > Custom Audience > Website Traffic. Enter the data and save. Well done! From now on you are building an ‘audience’ of magazine readers on Facebook.

Tip: Sponsored links are fun, but they have been shown to be demonstratively less effective than ads on Facebook.

You get that this is important data. The next step is to create a Facebook Ad designed to convert this target group into page likes. The price per like of the advert will be lower than the price of an advert directed at a general, ‘cold’ group of Facebook users. Don’t forget to subtract existing page likers from your target audience. After all, these are people who have already liked your page! The place to do this is: Ad set > Connection type > Exclude page likers.

Objective: Convert Facebook page likers to magazine readers

Let’s say you have a sizeable number of page likers. Of course, not all of them subscribe to your magazine through their email address. So you can try to convert them to email subscribers through Facebook. In general, an email subscriber is more valuable than a page like. Only 11% of your followers see your page updates on Facebook, whereas your emails give you direct access to your recipient’s inbox.

This is what you want to accomplish:

• Page liker X goes to Facebook
• Page liker X sees an advert with a Call to action to subscribe to your magazine
• Page liker X registers for your web publication using at least their name and email address

Earlier this year Facebook rolled out a new Ad feature to enable you to do this. When you create a new Ad you will see ‘Collect leads’ underneath. This option enables you to collect leads within the Facebook environment. On Facebook, you can compile a form in order to request the data you need. It’s tempting to ask as much as possible. I would advise you to start by asking only for a name and email address. This keeps the threshold for subscribing low.

Three things to take into account:

1. Facebook only displays lead adverts on mobile devices
2. You must be able to point to a privacy policy and a disclaimer on your website
3. Facebook collects your leads in an unexpected location, namely at the ‘front’ of your Facebook page under publishing tools>forms library. It took me a while to find this

Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t yet have a workable integration with MailChimp in order to directly link email addresses to a list. So you have to integrate the leads manually.

Of course, you could easily apply the above to the ‘Custom Audience of magazine readers during the past 60 days’ that you previously created. All you have to do is select it in your Ad Set. This enables you to convert magazine readers to magazine subscribers too!

Objective: Reach email subscribers on Facebook

Definitely recommended if you just want to attract more traffic to your magazine. Facebook (LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social platforms too) offers you the option to upload your email list. Facebook does a (coded) check to identify who on your list is registered with the same email address and returns this data to you. You can target this custom audience with an Ad, inviting them to visit your magazine again or to like your Facebook page!

So:

• Upload your email list and create a ‘custom audience’. Give it a name such as ‘Mailing list 12 March 2023’
• Create an Ad designed to promote your magazine
• Target your mailing list and approach them through email and social media for maximum reach

What about privacy?

There is no specific legislation governing social media use like there is for telemarketing, email marketing and the use of cookies. If you decide to implement remarketing in your magazine, I would advise you to include a cookie warning. In the cookie statement, explain what data you will use and that you use tracking cookies for your marketing. Activate the cookie warning for your magazine under Settings > Cookie check.

Furthermore, explain in the email opt-in what you are going to do with the email address and other details. Tell people how they can indicate their preferences. For example, how they can indicate by email that they do not wish to be approached through social media using the details you collect.

Experiment

After all the effort you’ve put in, it’s a shame to see your magazine go live and to just put it out into the world in a one-off email. Facebook, and Google too, offer interesting options to grow your ‘audience’ in combination with your magazine and to gain insights based on data. Experiment with various ads, target groups and advertising budgets. Start by making €250 available during the launch of your magazine and discover how much added value social advertising can deliver.

FAQ

How can Facebook be used to promote digital magazines?
Facebook can be used to promote digital magazines by sharing engaging content, creating dedicated pages or groups, using targeted ads, and posting interactive media like videos and stories.

What types of content are effective for promoting digital magazines on Facebook?
Effective content includes excerpts from articles, high-quality images, video teasers, interviews with contributors, behind-the-scenes looks, and links to featured stories.

How can Facebook ads enhance the promotion of digital magazines?
Facebook ads can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, making them a powerful tool to reach potential subscribers and direct them to subscription landing pages.

What role does audience engagement play in promoting digital magazines on Facebook?
Engaging with the audience through comments, polls, and direct messages helps build a community around the magazine, increasing brand loyalty and subscriber rates.

Can Facebook Live be used to promote digital magazines?
Yes, Facebook Live can be used for real-time interactions, hosting Q&A sessions with magazine contributors, or discussing hot topics featured in the magazine.

How important is consistent posting on Facebook for magazine promotion?
Consistent posting keeps the magazine top of mind, helps maintain and grow the audience, and ensures a steady flow of traffic to the magazine’s website.

What strategies can be used to increase followers for a digital magazine on Facebook?
Strategies include engaging content, interactive posts, Facebook contests, collaborations with influencers, and cross-promotion with other brands or publications.

How can analytics be used to improve the promotion of digital magazines on Facebook?
Analytics provide insights into which types of posts generate the most engagement, the best times to post, and audience demographics, helping to refine content strategy.

What is the impact of Facebook stories on promoting digital magazines?
Facebook stories offer a format for sharing timely content, teasers, and promotions that can drive traffic and interest in the digital magazine’s latest issues or articles.

Can Facebook groups be beneficial for promoting digital magazines?
Creating or participating in Facebook groups related to the magazine’s niche can help in building a community, fostering discussions, and driving engaged readers to the magazine.

Author bio

Ritesh is a digital marketing manager with years of experience in driving growth. He’s currently the director of inbound marketing at Foleon. You can find more about him on his LinkedIn profile.