Marketing
March 25, 2024
Facebook ads can help massage therapists grow their business, even on a small budget. Social media is one of the most effective ways to market small businesses, including massage businesses. With instant access to billions of people around the world, social media should be part of your marketing strategy.
Facebook ads for massage therapists is an easy way to grow clientele fast, if you do it right. In this article, we’ll cover:
Yes. Facebook ads are still a great advertising method for massage therapists. If you’re looking for an economical way to advertise your massage business to A LOT of people, Facebook is the place to do it. There are few platforms that give you as much reach as this one.
You may have heard that Facebook is on its way out. It’s not. It’s the third-most visited website in the world. With 2.93 billion monthly active users, it’s still the most widely used social network in 2023. Kids might be spending more time on other platforms, but your massage clients still use Facebook.
People use Facebook to participate in groups and find details on local businesses. 1.6 billion people are connected to small businesses on Facebook according to the latest stats.
Facebook owns Instagram. When you create a Facebook ad, you can post it on both Facebook and Instagram automatically. This allows your ad to get in front of more people, on the social media platforms they use. It’s a 2-for-1 deal.
If you use ClinicSense for your online booking, an official booking partner of Facebook and Instagram, your ads will perform better. Your followers can book appointments directly on your Facebook page.
Facebook ads work well for massage therapists because you can choose your audience based on location, demographics and interests. Only people who are likely interested in your services will see your ad. You don’t get that type of specificity and reach from many other marketing avenues.
Posting regularly on Facebook can help grow your following, but if you want to increase visibility, Facebook Ads are recommended. Simply use the Ads Manager to choose a marketing objective, target your audience, decide ad placement, select a format and budget for your massage business ad.
If you don’t already have a business Facebook page, do that first. If you need help creating a Facebook business page, check out these step-by-step instructions.
Use Ads Manager to create and submit Facebook Ads for your massage business. Then you’ll be prompted through the following steps:
You get to choose your Facebook Ad budget. Base your budget on how much you’re willing to spend a day, or how much you're willing to spend on the entire campaign. Facebook will monitor ad spend and adjust to your budget automatically.
You have two choices when choosing a budget for your ad.
If you’re running multiple ads, you can set a spending limit on your entire account or on specific campaigns.
The length of time you choose will significantly impact how much the ad costs and how effective it is. It could take a couple days for the algorithm to work its magic and get your massage ad in front of the right people. Factor that in when choosing a length of time to run your ad. It’s recommended to run your ad for at least 3 or 4 days. Otherwise, your money may be spent before finding the right people.
For example, choose a $50 budget over 4-5 days. That money will not necessarily be spent evenly over those days. It’s likely the last few days may convert better than the first.
Creating successful Facebook ads for massage therapists requires intention. Focus on one goal, and stick to it. Know your ideal target audience, use concise language, and choose quality images or videos. Follow these tips to create ads that will prompt viewers to book appointments.
Get clear on what the purpose of your ad is. Choose one goal and stick to it. Don’t clutter it with extraneous information and multiple to CTAs (Call-To-Action - the thing you want people to do).
If your goal is to sell gift certificates, make your ad ALL about gift certificates. Link the ad to your online gift certificate sales page.
If your goal is to build brand awareness and be known as the go-to place for athletes, make your ad all about athletes. Link it to your online bookings.
When you choose an audience, imagine your ideal client in detail. How old are they? Where do they live? What are they into?
Let’s say your ideal client is a woman, in her 40s, who is training for a marathon that is taking place in your neighborhood next month. Choose an audience that is: female, in your zip code, with an interest in running.
Copy refers to the words in your ad. Good ads have clear and concise copy. Your message should be easy to understand, to the point, and tell the reader exactly what you want them to do.
Ad copy is broke down into 2 parts:
Your ad has to grab someone’s attention and “stop the scroll.” The best way to do that is with an image, so choose a quality photo that draws the eye.
Don’t be camera shy. Video is quickly becoming social media visitors' favorite thing to spend time on. A quick video introducing your brand, offering an interesting bit of education, or promoting a massage special may get more attention than you think.
If your business has a set of values, a way of speaking, branded colors, or a feeling it tries to inspire, let that be reflected in your ad.
Put another way, your brand has a personality. Let that personality shine through your Facebook ads. This will allow potential customers to get a feel for what you’re all about, before they book an appointment.
When creating Facebook ads for massage therapists, you’re required to adhere to a few rules. Facebook has guidelines to follow for creating ads. Most of them are things that are unethical or offensive, things you never want to do when promoting yourself as a massage therapist.
Since we know you’re not an unethical or offensive person, we won’t go over the obvious rules around that. Aside from that, there are a few things you might have to navigate around. If your ad isn’t performing well or is not showing up, it could be due to you not following all the guidelines.
Here are a couple things to avoid.
Assuming personal attributes is against the rules.
You CAN’T say, “Are you suffering from constant back pain? We can help!”
You CAN say, “We help people with chronic back pain. Schedule an appointment today!”
You CAN’T say, “Do you suffer from anxiety or depression? Massage has been proven to relieve these ailments.”
You CAN say, “Did you know studies have proved massage to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression?”
Misleading claims are against the rules.
Wellness providers are not allowed to allude to a guaranteed result. Making claims that you can cure people with specific ailments or in a specific amount of time gives people false hope. The truth is, people respond differently to treatment.
You CAN’T say, “Your back pain will be gone in an hour!”
You CAN say, “Studies show an hour massage can reduce pain, calm the nervous system, and improve mood.”
You CAN’T say, “We can relieve your carpal tunnel in 3 sessions.”
You CAN promote a review of someone else stating they had those results.
The ClinicSense online booking widget allows you to add a “book now” button to your Facebook and Instagram pages. This button links directly to your scheduling portal, so people don’t have to leave Facebook to book an appointment with you. Don’t skip this step.
A 2022 hootsuite study on social trends found 55% of Facebook users and 62% of Instagram users research and follow brands on the platform. Imagine if they could book an appointment right then. Bookings could increase exponentially.
Want to make the most of your facebook ads for your massage business? Signup for a free trial of ClinicSense, software for massage therapists today!
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