Facebook Ads are popular because they are affordable and effective – if you know what you're doing. This is also why so many people are on the lookout for the best resources to learn Facebook marketing. There is a lot of good info out there, but there is also quite a bit of rubbish (probably from well meaning but misguided marketers). So, what are the best resources, and how do you know who to listen to?
Wait – who the heck are you to even answer this?
Valid question.
If we have not met yet, my name is Meg. I got my entrepreneurial start as a mommy blogger then worked my way up the Facebook marketing ranks and went to work for the social media giant in 2016. I worked within their Marketing Expert Program and provided 1:1 consultations and guidance to advertisers spending anywhere from $5/day to $17,000/day (true story!).
When I left Facebook in 2017 to be a more present mom – I continued my journey with Facebook Ads as a freelancer and founded 2 unique Advertising Agencies. In addition to my insider education, I have experience managing over 1 million dollars in ad spend and have been featured in Forbes, Social Media Examiner, ABC, NBC, Readers Digest, and more. I know this stuff, and I know a lot of valuable resources that will help you navigate Facebook marketing beyond following me.
The truth of the matter is, you want to know a strong network of marketing experts – not just one. There is power in learning a variety of strategies and keeping up with a range of case studies.
Learn from Facebook directly with Facebook Blueprint
When I was hired by Facebook, the training process lasted about 4 weeks. The first thing that we were required to complete was all of the Facebook Blueprint courses. These video courses are publically available for all businesses and business owners to access completely free. The fact that Facebook values the content enough to require their own employees complete it, before diving into their more advanced Facebook marketing trainings, is a testimant for how valuable they are.
Facebook Blueprint contains content for marketers to familiarize themselves with the basics of Facebook Ads and Facebook Ads Manager. This content is made for the beginner who needs an introduction to leveraging the platform. Brands will learn about everything from finding your target audience with Facebook Ads to building custom audiences and analytics.
Busy marketers will love that the Facebook Blueprint courses are broken into short lessons lasting 10-15 minutes so they can easily be squeezed into little pockets of time throughout the day.
The Blueprint courses also lead to an optional certification program. If you are an entrepreneur with goals to run Facebook Ads for others, the Facebook Blueprint Certification can demonstrate your knowledge to others and help to legitimize your expertise. To get certified you will register for a paid exam testing your knowledge of Facebook marketing and upon passing receive a digital badge to display on your website.
The certification exam launched after I left Facebook, and I have not personally seen a need to go through the process myself. I also don't have any people in my network who have been certified, so I can't say with certainty that the benefits of investing in the certification are worth it, but I strongly suggest leveraging Facebook Blueprint as a resource for marketers who want to learn Facebook marketing.
One thing you may notice is that Facebook does not provide any benchmarks that indicate what results you can/should expect. You can access real-life social media marketing examples through Facebook's Success Stories to see how other marketers are leveraging a variety of Facebook products.
Guide to the best Marketing Resources
Facebook Blueprint does an amazing job at teaching the mechanics, but it does not go deep into advertising strategies or trends being seen in the field – that's where these marketing resources will come into play.
Blogs, News, and Online Resources
Facebook Marketing Online Courses
Engaging Podcasts for Marketing Strategy
- Just Marketing® Podcast
- FamilyPreneur™ Podcast
- Social Media Marketing Podcast
- Social Media Marketing Talkshow
- Savvy Social Podcast
- Market Like a Boss
- Smart Passive Income
- Girl CEO Podcast
Marketing Facebook Groups To Join
- Just Marketing® Alliance (paid membership)
- Social Media Marketing Society (paid membership)
Thought Leaders and Social Media Marketers To Follow
Business Events You Should Attend
Digital Marketing Books to Read
- Digital Marketers Sound Off by Matt Chiera
- Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller
- Superfans by Pat Flynn
There is a wide range of information available about Facebook marketing, and trying to Google your way to success is a slippery slope. It can be tricky to differentiate the credible sources from the shady sources when it comes to Facebook marketing, especially when you are just starting out.
My advice is that when you have questions, the first place you look is Facebook itself. Facebook publishes a variety of content beyond Blueprint. They have blog posts and articles on a variety of different areas. I always search for answers directly from Facebook before looking to outside sources. Materials from other marketers can help you interpret, and provide additional insight on Facebook's information – but it's really important that you go to the source for your information.
As you start to master Facebook marketing for yourself, you'll begin to realize who you can trust. The links above are not meant to be an extensive list, instead they are the people and resources I trust when I am working on my own marketing campaigns.