Here are 9 ways AI can help business owners grow their online business faster and more efficiently:
1️⃣ AI-Powered Social Media Content Creation
AI tools like ChatGPT and Canva Magic Write can help you generate captivating Instagram captions, Facebook ad copy, and engaging blog posts—saving hours of brainstorming.
2️⃣ Automated Customer Support & Chatbots
Tools like ManyChat, Chatfuel, or Meta’s AI-powered messaging help you automate customer responses, answer FAQs, and even guide leads toward purchases—24/7, without you lifting a finger.
3️⃣ AI-Driven Ad Optimization
Platforms like Meta Ads’ AI learning can automatically adjust your Facebook & Instagram ad placements, targeting, and budget to get you better results with less guesswork.
AI-powered tools like ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot can craft personalized email subject lines,automate follow-ups, and increase open rates using AI-driven insights.
5️⃣ AI for Market Research & Trend Analysis
Stay ahead of the competition with AI-driven tools like Google Trends, SparkToro, or BuzzSumo, which analyze industry trends, track audience interests, and suggest content ideas that resonate with your niche.
6️⃣ AI Video & Image Editing for High-Quality Content
Createscroll-stopping visuals and videos using AI tools like Adobe Sensei, Canva’s AI design suggestions, or InVideo—perfect for social media, sales pages, and product promotions.
7️⃣ AI-Powered SEO & Blog Writing
AI writing assistants like Jasper AI, SurferSEO, and Frase help you optimize blog posts, find the best keywords, and rank higher on Google—bringing in more organic traffic and leads.
8️⃣ AI for Product Pricing & Sales Predictions
AI-driven analytics tools like Shopify’s AI insights or Hotjar analyze customer behavior and recommend optimal pricing strategies to help maximize sales without undercharging.
9️⃣ AI-Powered Online Course & Digital Product Creation
Use AI-generated transcripts, summaries, and voiceovers with tools like Descript, Speechify, or Synthesia to turn your expertise into profitable digital products like courses, e-books, and templates—faster than ever!
🚀 Which AI tool are you most excited to try in your business? Comment below andLet me know.😊
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO JOIN ME ON APRIL 22ND.
Are You struggling to get new “Perfect” customer leads for your business?
I’ve got an easy solution that you’ll want to learn about in this New Masterclass.
It’s Facebook Ads and you should be taking advantage of this platform to bring in new leads and then sales to your business.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE RUNNING ADS! We’ll cover the 4 types of ads you can run to get more leads and sales!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. I hope you’ll be there, your business depends on it.
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
These 10 Tips will get you faster results with Facebook and Instagram ads. Go get started tday.
1. Run an Ad to Your Warm Audience First
Instead of jumping straight into cold audience ads, test your first ad on people who already know you—like your email list, website visitors, or social media followers. These people are more likely to engage, helping you see what works before spending money on strangers.
2. Use Facebook’s “Campaign Ideas Generator”
Most people don’t realize Facebook has a free Campaign Ideas Generator to help brainstorm ad ideas based on your industry and goals. You can use it to get creative copy and visuals! Find it here.
3. Start With Engagement or Video Views Ads, Not Sales
New advertisers often go straight for conversion ads, but that can be expensive. Instead, start with engagement or video view ads to warm up your audience before running sales ads. This lowers costs and improves results later.
4. Target Your Competitors’ Audience (Legally!)
You can’t directly target competitor pages, but you can target people who like related influencers, brands, or industry keywords. This is a great way to reach buyers already interested in your niche.
5. Create 3-5 Versions of the Same Ad
Most people make one ad and hope it works. Instead, create multiple versions with different headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons. Facebook will show the best-performing ad more often, helping you get better results with the same budget.
6. Test Super Specific Audiences (Not Just Broad Ones)
Facebook’s AI is smart, but sometimes narrow targeting works better. Try creating a micro audience (5,000–50,000 people) based on specific interests or behaviors. Example: Instead of just “business owners,” target “female business coaches who follow Amy Porterfield”.
7. Use the “Don’t Click This Ad” Trick
Reverse psychology works! Ads that challenge the viewer tend to get higher engagement. Try a playful ad copy like: 👉 “Warning: This Ad is NOT for You… Unless You Want More Clients!”
8. Retarget People Who Watched 50% of Your Video
Most new advertisers forget about retargeting. If someone watches half of your video ad, they’re interested! Set up an audience of these people and show them a follow-up offer to turn them into leads or customers.
9. Exclude People Who Already Took Action
Many beginners waste ad spend by showing ads to people who already signed up or bought. Always exclude past customers and leads from seeing the same ad—you’ll save money and prevent ad fatigue.
10. Set a Budget You Can Actually Learn From
If you’re only spending $1/day, your results will be too slow to analyze. A better approach? Start with $5-$10/day for a week, then review your data. You’ll quickly see what’s working without breaking the bank.
🚀 Want to make Facebook ads work even faster? Start implementing these unexpected strategies, and you’ll avoid common mistakes while getting better results from day one!
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
Starting with Facebook ads can feel overwhelming, especially for business owners who aren’t familiar with the platform. Here are the top three pain points most entrepreneurs face when getting started: 1.Not Knowing Where to Start – Many business owners feel lost when it comes to setting up Facebook ads. They don’t know which campaign objectives to choose, how to target the right audience, or what budget to set. This confusion leads to analysis paralysis, where they either procrastinate or spend money on ads without a clear strategy.
Fix: Start simple. Focus on one goal at a time, like growing your email list or promoting a freebie. Use Facebook’s guided campaign setup and test different audiences to see what works.
2.Fear of Wasting Money – Many entrepreneurs worry about spending money on ads without seeing results. If they’ve tried boosting posts before and didn’t get sales, they assume ads don’t work. This fear holds them back from investing in more strategic campaigns.
Fix: Think of ads as an investment. Start with a small budget ($5–$10 per day) and test different ad variations. Learn how to read key metrics like CTR (Click-Through Rate) and cost per lead so you can adjust and improve your campaigns.
3 Tech Overwhelm & Complexity – The Facebook Ads Manager dashboard can be intimidating, with options like pixels, custom audiences, and retargeting. Many business owners feel like they need a tech background to understand how everything works.
Fix: Stick to the basics first. Set up a simple lead generation campaign using Facebook’s native lead form or drive traffic to a landing page. Gradually learn more advanced features as you get comfortable.
Would you like help creating a step-by-step guide for beginners so they can confidently set up their first ad and not have to worry about any of these things? I’ve got my The Facebook Ads Shortcut: 1-on-1 Training to Save You Time & Money.
It’s a dedicated One-on-one Facebook Ads training for entrepreneurs with a customized, hands-on approach to mastering paid advertising. Unlike generic courses or DIY trial and error, a private training session ensures that the strategies are tailored to your specific business goals, audience, and budget. LEARN MORE.
A major benefit is personalized strategy development. Instead of wasting time on methods that don’t work for your industry, you get expert guidance on the exact ad types, targeting, and messaging that will drive results. This means less money wasted on ineffective ads and faster success in reaching your ideal clients.
Another key advantage is real-time feedback and troubleshooting. Running Facebook ads can be overwhelming, especially with changing algorithms and complex settings. A one-on-one session allows you to ask questions, get immediate solutions, and avoid common mistakes that can drain your ad budget.
Additionally, confidence and clarity increase dramatically. Many entrepreneurs hesitate to run ads due to fear of losing money or not understanding the platform. With expert training, you gain the skills to set up, analyze, and optimize your campaigns with ease, giving you control over your lead generation and sales.
This investment not only saves time but also empowers you to scale your business faster and more efficiently. LEARN MORE.
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
Are you thinking that you need more prospects? Listen up…..
Facebook Ads can be a game-changer for achieving sales goals. Start by clearly defining your objectives, like increasing leads, driving website traffic, or boosting conversions. Use audience targeting to reach the right people based on interests, demographics, and behaviors. Craft compelling ad copy and visuals that align with your brand and call-to-action. Test different ad types, like carousels or video, and monitor performance. Regularly optimize campaigns to lower costs and maximize ROI for better results.
Setting up Facebook ads for generating leads requires careful planning and execution to attract quality prospects. Follow this step-by-step process for the best results:
Define Your Lead Goals Clearly outline what a “lead” means for your business (e.g., email sign-ups, form completions, demo requests). Set measurable goals such as the number of leads, cost per lead (CPL), and timeframe.
Set Up Your Facebook Ads Account Ensure your Facebook Business Manager is set up. Verify your domain using Facebook Events Manager to comply with privacy regulations. Create and install the Meta Pixel on your website to track conversions and optimize your campaigns.
Choose the Right Campaign Objective Select the Lead Generation campaign objective. Facebook provides two main options: Instant Forms: Forms embedded within Facebook for quick submissions. Conversions: Directs users to a landing page or website form.
Define Your Target Audience Use Facebook’s audience features: Core Audience: Target by demographics, interests, or behaviors. Custom Audience: Retarget people who have engaged with your business (e.g., website visitors or email subscribers). Lookalike Audience: Reach new users similar to your best-performing customers.
Create Engaging Ads Visuals: Use eye-catching images or videos. Include people, minimal text, and branding elements. Copy: Write clear, persuasive headlines and descriptions. Highlight benefits and offer value. Call-to-Action (CTA): Use CTAs like “Sign Up,” “Learn More,” or “Get Offer” to guide users.
Design and Optimize Your Lead Form Use a short and simple form for Instant Forms or on your landing page. Ask only essential questions (e.g., name, email, phone number). Add a privacy policy link and brief value proposition. Use a strong confirmation page or follow-up email to confirm leads and share next steps.
Budget and Bidding Start with a daily budget (e.g., $10–$30) to gather data. Choose Lowest Cost bidding to maximize lead volume. You can always scale up from there. Use Cost Cap pricing if you have strict CPL (Cost Per Lead) goals.
Launch, Monitor, and Test Launch the campaign and track performance metrics: CTR (Click-Through Rate): Measures ad appeal. CPL (Cost Per Lead): Tracks efficiency. Lead Quality: Evaluate if leads align with your sales goals. Run A/B tests on ad visuals, copy, and targeting to find what works best.
Retarget and Nurture Leads Create a retargeting campaign for people who clicked but didn’t convert. Use email campaigns or follow-ups to nurture leads into customers.
Optimize and Scale Pause underperforming ads and reallocate budgets to top-performing ones. Adjust targeting, creatives, or bidding strategies based on data.
Scale gradually by increasing the budget or expanding audience reach. By following this process, you can attract quality leads while keeping your campaigns cost-effective and aligned with your sales goals.
Reach out to me to discuss your next Facebook and Instagram Campaign and how we can work together to achieve your business goals: email: hello@desertdigitaladgroup.com.
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
As an entrepreneur in the online coaching or course creation space, generating a steady flow of quality leads is crucial for the success and growth of your business. Without a consistent pipeline of potential customers, it can be incredibly challenging to convert sales and scale your impact.
Fortunately, there are several effective strategies you can implement to attract the right kind of leads – people who are genuinely interested in and aligned with your offering. In this post, I’ll share three proven techniques that have helped many online coaches and course creators build thriving, sustainable businesses.
Tip 1: Leverage Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations One of the most powerful ways to generate leads is by tapping into the audiences of complementary businesses or industry influencers through strategic partnerships and collaborations. This could take many forms, such as:
Guest posting on relevant blogs or podcasts
Appearing as an expert guest on others’ webinars or livestreams
Hosting a joint venture workshop or masterclass
Participating in virtual summits or challenges
Exchanging promotional content on social media
The key is to identify potential partners whose audiences overlap with your ideal customers. This could be other coaches, course creators, bloggers, YouTubers, or anyone else who serves a similar target market. When done right, these collaborations allow you to access new pools of qualified prospects who are already primed and eager to learn from someone in your industry. It’s a win-win, as you get to expand your reach while providing value to your partner’s audience.
To make the most of these opportunities, focus on building genuine relationships first. Get to know the people you want to work with, understand their businesses and audiences, and look for authentic ways you can help each other out. Avoid the temptation to hard sell; instead, be genuinely useful and contribute to their success. Additionally, be selective about the partnerships you pursue. Quality is more important than quantity – it’s better to have a small number of highly relevant, high-quality collaborations than to spread yourself thin across too many channels.
Tip 2: Create a Lead Generation Funnel with Gated Content Another effective strategy for attracting qualified leads is to build out a content marketing funnel, which allows you to capture contact information in exchange for valuable, gated digital content. This could include:
In-depth guides or whitepapers
Exclusive webinars or workshops
Assessment tools or quizzes
Free email courses or challenges
The key is to create content that is highly relevant and useful for your target audience, addressing their specific pain points, questions, or goals. This establishes you as an authoritative expert while simultaneously generating warm leads who have explicitly shown interest in your offerings.
To implement this strategy, start by mapping out the customer journey and identifying the most logical entry points and conversion opportunities. What are the key questions, concerns, or aspirations your ideal clients have at different stages? How can you create content that guides them towards your products or services? Once you have a content plan in place, build out a lead capture funnel using tools like email marketing platforms, landing page builders, or all-in-one sales funnels. Ensure that your opt-in forms, calls-to-action, and digital content assets are visually appealing, user-friendly, and optimized for conversions. It’s also important to nurture these leads through ongoing email marketing, social media engagement, or other touchpoints. Don’t just collect their information and then go silent – continue providing value, building trust, and guiding them towards your paid offerings.
Tip 3: Leverage Social Media Advertising In addition to organic content and partnership strategies, savvy online coaches and course creators can also utilize paid social media advertising to reach and convert new leads. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even TikTok can be powerful lead generation tools when leveraged strategically.
The key is to get laser-focused on your target audience and create highly-relevant ad creative and messaging. Take the time to thoroughly research your ideal customer’s demographics, interests, behaviors, challenges, and goals. Use this intel to build out detailed buyer personas and custom audience segments.
From there, you can craft compelling ad copy, eye-catching visuals, and clear calls-to-action that speak directly to the pain points and desires of your target market. Consider promoting your gated content offers, webinar registrations, or other lead magnets to drive opt-ins and build your email list.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ad formats, placements, and targeting criteria to see what resonates best. Social media algorithms are constantly evolving, so it’s important to remain agile and data-driven in your approach. Closely monitor your campaign performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.
It’s also worth exploring retargeting ads to re-engage users who have already interacted with your brand or content. This can be an incredibly effective way to nurture leads and guide them towards a sale.
While social media advertising does require an upfront investment, it can be a game-changing lead generation channel when executed thoughtfully. Just be sure to track your key metrics, continuously optimize your approach, and tie your ad spend directly back to tangible business outcomes.
I can help you with getting more leads for your business. Please join me for my new Masterclass on Dec. 3rd to discover:
Generating a consistent flow of high-quality leads is essential for the long-term success of any online coaching or course creation business. By leveraging strategic partnerships, creating lead-capture content funnels, and utilizing social media advertising, you can build a powerful, multi-faceted lead generation engine that supports your growth objectives. Remember, lead generation is an ongoing process that requires patience, experimentation, and a data-driven mindset. Stay focused on your ideal customer, provide tremendous value, and continuously refine your approach. With the right strategies in place, you can fill your pipeline with qualified prospects and position your business for sustained success.
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
Facebook Ads have proven to be one of the most effective tools for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to reach new customers and grow their brands. But the success of your Facebook ads relies heavily on targeting the right audience. The beauty of Facebook’s advertising platform lies in its audience targeting options, which allow you to tailor your message to different types of people based on interests, behavior, and past interactions with your business.
In this guide, we’ll dive into five key audience types that you can use to boost the success of your Facebook ad campaigns: broad audiences, targeted audiences, custom email list audiences, engagement audiences, and buyer audiences. Understanding and utilizing these different audience types is essential for running successful Facebook ads that deliver results.
1. Broad Audience
Let’s start with the broad audience—a category that many advertisers may be skeptical about, but which can actually yield great results when used correctly. A broad audience, as the name suggests, targets a wide range of people with little to no specific interest or demographic restrictions. Think of this as a “top-of-funnel” strategy where you’re casting a wide net.
Why Use Broad Audiences?
A broad audience is great when you’re looking to increase awareness of your brand and reach new potential customers who may not have interacted with your business before. This approach works particularly well for businesses with wide-reaching products or services, such as an online store with various offerings. It’s also ideal for testing your ad creative and seeing which types of messages resonate with a larger, more diverse group.
With Facebook’s ever-improving algorithms, using a broad audience allows the platform to learn who’s engaging with your ad and optimize accordingly. Essentially, Facebook’s machine learning can help refine your audience as your campaign progresses, even if you start with a broad set of people.
When to Use:
Brand Awareness: When you’re introducing your brand or a new product to a large number of people.
Testing New Campaigns: Great for testing out different ad creatives, headlines, and offers to see which performs best.
Lower Costs: Since broad audiences don’t rely on detailed targeting, ad costs may be lower compared to niche campaigns.
2. Targeted Audience
Next, let’s look at the targeted audience. This is the most commonly used audience type for businesses looking to zero in on specific groups of people. With targeted audiences, you can drill down based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and location.
For instance, if you run a yoga studio in Phoenix, you can target people in your local area who are interested in fitness, wellness, and yoga. Facebook allows for an incredible level of specificity when it comes to targeting, which helps ensure that your ad is only seen by people who are likely to be interested in what you’re offering.
Why Use Targeted Audiences?
Targeted audiences allow you to get laser-focused with your ads. By narrowing down who sees your ad, you’re increasing the likelihood of it being relevant to them, which improves both click-through rates and conversions. You’ll also avoid wasting ad spend on people who aren’t in your target market.
You can use factors like:
Location: To target local customers or specific geographical areas.
Age and Gender: To focus on your ideal demographic.
Interests: Based on what people are into, like cooking, traveling, or entrepreneurship.
Behavior: Targeting based on purchase behavior, device usage, or activity on the platform.
When to Use:
Niche Products or Services: When your offering appeals to a specific group of people with defined characteristics or interests.
Higher Conversion Rates: Targeted ads are great for conversion-driven campaigns because they’re more likely to attract people ready to take action.
Budget Management: By narrowing down your audience, you reduce wasted ad spend, making it a great option for businesses with a tighter ad budget.
3. Custom Email List Audience
A custom email list audience allows you to target people who’ve already shown interest in your business. These are users who’ve signed up for your newsletter, made a purchase, or filled out a form on your website. By uploading a list of email addresses to Facebook, the platform can match those addresses with users and show them your ads.
Why Use Custom Email List Audiences?
People on your email list are already familiar with your brand, which makes this audience highly valuable for both retargeting and upselling. These are warm leads who’ve expressed interest in your business, and your goal is to move them further down the sales funnel.
For example, you can run an ad campaign specifically targeting people who haven’t made a purchase yet, offering them a special discount or promotion. You could also upsell existing customers by showing them complementary products based on their previous purchases.
When to Use:
Retargeting: When you want to re-engage users who have interacted with your brand but haven’t yet converted.
Upselling/Cross-Selling: To show ads to customers promoting new products or services based on their previous purchases.
Increasing Customer Loyalty: Custom email audiences can be used to nurture your current customer base, providing them with exclusive offers, loyalty rewards, or early access to new products.
4. Engagement Audience
An engagement audience consists of people who have engaged with your content on Facebook or Instagram but haven’t taken any further action yet. These engagements can include likes, comments, shares, video views, or visits to your Facebook page.
This audience type is particularly useful for retargeting purposes. People who have engaged with your content are already interested in your brand or message, but may need a little more incentive to convert.
Why Use Engagement Audiences?
Engagement audiences are excellent for nurturing warm leads. If someone watched 50% of a video ad you ran or interacted with a recent post, there’s a good chance they’re interested in what you have to offer. By targeting this group, you can move them from the consideration phase to the conversion phase with the right offer.
For instance, you can retarget users who watched a significant portion of your product video with an ad offering a special deal or free shipping. Since they’re already familiar with your brand, they’re more likely to click on the ad and complete a purchase.
When to Use:
Video Retargeting: Run ads to users who’ve watched a certain percentage of your videos.
Post Engagement: Target people who liked, commented, or shared your Facebook or Instagram posts.
Page Visitors: Show ads to people who visited your Facebook page but haven’t yet converted.
5. Buyer Audience
A buyer audience is made up of people who have already purchased something from your business. These are your loyal customers, and they represent a highly valuable segment for repeat sales, cross-selling, and brand advocacy. Facebook allows you to create an audience of your buyers based on past purchase behavior.
Why Use Buyer Audiences?
A buyer audience is gold for any business because the cost of acquiring new customers is higher than retaining existing ones. People who have already purchased from you are far more likely to buy again if they had a positive experience. This audience is perfect for running ads promoting complementary products, subscription services, or even loyalty rewards programs.
For example, if someone purchased a coffee maker from your online store, you can show them an ad for coffee beans or accessories. The more personalized the follow-up, the better the chance of a repeat purchase.
When to Use:
Repeat Purchases: Encourage customers to return by showcasing new products or offering a limited-time discount.
Cross-Selling: Promote complementary products based on previous purchases.
Customer Loyalty: Engage your most loyal customers by offering exclusive perks, early access to sales, or loyalty rewards.
The Power of Facebook Ads Targeting
Facebook Ads offer a wealth of audience targeting options that can dramatically improve the success of your campaigns. By understanding and utilizing these five audience types—broad audiences, targeted audiences, custom email list audiences, engagement audiences, and buyer audiences—you can fine-tune your approach and reach the right people with the right message at the right time.
Each audience type serves a unique purpose in your marketing strategy, and the best campaigns often use a mix of all five to nurture prospects through the sales funnel, from awareness to conversion and repeat business. So whether you’re just starting with Facebook ads or looking to optimize your current campaigns, mastering audience targeting is key to achieving your business goals.
Work with me to come up with your ideal audiences for your ad goals and budget. >> bit.ly/5WeekAds.
Carlene helps entrepreneurs get more traffic, engagement and leads by creating the best return on ad spend campaigns. She creates campaigns with whatever marketing budget her clients can work with for their business growth & expansion. Now is the perfect time to use strategic ads for growth, leads and achieve the income you deserve.
