Facebook Ads is a great way to buy fans. Actually, I shouldn't call it "buying fans". You are really just buying awareness. The fans (or prospective fans) decide if they want to "like" you. If you are doing any sort of marketing, you are already buying awareness by using the expensive currency that is your time. Facebook Ads just changes the currency.

If you are unfamiliar with Facebook Ads, they are the ads that appear on the right side of Facebook. They have four parts: a title, an image, the body and a destination URL. You are able to promote your website, your Facebook Page, or a Facebook Event (or an application but that is mostly irrelevant for our purposes here).

If you want to try Facebook Ads to promote your team, here is what I suggest:

1. Create an ad to promote your Facebook Page. When people like your page, then they will continue to get your news in their news feed. If you promote your website, they may visit once and never come back. (Plus, by clicking the like button on your ad, they do not have to leave the page that they are currently viewing).
2. In the body, use the wording "Click "like" to show your support for XYZ Team". Verbiage here is important.
3. Target your community. The ad creator is really simple. You just choose who you want to target by age, gender, location and interests. Tip: Older demographics are more expensive (because they have more money to spend) as are narrower niches.
4. Set your budget a few pennies above the lowest suggested bid. Or you can even go lower and see where that gets you. If it goes nowhere after a few days, bump up your bid.

If this sounds scary and like something that you could screw up, just set a maximum budget with which you are comfortable- $25 or $50. When your money runs out, go into the ads manager to review your metrics and see how you did. Did you get more likes? What were you paying for them? Personally, I think that $1 is way too much. I have had several campaigns for clients that got a CPC (cost-per-click) of less than $0.30/click.

Here's the real question: If you had 1,000 more likes what would that mean for your team?

There would be 1,000 more people that...

• Are aware of your team, your events, your fundraisers and your value to the community
• Might attend your events (buying tickets and concessions)
• You can leverage when talking with local businesses about the brand recognition that they will receive by sponsoring your team

Also, do not just think of the short-term value. When you bring fans together, educate them and engage them, there is a long-term benefit that will help your program be sustainable and successful in more ways that can be measured in dollars and cents.

Take action today. Start a Facebook Ads campaign.