Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance regarding your Facebook Ads domain change. It's a common concern when rebranding, and addressing it strategically can minimise any negative impact on your ad performance.
Let's break down the potential challenges and explore some actionable solutions you can implement.
We'll need to look at the Facebook Pixel...
The core issue here is your Facebook pixel. All the data it's collected, from user behaviour to conversions, is directly associated with your current domain. When you switch to a new domain, Facebook essentially treats it as a fresh start. This means you'll initially lose the benefit of all that historical data used to optimise your campaigns.
Think of it like this: the pixel has learned who your ideal customers are based on their actions on your current website. It knows their interests, demographics, and purchase patterns. Switching domains is like wiping the pixel's memory, forcing it to relearn everything from scratch. This can lead to a temporary dip in performance as Facebook tries to re-optimise for your target audience.
It is crucial to ensure the pixel is firing correctly on your new domain and tracking conversions accurately. Setting up the pixel on your new domain is an easy task, however can be easily overlooked. So make sure you don't miss it!
I'd say you should Run Ads to Both Domains...
To mitigate the impact of this data loss, I recommend running ads to both your old and new domains concurrently for a transition period. This strategy allows you to gradually warm up the new domain while still capitalising on the performance of your existing campaigns.
Here's how you can implement this dual-domain approach:
1. Duplicate Your Best-Performing Ad Sets: Identify your top-performing ad sets and campaigns and duplicate them within Facebook Ads Manager. The easiest way is to just copy and paste the ads that you would like to duplcate. Make sure to avoid duplicating ads with problems though!
2. Update Destination URLs: In the duplicated ad sets, update the destination URLs to point to your new domain. Double-check that all links are correct and functional. A lot of people when performing this step make some mistake, so watch out!
3. Gradual Budget Adjustment: Start by allocating a smaller portion of your budget to the new ad sets and a larger portion to your existing campaigns. As the new campaigns gain traction and demonstrate improved performance, slowly increase their budget while gradually decreasing the budget of the old campaigns.
4. Redirects: Ensure you've got proper redirects in place from the old domain to the new one to capture any organic traffic or direct visits. It's a bit annoying, however make sure the redirects are working and that they are sending the users to the correct pages on your new domain.
You probably should closely Monitor Performance Metrics...
During the transition period, it's essential to closely monitor your key performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of your new campaigns and make data-driven adjustments. Here are some metrics you should keep a close eye on:
Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR measures the percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. A low CTR may indicate that your ad copy or creative isn't resonating with your target audience, or that your targeting is off.
Cost Per Click (CPC): CPC represents the average cost you pay for each click on your ad. A high CPC may suggest that your keywords are too competitive, or that your Quality Score is low.
Conversion Rate: Conversion rate measures the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a lead form. A low conversion rate may indicate issues with your website's design, user experience, or pricing.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): CPA represents the average cost you pay for each conversion. A high CPA may suggest that your overall campaign strategy needs optimisation.
Keeping a close eye on these metrics will help you identify areas for improvement and fine-tune your campaigns for optimal performance.
You'll need proper Redirects...
Setting up proper redirects from your old domain to your new domain is crucial for several reasons:
1. Preserving SEO Value: Redirects help preserve the SEO value of your old domain by telling search engines that your website has permanently moved to a new address. This ensures that your existing search engine rankings are transferred to your new domain.
2. Maintaining User Experience: Redirects ensure that users who click on old links or bookmarks are automatically redirected to the corresponding pages on your new domain. This provides a seamless user experience and prevents visitors from encountering broken links.
3. Capturing Organic Traffic: Redirects allow you to capture any organic traffic that may still be flowing to your old domain. This ensures that you don't lose valuable traffic and potential customers.
There are several types of redirects you can use, but the most common and recommended type is a 301 redirect. A 301 redirect indicates a permanent move and tells search engines to update their index accordingly.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Recommendation | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Run Ads Concurrently | Run ads to both the old and new domain to slowly warm up the new domain. | Minimises impact on ad performance and leverages existing campaign performance. |
| Duplicate Ad Sets | Duplicate your best ad sets and update the URLs. | Easily transition to the new domain and maintains performance. |
| Budget Adjustment | Gradually increase budget on the new ad sets. | Gradual transition and you wont fall off a cliff. |
| Monitor Performance | Closely monitor CTR, CPC, conversion rate. | Identify areas for improvement and optimise for performance. |
| Setup Redirects | Set up 301 redirects from your old domain to your new domain. | Preserves SEO value, ensures seamless user experience, and captures organic traffic. |
Rebranding is no easy feat. But hopefully these insights will help make the transition smoother and maintain your ad performance.
This all might seem a little overwhelming, and sometimes it helps to have an expert guide you through the process. We have a lot of experience with this at our agency and could definitely help you make this a success and ensure you don't lose any revenue in the process. We can help you set up the redirects, optimise the campaigns and set up new campaigns.
I remember one client, an eCommerce store, that was launching and we managed to get 1500 leads at $0.29/lead using Meta Ads. I'm confident we can do the same for you.
If you'd like to explore how we can assist you further, feel free to book in a free consultation with us. We can do an account review together.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
