What should be my next step if I have a free account on MailChimp and a growing list of about a thousand?

Short Answer: If you have a free MailChimp account and your email list is growing to around a thousand contacts, the next effective step is to create a lookalike audience for retargeting. Using this strategy, you leverage the data from your existing audience so that Facebook can identify patterns and target your ads more precisely to people similar to your subscribers.

Full Explanation

A lookalike audience is a powerful way to expand your reach based on the data you already have in your MailChimp list. When you integrate your email list with platforms like Facebook, you provide the system with valuable information that helps it recognize common characteristics among your contacts. By doing this, your advertisements can be shown to new users who exhibit similar behaviors, interests, and demographics to your current subscribers.

The more data points you provide to Facebook through your audience, the better the platform becomes at finding and targeting the right people. This process improves the effectiveness of your ads and increases the chance that you connect with potential customers who are genuinely interested in your offerings.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Prepare your MailChimp list: Ensure your growing audience of about a thousand contacts is up to date and properly segmented.
2. Export your list: Export your MailChimp list data following the platform’s guidelines.
3. Create a custom audience on Facebook: Upload your list to Facebook Ads Manager to build a custom audience.
4. Generate a lookalike audience: Use Facebook’s tools to create a new audience that resembles your current subscribers.
5. Launch targeted campaigns: Design retargeting ads aimed at the lookalike audience, allowing you to reach new prospects effectively.

Real Examples

Imagine your MailChimp list consists of a thousand engaged subscribers interested in fitness apparel. Creating a lookalike audience on Facebook will help target users who share similar behaviors and interests without needing to guess who might be interested. This ensures your advertising budget is spent more efficiently by showing ads to people more likely to respond positively.

Common Mistakes

• Uploading incomplete or outdated contact information, which reduces the quality of the lookalike audience.
• Not regularly updating the list, resulting in stale audience data that prevents Facebook from recognizing accurate patterns.
• Failing to tailor retargeting ads after creating the audience, which can lead to less engagement.

FAQs

Can I create a lookalike audience with a free MailChimp account?

Yes, a free MailChimp account with a growing list can provide the data needed to create a lookalike audience through Facebook.

How large should my list be before creating a lookalike audience?

A list of about a thousand contacts is a good size to start, as it provides enough data for Facebook to detect patterns.

Will creating a lookalike audience guarantee advertising success?

While it improves targeting, success depends on ad quality, budgeting, and ongoing optimization.

Key Takeaways

• Utilize your growing MailChimp list as a foundation for more advanced marketing tactics like creating lookalike audiences.
• The larger and more accurate your audience data, the more effective your Facebook ad targeting will be.
• Retargeting through lookalike audiences helps you reach people similar to your existing subscribers, improving ad relevance and performance.