Saw a local bakery run their Facebook ads totally wrong and it made me rethink targeting

I stopped by Sweet Rise Bakery in Portland last month and asked the owner about their online orders. She said they spent $500 on Facebook ads targeting people who like "cake" and got zero sales. I mean, who just likes cake as a broad category? She should have targeted people in a 10 mile radius who follow similar bakeries or wedding planners. Made me wonder if broad targeting is ever worth it for small local shops. Has anyone here run ads for a bakery or restaurant that actually worked?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt_green9d ago

totally, broad targeting is a money pit for local shops. but i think the bakery owner missed something even bigger - she probably never tested her offer or landing page before spending that cash. you can have the best targeting in the world, but if your ad just says "buy our cake," nobody cares. i saw a friend run a local coffee shop ad that flopped until they changed it to "free muffin with any drink" and it took off. did she even ask what kinda ad creative she was running? feels like half the battle is the hook, not just who sees it.

dianab689d ago

and yeah, you're totally right with that @wyatt_green. the offer is everything. i watched a landscaping company burn through ad cash for months until someone finally told them to swap "we do lawn care" for "first mow free, no strings." night and day difference. the bakery owner probably thought her product was enough of a hook. but it never is. you gotta give people a reason to click, not just something to look at.