Storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of communication. The human mind instinctively pursues conclusion to the open loops storytelling creates. The same logic can be applied to social advertising, where the conclusion drives conversion. And best of all? It can be entirely automated.

This blog, in 43 words or less:

• How to target users by their exact place within the funnel
• Evergreen can run on autopilot with varying top of funnel campaigns feeding into it
• Built around specific engagement points on high engagement platforms
• How Evergreen netted our client a 21242.77% ROAS

Is It Really That Powerful?

I don’t need to tell you how targeted Facebook has become. We use their suite of products every single day. They know what we like, and they want to ensure we receive ads accordingly. In addition to their keen understanding of our interests, for advertisers, their platform makes it possible to map out the precise user journey across varying levels of brand awareness to formulate the most effective evergreen funnel possible. Think of each level of engagement in terms of brand familiarity. In the case of social page engagements, we can assume that these users have a top of funnel brand awareness and are more likely to continue engaging than cold traffic. These users should not be forgotten when constructing funnel campaigns. On the other end of the spectrum, when we start targeting page view combinations, we target the specific subset of traffic that we know are well on their way to conversion. Combine it all for a perfectly synced social evergreen campaign that feels completely personal.  

The Evergreen Remarketing Funnel

The first time I heard of the Evergreen model came from Jon Loomer, a coveted Facebook advertiser. The idea that a campaign could be built to run on autopilot was tantalizing, and I knew I had to put it to the test. Similar to a traditional remarketing funnel, the Evergreen is designed to move users through a predetermined buyer path. Careful consideration is given to how the user is thinking or feeling during each phase to entice click through and/or conversion.   So what makes it evergreen? There is a timeline to how long they remain within each phase before they are no longer “in the running”. In essence, it is able to run continuously without intervention.

Within each business, there is a specific duration of time when a prospect is no longer a prospect. For example, a SaaS company might know that from the research phase, a prospect will either become a customer or go with a competitor after maximum 90 days. In that case, the evergreen would be mapped towards a 90-day buyer journey.  

When to Go Evergreen

Evergreen campaigns are powerful, but without a high volume of users being fed into the top, it is not a fraction of the powerhouse it is capable of becoming.

You are not limited to Facebook alone for this feeder campaign, since evergreen campaigns can be integrated with other channels. Think about where your users are most active and design a top of funnel campaign that leverages the power of intrigue. Here are a few examples of powerful top of funnel platforms:

• Instagram Stories – this new kid on the block placement makes use of cheap and versatile video views for a low-cost, high brand awareness audience.
• SEO – consistently ranking for your target keyword? Leverage high volume organic keywords but ensure your remarketing funnel takes into consideration the intent behind them.
• Facebook In-Stream – catch your audience between cat videos with a quick and engaging short. Capitalize on their brand awareness with an equally engaging remarketing funnel.

Pro Tip: take into consideration the by-product of your top of funnel campaign. For example, Instagram Stories & Facebook In-Stream campaigns can accumulate two kinds of remarketing; video views and social currency (likes, shares, comments). Include these in your funnel to capture every single user. 

How to Design the Perfect Evergreen

There is an art to designing a remarketing funnel that churns out low-cost conversions. It comes from a deep understanding of the audience. Are they looking for something specific or does your solution solve a problem they aren’t aware they have? A social campaign can only be as successful as it’s content. Give careful consideration to how your content is positioned. It should speak to the exact thought process of your target consumer. Consider whether they are aware of the problem or the solution you provide. Never assume the consumer knows anything about what you’re selling.

Where are they most active and what is their consumption behaviour on that platform? To construct a powerful Evergreen funnel, a wide net must be cast in order to achieve any level of scale. Make your budget go that much further by identifying where the user spends most of their time to maintain high impression at a low cost. Which engagement points should be considered triggers for a subsequent step? This is not limited strictly to website activity. Time duration, content consumption, social engagements, micro to macro-conversions. Each critical phase in the journey should be accounted for within the funnel. Be careful not to build out too many – budget is a precious thing and should be used only when it makes an impact to the bottom line.

Map it Out

It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole with multi-engagement campaigns. The solution? Draw it out. Using a traditional process flow diagram, map out each phase in the funnel.

Pencil in the duration of time between each phase and identify exactly where to show users the door. We like to use a tool called Draw.io, which is free and fantastic. Best of all, it makes for a much more engaging discussion with clients. In the example below, each phase of the journey is crystal clear. They leave feeling informed and we leave feeling good about the high level of transparency.

Story’s Building Case Study

One of our OG clients, Story’s Building, has been seeing consistent results with their Evergreen since it was implemented one year ago. In this case, volume isn’t the name of the game. SEO is the driving force behind this campaign, leveraging organic website traffic as it populates.  The story practically tells itself for this magical venue (see what I did there?), walking users through the various unique elements the space offers. Each phase of the funnel is triggered by a duration of time, ensuring that the budget remains focused only on the users most likely to convert.   The best part about it? It has been on autopilot since day 1.

The Numbers

What are You Waiting For

There is no limit to the number of uses for this brilliant campaign strategy. As new placements and opportunities for remarketing become available, funnels can also leverage those multi-engagement points. The best kinds of marketers refuse to simply push messaging, they create a holistic experience they themselves would enjoy receiving.

Talk to Me

Want to build your first Evergreen campaign? I would love to help you map out a campaign to start scaling your business.