Top Mistakes Indian Businesses Make With Facebook Advertising
Facebook is still one of India’s most powerful platforms for digital marketing. With over 400 million active users across cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi — it remains a go-to for B2C and local service brands.
But many small to mid-sized businesses still treat Facebook Ads like a “boost button” — and as a result, they waste budget, get poor engagement, and assume the platform doesn’t work.
If you’re running Facebook Ads in India in 2025, here’s what you should avoid — and what to do instead.
❌ Mistake #1: Using Boost Post Instead of Ads Manager
The infamous Boost Post button is quick and tempting — but it limits your targeting and optimization options.
Boosting simply promotes your post to a broad audience for engagement, not conversions.
✅ Instead:
Use Meta Ads Manager to run structured campaigns with:
- Custom audiences
- Conversion tracking
- Placement control
- A/B testing
❌ Mistake #2: No Clear Campaign Objective
Many businesses don’t set a goal before running ads. Are you trying to:
- Get leads?
- Increase store visits?
- Drive ecommerce sales?
- Get video views?
Without a clear objective, your ad delivery will be unfocused.
✅ Instead:
Pick from Facebook’s objective categories:
- Leads
- Messages
- Website traffic
- Conversions
- Catalog sales
And ensure your creative and landing page match the goal.
❌ Mistake #3: Targeting Everyone in India
We often see businesses targeting:
Location: India Age: 28–65+
That’s the fastest way to burn money.
✅ Instead: Use layered targeting like:
- City or region-specific (e.g., Chennai, Coimbatore)
- Language + interest combo
- Retargeting warm audiences via pixel or engagement
❌ Mistake #4: Poor Creatives with No Call-to-Action
An image with text and a logo isn’t enough.
In India’s scroll-heavy market, your ad needs to stop thumbs.
✅ Use:
- Video ads or motion graphics
- Reels format for mobile-first delivery
- Clear CTAs like “Book Now,” “Call Us,” or “WhatsApp Now”
❌ Mistake #5: Sending Traffic to Homepage or Irrelevant Pages
If your ad says “Get a free quote for AC repair in Chennai,” don’t send them to your generic homepage.
✅ Instead:
- Create a landing page that matches your ad’s offer
- Include your phone number and CTA above the fold
- Use lead forms for quicker conversion
❌ Mistake #6: No Retargeting Strategy
Most users won’t convert the first time they see your ad.
Yet many Indian businesses don’t:
- Set up pixel retargeting
- Follow up on ad viewers or video watchers
- Run multi-step campaigns
✅ Instead: Use Facebook Pixel + Custom Audiences to retarget:
- Website visitors
- People who watched 50%+ of your video
- People who clicked on your last ad but didn’t convert
❌ Mistake #7: Ignoring WhatsApp Integration
In India, WhatsApp is where deals happen. Yet many ignore the power of Click-to-WhatsApp ads.
✅ Use message ads that:
- Go directly to WhatsApp
- Pre-fill messages like “Hi, I’m interested in your offer”
- Enable fast follow-up
✅ Bonus Tip: Use Regional Language + English
Targeting Tamil-speaking Chennai? Use bilingual ads. Same for Hindi + English in North India.
It adds relatability and increases click-through rate.
🎯 Results Indian Businesses Have Achieved with the Right Strategy
- A real estate builder in Chennai reduced CPL by 40% using lead form ads and Tamil headlines
- A coaching center in Pune got 300+ inquiries in a month by retargeting video viewers with WhatsApp ads
- An ecommerce sari brand doubled their return on ad spend using dynamic creatives and catalog ads
📞 Want Help Running Facebook Ads that Actually Convert?
If you’re unsure where to start — or you’re tired of wasting money on low-performing Facebook campaigns — we can help.
You can reach us for free audit advice or quick suggestions using the buttons below:
Published by Zinzo Digital – Helping Chennai Businesses Go Digital Since 2017