How to see ROI on social for in-store purchases

25 July 2017

We’re not sure why Facebook rolled out this feature last year without fanfare. Offline Events are a useful and insightful tracking addition to its advertising platform. Given that social media is often an instigator or a motivation for purchase, this tool helps plug the information gap as to what effect it really has.

This tool that allows you to evaluate how Facebook ads contribute to driving off-line conversions such as foot traffic, orders over the phone, in-store sales or even live event attendance.

Previously it was virtually impossible to track results accurately. The only reliable metrics available were on-line events that could be tracked with the Facebook’s conversion pixel. This ability to also track offline events attributed to Facebook advertising is a massive step forward, especially for businesses that primarily sell in-store.

How does it work? Facebook Offline Events syncs real data such as transaction data from your customer database or point-of-sale system with your Facebook Ads and the users who have seen them. Upload a file that has key information such as customer’s name, email, purchase, and date of purchase. Facebook then compares that data with the users who saw the specific Facebook ads, and gives you a more accurate conversion analysis.

The results are fairly accurate; however, it still relies on gathering accurate offline data – from the business. On top of this, Offline Events do not tell you if a person also saw other advertising activity such as TV, billboards etc. and therefore what percentage from these channels should be contributed to the final sale.

Offline Events is a step in the right direction and sheds some light on the ‘black hole of attribution’ previously faced by marketers and sales people alike. Offline Events give credit to Facebook Ads and provides Return on Investment data for the Ad spend, and validation towards contribution to sales.

To find out how to create an Offline Event, speak with Pitstop Marketing today, or click here to find out more.

What This Looks Like in Practice

For example, when working with Great Southern RV, the focus wasn’t simply creating more ads. The strategy centred on positioning their caravans and motorhomes around a clear lifestyle promise – the freedom to travel and explore Australia on your terms. That clarity shaped campaigns, show promotions and social content that resonated strongly with buyers already dreaming about the road.

With St Patrick’s Technical College, the challenge wasn’t marketing activity – it was perception. By repositioning the brand to highlight the strength of vocational pathways and industry partnerships, the messaging shifted from “alternative education” to a powerful career pathway, changing how the college is seen by parents and students.

And for Succoris Psychology, the work went beyond promotion. It involved clarifying how the brand speaks to both clients and clinicians across multiple clinics, creating a structure that supports long-term growth rather than just short-term marketing activity.

In each case, the goal wasn’t simply “more marketing”. It was better-aligned marketing built on clear strategy.

The Pitstop Approach

At Pitstop Marketing, we believe marketing should be a growth engine for the business, not just a collection of activities.

That’s why we focus first on understanding the commercial goals, the audience and the positioning — and then build marketing that supports those foundations.

If you want your marketing to stop feeling like guesswork, get in touch. We want to work with businesses who want to grow.