One of the most effective ways to reach people and convert them into new customers is by advertising on various digital platforms. Choosing which digital platform is right for your business can depend on a variety of factors including the kinds of services you offer and where. Your target audiences’ demographics, interests, and location matter too – you need to advertise where potential clients like to hang out on the World Wide Web. Additionally, you also need to consider how much you want to spend on your digital ads before deciding which platform to advertise on. Read on for a quick breakdown of some of the most popular online ad platforms.
- Google Ads
Google ads are a great way to reach users when they are looking for services similar to those offered by your business. Google AdWords makes it really easy to set up your ads and launch them. Using Google Ads is works especially well for local businesses who want to target users in the areas they operate in. It’s important to remember, however, that certain keywords on Google AdWords can be extremely expensive to bid for and it can be a good idea to enlist the help of AdWords experts to find affordable keywords that show results.
Google Ads Campaigns Include:
- Search Ad Campaigns
- Display Campaigns
- YouTube Ads
- Shopping Campaigns
- Local Campaigns
- Facebook Ads
Facebook is still the largest social media platform in use today with users from all age groups and demographics. Facebook allows you to really micro-target audiences based on a whole bunch of data it gathers from their profiles. You can also retarget audiences that have shown interest in your ads but haven’t converted through conversion campaigns and a whole lot more.
Facebook offers multiple types of ads that include images and videos in a variety of placements including:
- Stories Ads
- Messenger Ads
- Carousel Ads
- Boosted Posts
- Lead Generation Ads
- Interactive Ads
- Instagram Ads
Since Facebook and Instagram are closely connected, you have the similar opportunities when it comes to targeting audiences on both platforms with the additional option of setting up advertisements in Instagram reels. In fact, you can use the same ads management platform to set up ads on both platforms. Instagram, however, is a better platform to reach millennial and younger audiences who love their photographs. Instagram is also a great way to reach audiences using influencers who believe in your brand. You can either reach out to influencers in your field directly or buy shout outs. Influencer marketing works best if your campaign looks completely natural and organic. The right digital marketing agency can help you reach out to influencers who will work best for your brand.
Pinterest is another highly visual social media platform that is great for targeting users with very specific interests. It works well especially if your brand is meant to inspire, and you sell tangible products and services. Many users use Pinterest for shopping, so if you have interesting products, Pinterest might just be the platform for you. In fact, the platform claims that you get two times higher returns on ad spends for retail brands when compared to other social media platforms.
Ads can be highly targeted based on user interests and can be placed in formats including:
- Standard Pinned Ads and Videos
- Carousel Pin Ads
- Idea Pin Ads
- TikTok
TikTok is a relatively new platform but definitely one that can’t be ignored. TikTok ads are a great way to reach younger audiences, especially Gen-Zers. As a new social media platform, there are a limited number of ad types but with more options being added, the platform holds enormous potential for the future. TikTok’s host of creative tools makes it really easy to create interesting and engaging ads – provided you have the right ideas, of course. TikTok is also a great platform for influencer marketing as long as it feels natural.
Different ad types on TikTok include:
- Image and Video Ads
- In-Feed Ads
- Hashtag Challenge Ads
As you can see, different social media platforms have varying levels of efficacy depending on your advertising goals and target audiences. While placing ads on social media platforms is fairly easy, making sure you are getting the results you need from them based on keywords and audience targeting takes time, research, and practice. It can make sense to hire social media advertising experts from an agency like Agency Media, so that you can concentrate on what’s important – running your business!
Get in touch with us to learn how we can help take your digital marketing strategy to a whole new level.