Nowadays, using social media to market your business is pretty much a given. With all the social media users online, you have access to so many potential customers when you utilize Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.
Your company may have its own Facebook and Twitter accounts where you post about new product releases, answer questions, and do a giveaway from time to time. But what about actually advertising on social media?
It’s different than simply having a business social media account, which is why you should know what you’re getting into. If you aren’t already advertising with social media, odds are your competitors are. It’s time to try it out but before you do, here are three things you should know about advertising on social media.
#1: Know the Difference
There are many different types of advertisements to choose from on social media, so it’s important to know the difference and know what you’re getting. Odds are you’ve seen a sponsored post, but there are also ads!
For example, ads that can help connect browsers to your page or account. One isn’t necessarily better than the other; different types of advertisements serve different purposes. Knowing the differences between the type of advertisement you have is also crucial when the bill comes due. Whether you pay based on clicks or impression can make a huge difference in the end.
#2: Take Advantage
Social media sites have made it easy to advertise, but that doesn’t always mean it’s the best choice for you. As you begin advertising on social media, make sure you are taking advantage of your options and making your ads work for you as much as they can.
This is where ad targeting and customization come into play. These are great approaches to boost your business. When you target your ads correctly, you should make sure you’re reaching the correct audience who will actually click on your ads and make purchases.
Beyond that, you can customize your ads based on your current customer database. You’ll be able to directly advertise to these customers as well as very similar audiences which ultimately gives you the greatest chance at success.
#3: Do Your Research
You may have chosen the type of ad you want to use, and targeted it with precision, but before you decide your ad is ready for the web you need to do some research. If you haven’t done so already, it’s important to study your audience so you know just what their preferences are. You should know what kinds of colors they react best to, funny or sentimental posts, or whether they prefer thought-provoking to simple text.
Once your ad is online, it’s important to monitor your wins and losses. If you don’t know how your ads are performing, you won’t know how you can improve.
Lastly, if you aren’t familiar enough with advertising on social media to have great research, consider hiring a marking professional who knows the ins and outs of social media advertising.
