With so many digital advertising options in 2017, it is easy to choose the wrong platform, or not choose one at all. From Google to Facebook to Snapchat, you may be asking yourself — “Do I really need to be on every online advertising platform?” The answer will surprise you.
Your customers spend their free time on the internet with or without you.
Don’t worry about brand new platforms you think you should jump right on. There are plenty of mainstays around that you may not be taking advantage of. If you still aren’t sure where your business should be or which strategy you should take, let’s go through a quick rundown of the most popular platforms.
Pay Per Click
Google AdWords: If you want to be in front of someone who is looking for exactly what you offer, then AdWords is your best bet. Choose specific words or phrases that you want to show up for; only pay when someone clicks on your ad to visit your site.
Bing: Bing continues to gain market share year over year in the search engine marketing landscape. Customers will often find a lower cost per click, cost per lead, and overall cost per customer acquisition on the platform. Bing is also responsible for powering the results of voice searches, such as Amazon’s Echo & Siri.
Perfect for: Any business, honestly! But in particular, those in a service based industry — it’s the best strategy to make the phone ring and get that immediate spike in web traffic.
Paid Social
Instagram: One of the only true mobile-only apps, Instagram is used for sharing of photos and videos amongst its 700 million active monthly users. Thirty-two percent of all online adults report using Instagram, and users ages 18-49 make up 92 percent of the users. It is the best place to showcase your business visually, interact with customers, and be discovered through relevant tags.
Perfect for: Restaurants, lifestyle products or any brand able to provide thumb-stopping visuals. If your target demographic matches, you should be on here.
Facebook: With 1.94 BILLION monthly active users, Facebook has the attention of 79 percent of all internet users. People can interact with their friends — and your business. You want to keep your Facebook Page updated as often as possible. Users tend to associate an abandoned Facebook Page with an abandoned business.
Perfect for: Any business! In 2017, more people are inclined to visit your Facebook Page than your actual website.
Some businesses make the mistake of thinking they need to be on every platform.
You can easily stretch yourself thin, especially if you are doing this yourself. Attention to detail is key when running campaigns, and you want to be able to make adjustments as you go along. You should figure it out what it is you want to accomplish by being online, and choose your platforms based on those goals.
If you need help creating a strategy that reflects your current business goals, the experts at Ferocious Media are here to help. Visit our website to learn more about our search engine marketing and social media marketing services or give us a call to learn more about what platforms will be the most effective for your brand.
