Business owners have to advertise if they want customers. The question for most owners is which venue is the best for advertising. The answer is a little of everything. Because people need to see your name and brand at least 14 times, you’d be smart to include print advertising into your mix. However, in the digital age, you should also include online advertising. This includes, pay for click, Google Adwords, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads and other options.
Here is a simple breakdown naming and explain four tried and true methods of advertising your company online.
Google Adwords
To be effective, pick a local area and a combination of keywords that are not too expensive. For example, if you use web design in your ad, the cost per click will be too high to make it worthwhile. If you choose all of United States, you might get a 1,000 clicks, but you might only get few to buy from you.
The ultimate goal with any advertising is to convince people that they have to have your product or service. You want them to know you, like you, and buy from you. Google also gives you the option of running ads only on Google’s own search network or on its partners. You get more bang for your buck when you choose the latter. The system is complex and expensive, but if you know the tricks, it give you a wide audience.
Facebook Ads
These prices are comparable to Google. However, you are able to create a target market that narrows your focus. The interface is easy to use and doesn’t take much time to complete. Facebook gives you the opportunity to create a demographic and geographical focus that Google doesn’t do.
For example, if you want to expand your customer base to a new city or county, you can specify that people in those areas see your ad. You also can check public profiles of people liking your page. You can determine if the person clicking is a legitimate customer or someone who likes everything.
The problem with Facebook is that is geared for leisure activities more than business. You want to be fun in your advertising. Don’t take life too seriously. Use extreme emotions in your images when you create ads here. It is effective for brand recognition.
LinkedIn Ads
If your target market is professionals and business owners, you should place your ad here. If you want to promote your fruit stand, cosmetic line or health product, you should stick with Facebook. LinkedIn does not make the ad experience a user-friendly time, though. It’s not as simple to use as Google or Facebook. LinkedIn admin teams takes longer to say yes to your ad, somewhere around 12 hours. Facebook and Google will get back to you in two.
Once you get past the learning curve of how to use it, the process is easy to create and move forward. LinkedIn offers two bidding modes – Cost Per Click mode and the impressions mode (per 1,000). The cost per impression might end up burning your budget. The other might not get you any clicks. LinkedIn might not give your ad the best placement. To use this wisely, you have to know it well.
Other Media
When thinking of online advertising, most companies forget old-school ads. In the old days, people would run ads in the local newspaper. What people forget is that most newspapers, radio stations, and television stations are online now. The advertising you buy goes to the newspaper and to their online site. These ads are searchable and get you in front of the fans of the paper, show, etc., but they also reach many more people in your local area. So for the cost of one ad, you are getting three or four media.
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