Strategy, Strategy, Strategy!

How often do we hear that term? It’s undoubtedly overused these days. Do a simple Google search for “marketing strategy” and you will find thousands of results with a wide range of advice. We all know there are plenty of strategies out there that could help your business shine bright in the spotlight; however, there is one principal that, no matter where you look, should ring true: your short-term marketing strategies (there’s that word again) are just as important as your long-term approaches (see what we did there?).

If you’ve got a great website with much to offer your customers, you want people to see it. Are we right? Short-term advertisement tactics can drive quick traffic to your site and gain the attention of your target audience. A tried-and-true method for expediting conversions is to employ Paid Advertising.

What is Paid Advertising?

You’ve seen them on search engine results pages, social media platforms and websites. You’ve probably even seen an ad on TikTok or Facebook for that fancy RFID wallet you were just talking to your buddy about yesterday.  

Paid Marketing or Paid Advertising does exactly that. It’s an advertising model that relies on the principle of advertisers paying when users click on ads. You set a budget and you pay only when a customer clicks on the ad you’ve displayed.

In terms of how the whole concept works, the explanation is simple: you buy the traffic you would’ve obtained through organic reach over a larger period of time. In the case of paid ads, the same traffic might be obtained in a few weeks.  

It doesn’t stop here, though. There are different types of paid digital advertisements, and they all have features that distinguish them. We’ll quickly go through them below:

Types of Paid Advertisements

1. Display Ads

More visual than any other type of ad, display ads can be spotted on Google partner websites. They usually include a bit of text and an image, also giving you the option to close them if not interested.

What is important to mention in the case of these ads: there are some image requirements set by Google that you need to respect in order to get your ad published. Display ads also allow you to target an audience that could be interested in what your business specifically offers. Thus, these ads will be visible on websites that are similar to yours.

2. Search Ads

Whenever you search for something on Google, the first thing you get is a list of results. This list usually includes the top results and… the top 3 search ads. They are easy to recognize as they appear at the top of the search results, and they’re also marked with the word “Ad”. Search Ads are only text-based and they rely on keywords. Make sure you use long-tail keywords for this type of ad, as it gives you better coverage.

3. Sponsored Ads

Sponsored ads are most common on social media platforms. You can choose to place ads on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube. On Facebook, these ads are easy to recognize and have the word “Sponsored’ near the name. On YouTube, the ads are usually displayed before watching a video.

Sometimes, they will also start playing in the middle of a video. Of course, the ads are usually displayed in a video format, and they can be skippable after a number of seconds, non-skippable, or displayed as a sidebar ad.

4. Google Shopping

Going back to Google; there are certain ads that appear whenever a user is searching for a product. As an example, if you’re searching for a pair of shoes and you type the brand name and the model, you’ll notice a list appearing. That list will contain Google Shopping Ads and they will be marked accordingly.

These ads showcase a collection of websites where you can find the products you’re looking for. They will also contain a picture of the product and the price. This allows the users to quickly skim through the offers and make a choice based on a quick comparison.

These are some of the most popular types of paid digital advertisements. There are also several forms of physical advertisements out there, but that’s another story.

Top 4 Reason Why Paid Ads Are Important

1. Fast Results

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are effective, but they have one more ace up their sleeve. They also provide fast results and give your business an important boost. In the digital marketing world, business visibility is a must. PPC ads drive traffic in a quick way. When people see something they’re interested in, they won’t hesitate to click and you, as a digital marketing guru, know what interests people.

2. Ad Flexibility

Social media platforms are all different. Some platforms are video-based, while others are image or text-based. What works as an ad on one might not work on the others.

Digital advertisements may not always be what your business needs, especially if you must follow a strict format, but PPC ads offer you the flexibility to create the ad you need, based on the platform you’ve chosen. Imagine having a text-based ad on YouTube, while the format is video-oriented. Weird, huh? Capturing the attention of your audience is crucial, so make sure that your digital advertisements are catchy and follow the proper formats.

3. Audience Targeting

Pay-per-click ads can help you transform a lead into a customer. Based on different elements, such as demographics, interests, keywords, or even locations, you can get an idea of the visitors who are interested in your business. Analyzing these elements can allow you to figure out what your digital marketing strategy needs and allow you to target potential customers.

4. Content Promotion

PPCs can be used to promote content as well, not just products or services. Content is a great way to engage your visitors and build trust. For example, if you have a blog on your website, you can use pay-per-click ads to promote your content, driving traffic to your site.

Conclusion

Paid advertising should be a part of any successful company’s short-term strategy (whoops, there we go again), as it can often result in long-term gains. You can find paid advertising on every platform across every device. As new social media apps, blogs, and websites pop up, it’s important to continue to adapt. This requires a regular review of your ads and where they are appearing.

The platforms you choose are also important, often relying on factors such as age, demographics, and interests. Do your market research and determine the ideal locations for your ads. It’s safe to say, ultimately, that paid advertising offers you the chance to dive into some new opportunities.