For online marketers, developing a social media strategy is of prime importance. Gaining attention across the various social platforms has become increasingly difficult, though, with more businesses competing to develop an audience. While it was once relatively easy to build a social account and grow viewing figures organically, there is now more requirement to pay for ads. A poor ad campaign can lead to some quick losses, so every business owner must start with some best practices and gradually improve their campaigns. The following tips can be used to ensure any new social media ad campaign starts with the greatest potential for success.
Only Use Quality Images
Social media ads rely on quality images. If your images look like generic stock images, you will almost certainly see low engagement levels. Ideally, you would hire a professional photographer or graphic designer to create images for you. There is no problem using quality stock content, though, but ensure it is suitable, eye-catching, and relevant. Tools like Canva make it possible for marketers of all experience to size and edit images into professional quality.
Keep Copy Concise
Aim to keep your ad copy concise, limiting the amount of visible text. A typical ad will feature an enticing headline, a short paragraph of body text, and possibly some text within the image. Even if you have the option of adding a significant amount of text, such as on an Instagram post, most people will not read it. However, if you can encourage someone to click your ad, the subsequent sales page can feature more descriptive elements that go deeper into your offer.
Test Multiple Ads
Not all your ads will be successful, with some unexpected results along the way. It is important to test different ads, keeping a record of the types of images, headlines, and branding that works. Even if you are having some success, followers can quickly get bored of seeing the same ad, so look for subtle alterations that can bring a new element.
Use Remarketing
Remarketing might be the one addition that transforms your advertising results. Most site visitors won’t make an immediate purchase but will return after seeing multiple instances of your brand. Remarketing ensures your messages get through to those who have already shown an interest. Additionally, you can tailor the type of ad you show, understanding that the people viewing these ads have a familiarity with your brand.
Use Audience Targeting
While your business might have a core audience, it probably covers a relatively broad scope of ages, incomes, and preferences. Audience targeting ensures you provide the right type of ad to the most focused group of people. Using the same content for everyone won’t offer the best ROI, so it pays to spend the time learning to understand the type of groups you are trying to reach. A highly targeted ad delivered to the right people should lead to an improved conversion rate.
Don’t Limit the Platforms You Use
Most marketers will start advertising on Facebook, focusing on the largest user base and the most comprehensive ad platform. There are, however, plenty of other social sites you could be using. Sites like Twitter and Instagram are also popular, but consider whether you could find an audience on Medium, Reddit, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or one of the many alternatives. If you find a particular platform that fits your niche, you can often find that rates are lower than the larger alternatives.
Assess Your Results
After a campaign, whether it was successful or not, take the time to analyze the results. You should be able to uncover some trends that can you apply to future ad campaigns, as well as some mistakes that you can avoid. Additionally, look at your business from a wider perspective, checking to see how well your brand is expanding outside of the typical audience you were targeting.
Where once businesses struggled to find leads and customers from social media, it has now become one of the main pillars of a marketing strategy. However, you need to invest in paid ads to gain the maximum impact. Social media marketing is a competitive field, with businesses competing for a limited audience. Following many of these tips, though, you can set yourself up to gain the best results. You will need to test and tweak campaigns for maximum profitability continuously, but avoiding many of the common problems creates a foundation for success.
