The Social Media Marketer

5 Ways to Make Social Advertising Work for You

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Social media is here to stay, and that means more interactive advertising and fewer traditional, passive advertisements.  While the splashy print ad and catchy jingle will always have a place in advertising, the growth of social media has led to a new advertising platform that needs to do more than just “push” information to the consumer. 

Almost everyone has a set of best practices for social advertising, but to properly harness the power of social media, your company needs to strategically plan how to make it work for you.  Here are five ways to make sure your social advertising efforts are not in vain:

1.   Choose the right platforms.  It’s easy to just blast your message across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, but part of strategy is choosing the right platform, much like traditional advertising.  A specialty ham radio components reseller would never advertise in Cosmopolitan, simply because its ideal customers aren’t reading that magazine.  So where are your ideal customers?  If you want to reach business decision-makers, LinkedIn may be your best bet, with a 4.4 million reach.  On the other hand, if your ideal customer profile includes those outside the U.S., 75 percent of Facebook’s users are outside the U.S.

2.    Mix the medium.  There are no hard-and-fast rules for social advertising campaigns, but using a mix of online and offline advertisements can help boost the campaign’s ROI.  For example, you may want to incorporate QR codes that lead users to your brand’s Facebook page.  No matter what you choose, make sure the social media campaign is an organic extension of your brand, keeping your message consistent online and offline.

3.    Incorporate video.  Video isn’t just for skateboard stunts and frolicking cats.  A well-executed social advertising campaign incorporates video to highlight your company’s products and services.  Think beyond standard commercial messages and look for ways to have customers interact. For example, Cheer, the laundry detergent, introduced an interactive music video where users could click on outlined products and receive prizes, including samples of the detergent.

4.    Have a plan.  Don’t jump onto social media without a plan.  Haphazardly placing a Facebook or Twitter logo on your existing ads is not a plan; having a call to action is.  Do you want people to follow your Twitter feed? If so, give them a reason to do it: “Follow us on Twitter for exclusive offers!”  Create a special application for your Facebook page and have a call to action there: “Like us on Facebook and customize your own avatar!”  Think of ways to engage your customers and bring them online with something that benefits them.

5.    Have a budget.  Social advertising isn’t free.  Setting up a Facebook account, Twitter feed or YouTube channel doesn’t cost anything, but to properly utilize social media for advertising, you will need to spend money for programming and content population.  A video shot with someone’s cell phone will not reflect well on your brand; a professionally-shot and edited video provides the right kind of image that will not only be viewed but may even go viral.

When you’re ready, move into social advertising as a way to extend your brand, engage your customers, and increase your sales.  But always remember that, as with other forms of advertising, you need to carefully plan and execute your campaigns to achieve the best results.