It might seem obvious that social media is an increasingly important element of creating an online presence. It might also seem obvious from hours of scrolling through them what the tried and tested method is to most social media advertisements. So much so, that when you are starting out with social media you might know roughly where to start and how to start speaking everyone else’s language.
But, while it’s easy to fit in, it can be difficult to stand out. This means when your potential customers are scrolling through social media, they won’t see you, they’ll just see another ad.
So how do you make the most of social media advertising?
It’s important to understand what makes social media advertising so appealing and effective in the first place. Social media is one the largest and cheapest ways for advertisers to reach potential customers, with over 3.6 billion users worldwide and an average cost of only £3.12 per thousand impressions.
But the influx of companies investing in social media advertising has led to nearly 3 out of 4 users thinking there are too many ads across the platforms. So how do you make the most of your own social media presence?
Know Who’s Who
Social media isn’t a monolith, and neither are the people looking at your adverts. It’s important to know who you’re target audience is and where they are. An advert on Facebook will be put in front of different people than one on Twitter or Instagram, and putting yourself on the wrong platform is just as bad as not putting yourself on any. Make sure to research the demographics of different platforms and find out what advertising options are available to you so you know where you are going and why.
That being said, don’t limit yourself to only focusing on the major social media platforms we all know. There are dozens of smaller emerging platforms with their own niche userbase who might be the perfect fit for your campaign. If you can be the first company these growing audiences get accustomed to, you’ll be the first they think of when they need the product or service you offer, so don’t be afraid to dip into unchartered territory.
Engage Your Audience
Easier said than done, but an advert that your customers only see while scrolling past will have less staying power in their minds than one that actively invites them in to engage. Campaigns that let your audience play a part in the experience by creating and sharing their own content with you will both make them more aware of your company but also boost your online rankings and expand your reach.
A good way to do this is to keep up-to-date with current trends and take advantage of them in creative ways. Know what’s going on around you, and don’t be afraid to take risks to find a way to engage with it in a unique way that creates an impression on your audience and keeps them engaged with your brand.
Keep it Focused
The benefit of social media campaigns is that it allows you to get in front of as many eyes as possible, but spreading yourself thin over a dozen platforms with no cohesive direction for your campaign will fail to engage your audience. As tempting as it is to try and make a wide presence over as many platforms as possible, it’s more beneficial to keep your campaigns focused on even one platform, rather than disjointed over several.
You should be able to justify why you are putting an advert on any platform, and if you can’t it probably means it doesn’t belong there. Make sure you know what your campaign is trying to say, and who it is trying to say it to, and then work on sharing it where you know is most effective. Don’t fall for the trap of trying to move it onto platforms it doesn’t belong.
Creating a successful social media campaign requires a lot of know-how and research. At Verto, we’re committed to nothing short of excellence when it comes to developing your digital presence. If you are interested in growing your social media presence, get in touch today!
