Paid Social: Three Basics for Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck

Advertising through social media platforms can get a little tricky. Unlike paid search, there is no sure-fire way to guarantee how many clicks or impressions you will receive. So, it is important that you are conscious of every penny that goes into your paid social budget. Utilizing the three tips below will help you do exactly that.

1. Pick platforms carefully. There’s an old saying that goes, “What works for one doesn’t work for all.” Well, this saying definitely rings true for paid social ads. When it comes to choosing platforms for running your social ads, be sure to take into account the type of product or service you offer and the types of customers you serve. Do you have a cookbook or workout regimen? Facebook or Pinterest may work well for you. Maybe you have a cool new technology and you’re targeting businesses. LinkedIn or Twitter may be a better fit. No matter the platform, be sure to do your research on your audience and where they spend their time to ensure that you are not just throwing advertising dollars out the window. Getting quality leads starts with picking the right social platforms.

2. Target the right people. In addition to getting to advertising on the right platform, it’s also important to target the right people. You could have the right platform, but the wrong people. So, you might find that your social ads are generating leads, but not the right leads. It is important that you do your research so that you are targeting the right people for high quality leads. Ask yourself, where are your target customers geographically? What are their demographics? What are their interests? What type of content are they most likely to respond to? These are the types of questions that you should research to ensure that you are targeting the right audience and getting a return on your investment. If you have already created them, your marketing personas can come in handy here.

3. Be engaging. Engaging content is an essential part of getting quality customers to click your paid social ads. In the above tip, I suggested that you find out what kind of content your target customers engage with the most. Now, create that content! It could be a creative photo, a video, the verbiage or the offer itself. And be sure to include a call to action that turns clicks into business – whether that’s getting people to sign up for your newsletter, download an eBook, register for a webinar or check out new products on your website.

Happy Marketing!