As small businesses account for 99.9% of firms across the United States, competition can be fierce in most industries and niches. Online advertising platforms may help any growing business gain an edge, but you need the right approach to maximize your reach.
How do you put together an effective paid ads strategy for a small business like yours? Below, our Orange County digital marketing experts share four tips to help you get off to a strong start.
Research the Customers You Want to Target
One of the most integral components of a solid paid ads strategy is studying your target audience. Here are five popular ways to do that:
- Customer interviews
- Competitive analysis
- Focus groups
- Audience insights
- Secondary/desk market research
These customer research methods can demand a lot of time, which may be frustrating when you want to hit the ground running. But comprehensive research will give you a strong foundation to build a powerful display ads strategy upon.
Go Beyond Google Ads
Google Ads should be part of your paid ads strategy, but what other online advertising platforms can improve your visibility?
Here are some of the most popular:
- Instagram Ads
- Facebook Ads
- YouTube
- Microsoft Advertising
- TikTok Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
Some of these platforms suit certain small businesses better, depending on the target audience and products or services.
TikTok, for example, is primarily used by adults aged 18 – 24, so it can be a valuable channel for teams targeting a younger demographic.
Facebook, on the other hand, has a majority user group of adults aged 25 – 34. This makes it a better option for reaching a slightly older audience who may have more disposable income.
When you know who you’re aiming for and where they are, generating more leads on social media will become easier.
Explore Contextual Advertising for On-Topic Marketing
Contextual ads can be a valuable addition to your small business’s paid ads strategy, and you can set them up in your Google Ads account. These ads appear based on the subject matter of the content being viewed, rather than user behavior and browsing history.
As a result, contextual ads are typically very relevant and appropriate to users’ current activity, which increases the likelihood of securing clicks.
Make the Most of Visual Ads
Your strategy should feature text-based paid ads, but don’t leave it at that — embrace a more visual approach too.
Display ads are hugely popular and can appear on countless sites and apps across the Google Display Network. These combine text and images to capture the user’s attention. Video ads on YouTube and other social platforms are a valuable addition to your advertising arsenal too.
Conclusion
Building the right paid advertising strategy for your small business will help you expand your reach and increase your visibility. But juggling campaign management and other critical tasks by yourself can be tough.
That’s where our Orange County digital marketing agency comes in. We’ll build a bespoke paid ads strategy for your business, catering to your unique goals and budget. Our team will use Google Ads and other proven advertising platforms to reach your ideal customer.
Ready to get started? Chat to our Orange County digital marketing pros today!
