We’ve discussed the importance of having an online presence for your business in the past, ranging from social media to your website. Additionally, advertising your business digitally is also essential in order to ensure you stay ahead of your competition. Digital advertising is effective in helping your business grow since it is an online, targeted, integrated method that can help to catch the attention of your next potential customers and may result in increased sales.
We’ve all seen ads from companies we make purchases from online, from visiting websites to even our results from a google search. We come across several ads every day, and your next potential customers can be coming across ads for your business as well. Digital advertising is now the new norm, and is the fastest growing marketing channel with no signs of slowing down. It ensures you get your message, promotion, or services in front of your audience
When you enter the world of marketing for your business, it can become a challenge. There are many different ways to advertise your business digitally, so which are the simplest and most effective methods for your business? We’ve asked our Marketing Director, Tanya Murphy, to share 5 popular channels for Digital Advertising.
From Tanya:
When it comes to digital advertising opportunities, there are so many ways to promote your business effectively. I am often asked what channels I recommend for advertising. I always recommend focusing on the website/email, Google My Business, a social media channel, and then choosing one paid option to test. The reason for this is simple, if you optimize your non-paid or low-cost channels like you website, email newsletter—you’ll get more bang for your buck with your paid advertising. This is because your website, how well you rank in search results on Google, and how potential customers interact with your business is dependent on those things. Below are the five areas to focus on for your digital advertising efforts:
1. Email
We’ve emphasized the importance of email marketing with your customers, and if you already have a customer email list, you’re a step ahead of the competition. Advertising through your email can be effective as you’re able to segment your email list based on lead status, location, and other factors. This allows you to send information of new upcoming services, promotions, and more to customers it will resonate to. Email keeps your business on top of their mind and they will be more likely to come back to purchase the service when they need it.
Promoting your business through and email provider like Constant Contact or SendGrid will allow you to evaluate the success of your campaigns such as taking a look at who opened the email and who didn’t, and you’ll be able to find out which content your customers respond to the most. With this information, you’re able to steer your efforts to include what information works best and will capture more leads. Also, advertising through your email can be cost-effective compared to other advertising strategies, making it an unmatched method to help grow your business.
2. Search Engine Advertising (SEM/PPC)
A frequently used method is through search engine marketing, and with the main search engine being used, Google. Google is the largest search engine and accounts for 90% of all online searches, including local businesses. It receives 3.5 billion searches per day, with nearly half specifically for local services. You want to ensure you use google for advertisements, especially since google offers Google Ads. The benefit of using Google Ads is it enables you to advertise your business, services, or promotions through google as your advertisements will be displayed in the user’s relevant search results. This method of advertising works by pay per click(PPC), meaning that you will only pay for each click made on your advertisement. You’re also able to select the maximum amount you’d like to spend each month so it doesn’t go over your budget spending.
In terms of setting up the advertisement, you are limited to the amount of words you can include in your ads. Be sure to only include words that are relevant to your business, and take into consideration what your next customer may be looking for in your area. You can use “local contractor” or “the best mosquito and tick services in Warwick, Rhode Island” as an example. Your ad will appear at the top of the list, and will lead to an increase in website visits, or even an increase in customer calls as you can include your phone number and a click-to-call button. Using Google Ads is one of the simplest and efficient advertising methods.
3. Social Media Advertising
74% of consumers use social media to make a purchase decision, and if your business already has an online social media presence, you’re one step ahead of the competition. While having an online presence is essential for your marketing strategy, it can also be beneficial for advertising. The popular social networks such as Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn allow you to create advertisements for your business right on their platforms, whether it be promoting messages and content, your services, or promotions. Advertising through your social media platforms can be relatively affordable and you can be highly selective with the audience you target in order to reach the right people at the right time.
For example, you’re able to use ad targeting options to narrow the audience so that only people living in your area are viewing your social ads. Being able to choose the group of people you’re trying to reach with promotional messages will help your business gain more opportunities. There are many social media platforms today, consider investing in social media advertising for your business with the following:
- Facebook: Facebook is the biggest social media advertising platform, and is great for its widespread adoption relatively low costs of their ads. It allows you to currently post ads using photo, video, carousel, and slideshows. As mentioned before, it also allows you to target a specific location, and even based of interests.
- Instagram: Instagram is owned by Facebook, so their ads have the same formats (photo, video, etc.) However, visuals are an important part of any advertisement on Instagram. If you’re promoting a service, or promotion, it’s vital to ensure your visuals are great to catch the attention of your audience on this platform. Advertisements on Instagram can also be targeted similarly to Facebook ads. You can also include clear call-to-action buttons to drive traffic to your website.
- LinkedIn: Although LinkedIn is considered to have advertisements focused more for business-to-business companies, it still allows you to sponsor your content. LinkedIn is different as it targets your ads based on industries, positions, seniority, and company size along with age and location. Perhaps your business focuses on providing services for a specific industry, this is your opportunity to target businesses in that industry. You can also use LinkedIn’s advertising to recruit for your business in your local area.
Keep in mind that advertising on social media is an investment for your business to grow online and help attract more potential customers. Also, prices on each platform vary depending on how you target your ads.
4. Geofencing
An impactful advertising strategy for mobile devices is through geofencing. With geofencing technology you’re able to create a virtual perimeter around real-life areas. This “fencing” aspect can be custom drawn so that it’s around the perimeter of a business or any location. It uses location-based services on mobile devices to track when someone enters or exits the perimeter you’ve set for your geofencing campaign. Once someone enters this virtual perimeter, their device will be receiving advertisements about your business. It’s an effective strategy as 70% of consumers think geofencing notifications can be valuable, and 53% are likely to engage with your advertisements.
With geofencing, you can get creative with setting the location for your customers to receive your ads. For example, you can set the location around high-end neighborhood or local consumer garden centers so that when potential customers are nearby, they’ll receive your promotions or information about your business. Being able to individually target consumers with engaging offers will grow your business and open up new opportunities. Geofencing is also a cost efficient way to advertise your business. So once your creative ads are prepared and you’ve determined which location you would like to target, you’re ready to go with geofencing and take your business to the next level of success.
5. Website Content (SEO)
We’ve discussed how posting blogs or content on your website and social media is essential for your marketing strategy and your chance to show your expertise in our industry. Posting this type of content allows you to share great industry tips, your services, information about the products you use, and more. Sharing this information then becomes a method of indirect advertising, as similarly to search engine advertisement, the relevant industry information you share can also be information your next potential customer will be looking for online. When they come across your information in their search results, they’ll then be directed to your site and can potentially result in a lead.
This is done with SEO, Search Engine Optimization, which will generate traffic from organic search results such as Google. Google will display your blogs, infographics, or whichever relevant content you post on your site and will display your information to what your next potential customer is looking for. In order to help your site generate more traffic, consider posting about topics or information your audience can find by using terms such as “pet-friendly” or “fast-acting”. Common words instead of technical industry terms will ensure your content gets exposure and will help advertise your business through organic search results.
Finally
Whether it’s online support, website audits, or design support, Central is the right partner for your business. Our highly experienced Marketing team has decades of experience to help you identify best-practices and implement initiatives that deliver results. We’re ready to help you grow!
About Tanya Murphy
Tanya Murphy has been with Central Turf & Irrigation Supply for nearly three years as its Director of Marketing. She is a marketing veteran with more than 15 years of experience in the field. She has worked across multiple industries including healthcare, media, and green building on both the business-to-business and business-to-consumer sides. Tanya’s diverse background has enabled her to work for fast growing companies both big and small—with the major focus toward strategic growth. Tanya is your resource for all things marketing related, feel free to reach out to her with any questions. She is ready to help you grow your business.