(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)
Whether you’re a business owner or a consumer, you’ve likely heard of digital advertising. Much like traditional advertising methods such as print, digital advertising brings a message to buyers in a strategic way.
Digital advertising content comes in many forms:
- Text — Content that includes a powerful call to action, engaging copy and extensions that allow viewers to click and navigate to more information.
- Video — Conveying feelings with video engages consumers on an emotional level. In fact, 90 percent of users say video assists them in making buying decisions.
- Image — Creates an image in the viewer’s mind of the product or service being advertised. Studies have shown content with imagery is viewed more often
- Audio — Audible advertisements are those you hear between podcasts, or in a pause in steaming songs on Spotify.
There are six main types of digital advertising to consider.
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) — These are the ads that appear in search engine results. Typically, in a text format, these ads are generally used to increase the visibility of your website.
- Display — These ads are seen within or alongside content on a website. Typically, in a text and/or image format, these can also be seen in apps or on devices.
- Social Media — These ads appear on social platforms. Depending on the platform requirements, these can be text, video, image or audio format.
- Streaming Media — These ads appear in streaming media and are solely internet delivered. Also in a video format, these are the ads you see while binging your favorite shows.
- Online Video — These ads appear in the same places as display ads with the advantage of also being able to appear before, during or after other video content. As stated in the name, these are in a video format.
While you may still utilize traditional advertising methods (print, direct mail, billboards), including digital ads in your marketing strategy is how you become a contender!
Here are some additional benefits to adding digital to your strategy.
Flexibility
Unlike traditional ads, digital format ads can be updated after initial publication. This flexibility allows you to make changes such as:
- Text/copy
- Update audience targeting
- Refine length and/or frequency
- Adjust overall spend and ad placement
Exactness and Precision
Digital ads are more precise in their targeting than traditional advertising methods. While you cannot control who sees a billboard along a highway, you have more control over viewers with digital ads.
Consider these targeting options:
- Interest/Behavioral — Segment viewers based on their browser activity. Use data on what sites they visited, links they clicked, or previously purchased products.
- Demographic — Reach viewers of a certain age, gender, race, even those who have a birthday coming up.
- Geographic — Perhaps your business supports a specific city or region, target your ads to viewers in that area only.
- Contextual — Ad placement in contextually relevant locations. For example, advertise your new kitchen gadget on a frequently visited recipe website.
- Search/Keyword — Utilizes the keywords being used in search to place your ads in front of viewers. For example, a user searching for “summer dress” would see an ad for your boutique women’s clothing store.
- Platform/Device — Where and how your ad is displayed. For example, the demographic for a specific social platform may be better suited for a younger age group.
- Site Retargeting — Ads are displayed to viewers who visited your website but did not complete a purchase.
- Predictive — This artificial intelligence-driven method uses web browsing data (also used in behavioral targeting) to identify buying patterns and predict future behaviors.
Lots of great info, right? But where do you start…
- Budget — What is a realistic spend for your business. While overall marketing budget varies based on your specific business,
- Targeting — Take a moment to consider your business’s typical and ideal customers. How and where are they searching for businesses like yours. What demographic do they fit?
- Ad Type — Social ads on Instagram, you’ll need images. Audio advertising through your favorite and relevant podcast, you’ll need audio
Digital advertising can be limitless when done properly. With the ability to ebb and flow with budget and results, the additional form of marketing is a great way to make any business a contender in their industry.
