Small businesses usually assume that paid advertising is something that should be considered much further into the future, perhaps due to a desire to save money or time. However, this is not the case. Even investing a little bit of money into paid advertising can help massively in growing your outreach, brand awareness, and customer base.
Paid advertising is a way to increase your customer outreach
It is known that many individuals do some online research before committing to buying something and the majority of them do this research on a search engine (Google, Yahoo, Bing). An easy way to use this to your advantage would be to advertise on the search engine itself. Digital marketing is the way forward. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads such as the ones placed under Google’s search bar and above the search results are an easy way to put your small business out there and present your business as what the consumer has been looking for. Google is a good place to start when thinking of PPC advertising however it is useful to think about other platforms that will gain you more customers. For example, if your consumers are big Instagram users it may be worth advertising on Instagram or other social media platforms. It may even be worth asking your customers if they use any of these platforms before committing to any ads!
Increased credibility
A way to boost your company’s credibility would be to invest time and money into digital marketing and advertising as in the eyes of the consumers it makes your company seem more credible and trustworthy. This is due to the fact that when individuals see an advertisement, they are quick to make judge this company as having money, therefore, assuming that the company does well for itself and has many other customers. This is an easy and quick way to make your business to perhaps look more prestigious than it is in the eyes of consumers.
Ads are specifically targeted
Large social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook as well as search engines like Google have gained a lot of insight into their users over the years and in turn, have access to tons of data. This data is extremely useful for your business as it would allow these platforms to show your ad to the correct people of the right demographic. As you would be paying for the ads, they make sure that individuals actually click on them. They will use characteristics such as age and location to target prospective buyers and direct them back to your website or desired landing page.
Data analytics
Platforms like Facebook and Google have analytic tools to let you measure and see how successful your ads have been. Facebook uses Ads Manager to let you see the results of your individual campaigns and Google’s AdWords does similarly. You are able to see demographic data on your ads as well as the type of people who have been engaging with them. This enables you to target your future ads more accurately. Paid advertising allows you to make more insightful decisions in regards to your ads.
