With organic reach and frequent changes in algorithms, paid advertising on social platforms has become one of the most consistent ways to reach your target audience and grow your business.
So what are the different types of social media advertising, and how can they benefit your business?
Social Media
Social media platforms have become popular spaces for businesses to advertise products and services. With 77% of US Americans engaging in social media in 2018 (that’s 2.64 billion people!), ads on social media reach a lot of eyes.
Different platforms have different audiences, which is why it is extremely important to tailor advertising on social media. Data from the Pew Research Center shows just how diverse each platform is in regards to popularity:
- 68% of adults use Facebook, and it tends to be popular with older adults. Contrary to what people may believe, Facebook is still the top social media platform used today.
- Instagram is popular with younger generation and is used by 35% of adults.
- LinkedIn is a professional networking site and is great for B2B lead generation. While it is used by 25% of adults, 50% of adults with a college degree use the platform compared to only 9% with a high school diploma or less.
Be sure to advertise on the social media platforms that are appropriate for your defined audience.
Types Of Social Media Ads
Facebook ads come in a variety of forms. The platform offers paid advertising through traditional photo ads, videos (the shorter the better), and slideshow videos. It also has carousel ads, which incorporates several photos into one post, each with different links, that can be clicked through.
There are also ads that show up on Facebook’s Messenger app, as well as collections ads which are shown on a user’s feed just like a normal post from someone they follow would be displayed.
One thing to note with Facebook Advertising are certain changes that the platform has undergone in the call for transparency. These changes may have affected the way your Facebook ads are seen.
Read more about How To Get Started With Facebook Advertising.
Instagram ads can take the form of photos, videos, or carousel posts that include photos and videos that a viewer can swipe through. Instagram Stories ads are becoming increasingly popular, as is a feature that allows businesses to add links directly to photo and video posts.
Another popular addition is the swipe up feature in Stories that allows verified Instagram accounts or those with over 10,000 followers to add a link to an Instagram Story that viewers can swipe up to follow.
For more information, read about The Ins And Outs Of Instagram Advertising.
LinkedIn ads are fairly straightforward. Sponsored content shows up on a user’s main feed, while Sponsored InMail ads are direct messages that are sent to users, but only when they are active on the platform. Text ads are displayed on the top right side of users’ feed in desktop view only.
Twitter Promote uses an algorithm that automatically promotes your first 10 daily organic tweets to an audience you specify and promotes your account. To create Twitter Ad Campaigns, you can select existing organic Tweets to promote, or create Tweets specifically as ads.
An important note: Twitter is a fast-paced platform that is quick and constantly changing. Before getting involved with Twitter ads, make sure you can keep up with the fast-paced nature of the platform. Keeping updated can take up time, so make sure you can allocate resources to stay up-to-date with Twitter’s trending topics.
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It is necessary to stay engaged on platforms you advertise with. Social Media Advertising is not just a set-it and forget-it option for your social media marketing strategy; remaining engaged on those platforms shows that you care about your audience and builds trust with your followers.
Post, comment, and show you’re committed to connecting with your customers and not just advertising to them. It’s an investment that can be worth it if it’s done well.
Thanks for reading,
Christine
