“Why” you do anything in marketing should be a very calculated decision, especially when it comes to digital advertising. Deciding on the type of marketing strategies to run requires an assessment of your existing online presence, the preferences of your target audience, and a clear understanding of your business goals. While this approach is essential when planning any digital marketing strategy (blogging, social media, SEO, etc…), we’re going to focus on the PPC (pay-per-click) side of things and why you should include paid ads in your digital marketing landscape.
How’s My Online Presence?
Your online presence includes everything from your website to your social media page, to your reviews and star rating on Google. Whether you excel in building your brand’s digital image, or need help boosting it, paid advertising is a flexible option to maximize your online dominance and give your brand a jumpstart in the market.
Depending on how you need to build your online presence, PPC ads can:
- Direct new (and remarketed) visitors to your website
- Increase the number of followers on your social pages
- Show your organic social posts to more people
- Promote assets like your Google Business profile to build visibility in your local market
Where Do I Find My Target Audience?
I’ll give you a hint… your target audience is EVERYWHERE online. They might appear in some places more than others, but where there’s a paid advertising spot, there’s a way!
PPC is among the top digital marketing strategies that helps you locate your target audience and deliver a relevant message to them. The trick here is to first know who your target is and then identify their preferred hiding spot. Do they like Facebook over LinkedIn? Are they frequent flyers in Google’s search engine? Or are they among the advocates that use Bing’s search engine? Whatever the case, PPC gives you options for delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time!
Does PPC Complement My Business Goals?
The short answer – yes, PPC does!
Any digital marketing strategy helps your business goals of overall growth. They all play their part in nurturing your target audience through the buying process or AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action). Anyone looking to start a new partnership with a business will venture through this journey before they reach out and the deal is closed. Successfully taking prospects through this journey requires their engagement with your various digital assets (ie. your website, blog, social post, ad, etc..) that ultimately builds trust to drive action.
While each digital asset contributes its own unique value in this user journey, PPC ads can easily function within any stage:
- Introduce your brand to new prospects and make them aware of your offerings
- Spark interest from your prospects to entice them to learn more about you
- Create a desire to keep you top of mind for when they are ready to buy
- Drive action at the moment they are in need of your help
Now, remember – not all PPC ads are created equal. A “brand awareness” ad is more likely to generate high-volume awareness rather than a user action; an “action” ad might have fewer views, but it is likely to drive more high-value engagement. To learn more about figuring out which ad is right for you, connect with our Paid Media team at [email protected].
