Month: May 2022

Written by Allison Herrera

Edited by Brittany Prats

Digital advertising is constantly growing & evolving into a variety of forms. You probably already read our blog about the seven benefits of digital advertising; but, how does one choose which type of digital advertising channel to hone in on? Social media ads are the perfect opportunity for highly targeted & engaging visual ads. But, paid search advertising offers advertisers an opportunity in grabbing online users’ attention who are actively searching for relevant terms. But, what if you’re focusing on increasing brand awareness? Perhaps native advertising or display advertising is the option for you.

When it comes to digital advertising, it’s up to you, when strategically picking your poison. There are many different types of digital advertising channels you can utilize in reaching your audience, & each channel can yield effectiveness based on what outlet(s) you choose, your goals, the nature of your business, & how you utilize each feature towards the nature of your business. Let’s talk about the nine types of digital advertising below!

Native Advertising

• Native advertising is often called the “anti-ad”, because it integrates with the content or the platform where it is published without interrupting the navigation.
• The purpose is creating useful & engaging content for your target audience that doesn’t feel like an advertisement.
• Native advertising focuses on a positive & seamless user experience, because the ad’s design matches the function, feel & look of the media platform it appears on.
• This in turn build customer trust, as advertisements appear genuine & authentic, rather than spam or a nuisance.

Email Marketing

• Email marketing creates quality databases & offers opportunities for a segmented audience.
• Strong email campaigns use content that entices users to “click to download”, which can vary from ebooks to checklists. This creates a database or interested leads, as it requires users to add in their information (name, email, etc.). As your database grows, you can separate your list of users into specialized groups based on each user’s specific behavior & interests. Then, you can deliver relevant email campaigns their way.

Social Media & Social Media Advertisements

• Back in 2019, internet users spent an average of two hours and 22 minutes per day on social media, which means social media provides a huge opportunity for marketing your business.
• Social media & social media advertising is a great strategy in reaching a specific & engaging audience at a low cost.
• Let’s break this category into two aspects – social media (organic marketing) & social media advertisements (paid digital advertising).
• Social media is organic marketing, in the sense that it’s free to have a page on a social media platform, although you would only grow with a professional’s guidance or management.
• Although organic marketing efforts are free, you can implement paid digital advertising through social media advertisements for an extra push in attracting online users.
• Think of social media as your vehicle & social media advertisements as the gas that keeps your wheels rolling.
• When you feel as if your business is rolling, but you want to attract a new demographic, paid advertising can assist & is an affordable strategy.
• Social media advertisements increase brand awareness, sales, & revenue through segmenting your target audience.
• Social media ads depend on millions of users and they allow you to segment to arrive to your target audience.
• Each social media platform has different features & options, which help segment your target audience.
• Of course “everyone” is on Facebook, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily the best platform in reaching your target audience.
• The platform you decide in ultimately placing your ads on depends on a number of factors, such as your audience’s online habits & where your target audience typically spends most of their time. Here are a few of our favorite social media platforms:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat

 

• From there, you focus on ad formats, which takes into account messaging, budget, & the platform itself.
• Social media ads also have more than one goal in mind. From building brand awareness to increasing sales, a professional marketer can help properly craft a clear goal based on strategy backed up by research.

 

Display Advertising

• When most people think of online advertising, display ads are what typically comes to people’s minds in terms of traditional digital marketing.
• Display advertising is a published visual element that is found on a designated area of a website, blog, social media platform, etc. Great examples of display advertising are banner ads, promotional images, & pop-ups on websites.
• These ads are often placed on websites with relevant subject matter, in hopes of targeting a similar audience.
• Display advertisements generally have a lower CTR than search ads, since the placement is not always relevant to users & disrupts a user’s website experience – appearing intrusive or annoying, from a psychological standpoint.
• This sometimes yields into low engagement rates, & internet users sometimes ignore display ads.
• The CTRs & engagement rates of display ads are also affected by the growth of ad blockers, but there is a great potential in re-marketing options when it comes to this type of advertisement.
• Display advertisements also build brand awareness in a highly targeted environment.

Remarketing/Retargeting

• Remarketing displays personalized ad online based toward a user’s online behavior or users who have previously interacted with your website, brand, or similar websites & brands.
• Remarketing ads are always appropriate & relevant to users’ latest interactions through using information about users collected through cookies.
• This type of advertising is a key driver of ROI for e-commerce business (& so much more), because it focuses on engaging with users who interacted with your brand in the past & demonstrated interest in your products/services. This strategy shows a higher conversion rate rather than targeting customers who have never heard of your brand or company before.
• Remarketing reignites a consumer’s interest & encourages him/her to return & finalize a purchase. Either way, the goal is remaining top-of-mind with users & increasing the likelihood of a sale

SEM (aka “paid search advertising”)

 

• Paid search advertising are the ads that you see at the top of any search engine’s results page – such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo. It blends in as a search engine result, but says “Ad” next to the URL.
• Paid search advertisements have a high CTR & drive more conversions than display advertising, because they seamlessly blend in as a search engine result, although they say “Ad” next to the URL.
• Users are also highly likely to read & engage paid search advertisements because not only do they sit at the top page of search results, but you’ll capture your target audience when their attention matters the most – when they’re actively searching for a product or service you can offer them.
• SEM quickly & easily responds to the needs of users based on keywords & phrases in what they are typing in the search engine.
• Like social media ads, you can also target customers through SEM according to age, location, & interests
• Google Ads also offer the option of designing search engine ad campaigns combined with with retargeting lists, which boosts the effectiveness of paid search advertising campaigns.

Mobile Advertisements

• Mobile advertising is focused on the appearance of ads on mobile devices, such as a smartphone or tablet.
• This type of advertising includes promotion texts sent via SMS, banner ads on mobile-enabled sites, and ads that pop up within mobile apps.
• As more & more online users spend most of their time on their mobile devices, digital campaigns should definitely also focus on mobile.
• According to Google, searches are significantly higher on mobile instead of desktops. As a result, Google does not index a page if it doesn’t have a mobile website.

Video Advertisements

• Video is the king of content. Due to its effectiveness, video ads receive a better CTR than traditional advertising.
• Video platforms, such as YouTube & TikTok, continue growing in popularity, as smartphone users spend a majority of their time engaging with video content online.
• Videos also provide an authentic connection for consumers, which expands reach, promotes engagement, makes boosting campaigns easier, & drives clicks/sales.
• Hearing & seeing someone in real life generates a genuine feeling from the screen to the target audience.

Audio Advertising

• Audio advertising targets audio streaming service listeners.
• This type of advertising involves recorded messages that are placed between songs on podcast episodes, unless users are paying a subscription fee on streaming devices.
• Audio advertising is a great opportunity for brands to reach a large audience, & can be strategically placed based on users’ interests. For example, a podcast focused on dogs is the perfect opportunity for a dog groomer to advertise himself/herself.
• With professional marketing, advertisers can also create memorable, high-impact messages for listeners, while ensuring audio ads yield a target audience.

Now that you’ve read about the nine main types of digital advertising channels, what’s holding you back? You’ll want a professional on your side when navigating this ever-changing digital world. Contact one of our team specialists today – we can help you find the perfect channel that’s right for your brand, while providing an effective & efficient digital advertising strategy.

 

 

Written by Allison Herrera

Edited by Brittany Prats

We already told you how digital ad revenue is increasing, but let’s chat about why you should invest in this branch of marketing. Digital advertising occurs when marketers or business owners promote their brand on the internet (website, email, social media, etc.). In order for consumers to see a brand’s advertising efforts, they must be actively using the internet in some form.

Digital advertising is effective for several reasons. This type of marketing provides rapid results when consistently practiced & strategized by professionals. We broke down seven reasons digital advertising is beneficial.

Cost Effective

• Organic marketing efforts are any advertising instrument that you don’t have to pay for. This can include your website, social media pages, blog, email marketing, or search engine marketing (SEM).
• Although organic marketing efforts are free, you can implement paid digital advertising within those outlets for an extra push in attracting online users…& you are completely in the front seat when it comes to pricing!
• Think of organic marketing as your vehicle & paid digital advertising as the gas that keeps your wheels rolling.
• When you feel as if your business is rolling, but you want to attract a new demographic, paid advertising can assist & is an affordable strategy.

 

Provides Client Data

• Online ads can give you access into customer demographics & behaviors. By experimenting with messaging & adjusting campaigns, you can gain insights on customers’ demographics, which help companies understand exactly: who are their customers, what are their customers’ interests, when are their customers active online, where are their customers located, etc.
• Through digital outlets, companies can easily gather data from testing messaging, then analyzing it in terms of what best resonates with their audience.
• From there, marketers can implement those hard numbers obtained (which are more beneficial than simply guessing), & optimize campaigns for maximum results without before even touching the dollar amount they are investing in digital advertising.
• Remember, data doesn’t lie 😉

 

Measurable

• We talked about how digital advertising provides data on online users, but it also allows you to accurately measure the results of your campaigns in terms of how they are performing. This includes an increase in website visits or evaluate how the cost per click (CPC) of your social media ads changes over time.
• The beauty of digital advertising is that it allows gives marketers the luxury of running an ad for 30 minutes & immediately knowing details (no matter how big or small) – how much money was spent, how much the business gained from the ad, how much web traffic the ad yielded, & so much more!
• Much digital advertising’s allure is really is its ability to deliver hard data that can be used in future campaigns.
• Also, if you implement lead capture, you can measure your conversion rates to help estimate your return on investment with digital ads.

Targeted

• Online ads are highly targeted. Through client data & campaign measurements, digital marketing allows marketers to easily target campaigns to the right customers.
• For example, social media platforms allow marketers to define a specific audience from platforms’ users. This grouping is achieved by targeting different attributes, such as gender, age, hobbies, interests, & even occupations.
• So, you would take all of the numbers obtained from clients & past campaigns, then use it in moving forward with future digital ads through targeting the correct audience.

Optimized

• With digital marketing, you can optimize your campaigns by easily evolving them, whether it’s switching up copywriting or swapping out a picture…the options are endless!
• Although results take time when first beginning, you can instantly adjust any campaigns online through a few simple clicks.
• For example, if you notice that your audience isn’t highly responsive to an ad, you can change the images and messaging quickly & with ease, until you see the results you’re looking for.

Accessable

• The internet doesn’t sleep & can be accessed anywhere at any time, especially with online usage running higher on phones, instead of desktops.
• There are 7.83 billion people in the world (Worldometer), & 4.66 billion of them are active Internet users. (Statista).
• That means you have a pretty good chance of reaching an audience online, where the average Internet user spends 6 hours & 43 minutes online every day. (We Are Social Global Digital Report 2020).

Builds Your Credentials

• Having an established & creative digital presence can set your business apart from competitors. This sets the tone that your brand is modern & can “keep up with the times”.
• Digital advertising increases brand awareness, who may otherwise never frequented your business or perhaps missed your traditional advertising efforts.
• Digital advertising also opens the door for communicating with potential clients & encourages customers to engage with your brand.
• Businesses typically use digital advertising in supporting promotions or spreading important messages, which effectively captures new customers & efficiently informs current clients or any news.
• Through digital advertising, you can guarantee that your business is on users’ radars, especially when first launching a brand or busines

Of course these are the benefits of running digitals marketing advertisements, but it is important you work with a professional in order to obtain effective & efficient results. Shoot us a call or email today – we would love assisting you on this marketing journey. Let’s optimize your digital advertising campaigns together!

Written by Allison Herrera & Brittany Prats

A whopping 500 million people go on Instagram daily. I don’t know about y’all, but that sounds to me like 500 million potential new customers. That is…if you have a cohesive Instagram feed.

A whopping 500 million people go on Instagram daily. I don’t know about y’all, but that sounds to me like 500 million potential new customers. That is…if you have a cohesive Instagram feed.

An effective social media strategy based on data, statistics & strategy is ALWAYS the way to go. This ensures a unique opportunity in connecting with already existing consumers & potential consumers. There’s more to it than just that though. It’s all about consistency, babe. This is key when establishing professionalism, & you can reveal that through an Instagram feed with a consistent color scheme, theme, grid design, & creative graphics/photos that stand out. Your online aesthetic should represent who & what you are as a business – especially when there are so many similar pages or companies out there.

We know you’re literally screaming at your screen right now asking “BUT, HOW DO I GET AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING INSTAGRAM!!!!!”. Guess what – your favorite Uptown Girls have a few tips for you! A cohesive & aesthetically pleasing Instagram is comprised of these characteristics:

• Represents Your Brand
• First Impressions
• Recognizable & Memorable
• Messaging & Mood
• Professionalism

Represents Your Brand

Your aesthetic represents your brand, & an aesthically pleasing Instagram feed is the first thing viewers will notice when they land on your page. PS: if you’re confused about what branding is, click this link for our blog post breaking it all down. That means, it is crucial that your content complements your brand identity.

First Impressions

In developing first impressions, it is crucial that you exhibit a snapshot of your brand…& an aesthetically pleasing feed does just that! When a person clicks on your profile, your first impression will either make them follow you or continue scrolling on other pages. You want to keep *quality* visitors on your page. So, it is crucial that your company’s colors, layout, tone, messaging & feeling are conveyed online not just on individual posts, but also on the feed as a whole. Each element in a successful social media account works hand-in-hand with success.

Recognizable & Memorable

You want people from all over recognizing your brand. Recognizable brands focus on consistency & relevancy when it comes to their voice, tone, & content…& having a cohesive Instagram feed makes your page instantly recognizable. Your audience should be able to instantly recognize your post within a sea of other posts on their personal feed by correctly pairing it with your specific account, which uploaded it. Brand recognition is the number one driving force behind many successful businesses, & you have an opportunity to explore that option online, while also showing off your brand in a creative and interesting way. If a consumer simply likes the way your feed appears, there’s a better chance that your brand will remain at the top of viewers’ minds. Consumers will also have a clearer idea of your brand based off of how you appear online.

Messaging & Mood

A cohesive feed helps your audience easily understand messages you communicate relating to your brand, as a cohesive feed is predictable – it focuses on the element of repetition. This also helps your audience know what to expect from your posts & sets a specific mood in your messaging. An aesthetic refers to a specific mood that you want your content conveying. A aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed means landing on a specific “mood” that you want your brand portraying. Businesses can accomplish this by choosing a style for content & writing, which focuses on your brand voice.

Professionalism

An aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed builds your credentials as a professional & helps brands establish better connections. Nailing your brand’s colors, layout, tone, messaging, & feeling through a cohesive feed shows users that you understand your company’s purpose, personality & story. A pleasing aesthetic also reveals a brand cares about how they present themselves not only in-person, but online, too, & have the ability to “keep up with the times”. A cohesive feed also shows your account is active, which promotes engagement & improves your connection with your audience.

Instagram feeds reveal a brand’s purpose, personality, & story. That means not only should your feed show off a cohesive look, but everything else must stay consistent – your writing style of your captions, the way that your visuals fit together as a whole, the way that your bio is written, story highlights, etc. Each post & element on your profile should represent your brand & its personality.

Hey, we get it…this is a lot to take in, which is why we’re here to help! We won’t let you go through this alone – you have bigger & better things to do. Let us handle the job – it’s kinda our thing 😉