A common question that we find ourselves addressing on a near-weekly basis concerns paid advertising on social media platforms. Some clients are taken aback when the subject is broached…Social media is nothing more but free marketing to them. Others outright refuse to believe it to be beneficial to their businesses. After all, with videos like this one floating around, it’s easy to assume paying for exposure on Facebook or Twitter is nothing more but a money-grabbing scam:
However, if your brand expects to stay relevant on Facebook in particular, the time is nigh to start playing within – and possibly taking advantage of – the rules. With organic reach being stymied in lieu of a more profitable business model, paid ads are now becoming a necessary strategic weapon in our social media marketing arsenal.
Facebook still reigns supreme in membership and audience engagement. A byproduct of this success has manifested itself in extremely packed NewsFeeds. Much like Google, Facebook has employed various algorithms in an attempt to deliver the most relevant content tailored to each individual user. One of the most recent updates all but explicitly requires paid advertising, should your company desire to reach a majority of your current, and potential, fans.
The bottom line as of now, is only the most engaged of users will have a chance to organically experience your posts.
So where’s the light at the end of this suddenly-more-expensive tunnel?
It lies in the ability to market your brand to highly targeted, more affluent customers in an affordable way.
The gentleman in the video above explains that when he took advantage of the promotion offered to him via Facebook, that his Likes did indeed shoot up, however a majority of these new “fans” were all but useless from an engagement standpoint. This is not a lesson in fraudulence, it is one in quality control. Facebook offers some incredible targeting tools based on user age, sex, location, and most importantly, interests.
Failing to properly define your desired consumer may result in more pretty numbers in that notorious Like box, but your message may fall on deaf ears.
Finally, establishing a successful paid campaign on Facebook can be surprisingly affordable. In our personal experience, a small daily budget behind an optimized strategy can have a profound effect on engagement and purchases. Furthermore, bigger ticket products tend to have much greater ROI than more inexpensive ones.Rumors have been swirling recently about the demise of Facebook, based mostly on reports of teens virtually fleeing the platform. While it is unclear how accurate these reports are, what is clear is that Baby-Boomers are flocking to it – and bringing their wallets with them. For companies in the health sector, this trend may represent a potential goldmine. Providing the opportunity to personally engage customers in the social spectrum can offer advantages over more traditional media.
As the next ten years come and go, Facebook will undoubtedly evolve in ways that no one can predict. Our guess is it will continue to be a valuable marketing tool offering distinct advantages over other options. For better or for worse, it is essential to consider paid social advertisements as part of your marketing strategy. While it’s true that you’ve got to “pay to play,” there’s no reason you can’t turn a profit as well. Contact us today for a fully tailored strategy that will suit your business, at Info@WaspMobile.com