No matter how large or small your business, advertising always plays a vital role. This is true of your online content, as it’s crucial to think about your presence on the internet in relation to your business. It’s likely that you’re looking to reach the largest number of people while investing the least amount of resources as possible, and this is exactly why online advertising is widely used as an effective marketing strategy.
Internet advertising is accessible to any sized business, while also remaining affordable to reach your goals. Are you curious about the most cost-effective methods? Read on for our tips and strategies!
5 ways to create cost-effective online advertising
1- Search engine advertising
If you’ve had a blog or website for a while, then search engine marketing (SEM) should come as no surprise. In fact, this is one of the initial ways that businesses begin their venture into online advertising, and with good reason! This is one of the most frequently used advertising methods because it's cost-effective.
Specifically, Google, the most widely used search engine has created AdWords, which is a method that works to improve the position of your website in search engines by way of paid advertisements. This type of advertising usually works on a pay-per-click basis (PPC) which means that you only pay depending on the number of clicks your advertisement gets.
This method is cost-effective because it can be highly personalized, as you have the ability to choose the maximum amount of clicks you want to pay for, as determined by the word. When it comes down to the format, you only have four lines of text to work with. Therefore, it is paramount to be strategic with the words you choose.
Working with an excellent content creator or having one on your team is helpful! Also worth mentioning is that this type of advertising is used by those whose goal is to increase visibility and up the conversion rate. This advertising technique is not only affordable but very effective so we’d say go forward with it!
2- Social network advertisements
Now, the amount of attention social networks get in our day to day lives is unprecedented. With that in mind, it would be wise to recognize the power that they have when it comes to advertising for your business. Using social networks as part of your marketing strategy is absolutely necessary.
All of the major social networks offer the option to create advertisements directly within their platforms. Depending on the social network you’re working with, your advertisements can take on a variety of forms.
Consider the most popular social networks, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, spend some time getting to know how their internal advertising systems work. Not only is social media advertising a cost-effective strategy, but it will allow you to target specific audiences.
Again, this will directly assist your visibility, allowing you to garner more reach by focusing on people who might already be interested in your products or services. Using social networks in tandem with a well-built and developed website is one of the keys to a cost-effective marketing strategy.
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3- Mobile-friendly advertisements
It can’t be denied that smartphones currently run the world. Your business advertising strategies should keep this in mind, especially when it comes to online marketing. You’ll need to adapt all online marketing trends to be mobile friendly, while also thinking up ways that you can advertise in a mobile unique fashion.
Any online advertising you create should be viewable on a smartphone, and this includes text, images as well as videos. Of course, this will come down to the type of advertising you’re doing, but will ultimately be about harnessing responsive design.
Regardless of the medium you choose, make sure that loading time is reasonable and social media buttons are visible. If you’re disseminating a call to action, make sure it stands out to potential customers. Yes, mobile-friendly advertisements might cost a bit more upfront as you may need to work with a specific developer.
However, we still consider this a cost-effective strategy, in that it will drive in business by way of your mobile-friendly advertisement integration.
4- E-mail marketing
To some, e-mail marketing may feel outdated. But it’s important to mention that it’s come a long way and continues to be a relevant way to advertise your business. Yes, most people receive multiple e-mails from unknown sources on a daily basis.
However, your e-mail marketing campaign should avoid getting lumped into the Spam category, but should continue to be considered an integral part of your online marketing strategy. Approaching an e-mail marketing campaign can be tricky, but if done correctly, can have a huge impact on the potential customers you attract.
You’ll need to find a balance by way of camouflaging your advertisements within upbeat and exciting e-mails that are fun to read. Avoid sending out a new e-mail every week, as once a month is a good place to start. Make sure to personalize your e-mails so that they have a balance between information, data and images.
An e-mail marketing campaign isn’t rocket science, but it can be a challenge to get started. For all of the specifics, refer to our article on the subject.
5- Great content + SEO
The two strategies mentioned in this title work hand in hand, and are the basis for any strong online advertisement strategy. In the realm of internet marketing, it’s absolutely paramount that you use search engine optimization techniques alongside having quality content. SEO works to increase your rankings in search engines, while in turn offering more visibility and customer conversions. Understanding SEO should be a top priority for any marketer.
However, having an excellent SEO strategy isn't enough. It needs to go hand in hand with well-written and informative content. Quality content is the best possible advertising strategy, as it aids in your conversion rate exponentially. Not only is quality content important, but updating your blog or website on a regular, scheduled basis will lead to more traffic and thus, better lead generation as well as conversion.
