Paid Advertising
Thanksgiving weekend is the biggest shopping weekend of the year. A lot of retail merchants make their year in just these few days. Other businesses may see more of a lull as the holidays approach, but either way, once the dust has settled, there are still sales that need to be made as the holiday season rolls on. How does one keep the momentum going through the end of the year?
Paid Advertising (or PPC) offers cost-effective ways to reach a very large audience through Google and Facebook. First, the primary objective must be identified. Be it a boost in sales, lead generation, or increasing brand awareness, it depends on the type of business you have. It’s also great for tracking conversions and it works fast, but what’s the best platform for you?
Facebook or Google?
Depending on who you are trying to find, either of these paths can be successful. Make sure your objectives answer the following questions: Do you want to make sure your existing customers know what specials you are running, or do you want to let those you don’t know in on your holiday deals?
If it is the former, then Facebook is the way to go. With Facebook ads, you can set your audience to those who like your page, ensuring that all your fans will see your ad in their timeline. This is especially handy for retail establishments looking to promote new products or a new sale to their fans who have bought with them before. One can also use location targeting, as well as interest targeting to narrow down the potential audience scope to the most relevant group that will see the ad.
For the latter, Google Ad Words can help spread the word for more specific product searches. This is particularly helpful for customers and merchants looking for something in a particular niche. In this scenario, it is very important to know how your customers are going to find you. You may have a completely different descriptor for your product or service than how a potential customer will search for it. Use plenty of keywords, include negative keywords (i.e. careers or how to) and if applicable, set your geographic targeting to a smaller area (i.e. Columbus instead of the whole state of Ohio.)
What’s in it for the customer?
This is an age old question that often goes unanswered with marketing efforts. So much of the time, businesses are so worried talking about what they do or what they have, that they forget who it’s actually for the customer. Lead with something of value for the customer, and make sure it centers on why it’s good for them.
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