From the moment it went public, the Internet completely changed the way companies reach consumers. Gone are the days where billboards, newspapers. and TV commercials were the only ways to reach people; now, you’re as close to a potential customer as the computer on their desk or the phone in their pocket. Digital advertising has made it easier than ever to reach consumers and tailor your ads to individual demographics. But with so many platforms available, you’re probably wondering: “What’s the best digital advertising platform for my business?”
The Wonderful World of Digital Advertising Platforms
There are many digital advertising platforms available to businesses today. Here are a few of the most common ones:
Social Media Platforms
Whether it be Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, or even Pinterest, many of us are active on at least one social media platform. Because of this widespread use, advertising on social media is all but expected for most businesses.
There are many advantages to advertising your business on social media. Because digital advertising in social media is so prevalent, there are already a number of programs and tools set up that allow you to create and execute marketing campaigns. Many platforms let you schedule posts, allowing you to set up marketing campaigns weeks in advance. You can run ads or create a company account that allows you to generate and promote content where potential consumers can see. This can be purely informational, or something fun people can interact with, such as the popular “Sassy Wendy’s” X account.
Advertising on social media isn’t without drawbacks. As each platform has different rules, as well as different popularity levels among various demographics, you won’t be able to craft a one-size-fits-all social media content marketing strategy. An ad that gains a lot of traction on Instagram may be a complete bust on LinkedIn, or vice versa. The popularity of these platforms for ad campaigns also means you’ll have heavy competition.
As the most popular search engine in the world, it’s no surprise that Google comes fully equipped with tools and features to help promote businesses. One of the most popular is Google Ads, a program that allows you to promote ads in searches for specific keywords. There’s also Google Analytics, which allows you to track website performance and access information related to your audience, such as user engagement trends.
Google’s advertising tools allow you to reach an incredibly large audience while still being able to narrow your target with keywords. Its premade programs, such as Ads and Analytics, give you fantastic control over your ad campaigns at every stage. However, because it’s up to you to “bid” on what keywords people will use, it’s possible that the inexperienced will waste their time and money on ad campaigns that don’t reach the expected audience. And speaking of money, Google Ads will stop running once you run out of budget, making it less viable for smaller businesses.
YouTube
YouTube is one of the most popular video-viewing platforms on the Internet, with more than 2 billion current users. This makes YouTube an extremely powerful platform for digital advertisement, whether it be through ads or a company-curated YouTube channel.
YouTube ads are a great way to get video advertisements in front of an audience, whether they’re minutes long or only a few seconds. YouTube channels are also completely free to make, which makes them an excellent way to create and curate content for smaller businesses. As a drawback, however, ad blockers and features like YouTube Premium allow viewers to skip your ads entirely, and the constantly changing YouTube algorithm and policies can hurt your visibility unless you’re constantly adjusting to match them. Because it’s so popular, YouTube is also an incredibly competitive advertising space, which means you need to work hard to stand out.
Your Website
If your business has an official website, you may be ignoring a great source of advertising. A regular newsfeed, consistent blog, or other forms of website content will provide your consumers with a steady stream of relevant, engaging information. What’s more, since it’s on your website, you won’t have to worry about competing with anyone else for your audience’s attention. The downside is that, unless your content gets linked to other websites, readers will need to be already familiar with you to see it. This makes it less effective at generating new leads than third-party digital advertising platforms.
Extend Your Reach with Epic Web
When it comes to digital marketing, it’s important to explore your options. If you’re unsure about where or how to start, try Epic Web Studios. Our team of experts will help drive your digital marketing campaigns to new heights. Contact Epic Web today and get your ad campaigns on track.