Online advertising meets consumers where they hang. It's effective and its success continues to grow with the explosion of technology and SaaS platforms. There are hundreds of strategies to online advertising and many places you can post ads. So where do you start?

Your Online Advertising Options

There are many places to advertise online but for our purposes here, we are going to break it down into two ad types: Passive and Active Advertising. Think about these from the customer perspective; are they finding your ads in passing or are they searching for the answer?

Active Advertising 

Active advertising means that the user you reach is actively looking for a solution to a problem. These are typically Search Ads but can also be found on sites like Yelp or Angie’s List. Have you noticed the results labeled “Ad” at the top?

Search engine ads come up when you search for something on Google (or any search engine) and are based on PPC (Pay per click). Something to keep in mind here is that the cost of advertising on search engines varies depending on your competitors in the industry. These ads are good for products and services that solve urgent needs. For example, if you are a roofer, your customer will be seeking you out when their roof endures damage.

Passive advertising

Passive Advertising means that the user finds your solution while doing something else. The first thing you think of here is social media. How many times do you see “sponsored” next to posts you are scrolling by on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram?

Here's how it works...You are simply there to see what your friends are up to or to get the latest news. But you end up coming across an Ad for a lawn care service. You remember how shabby your lawn was last year and that spring is right around the corner, so you click. These Ads offer a lot cost control, customized targeting options and detailed reporting but you don’t always know if your users are in need of your solution at the moment.

There are a lot of moving parts when you launch a paid online advertising campaign. Whether you are a first-timer or your making a comeback from a failed campaign, taking the following steps will help set you up for success with online advertising.

1. What Is Your Purpose?

Understanding the purpose of each ad and setting measurable goals helps you create and place ads effectively. These goals also craft your call-to-action (CTA) and define your key metrics.

2. Who Are You Targeting?

A buyer persona sums up the characteristics of your typical customer. Knowing your target’s challenges, questions and behaviors gives you the insight into the what and where of your ads.

3. How Do You Stand Apart?

To round out your buyer persona, compile a list of differentiating factors and terms. The areas where you stand out against your competitors or offer bonuses for your customers. Consider the language your buyers use use and how they look for solutions to the pains you aid.

4. How Do You Measure Up?

Google Analytics gives you actionable insight into what works and what does not — almost instantly. You can see the number of visitors, how long they stay, how many fill out forms, geographic location and more.

You may begin your ad journey with some assumptions about your buyers, but analytics will help you turn assumptions into hard data that you can track.  

5. Where Do Their Clicks Land?

When a consumer clicks on your ad, they want to find information related to the ad’s promise. Creating a landing page per the ad subject with a strong CTA will give the user what they want and guides them on next steps.

It’s important to keep the landing page secluded to the relevant information. Sending your users to your home page is like sending a child into a supercenter and asking them to find the milk. They may eventually get there, but will they bother to look long enough before they give up?

Final Thoughts

Online ads are a part of your web presence. They all lead back to your website and represent your brand. Doing them the right way and taking your time benefits you above all else. Having your ads reach the best audience brings you the best customers. The use of landing pages, CTAs, and a form or lead collector maximizes the results of ads on your behalf.

Virteom has a development team that understands user experience and can help you get your ads on track. Contact Virteom for more information on starting your online ad campaign successfully.