From traditional marketing to Facebook Ads, it can be daunting to know how to use your business budget in the right places. The truth is, different businesses have different needs, so it is important to understand the different advertising options available to you, so you can find one that will drive the most customers and make your business more competitive. Advertising should align with your customer’s needs and your business message. If you advertise on the platforms they don’t use, then you are likely to waste your budget and effort. You will also need to be cautious with what platforms you choose to use, as once your information is out in the world, you cannot get it back, which means first impressions count. Your reputation depends on your advertising presence. Make sure you choose wisely the type of platforms you use and don’t use platforms that you have never heard of, those with a bad reputation for your industry, or buy into scams such as the yelp extortion conspiracy.
To help you understand the available methods to increase your business visibility in a secure, and impactful way, here are some of the top ways to advertise your business.
#1 Social media
With over 4.55 billion people active on social media, part of your budget should likely be invested in advertising on one or more of these platforms. You can choose from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or Snapchat (at the time of writing). Customers are likely to spend at least a couple of hours per day pursuing social media in their leisure time, which provides your business with a great opportunity to connect with the people who need your product or service on a personal level and remind them of their unmet needs, and your presence. The great thing about social media is your budget can be of any size to get started. You can begin with posting organic content, which is free to start with and will benefit you in the long run. You can also opt for paid advertising to extend your reach on a short-term basis.
#2 Search engines
Search engines are a powerful tool for advertising your product or service. When your ideal customer types a query into Google, they have a problem they are looking to solve. By advertising here, you are going to increase your chances of being seen by your ideal client, and therefore, drive them to your website. To advertise on search engines, you will need a website for users to click on. Similar to social media, you can use both organic tactics (search engine optimization) and paid (pay-per-click).
#3 Directories
Directories, such as Yelp, are a great way to advertise your business. Similar to search engines, when a user searches on a directory, the intention is already there, which means they are much further along the sales funnel and are ready to purchase your service or product. Directories will increase your exposure, and particularly benefit the foot traffic to local businesses.
There are plenty of options to advertise your business. It is important to understand the benefits of each platform, so you can choose the right one for your business.
