When’s the last time you looked online? While some might boast a day or two, most will answer a few hours or even mere minutes.
For today’s business owners, having a digital presence is as vital as having a Yellow Page ad was in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Your online presence should start with a website and/or social media page and then gradually expand to digital advertising, which includes a wide variety of marketing tactics and technologies that allow businesses to reach their intended audiences online (I.e., online ads). But with so many platforms and limited budgets, how do you choose the right digital strategies for your business?
Our blog explores the pros and cons of online ads. Read on to learn more and see how online ads can play a role in your marketing strategy.
What is an Online Ad?
Online ads take two forms – text and image-based.
Text ads, also referred to as Search ads, typically consist of words only. They are written to comply to a particular formula – 30 characters per headline and 90 characters per description. Ads are “served” to audiences when they type certain keywords and keyword phrases into a search engine, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo and others. Ads deemed most relevant to the search term show closer to the top of the list, and audiences can click through to the company’s website or a designated landing page. Clients pay for ad clicks, not impressions.
Image-based ads, called Display ads, utilize images in addition to text and can be used to showcase a company’s products, services or people. Display ads come in various sizes to fit different delivery devices and positions on the page. They may be served on websites the audience is visiting as well as in blogs or apps. Payment structure depends on the campaign and charges can be per impression or per click.
Pros of Display Ads
Display ads can reach audiences on websites and in apps they already frequent and are engaged in. Much like a traditional billboard, they should be designed to grab attention, with headlines that are both concise and poignant, and a strong call-to-action. When done well, these ads can reach and gain attention of broad audiences and foster clicks to the business’s website, ideally creating more engagement. But even ads that don’t drive website traffic can deliver high impressions with target audiences, increasing brand awareness and helping companies stay top-of-mind.
Display ads are typically more affordable than other forms of advertising to both create and place. They can be targeted by demographics and geographics, as well as by psychographics (behaviors and interests) previously demonstrated by the online activities and habits of the viewers. Ads can also be contextual, such as placing an ad for an upscale restaurant in the middle of a foodie article, therefore resonating with audiences on a deeper level. And because of their visual appeal, they are often more attention-getting than simple text-based ads.
Like all digital advertising, display ads are very measurable and allow businesses to see what’s working and what’s not. With each ad created, you can track number of impressions, number of clicks and overall click-through rate.
Finally, display ads offer remarketing opportunities, which allow businesses to continue to serve ads to audiences beyond the initial contact. This allows businesses to stay connected to buyers throughout the buying journey, increasing conversions.
Cons of Display ads
Display ads do tend to have a lower click through rate (CTR) than other forms of digital advertising, which can result in fewer conversions. Because of the influx of digital advertising, display ads can sometimes be viewed as intrusive and create a negative perception with audiences. Or, users can become desensitized to these display ads, ignoring them all together. Some users may even engage ad blocking settings to avoid ads all together.
Due to space constraints, Display ads are not ideal for conveying complex messages. Placement of ads must be specific to audiences, as placement on sites that do not resonate with the desired audience could send unqualified traffic to businesses’ websites.
Pros of Search Ads
Unlike Display ads, Search ads are typically considered non-obtrusive as they are served during the search process. Because they are deemed unobtrusive, they are immune to ad-blocking software. And because they are served to viewers who are actively searching for your product or service, they tend to have a higher CTR than Display ads.
Audiences are served a Search ad when they type specific keywords or keyword phrases into the search engine, which means advertisers are reaching a qualified audience – one that is already engaged in finding the product or service you are offering. This is why conversions tend to be quick and can offer a higher return than other digital advertising.
Like all digital advertising, performance metrics lend insight into customer buying habits, and this insight can be used to better optimize ads and ad strategies. It can also be an affordable medium, especially for new and smaller businesses, to drive traffic quickly.
Cons of Search ads
Search ads rely on text only so do not offer a lot of creative freedom to be “sticky’ in the consumers’ mind. Some industries experience a high degree of competition in the market, which drives the price of search ads up and can make them unaffordable.
Because the world of digital is always changing, Search ads should be revisited frequently to make sure bids, keywords and ad copy are still delivering. This can be time-consuming and, for business owners less familiar with Search platforms, difficult to navigate.
And because Search engines rely on searches, industries that are more niche or lesser-known may not have enough search volume for industry keywords, resulting in ads only being served to audiences who are already somewhat familiar, while new audiences can be completely missed.
What Makes Online Ads a Good Fit?
Online ads are a good fit for most businesses as part of a strong media mix because the tactic is affordable, quick to market, highly targetable and highly measurable. Almost any desired audience can be reached with some sort of digital advertising, and for smaller companies, starting with online ads can be an affordable way to grow business and expand marketing budgets.
Working with a strong digital media specialist is the key to making digital marketing a successful tactic in your strategy. You want someone who will stay attuned to your campaigns on a regular basis and will keep up with changes in the medium, as they happen regularly. It’s also important to analyze your target audience preferences and habits in order to choose the digital marketing tactics that will provide the best ROI. A good partner will also know how different tactics can be employed for different audiences.
Have you been thinking of increasing your digital presence but aren’t sure where to start? Vantage Consultants has a proven track record of success with digital campaigns for clients of all sizes and industries, and we’d love to help you! Contact us today and let’s get started!
