As a small business, you have a limited budget and advertising doesn’t always seem possible. However, there are a number of things you can do that are low-cost that will keep the phone ringing (or your website dinging).
Let’s take a look at the Seven Best Digital Advertising Strategies for Small Businesses in 2023. L7 Advertising can help you implement these and cater to almost any budget.
1. Targeted Personalized Ads
What if you could show ads only to people who were likely to have an interest in your product or service? With targeted, personalized ads, that’s possible. Even with recent restrictions on cookies, websites are able to understand the demographics and interests of many visitors based on prior online behavior. Ad platforms can also glean other contextual information that can point to a website visitor’s location or interests.
Personalized ads generally result in better click-through rates and a lower cost per acquisition of new customers. Most users prefer it as well, since they will see ads for products and services that make sense for their lives and interests.
It’s recommended, however, that you use this tool with caution for ads that are personal, such as health-related messaging or anything related to financial hardship. Insensitive messaging can make consumers uncomfortable and reduce the likelihood of clicking on your ad, so be sure to tailor your messaging in a thoughtful manner.
2. Use AI Tools to Improve Your Results
Artificial Intelligence is used all across the Internet and in the apps that you use. Whether it’s a recommended movie or a chatbot on a retail site that helps you return an item, AI is everywhere. Targeted personalized ads can be further improved with the use of AI or machine learning.
One of the most common advertising sites that uses AI is Google Ads. This AI tool automates a lot of decisions and allows you to automatically serve ads to different users based on their geographic location or other interests. Google’s Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) allow you to create up to 15 headlines and four descriptions which can be presented in any combination. Google Ads’ AI then tests the different combinations to figure out what gets the most clicks.
Facebook is another platform where you can access machine learning to improve your ad results. In addition to your auction bid, Facebook uses machine learning to estimate the probability that someone will click on your ad. Sometimes, even if someone else outbids you for an ad placement, your ad will be served if Facebook thinks the user is more likely to click your ad.
3. Use Smart Bidding with Google Ads
Another specific use of AI is Smart Bidding with Google Ads. In the end, this should keep your cost lower than manually creating your bid parameters. Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize conversions and Maximize conversion value are all Smart Bidding strategies you can use.
As one example, Target CPA (cost per action) bidding sets bids for you to get as many conversions as possible. Input the average cost you’d like to pay for each conversion and the AI uses your Target CPA to set a bid based on how likely that auction would convert for you at that price. Over time, your cost for each customer action will average out to the value you set up.
On the other hand, you may decide to Maximize conversions. This is a strategy that automatically sets bids to help get the most conversions for your campaign while spending your budget.
4. Multi-channel Advertising
Multi-channel advertising is when you advertise across multiple websites and platforms. This could include search ads, social media sites, email, or in-app advertising. This is an attractive strategy because consumers generally need to see a message multiple times before they make a decision to purchase.
Between mobile, desktop, websites, apps, and social media, you have a lot of ways to reach potential customers and get them to see your ad in order to build familiarity with your brand and product or service. Keep in mind, though, that your objective, target audience and ad creative must be a fit for each advertising channel.
5. Ad Optimization for Voice Search
Every smartphone has a virtual assistant, which allows you to use your voice to search for a product or service. This functionality is, of course, also available on smart home devices, such as Amazon Alexa. This opens up a whole new opportunity for reaching potential customers.
When optimizing your PPC (pay-per-click) ads for voice search, you should know that voice searches generally use more words than text searches. These searches are also usually in the form of a question. When you are creating the keywords you want to bid on, you should include those words that start a question, such as “who,” “what,” “when,” and “where.”
Many small businesses will also want to include words like “near me” or “open now.” Run a search terms report to see what other ways people are searching for your product or service with voice commands and include those in your bids, as well.
You’ll also want to include negative keywords to exclude terms that don’t apply to your business.
6. Shoppable Posts
Have you ever seen something posted on social media and wanted to buy it? Maybe you searched for the brand’s website and couldn’t find it. Good news, Instagram now allows businesses to create shops and sell to users directly through image and video posts on Instagram.
Once you confirm you meet their eligibility requirements (including having your own domain), you can set up your shop. If you already use Shopify or another platform, you can easily import your product information into the Instagram shop.
You’re ready to start posting and selling your products! Post as you normally would, so it doesn’t feel like a sales message. Also, show the product in action using an image or video. Then tag the image or video to indicate that it features a product that’s for sale.
Need Help with Your Advertising?
Some of these strategies are easy to implement but can also feel overwhelming. L7 Advertising can help you devise a strategy and select the right tactics to generate more clicks and sales for your business, even on a small business budget.
Contact us today to get your next advertising campaign up and running.