A Beginner’s Guide to Paid Social.

Maxed out your Paid Search (PPC) budget?

If you're looking to diversify your marketing strategy beyond Google channels, Paid Social Advertising could be the perfect next step.

What is paid social media advertising?

Paid Social (also known as paid social media advertising or paid social media marketing) is a digital marketing strategy that involves using paid advertising on social media platforms to promote a product, service or brand.

Unlike organic posts, these ads target specific audiences, appearing seamlessly in their newsfeeds as they scroll.

It’s a powerful tool that can be used for every stage of the marketing funnel.

Why choose paid social media advertising?

There are many benefits of paid ads on social media, some of these include:

• Increased brand awareness: Frequent ad exposure builds recognition.

• Cost-effective: Social media ads are generally cheaper than traditional advertising.

• Measurable results: You can track performance with detailed analytics.

• Targeted reach: Reach specific audiences based on their demographics, interests, and behaviours.

• Quick set-up: Ads can be made live quickly - is ideal for last-minute campaign pushes.

Paid Social vs. Paid Search

Unlike paid search, which primarily targets users actively searching for solutions, paid social allows you to reach potential customers across the entire marketing funnel.

• Top of the Funnel (Awareness): Expand your brand reach, capture eyeballs, and build brand recognition with engaging ad campaigns.

• Middle of the Funnel (Consideration): Drive traffic to your website to nurture leads and build interest.

• Bottom of the Funnel (Conversion): Convert website visitors into paying customers with targeted lead-generation campaigns and sales-focused ads.

What types of campaigns are suitable for paid social?

The beauty of paid advertising in social media is the sheer variety of campaign types available, from brand awareness to retargeting campaigns.

• Brand Awareness Campaigns: Increase brand visibility and recognition with captivating ad formats.

• Traffic Campaigns: Drive targeted users to your website with compelling ad copy and visuals.

• Lead Generation Campaigns: Capture valuable leads through social media platforms using interactive lead forms.

• Retargeting Campaigns: Re-engage users who have previously interacted with your brand.

Which social media platform is best to advertise on?

Each social platform has a unique audience, which can be targeted based on your demographics. Understanding your target audience's preferred social media platform is crucial for campaign success.

• Meta (Facebook & Instagram): Boasts a massive user base and offers a wide range of targeting options, ad formats, and seamless integration across its platforms. Demographic: Broad demographic appeal, with a significant portion between 25-34 years old.

• TikTok: Captivates a younger audience with its short-form, highly engaging video format, perfect for building brand awareness and creating viral content. Demographic: Primarily younger audiences, with a heavy concentration in the 18-24 age group.

• Pinterest: A visual discovery platform ideal for driving inspiration and website traffic. Its targeting options based on interests and behaviours make it a powerful tool for reaching users in their planning and purchase phases. Demographic: Used predominantly by women aged 25-54, with a focus on home decor, fashion, and lifestyle inspiration.

• LinkedIn: The go-to platform for B2B marketing, LinkedIn allows you to target professionals and decision-makers with laser precision, generating high-quality leads and establishing thought leadership. Demographic: Primarily professionals aged 25-54, evenly split between genders.

Measuring the success of Social Ads

As with all campaigns, it’s important to track your campaign performance based on relevant KPIs. You can track and measure the following metrics on a range of platforms including Google Analytics.

• Brand Awareness: Impressions and Cost Per Mille (CPM)

• Traffic: Clicks and Click-Through Rate (CTR)

• Leads/Sales: Website Conversions and Cost per Acquisition (CPA)

• Lead Generation: Cost per Lead (CPL) and total lead volume

Next Steps

Paid social advertising offers a powerful and versatile way to reach your target audience across various stages of the marketing funnel. By understanding each platform's unique strengths, tailoring campaigns to your goals, and tracking progress with the right KPIs, you can unlock the full potential of paid social and drive significant growth for your business.

Need help with your paid social strategy? A paid social marketing agency could be the answer! Bluesoup are experts in Paid Digital and we can support you every step of the way - contact us today!