3 Reasons Why Every Small Business Should Try Paid Ads Online

When a small business launches, one of the first questions that comes to an owner's mind is how they are going to attract customers. Many traditional ad channels are available: newspapers, radio, signage, social media, email, search engines, so on and so forth. While all varieties have their pros and cons, the only forms of advertising that can attribute a customer's entry point of origin are all online oriented. This attribution factor can make online advertisements very efficient, as you can see the performance of how well a certain ad is doing in real-time (or at least within 24 hours). If one ad is performing poorly compared to others, you can turn it off and choose your next move without any worry of deadlines or loss of opportunity. Similarly, if another ad is performing incredibly well, you can reinvest the revenue you made back into the ad and ramp up the number of times it gets seen.

While all of this sounds amazing, there are many barriers holding small business owners back from trying paid online ads. Resources such as money, time, and expertise are just a few barriers that owners must overcome before they even consider investing in any type of advertisement. However, regardless of the situation, every small business should test online paid ads as soon as possible. Here are a few reasons why and some tips on how to start sooner than you expected.

Free Ad Spend Credit

Almost all online advertisement channels offer free trial credit for new accounts. Yelp Ads frequently offers $300 worth of credit for new business listings, and the best part is that you can set a spend limit on your trial campaign so that you don't get a surprise fee after the $300 is used up. Bing Ads also offers free credit for new accounts, and opting for the pre-pay route can protect you from your own forgetfulness of keeping your spend below the credit. Google Adwords and Facebook Ads have coupon credits available with the exception that new accounts must spend a minimum amount before being granted credit. The minimum can range anywhere between $25 to $100. Since free ad credit is available, why not use it? Though it does take some time to truly understand the details, the sooner you learn, the better you will get at it.

Pay As You Go

After talking to numerous small business owners and managers, one of the biggest marketing pains that always comes up are the large, upfront fees associated with traditional marketing methods. Newspaper ads and radio commercials can cost as low as $500 and go upwards into the thousands. While some businesses may benefit from these marketing mediums, most do not see the effects of these efforts unless they offer some type of unique discount or promotion that they can attribute back to. When pulling the plug on these promotions, business owners see no significant difference in customers served, and instead are disgruntled due to the loss of profit from the discount. With online ads, you can see exactly how the money is being spent, and whether or not those ads had anything to do with influencing an action (purchasing a product online, calling your business, viewing your website, etc). When an ad is doing poorly, you can turn it off right away. When an ad performs well, you can ramp up its spend and get even more bang for your buck. Either way, you're not locked into heavy, upfront fees without any guarantees. Instead, you have the freedom to turn ads on or off whenever you please.

Superior Reach

The worst thing about running ads through traditional methods is the mystery of who you are reaching. A billboard at the side of the road gets looked at by thousands of people each day, but are those people actually paying attention to the billboard? Even if they are comprehending the message on the billboard, is it relevant to their immediate needs or problems? Women, children, and men under the age of 30 won't be interested in a "Low Testosterone" ad targeted towards older men with performance issues. While the billboard ad boasts thousands of impressions per day, those impressions mean nothing if it's being seen by unqualified and uninterested traffic. With a title section title like "Superior Reach," online ads better deliver something extraordinary.

They do.

Online advertisements claim superiority over traditional methods due to their targeting capabilities. Search engine ads target users who are looking for a specific product or service, much like how people used to use yellow books. The difference between yellow books and search engine ads is the absence of upfront costs (as mentioned earlier). Think about it: A 45 year old male is typing in "low testosterone clinics near me" because he obviously has a problem and is seeking help. If you own a business that solves these problems near this potential customer, then you definitely want this person to know your business exists! That same user could be going through their social media feed, and may have shown interest in low testosterone accounts and articles. Serving him an ad would be a great idea, and is possible through multiple targeting options. Online ads provide superior reach because they allow you to choose who actually sees your ads. Since online ads are paid when an action occurs, you can be extremely picky and show your ads to very specific people whom you believe will take action on your ads.

Every business needs their potential customers to know that they exist in order to stay in business. Small businesses just starting out are no exception, and the need for exposure is critical. Online paid ads offer affordable marketing options for all businesses, and should be utilized due to the free credits that are available, the flexibility of spending, and the ability to reach specific demographics. If you're a small business owner who needs help getting the word out about your company, but don't have a lot of time or money to invest in online advertisements, then you need to contact Marketing Fam. We can formulate a plan that fits your budget, accomplishes your goals, and helps you learn more about your customers. Email us today for a free consultation and quote!