When you think about digital advertising do you think about marketing to a wide audience via online ads and email newsletters? As we initially speak to prospective clients about digital advertising this seems to be most of their thought process. We would be lying if we said that we didn’t love seeing their faces when we tell them that with digital advertising you can customize your marketing to local consumers.
You want your ad to only show up in one zip code? Great. You want your ad to only show up to local individuals within a certain age range? We can do that too. Digital advertising is an incredible, budget-friendly resource for small businesses that allow them to get the most bang for their buck.
So, how can you create advertisements that get your message across to your consumers in the most effective way possible? Follow along as we detail the 10 most effective ways to cut through the noise in local advertising.
1. Use Geo-Targeting
In digital advertising, Geo-Targeting describes a method that allows you to only display your ad to a very specific region. Marketers choose to use geotargeting in order to become locally relevant and to ensure they are not wasting their marketing dollars on individuals outside of their prime area of service. Fun fact about geo-targeting? Geo-targeting not only targets those who live in a specific region, but it also targets individuals who have recently visited the said region.
2. Apply the “Rule of Seven
There is an old marketing adage that says a consumer must see your ad seven times before they will consider what your brand has to offer. Though I’m not sure if it truly takes a consumer seeing your ad seven times to buy-in, what I can attest to is the principle behind it. That principle being, you cannot just engage in one marketing activity and be done. It takes individuals seeing your ad multiple times before they ever give in. At Momentum3, we suggest marketing on different digital channels such as search engine results and social media platforms so that you can ensure prospects see your message regularly. This will lead to your future consumers having their magical seventh encounter at a faster pace.
3. Know Your Customers
The best advertising a business can create is advertisements targeted to individuals who want your product or service. Though this may seem like a no brainer, it requires research, data analytics, and conversations with consumers to make possible. We suggest focusing in on this information by looking closely at the data your business has about its customers. We also suggest talking to customers who have benefited from your product or service. This knowledge you acquire during the customer discovery phase is vital in producing a campaign that will have a large ROI. By understanding the value your customers see if your products and the best platforms to reach them on, you will be able to target and create rich content for a successful advertising campaign.
4. Speak to Shared Community Values by Presenting an Authentic Story
What makes your community special? Communities are often derived from common values and speaking to those values in an authentic way will help highlight your brand and allow you to build relationships within the community. These relationships are what keeps small business doors open. They are extremely important.
After creating a list of community values, we suggest using your brands’ personality to lay out a story that your consumer will want to learn more about. Stories are an incredibly powerful tool in human communication. In combining community values and showcasing your authentic personality, you are seizing the opportunity to show your consumers who you are.
Keep in mind, it is not just about educating your consumer; it’s about showing your consumer that you are people too. This relationship will only flourish into repeat business down the line.
5. Convey One Message and One Message Only
Sometimes companies believe that the more information or features you provide about your business or product in advertisements the more likely you are to convert individuals into a customer. Clearly, you believe in your product or service, which is why you went into business in the first place…but overwhelming your unsuspecting consumer with too much information isn’t the way to convert them. Let’s face it. Digital ads appear rather we are seeking them out or not. People don’t want to waste time reading a jumbled ad that requires thought and energy when all they were looking to do was scroll through their phone, to begin with. With that said, having an excessive amount of text on your ad will only work against you.
To hook individuals and persuade them to read the rest of your ad, we suggest only choosing one message to communicate per ad. Spotlight one benefit or feature you, and let the photo tell the rest.
6. Make it visual
Visual storytelling is the best way for people to understand concepts or data. Let’s face it, showing your audience something is much more engaging and interesting than telling them. With the right image, you can convey your message in an intriguing fashion and make them want to learn more. In our opinion, images are everything. In choosing an image for your advertising campaign, make sure the image is eye-catching, is clear (as in your audience understands what it is happening in the photo), and limit the text that appears on the ad. In the visual world we live in, a graphic can make or break the success of a campaign.
7. Zero in On Your Buyers’ Needs and Challenges
Prior to starting any campaign, it is important to both research and understand your buyers’ needs and challenges. When you can focus on these two things, you can easily advertise to those who NEED you by choosing to create campaigns that are sure to make them understand that they do. This strategy will help you cut through the noise of your competitors’ generic ads.
8. Out-Advertise Your Competition
My favorite saying in marketing is, ‘Advertising is what differentiates a business from a hobby’. If you do not advertise, your business is probably not gaining many new customer. Make sure you are the one who is seen over your competitors (by doing #3) and be bold enough to eradicate your competition. Many times, companies pull back on marketing & advertising efforts when revenue is low – this is the way the competition comes in to take the crown. Be sure to never let your guard down and create campaigns hat are 10x better than your competition.
9. Create a Facebook Page and Instagram Page for Your Ideal Local Customer
We have been involved with small businesses for several years and have learned that word of mouth is by far your biggest asset when it comes to advertising locally. So, how can you increase the opportunities for Word of Mouth referrals? You can do this by creating both a Facebook page and Instagram pages for your ideal customer. Try posting 3X a week and spend roughly 30 minutes a week engaging ideal customers through social media channels. Though it may not seem like much, it adds up to more business. To give you a further perspective, our last three clients came from Instagram.
Are you still not sure social media is the way to go for your organization? Click here to read our blog about why small businesses need to be on social media.
10. Design Ads with Mobile in Mind
Today, you cannot walk down the street and not see someone on their phone. Phones seem to be glued to the palm of most hands, which is important to remember as you create your advertisements so that you create ads with mobile viewing in mind.
According to Adobe Digital Insights, more than half of visits to shopping sites come from smartphones and tablets, and that statistic is only growing. By designing an ad with mobile in mind you are working to engage buyers when they least expect it.
A great ad goes beyond simply selling a product. With the right tactics, you can create content that inspires customers to seek out your business. Are you still not sure where to start? Give us a call. We would love to help you create a unique and effective strategy for your business.
