Paid Social Media: Which Platform Should You Use?

Remember when we used to say “BRB” to let people know we’d be right back online?

 We rarely say it anymore, and that’s because we practically live online. Between Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, we’re all using social platforms to connect with others.

The same is true for businesses: social media marketing is the new wave of finding new prospects, engaging with your audience, and highlighting your company culture. Every business shares posts, photos, and videos in attempt to attract just one right-fit customer.

Unfortunately, algorithms on these sites often prevent your organic posts from reaching right-fit leads.

Plus, almost all these platforms require users to follow you in order for your posts to pop up on their feed, unless that user is actively searching for your business or relevant keywords you use in captions and hashtags.

Luckily, paid media helps your content reach a wider audience. Paid media is the use of promoting content and driving your exposure through paid support.

Why Should Your Company Use Paid Media?

Like we said, there’s a chance your organic posts are not being seen by your audience.

Due to algorithms on social platforms, your followers may see less than 20% of what you post. Even minimal paid support can substantially help you reach more viewers. 

With specific targeting options, you can target your ads based on industry, demographics, and job roles to make sure you’re reaching the right individuals that could potentially turn into leads.

Think something this good must cost a fortune? Paid media on social platforms is significantly more affordable than traditional advertising! Plus, it is fully adjustable to your budget – you should only commit to pay for campaigns after you do your research to ensure you're not wasting money on irrelevant audiences on the wrong platform. 

Top 5 Social Media Platforms For Paid Media

1. Facebook Advertising

Facebook is one of the best, if not the best, sources for generating top of the funnel leads. As the largest social media network, over 70 million businesses use Facebook on a monthly basis.

However, your organic posts on Facebook only reach an average of 12% of your fans. By adding Facebook ads to your Facebook marketing strategy, you can reach new potential leads and also engage with your existing audience. And, since 93% of marketers use Facebook advertising on a regular basis, it’s important for you too!

Your ads, depending on what type of ad you choose, can show up in their feed, on their sidebar, in Messenger, on the Audience Network, or even on Instagram!

For an even quicker process, businesses can choose to boost posts rather than create whole new ad –  a simple way to boost engagement fast.

Who Should Use Facebook Ads?

Facebook is a great platform for both B2B and B2C businesses, as well as those targeting hyper-local individuals. 

What Types of Ads Are on Facebook?

• Carousel: Features two or more scrollable images or videos.

• Single Image: Features only one image (can create up to six single image ads at no extra charge).

• Single Video: Features one video (can also turn images into a video).

• Slideshow: Features a looping video with up to 10 images.

• Collection: Features a collection of items that open into a fullscreen mobile experience.

Read more about advertising on Facebook here.

2. LinkedIn Advertising

Known as the social platform for professionals, LinkedIn members are about six times more likely to engage with content; plus the platform drives 64% of its clicks and engagement to business websites. 

LinkedIn is also a fan favorite for paid media because it offers the most filter options, allowing marketers to connect with more qualified users. It is ranked the #1 platform for B2B lead generation, after all.

LinkedIn ads allow your business to benefit from the both quantity AND quality of leads; you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Who Should Use LinkedIn Ads?

LinkedIn advertising is ideal for B2B businesses because it allows you to target specific individuals and groups of professionals.

What Type of Ads Are on LinkedIn?

• Text Ads: Simple ads that feature a headline, copy, and optional image.

• Sponsored InMail: Sponsored messages sent through LinkedIn's own messaging system.

• Sponsored Content: A type of ad that allows you to create an ad with an article, image, link, video, or even carousel of images.

• Dynamic Ads: Ads that highlight job openings, encourage users to follow your Company Page, or spotlight your business.

Read more about advertising on LinkedIn here.

3. Instagram Advertising

Paid media on Instagram is extremely influential because the ads are native and blend into user feeds. Therefore, your audience doesn’t get the sense of interruption during their daily scrolling experience. 

Instagram advertising is managed through the Facebook Ads Manager, since Facebook does own Instagram. So, the process of creating an Instagram ad is identical to that of creating a Facebook ad, with only a few minor differences.

Just like Facebook, businesses can also choose to boost posts that are already active on their Instagram feed. Doing this is a quick way to show your content to more people.

Who Should Use Instagram Ads?

If you’re seeking to connect with B2C leads and target millennials, then look no further – Instagram is the platform for you. This platform is ideal for those looking to increase brand awareness, website traffic, and app interaction.

What Types of Ads are on Instagram?

• Photo Ads: Ads that contain an image.

• Video Ads: Ads that contain a video up to 60 seconds.

• Carousel Ads: Carousel ads allow viewers to swipe for additional photos or videos within the same ad.

• Stories Ads: Stories ads will appear while people are watching their friends’ stories on their feed.

Read more about advertising on Instagram here.

4. Twitter Advertising

When it comes to advertising on Twitter, every word counts… literally. This social media platform limits users to only 280 characters per tweet. This restriction applies to paid advertising, as well.

Twitter is a fast-pace social network – within the blink of an eye, a tweet can come and go on your feed.

To combat this, Twitter advertising is a great way to quickly grab your audience's attention and provide them with a link for more information.

Who Should Use Twitter Ads?

Twitter ads are effective for businesses looking to directly connect with consumers. They are also often used for targeting the media, entertainment, and marketing industries.

What Types of Ads are on Twitter?

• Promoted Tweets: These ads look just like regular tweets, but allow you to share your content with people who don't follow you.

• Promoted Accounts: This type of ad, also known as a Follower Campaign, promotes your Twitter account to encourage others to follow you that might be interested.

• Promoted Trends: This type of ad allows you to promote a hashtag at the top of the Trending tab on the Twitter homepage.

5. YouTube Advertising

YouTube, the #1 video sharing platform, is a fantastic platform for video advertising to engage new audiences and encourage them to take action.

Businesses continue to find more and more ways to use video advertising to boost conversions and sales, and with YouTube being a top five social networking site, it’s a great place to put your video marketing to the test.

Who Should Use YouTube Ads?

Using paid media on YouTube allows both B2C and B2B companies to target their audience with display, pop-up, and video ads.

What Types of Ads are on YouTube?

• TrueView Video Ads: Skippable ads you only pay for when viewers watch or interact with your video. 
  • TrueView In-Stream Ads: Ads that play your video before, during, or after other YouTube videos.
  • TrueView Discovery Ads: A

    ds that are displayed as a thumbnail and are used to promote your content in places of discovery (i.e., YouTube mobile homepage, in YouTube search results, or next to related YouTube videos).

• Bumper Ads: Unskippable videos up to six seconds long that play before, during, or after a user watches the main video.

Read more about advertising on YouTube here.

Important Things to Consider When Creating Social Media Ads

1. Campaign Objective

What is the purpose of this ad? What goal are you trying to reach?

Before creating each ad, you first must choose the objective of your ad campaign. Each platform offers a variety of options that will then help guide you  tocreate an optimized advertisement for your audience.

Always take a look at the bigger picture before diving into social media advertising. If your objective is to increase traffic, be sure to align your messaging and calls-to-action to reflect that.

2. Target Audience

Who do you want to see your ads? What audience are you trying to reach?

Always, always, ALWAYS refine your target audience by relevant demographics, locations, and industries to optimize the success of your ad.

In the end, you want those who will be most interested in your business to see your ad, and refining your audience can help you target the best people.

3. Budget and Schedule

How much are you willing to spend to achieve the results you were hoping for? How long should you run your ad?

Budget and schedule are huge factors to consider when advertising on social media. Depending on the specific goal you have, you may need to spend a certain amount.

Luckily, these platforms feature handy tools that estimate your ad reach, so you can compare different spendings and the results they can potentially create.

Also, always decide whether you want your ad to run indefinitely or within a specific time frame. This is important if you are advertising for a limited time offer or sale, or are running an ad around the holidays.

How long you run your ad will also affect spending, so be sure to think about these two as a whole to select the best time and money for your business – it doesn't hurt to A/B test to figure out the best times and budget for you!

As you can see, there are many social platforms your business can advertise on to reach new audiences, increase brand awareness, and encourage conversions.

All in all, don't rule any platform out until you try it. Experimentation can yield crazy results, and you don't want to miss out on a huge opportunity to engage with new people, no matter the platform.