Targeted advertising has radically changed online marketing. Previously, ads and banners were published "blindly", hoping to reach at least some of the target audience. Now social networks widely use sponsored posts shown to a specific group of users. The settings usually include location, gender, age, ad schedule and other factors. Social media algorithms identify the right audience and show it the ads at the right time and frequency. This lets you reach the target audience with 80–100% accuracy and increase ad conversions by tens or even hundreds of percent.
Features of social media targeting
Targeted advertising is a marketing tool used mainly on social networks and search engines. Before launching targeted ads on Instagram or other networks, it's worth knowing a few features of this type of promotion.
- Lower advertising costs. This format lets you focus on interacting only with your target audience, without paying for "blind" impressions that get no response.
- Audience focus. No other type of promotion can target specific users so precisely. For example, targeted ads on Facebook and other networks can be aimed at men or women of a certain age and region. Several dozen parameters are available in total.
- Optimisation. This type of promotion makes it much easier to track and control conversions. Settings can be changed at any time to fix mistakes and improve the performance of promoted posts.
What you can advertise on social media with targeting
You already know what targeted advertising is. But many entrepreneurs and webmasters still wonder whether their product suits this kind of promotion. In fact, targeted advertising is a universal promotion tool. It works best in B2C, when you interact directly with individuals rather than company representatives. For promoting products and services to businesses, PPC ads usually make more sense — though the marketing strategy is ultimately defined by the specialists who develop it.
Targeted social media ads are most often used to promote:
- restaurants and cafés;
- gyms;
- online courses;
- brand stores;
- hair salons;
- law firms;
- public figures.
The last point is especially interesting. On social media you often see sponsored posts from specific public figures, such as bloggers or well-known entrepreneurs. They use this ad format to promote their own projects and build name recognition.
Our SMM marketers highlight several basic criteria that a product or service promoted with targeted ads on Facebook and other platforms should meet.
- A clear product.
- Relative affordability.
- Demand.
- Uniqueness.
A clear product means users immediately understand what the ad is about. Posts use clear headlines with quality photos relevant to the offer. Affordability matters too: a targeted Instagram ad is unlikely to succeed if it's selling an excavator or a production line. Such ads can of course be targeted at a wealthy audience with their own businesses, but PPC advertising would work better in that case.
When setting up targeting, SMM marketers also consider demand. For example, there's no point advertising snowboards in summer or sun umbrellas in winter. As for uniqueness, it's subjective: an offer can stand out thanks to a lower price than competitors', broader service or an extra discount.
Which social networks targeting suits
The most common networks for this type of promotion:
- Facebook;
- Instagram.
Choosing the right platform for sponsored posts is very important, as each network has a different audience. Instagram has the most young users and teenagers, while Facebook has more middle-aged men and women. So targeted ads on Facebook reach an older audience with more purchasing power than on Instagram. Our SMM marketers first create a promotion strategy and then choose the platforms, style and format of the ads based on it.
How much does social media promotion cost?
CYBORG's managers will help you calculate an approximate targeted ad budget. The budget depends on the chosen parameters and audience reach, so a campaign can be set up within specific financial limits. Contact our managers for a detailed consultation and a preliminary estimate.
For its part, our SMM team guarantees effective social media promotion. A conversion and response target is always set at the start, and the CYBORG team works towards it.
