Social media advertising – also known as “paid social” – is a targeted way of using social media to market your brand. This form of advertising allows you more creativity than traditional paid search, since you can include images, videos, and other tailored content to move your message. And, rather than just putting a post on your social media and hoping it reaches your audience, you can choose whose eyes see them based upon who and where they are, including their interests and online behavior.
For example, let’s say you’ve just opened a restaurant in Clear Lake. With targeted, local social media advertising, you’ll ensure that your ad will reach only those in Clear Lake, Texas City, Hitchcock, and surrounding areas in Galveston County and Harris County. Depending on the platform you choose, you may even be able to target social media users who are specifically interested in food and dining out! Which brings us to our next topic…
So many platforms – which do you choose?
Like most people, you probably have a Facebook page (for yourself, for your business, or both). People of all ages and interests use Facebook regularly, so it offers many options for customizing your local social media advertising. Photos, videos, Facebook Stories, and other formats show off your brand, and you can choose to target ads to areas as specific as La Marque and Friendswood, or as broad as Galveston County and Harris County.
(Making the most of your advertising budget on Facebook can require expert-level knowledge. If you need help, book a free marketing consultation with the pros at JanMar Agency!)
Other platforms are helpful for reaching different audiences, so you may want to add more to your lineup:
Instagram is a great platform if you have compelling photos or videos to share. Since it’s owned by Facebook, you can manage your ads for both in one place.
Twitter is more text-focused, so if you have a short and clever message, it will work well for a promoted tweet or a Twitter ad.
TikTok and Snapchat are a must for younger audiences, and both platforms make it easy for you to create short video ads to engage users.
LinkedIn is the place to be if you provide B2B (business-to-business) services and/or want to reach a professional audience with targeted content including B2B opportunities and job postings
Now, let’s talk strategy!
Your local social media advertising campaign will only succeed if you have a good plan – and you’ll want a different strategy for each platform. However, good social media marketing plans will all include the following:
Benefits to your business from social media – do you want to build awareness of your brand, or sell your product directly?
Your target audience – who are they, how old are they, where are they (for instance, La Marque, Friendswood, or Texas City), and what are their interests?
Ad formats (photos, videos, text, etc.) – do words or visuals work better for your brand?
How often you’ll share – do you have a big product release you’d like to get people excited about, or do you want to engage with customers on a regular, timed basis?
Your strategy is the most important part of your local social media advertising plan; JanMar Agency can help you navigate it with a free, one-hour social media advertising consultation!
Finding your best ROI
Some platforms may provide you with better ROIs than others. (ROI is your “return on investment,” and you can learn more about ROI here.) While recent surveys have shown that business owners feel Facebook and Instagram offer their best ROI, your target audience may be more engaged on other platforms – e.g. businesses on LinkedIn, or Gen Z on TikTok.
As part of your marketing strategy, ask yourself if there’s something unique to that platform that you could leverage. For example, are you a photographer in Galveston County? Head to Instagram and show off your work! Opening a hip nightclub in Texas City? TikTok videos can create buzz.
This all may seem like a big task, but if you need assistance, let JanMar Agency help you with your next social media marketing project! If you’re in the Galveston County or Harris County area, including Houston, La Marque, Clear Lake, Texas City, Friendswood, or Hitchcock, call us at (409) 502-8221 or book your free, one-hour consultation.