Ad Design

Your customers are scrolling through social media constantly—are they coming across your business? If you’re not advertising on social media, you bet there’s a good chance your competitors are. To really stand out, your social media advertising has to pack a punch with quality design and memorable text, so that you don’t blend into the background on consumers’ feeds. Done well, social media advertising can provide real-world results for your business. Did you know that 25% of those viewing social advertisements respond by visiting the store or clicking through to the website?

Why Your Business Should Advertise on Social Media

Digital advertising is a must for today’s businesses. Consumers not only expect to see your company online, but they also expect businesses to provide the products and services they need without having to step foot in a store. Forget hoping they’ll reach for a phonebook and find your business. They’ll search for someone who can meet their needs online, and if you’re not there, you won’t even be considered as an option. There are many reasons online ads are essential for businesses, including:

• Increased awareness of your brand. When your ad is online, you become part of the conversation. Even customers who aren’t actively seeking your product or service will become aware of your brand, so that your company is in their minds when they do need what you provide.
• Better search engine ranking. When people use a search engine to find something, the order in which results are returned is determined by complex algorithms that keep the end user in mind. Although the algorithms are constantly changing, being active on social media has helped many businesses improve their SEO through content promotion, which translates into more clicks—and more customers.
• Cost-effective advertising. Social media advertising is one of the lowest cost options your business will encounter. Although the investment is low, the returns can be huge. Even a short-run ad on Facebook that costs mere dollars can reach thousands of people.
• Insights about your market. Social media offers comprehensive analytic tools that give you invaluable insight into who is clicking your ads and who isn’t. This information can help you determine who is most interested in your services and who you should be targeting (and retargeting) with additional marketing efforts.

Factors That Make a Social Media Ad Successful

As with all kinds of advertising, social media ads are only as effective as their design and messaging. When online, users are bombarded with advertising, so to stand out and get your message across, you have to pay attention to a few important factors when creating your ad:

• Clear messaging. Your messaging will get jumbled if you don’t know exactly what you want to get across before you create your ad. Whether your aim is to increase sales for a specific product, let consumers know about a promotion you’re running, or raise awareness of your business, be clear about the reason for your ad.
• Platform-appropriate ads. Different kinds of advertising work best on different platforms. Knowing which platform you want to target with your ad will aid in the design process. Considering the content of your ad and the market you’re targeting will help you make this decision.
• Organic content. Ads on social media work best when they blend in with your organic content. Ideally, your ad should look like any other content you’re posting as users scroll through their feeds. Overuse of obvious advertising will turn users off and cause them to unsubscribe from your feed.