Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2020 62 D igital advertising is one of the best ways to boost your exposure with laser-focused precision. But instead of being a single tool or tactic, it includes a range of services all focused on the same goal: amplifying your exposure and encouraging action. So, where do you start? Today we'll introduce you to digital advertising as an essential building block of every truly powerful digital marketing strategy, with some helpful definitions and recommendations on where to begin. DIGITAL ADVERTISING & YOUR SMALL BUSINESS: THE GREAT EQUALIZER For small and independent businesses, digital marketing is the great equalizer. While traditional forms of advertising like media buys and print ads can be hard to track and prohibitively expensive, the beauty of digital advertising is how it can level the playing field. The precise targeting and flexibility of digital advertising empower you to stand toe-to-toe with your biggest competitors when it comes to your marketing. Whether you're going it alone or you already have a Marketing Expert in your corner – it boils down to two powerful advantages: In-market targeting: unlike a television or newspaper ad, digital advertising lets you reach the people who are actively researching or comparing products and services. This is what we call In-Market Audience Targeting, and unlike the "shotgun shell" approach of more traditional advertising it's one of the best ways digital advertising helps small businesses compete with the advertising of their biggest competitors while keeping costs low (and ROI high). Advanced tracking: Are we targeting the right audience? Is our message the right one? How many people are we reaching? Is this worth it? These are questions every business has when they advertise. With digital advertising, they're all questions that can be easily answered. GETTING STARTED WITH DIGITAL ADVERTISING Before you get started with digital advertising it helps to understand that there are several formats your advertisements can take. From text ads that boost your search engine exposure to display ads that re-engage potential customers, the variety of options available makes digital advertising a smart choice for just about any marketing goal. • Display ads: Promote your business through eye-catching, creative banner ads across the web with geo-targeting, competitor targeting, keyword targeting and more. • Retargeting ads: Target just the customers that have already visited your website with an invitation to come back and take advantage of a special offer. Retargeting ads gives you a valuable second-chance to re-engage. • Social media ads: Social media advertising is growing every year. Why? Because every year more people use social media. Like it or not: it's where a majority of your customers spend their time online, so it can be a powerful advertising tool for any industry. Paid ads, promoted posts, and sponsored stories are popular ways to create exposure and action from the people you're focused on with social media. • Search engine marketing ("Pay per click"): Pay per click or PPC ensures your business will make the shortlist when potential customers look for your products, services or expertise on search engines like Google. With PPC ads you only pay when you get a click. WHERE TO START It's also helpful to remember that while digital advertisements can come in a variety of formats, they're delivered by an even wider variety of channels – each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Today we'll introduce the two that are the most successful. S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T DIGITAL ADVERTISING — THE BUILDING BLOCK THAT BOOSTS YOUR EXPOSURE

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