Why You Should Be Advertising On More Than Just Google

By now, most businesses understand the importance of having an advertising presence on Google. Not only is it a scalable, measurable platform for businesses to leverage, but Google is where consumers come to take in content. Their eyes and ears are here – for keywords with high commercial content, almost 65% of clicks go to sponsored results.

That said, if you’re looking to get more traction on the advertising dollars you’re spending on Google, building a holistic marketing strategy that involves advertising on multiple platforms (beyond just Google) is your answer.

How to Expand Your Presence on Google

In order for your business to get in front of consumers on Google, they need to specifically demand the information (by searching for it). What if you want to be in front of more eyeballs and get additional leads? You should layer on complementary strategies such as Facebook and YouTube to create awareness and generate demand for your business and its products or services. More awareness means more people searching for your business online!

This type of multi-track strategy is a very impactful option, especially if you’ve already found your sweet spot and maximized the ROI of your spend in Adwords. Creating this additional demand and interest for what your business has to offer results in more traction on Google because the volume of people demanding information will increase.

Facebook & YouTube Advertising Basics

Both Facebook and YouTube are visual, branding-focused platforms. Posts with images drive 2.3 times more engagement and as many as 80% of people would rather watch a video about a product than read about it.

Platforms such as Facebook and YouTube help extend your reach and build brand awareness in your market. Unlike Google, these platforms serve ads to people based on their interests and Internet behavior – Facebook and YouTube don’t rely on consumers to demand the information.

Although these platforms serve ads to folks that aren’t necessarily looking for that information in the moment, they’ve proven be just as successful. 60% of people on Instagram (owned by Facebook) say they discover new products on the platform. YouTube’s bumper ads increase brand awareness by 9% on average.

Because of this strategic advertising approach, running ads on Facebook and YouTube allow you to get your company in front of those who fit the profile of your market audience, but may not yet be searching for this information on Google.

The Marketing Funnel

When thinking about how these strategies complement your Google advertising strategy, picture the customer’s online buying cycle as a funnel.

A consumer specifically demanding information on Google is very far down the funnel – they’ve likely visited your website a few times and are close to completing a conversion or becoming a lead by taking an action on your site such as signing up for a newsletter or completing an online form. Due to the visual, branding nature of Facebook and YouTube, these platforms are placed much higher in the funnel. This is where consumers typically get initial exposure to your brand.

Okay, I Get It. So How Do I Start Advertising on These Channels?

Because platforms such as Facebook and YouTube have different functions and goals from Google, there are a few helpful items to think about and prioritize to help get you started:

1. Find Your People. Make sure you are targeting the right audience. There are over 2 billion people on Facebook and 1.8 billion on YouTube every month. Target those that are relevant to your geographic market and make sure the content of your ads are in line with what appeals to that audience. Ad spend can go quickly when targeting isn’t effective or set appropriately.
2. Keep Content Fresh and Creative. Always prioritize quality content over quantity. Consumers are more likely to purchase from businesses they feel connected to. Leverage statuses, images, videos, and links. Ensure your videos have a strong message and are optimized according to SEO best practices.
3. Aim for High Brand Awareness. Grab attention with visual ads and leverage ad formats built to increase brand recall and recognition. Facebook has a line of Brand Awareness Ads and YouTube’s TrueView ad format are both built specifically for this goal.

Intuitive Digital Can Help!

Incorporating Facebook or YouTube as complementary advertising strategies layered on top of your Google advertising strategy will feed your marketing funnel. This holistic approach gives you a presence in multiple stages of the buying funnel, which will ultimately increase your online traction and volume of conversions.

Looking to launch or expand your online presence into a more holistic strategy? Chat with us about it!