This wave of popularity has made Instagram one of the most popular social media platforms ever. This huge level of usage also makes it a prime place to advertise. 

With the number of people that frequently check into the app, it’s a lucrative marketing opportunity. The visual appeal and engaging nature of the app make it an awesome place to position your next ad campaign.

Instagram is only a decade old and has come a long way in a relatively short time frame. Originally started as a mobile check-in app, Instagram quickly morphed into an extremely popular photo-sharing platform.

The successful app quickly became a favorite of investors as they fed it financially and nourished its growth. Then, just two years after launching, Instagram was bought by social media powerhouse Facebook for an astounding one billion dollars.

Today, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world. Users can’t seem to stop checking in and scrolling through the billions of images and videos constantly being posted and shared.

With half a billion Instagrammers popping on to the app daily, it’s definitely a popular place to be. It’s also home to over 25 million businesses. If your brand isn’t included in this number, you’re missing your chance to get the word out to this vast and widespread audience.

Luckily, launching an Instagram campaign is relatively easy. Ads can be published in mere minutes.

The trick is to do things in a highly effective way. We’re going to share some great tips for developing a great advertising campaign to get the most out of your Instagram presence.

Instagram Ads Compared to Other Social Media Ads

Instagram launched in 2010 in a world of emerging social media apps. Founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger knew that they had to make their app stand out. As smartphone usage was booming, they wisely used the trend to their advantage.

They chose to develop Instagram to appeal specifically to iPhone users. The content had to be shared with a 1:1 ratio for simple smartphone viewing. With a 640 pixel height and width, it perfectly matched the iPhone’s display size.

The idea took off and Instagram became popular especially among Millenials. The ability to quickly edit and share photos was an amazing feature for a demographic that craved instant gratification.

Partnered with the genius of Instagram Filters, the app soon became the go-to for sharing images. These in-app filters can transform any bland photo to an artsy image, enhancing features and creating a whole new mood. 

The ability to geotag posts and check-in is another genius feature. All you have to do is click on a location and you can check out all of the posts that have been tagged there.

Organizing the posts by hashtags allows users to search for posts relevant to them, whether posted by those they follow or not. This makes sorting and finding content quick and easy. 

All of these features make Instagram a great place for your business. Plus, you’ll see that there are some smart ways you can make these features work well for your page and your campaign.

Adjusting and Transforming

Over time, Instagram added features and transformed the platform to remain relevant. This transformation has maintained Instagram’s popularity and kept it feeling fresh and new.

The app relaxed the image size constraints and began allowing videos and several photos per post. It also added a chat feature for private messaging. However, launching its stories feature may have been their most genius move yet.

Instagram Stories allows you to post photos and videos that disappear after twenty-four hours. Taking a page out of the Snapchat playbook was a smart move as the feature became hugely popular with Instagrammers that now post millions of stories per day.

With the guidance of tech whizzes Mark Zuckerberberg and Adam Mosseri, Instagram will only continue to flourish in the world of social media. Continual improvements and a growing audience, make it a prize choice for branding and advertising.

Developing a Genius Instagram Ad Campaign

Your Instagram campaign can give your brand such great momentum. The trick is to develop a smart campaign that is effective and well-planned. You’ll also want to stay in tune with the progress and adjust as necessary. Here, awareness and flexibility are key.

From the beginning of your campaign to evaluating the metrics, you can create smart ads and reach your targets. It’s important to think of your Instagram presence as cyclical: constantly planning, implementing, evaluating, and adjusting. 

These tips can help you hatch an awesome campaign. They can deepen and grow your brand’s Instagram presence. They will also help you develop your own best practices for interacting with the world of billions of Instagram users. 

Setting Smart Instagram Ad Goals

The first thing you need to consider is the “why” behind your campaign. What are you trying to accomplish on Instagram? How do you want your presence to impact your brand?

You may be a new brand or simply trying to expand your market. Maybe you simply want to create and increase the awareness of your brand.

Good news! Instagram is a perfect place to do this. The format and number of users on the platform makes getting the word out about your brand very promising. 

You might be looking to improve your brand’s reputation. This increase in brand consideration means that more buyers will opt for your brand in a purchase situation.

Again, you’re in the right place on Instagram. This goal just means that you might want to make your ads more informative so users can clearly see the benefits of your brand.

If your goal is to increase website visits, sales, or app downloads, a mobile app ad is a perfect choice. Getting successful conversions from your ads can work great on Instagram.

With clearly defined, measurable goals, you can move forward with your marketing plan. These objectives will also drive your strategy and help you make the best choices for your campaign.

Speak to Your Instagram Ads Audience

One of the best ways to ensure your campaign is successful is to define your target audience and keep them in mind every step of the way. Who are you trying to reach both during your Instagram campaign and with your entire marketing strategy?

Think about the need for your product. Who is most likely to benefit from it? What segments of the population most closely identify with the characteristics of your brand?

Asking yourself these questions can help you develop your target audience. This can also help you create content that speaks to this group.

Instagram allows you to build audiences with many factors to consider. This ensures your ad is being viewed by the users that are more likely to interact with your brand.

You can narrow your audience by traditional demographic characteristics like gender, age, and language. You can also target users in a specific location, which is especially helpful if you are trying to drive traffic to a physical location. 

Instagram’s mountains of user data allow you to tap into the personality of your audience. You can dive deeper and create audiences based on interests and behaviors associated with your brand. 

Creating custom audiences of your current customers allows you to keep your brand at the forefront of their minds. Look-alike audiences give you the chance to be seen by users that are similar to your current customers and more likely to be intrigued. 

Once you have defined your audience, you can better develop your content and advertising. By thinking about your brand from their perspective, you’ll be able to more successfully appeal to them.

Check Out Other Ads on Instragram

Checking out other ads can be super inspiring. It can also give you the chance to see what works well and what doesn’t do so great.

Take these ads from competitors Green Chef and Purple Carrot, online meal delivery services. 

They are two very similar companies with similarities and contrasts in their advertising style. 

Both feature mouth-watering images of their dishes. However, their strategies differ. Purple Carrot features a soft call to action and a simple caption.

On the other hand, Green Chef takes it to the next level. They partner with Soyummy to tout their brand. They make big claims and create a need for their product. 

These strategies are paying off. Their ad has some serious viewership and over a hundred user comments.

That’s not to say that you should mimic your competitor’s ads completely. Just take note of what they are doing well and use that information to your advantage. 

After all, you’re likely chasing the same target audience. Why not use your competitor’s strategies to win out in the long run?

Learn About Instagram Ad Types

Depending on your objectives, you’ll want to consider different ad types. It’s important to understand the types of Instagram ads, as well as how to use them.

Photo Ads

This is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a photo of your product or service displayed within a user’s feed. These can be great for building awareness of your brand.

The key is to make a dynamic impression with a crisp, stunning photo. Add a clear call to action to reach your goal. Bonus, these are quick and easy to publish. 

Stories Ads

You can take advantage of the popularity of the Stories feature with a story ad of your own. In fact, one in three stories viewed on Instagram is from a business.

Creating an attention-grabbing story ad can get you some great exposure. Plus, it allows you to create an ad that fills the screen, getting the full focus of the viewer.

Video Ads

These allow you to tell a bit more of a story. They are great if your objective is building brand consideration. 

With a video, you have time to share your brand’s message and benefits. It also allows you to inject some engaging personality in your advertising.

Collection Ads

These ads are a combination of photos and videos that share more in-depth information about your products. This allows you to show off a ton of imagery and share a large number of brand benefits.

These are great for converting ads into purchases. Users can browse and buy products directly from the ad. 

Carousel Ads

These are ads where users can swipe through several photos or videos. This allows you to share multiple messages or images in one advertisement.

Carousel ads are great for retailers showing off multiple products. They are also awesome for converting views into website visits and purchases.

Make a Financial Plan For Your Instagram Ad Campaign

Now that you’ve decided on your goals and what types of Instagram ads can get you there, it’s time to talk numbers. How much are you going to spend on your Instagram campaign?

The Instagram price structure can vary; however, it’s very results-driven. Often, you can pay per impression or clicks. This means that you have the benefit of only paying for what you truly get out of your ad.

Instagram has easy tools to set your budget and adjust it as needed. This allows you to throw a little more of your marketing budget towards the campaigns that are working successfully. 

Stay True and Authentic To Your Audience

When advertising on social media, it’s super important to be authentic. You need to create a personality for your brand that users trust. 

If your Instagram ads seem forced and over the top, users simply won’t believe you. Focus on showing your brand’s benefits by personifying it for viewers. 

When creating a personality for your brand, think about your target audience and their typical personality traits. This will help you cultivate a brand personality that they can identify with.

Once you develop this personality for your brand, keep it consistent. Users crave interacting with brands they can trust. 

Make sure to maintain consistency with your other marketing channels as well. You want your brand to have a holistic voice, no matter how and where customers are interacting with it.

As consumers see your consistency and repeated authentic messages, they will begin to form a relationship with your brand. It’s important to keep this relationship intact to develop a strong customer base. 

Stop the Scroll

One of the most important parts of creating your Instagram ad is stopping users from scrolling right past you. You need to grab their attention and grab it quickly. 

Your initial impression needs to be dynamic. It needs to stand out from a user’s feed and lure them in. 

If you are publishing a photo ad, your goal is to stop users long enough to read your caption and the call to action. A well shot and edited photo goes a long way here. 

Video ads are great for sharing more information, that is if users actually stick around to watch them. When produced strategically, you are likely to earn more views and longer watch times. 

Start your video’s message quickly. Viewers should immediately know what they are learning about. Then, make it entertaining enough that they hang around to absorb your whole message.

Carousel and collection ads are awesome for sharing multiple images but you need users to look through them or they are pointless. Your first image or video should focus on grabbing their attention. It should also include information that tempts users to swipe or scroll to check out what else you have to offer.

Your story ads should be fun and engaging. This is a great place to mix it up and let your brand’s uniqueness shine. Keep it fun, lighthearted, and entertaining to capture views.  

Whatever type of ad you choose, focus on making it stand out. When you can get users to pause their scrolling and keep them around for a few moments, it can be a big win for your campaign.

Catching Captions

Instagram is an app focused on visual stimulation and information. However, words are also super important to your advertising campaign.

Your ad’s captions also tell a story. They are also another chance to deepen or enhance your message. How you craft your caption can boost your ad a ton.

Instagram users are here for photos and videos. They don’t want to read a mile long caption. So it’s best to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. 

There’s also the dreaded “more” button. How many users actually click that and read the entire caption? Likely not an overwhelming majority. That’s why your word placement is essential. 

Check out this well-worded, highly informative caption from Orgain. It’s super-efficient, using only twenty words to share four benefits and a call to action. They even threw in a play on words for a little light humor! 

Keep in mind when crafting your captions that less is often more. Putting your most important information first can help it get read. Use limited words as an opportunity to accentuate your ad, not overwhelm it.

Engage With Users With Your Instagram Ads

Social media is a big opportunity to engage with consumers. Instagram is one of the very best platforms for this. It’s also another chance to create your brand’s image and personality.

When users comment on your ad, try to respond, and meaningfully. You need your brand to be an active Instagram user, just like your customers.

Try to respond to both negative feedback and praise. Use the comment section as a forum to answer any questions or resolve any issues. 

As we said before, stay authentic and true to your brand. Use a consistent voice and tone, even when responding to comments. This helps customers forge a connection with your brand. 

Razor subscription service Billie, is a master of engagement. Check out the comment section of one of their Facebook ads.

Everything about the Billie brand screams light, fun, and bubbly, and their comment section is no different! All of the conversational elements from the casual tone to the fitting emojis fits their brand perfectly.

Focus on enhancing your brand’s voice by engaging similarly with users. Not only does this give you another customer service tool, but it’s also another chance to reinforce your message.

Analyze and Adjust For Better Instagram Ad Success

One of the biggest benefits of Instagram advertising is the ability to see how well your ads are doing. This easy to interpret data allows you to see what’s working for your brand and also what isn’t.

These simple charts are based on your advertising objectives. They show you the trends of your ads, in real-time. 

This information is super valuable in tweaking and making adjustments to your campaign. Being able to see what works immediately makes changes faster to implement. It can also save you some big bucks otherwise wasted on using an ineffective strategy long-term.

Use this data to your advantage when planning future campaigns. Once you’ve run a few ads and studied the analytics, you’ll have a good feel for the best ways to plan your Instagram ads.

Bonus – Seamlessly Advertise with Facebook

Facebook’s ownership of Instagram benefits more than just its shareholders, it gives you some perks as a marketer as well. Advertising on both platforms can be done all in one place!

The Facebook Ads Manager page is your dashboard for setting metrics, creating ads, and analyzing data for both platforms. This makes dual advertising super simple, saving you a ton of time and energy.

Your Impactful Instagram Campaign

As you learn the ropes of Instagram advertising, you’ll reap the benefits from branding to a huge audience. Hopefully, we gave you some tips and tricks you can use to get up and running.

From publishing your ad to analyzing the data, you can use Instagram to grow your audience as your ads appear in front of new sets of eyes. You can create a strong personality for your brand and engage with customers to increase loyalty and sales. Your Instagram presence can create a whole new set of branding opportunities for your business.

What do you want to share with Instagram users with your next captivating campaign?

The post Instagram Advertising: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Adspace® The Web Design & Digital Marketing Agency.

When YouTube launched in 2005, it was a platform to easily find and share video clips online. It was created by three tech geniuses that had early roles in the successful payment app, PayPal. Little did they know that their idea would become one of the most popular and addictive platforms in the entire world. 

As the site grew, it was eventually acquired by Google in 2006 and integrated into other Google platforms and applications. This change would transform the platform and launch it to a new level. 

Today, YouTube has amassed billions of account holders. YouTube channel stars have developed almost cult-like followings. The video-sharing website has become a booming industry in and of itself.

With such a dominant place in the market, YouTube is an awesome opportunity to advertise your business. Here, we’ll talk about all of the makings of a great YouTube ad campaign. You can use these tips and tricks to make the video-sharing platform work wonders for your business.

The Growth of YouTube, The Giant

YouTube was born in a pretty humorous way. The genius minds that started the site were inspired by unique problems they hoped to solve.

One creator, Jawed Karim, was frustrated that he was unable to find video footage of Janet Jackson’s infamous wardrobe malfunction anywhere after the incident. The other two creators, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, just wanted to create a video dating site to solve the world’s romance problems.

Their ideas were founded through simple concepts, but when they created YouTube, they unknowingly launched one of the most impactful websites ever. 

YouTube is now the largest video sharing platform in the entire world. Its two billion active users are scrolling and searching the site, watching an astounding five billion videos per day. 

This amazing level of viewership just continues to grow, stemming from an intriguing cycle. Videos are posted, viewers eat them up, they go viral, then the channel posts another video hoping to make it even more viral than the last.

The company is now believed to be worth $300 billion, making it one of the most valuable companies in the entire world. It’s certainly a place your business could see big value in being a part of.

Why YouTube is Different for Advertisers

You might think, “My company already has a social media marketing strategy.” However, if that strategy doesn’t include advertising on YouTube, you’re missing the marketing boat. 

YouTube has similar benefits to advertising on traditional social media platforms. But it’s differences are what makes having your product or company featured on the site truly amazing. 

First, there’s nothing out there like YouTube. The popularity of many social media platforms tends to ebb and flow and some are better than others at targeting specific groups and demographics.

YouTube, however, has become a part of today’s culture. 

It’s now the second most popular website worldwide with an average of over eight daily page views per visitor. It’s no understatement that web users are spending some major time on this site.

Part of YouTube’s appeal is its diverse collection of content. No matter your interests and preferences, there’s something on YouTube that will appeal to you. Thanks to the sophisticated algorithms that recommend similar videos, it’s easy to get drawn into a longer-than-you-realize viewing session.

The site plays host to everything from how-to videos for home projects to the latest pop music videos. There are videos posted by celebrities, athletes, and home-based experts on everything from cooking to decorating. Kids are even getting in on the YouTube game.

The platform has also launched many YouTubers into stardom. Music groups like Pentatonix have become viral sensations on the platform and ended up with lucrative deals and sell-out concert tours. The tricksters from Dude Perfect started on YouTube and ended up partnering with Nerf for their own line of merchandise. 

It’s no lie that seemingly endless revenue streams can be generated on YouTube. Your company can benefit from this money-making powerhouse. All you need to do is create a well-rounded and strategic YouTube ad campaign.

Creating an Effective YouTube Advertising Campaign

Launching a campaign on YouTube is pretty quick and easy. With a little planning, you can get your campaign off the ground in no time. 

There are a few strategies you can think about to make your campaign more effective. With a little extra thought and effort, you’ll likely reap bigger rewards from your YouTube ads.

Know Your YouTube Ad Types

• Masthead Ads
  • Plays at the top of the main video stream
  • Great for creating brand or product awareness
  • Autoplays for up to thirty seconds

• Skippable In-Stream Ads
  • Play before, after, or during other videos
  • Can be skipped after five seconds
  • Awesome for driving web traffic and sales leads
  • Bid based pricing means you pay per 30-second views

• Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
  • Play before, after, or during other videos
  • Fifteen seconds or shorter
  • Perfect for broad reach and to generate brand awareness
  • Pay per impression

• Bumper Ads
  • Play before, after, or during a video
  • Only six seconds long and not skippable
  • Can be great to drive brand awareness
  • Pay per impression for the most effective spend

• Video Discovery Ads
  • Play alongside search results, related content, or on the YouTube mobile homepage
  • Displayed as a clickable image
  • Only pay when your image is clicked
  • Great for exposure to target audiences

• Outstream Ads
  • Only appear on mobile versions of Google partner sites and apps
  • Do not appear on YouTube
  • Only charged for each two-second view
  • Works well to expand your audience and create brand awareness

Having a basic understanding of these ad types will not only allow you to create better ads, but it will also help you decide what type of ads can best help you achieve your marketing objectives.

Narrow Your YouTube Advertising Objective

Marketing without an objective is pretty pointless. Sure, you’re getting exposure, but your campaign will be much more effective with a clear and defined objective. 

Are you trying to raise awareness of your brand? It’s important that you are innovative with your voice if you are a new brand. 

It’s also essential that you are authentic if you are well established. You don’t want to throw off your current customers. 

Your objective may be to increase interest in your brand. Trying to encourage consideration of your product may require you to focus on its benefits so you can use your campaigns to communicate them. 

If your goal is to increase sales or website visits, your ad format will likely have to change a bit. You’ll want to make sure your call to action is stronger and the transition to your site is seamless.

No matter what your objective is, your strategy will be built around it. Everything from your tone to your ad design will need to reflect your goals. We’ll discuss those strategies in a minute.

Get the Most Bang For Your YouTube Ad Buck

First off, how much money are you willing to throw towards your YouTube campaign? You’ll also want to decide if you want to focus on a set amount or a bidding strategy that’s more results-driven. 

Fortunately, you can start a local YouTube campaign for just a few bucks. This allows you to try all kinds of strategies to see what works best for you before making a significant investment in a longer campaign.

What’s great is that YouTube allows you to set your budget. Your daily spend can automatically be capped at a certain dollar amount. 

It’s also easy to adjust this amount and payment method at any time. This allows you to ramp up your campaign or save money as necessary.

Decide Who You’re YouTube Ads’ Target Audience is

When your ad is played for people that would never use your product in a million years, it’s a complete waste of your marketing cash. Thoughtfully selecting your audience can give your campaign the most potential for success.

One of the first things you need to determine is your target audience. Consider if you are trying to deepen awareness with your current demographic or trying to expand your audience. 

Once you have settled on a targeting goal, you can select the audience for your YouTube campaign. Luckily, intuitive YouTube tools make this super easy. 

The Find My Audience tool is an awesome way to narrow down who you are targeting and select your audience. There are two types of audiences you can target. 

Search history is some seriously valuable data and YouTube utilizes it to your advantage. Creating an in-market audience allows you to target shoppers that are already looking for products in your category. This gives you great placement for website conversions and an opportunity to increase sales.

Targeting an affinity audience allows you to greatly increase brand awareness with the consumers that matter the most to your brand. YouTube can place your ad in front of those viewers that matter most. These are selected by their interests that relate to your brand like food and dining, or sports and fitness.

Once you define your audience, think about their characteristics and viewing habits. This will allow you to better create your ad and set the tone for your campaign.

Set the Tone for Your YouTube Advertising Campaign

One of the ultimate goals of marketing is creating a voice for your brand. The tone of your campaign gives your brand a personality. So, you want to make sure it prompts a great impression.

Your campaign’s tone should reflect your product and its characteristics. It should also consider the audience that you’re marketing to. Your brand’s voice is how consumers connect with your brand. 

Your tone should match the feelings you are trying to invoke with your message. It should give the viewer a sense of how your products can meet their needs.

Are you selling serious products like financial services or health care? Your ad should convey a genuine and reassuring tone to let consumers know that they can put their trust in your brand. 

Take this ad from Fidelity. The music is calm and subtle. The people in the ad have serious expressions on their faces as they review their information with their calm and polished adviser.

This ad lets the viewer know that Fidelity is a safe choice for them. They are also likely targeting a more mature audience with higher incomes that can appreciate the more serious tone of this ad.

However, your brand might be one that can benefit from a little excitement. This is especially true if you are marketing to a younger crowd. 

With a lively and dynamic tone, you can make your brand feel exciting. You will let consumers know that your brand will add fun and adventure to their lives.

Check out this clickable banner ad from workout studio AKT. Even without video, they are able to create an energetic feel.

The models have excited expressions and are clearly active. The graphic, bright colors and short verbiage appeals to those looking for high-energy products.

Striking the right tone can be key to making sure consumers interact effectively with your ad. It can also go a long way in drawing viewers in and keeping them around. Also, your tone will be a big part of the impression they have of your brand that lasts long after seeing your ad. 

Check Out What’s Trending on YouTube

To speak to YouTube viewers, you need to know what they are into. Obviously, in this fast-paced digital world, that’s constantly changing. However, staying in tune with what’s currently trending can help you market better.

Check out the trending page on YouTube. What kinds of videos are popular? Check out common themes and characteristics of these videos. This can give you a good start when creating your ad. 

Look for the types and genres of music that are trending at the moment. This can help you select the most appealing music for your ad. 

Are there any big current events, sports seasons, or popular trends that you can tie into your advertising? Not only does this show that your brand is relevant and aware of what’s popular, but it might pay off in capturing the attention of interested viewers. 

Get to The Point Quickly in Your Youtube Ad

With most types of YouTube ads, you only have a few seconds before a viewer can skip it or scroll on by. That’s why it’s super important to get to the point quickly.

There is a lot to include in those first few moments to make your ad effective. Sure, it’s only six seconds, but it is really valuable air time.

Lead with the most important information about your product. What are you marketing and why do they need it? You need to get that info to the viewer straight out of the gate.

Your brand name and ideally your logo or tag line should be in the first view seconds of the ad. That way if it’s skipped, you’ve at least created a few moments of brand exposure.

However, it’s not all about your brand. It’s also about drawing the viewer in so they will keep watching. Make your ad intriguing so YouTube viewers yearn to find out more. 

Whatever the storyline of your ad is, start it quickly and keep it moving. Try to strategically accelerate the rising action so viewers will stay tuned in longer so they can see the climax of your mini-story.

Use a Multi-Sensory Approach to YouTube Ads

Making a video is about more than just visuals. You need to make sure your sound is on point for an effective and engaging advertisement.

Think about your music carefully. Not only the beat and tempo but the volume as well. You want the music to enhance your ad, not overpower it.

Consider the timing of your music as well. This is a trial and error strategy and something you can play with. 

Some video ads do best with music playing the entire time while others do best with the music fading in and out, or creating dramatic impact. Some are best with no music at all. 

The most important part of a well-formulated ad is making the viewer feel something. You want to elicit an emotion that will want them to have a relationship with your brand. 

To do this successfully, you need to appeal to as many of their senses as possible. It’s also important to do this in a way where audio and visuals mesh seamlessly together to make sense.

Keep Your YouTube Ads Simple

YouTube is full of loud, crazy, and overstimulating ads. Sometimes the best thing you can do to stand out is to keep it simple. 

By streamlining your ad, you allow your message to shine through. You also might be giving the viewer a calm break they didn’t realize they were craving.

Sometimes, simplicity gives you the chance for more clarity, especially if you are attempting to share a lot about your brand in a small snippet of time. 

Solid backgrounds, crisp graphics, and simple sound effects create minimalism that many can appreciate. It also prevents you from creating an ad that seems overproduced and overdone.

Charts, graphs, and tables are perfect ways to share clear visual information about your brand. It allows the consumer to gather all of the facts they need to make a decision about your brand. 

It seems like a simple ad may not garner much attention. However, sometimes in the often overwhelming world of YouTube, less can definitely be more.

Create a Lasting Memory

You have this small chance to make a big impact. Your goal is for customers to not only view your ad but have a positive memory of your brand that lasts long after it. 

This strategy should be used from the beginning of the ad to the end. You only have a few seconds to engrain your brand in the viewer’s mind, so use them wisely. 

Grab their attention at the start of the ad. An alert viewer is going to soak up much more information about your brand and will more likely remember it.

Create a story that allows the consumer to feel like they are a part of it. Encourage them to imagine themselves interacting with your brand.

Take this ad from the fro-yo spot Menchie’s. They are strategically telling you why and how you need their product.

They are also tying themselves to popular events many people experience. This correlation buries itself in the mind of the consumer, only to spontaneously and subconsciously return when it’s time for a birthday party.

This connection that Menchie’s has created between their brand and celebrations can drive these consumers to choose them the next time they need an event cake.

Testimonials are also powerful and memorable. Feature your current happy customers and their glowing reviews.

Consumers feel more connected to and trust other consumers than they do brands. The bridge between personal connections can lead new customers to want to try your brand. 

The energetic satisfaction of your customers can make viewers want to have the same feeling of being thrilled with your product. This can cause them to turn to your brand for their next purchase.

Include a Powerful Call to Action in Your YouTube Ads

Your ad must leave the viewer with a powerful ending. They’ve heard your message, now what the heck do you want them to do?

A strong and clear call to action is the perfect way to end your ad. Depending on your objective, it can be as simple as visiting your site or signing up for a free trial.

Maybe you’re trying to increase brand awareness. You can use a soft call to action that’s less demanding than if you are trying to increase sales.

Suggest they reach out to learn more about your brand. Ask them to keep an eye out for your product in local stores. Now that they know about your product, gently asking them to consider it can leave them with positive feelings about it. 

Measure and Analyze Your YouTube Ads Campaign

Another great perk of YouTube advertising is incredible real-time results. You can see exactly how effective your ads are at reaching your objectives. 

This allows you to adjust quickly and try out different strategies. You can immediately see the trends and impacts of any changes that you make. 

You can further refine or even expand your audience to see how well your ad is received. You can even increase your budget and pricing strategy and see how it affects your views.

The trick to all of this is staying on top of it and making needed adjustments quickly and regularly. That way, you’re getting the most out of your campaign.

Your Successful YouTube Campaign

These strategies can help you implement and manage a highly successful YouTube campaign. You’ll be able to create great ads and reach your goals and objectives in no time. By tapping into the huge YouTube audience, you’re gaining some great brand exposure. 

The vast reach of YouTube is a marketer’s dream. Having the tools to fine-tune your audience and objectives at your fingertips makes it even more amazing. YouTube makes creating a truly great campaign simple and accessible. 

How can you use YouTube’s incredible reach to benefit and boost your brand?

The post YouTube Advertising: The Tips and Tricks You Need to Know appeared first on Adspace® The Web Design & Digital Marketing Agency.

Are you trying to break into a younger market? Maybe you want to expand your current customer base. Taking advantage of the countless people that have their faces constantly gazing at their phones is a smart move.

TikTok usage accounts for a ton of time for many scrollers. The popular Chinese app is making waves as it becomes a frenzied trend all around the world. 

In fact, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance now has over one billion users worldwide. That’s a lot of reach. Advertising on the platform gives you an invaluable opportunity to reach this massive following.

TikTok has amassed a following thanks in part to its uniqueness in the social media marketplace. Videos quickly become viral sensations. Some accounts become so popular that they launch their creators into actual TikTok stardom.

But why are people so obsessed with TikTok? And how do you break into this powerful platform? How can you use TikTok’s tools to optimize your campaign and reach your target audience? 

We’ll guide you through everything from the basics of TikTok to creating dynamic ads. These tips will help you understand the TikTok world better so you can use it to boost your brand. Then, you’ll be able to take this knowledge to create a truly impactful TikTok campaign.

What is TikTok? 

TikTok is the current social media app taking the world by storm. Why? Because it’s content is diverse, engaging, and appeals to all sorts of users. 

On the app, you can create short video clips about nearly anything. Users can be watched doing everything from lip-syncing and dancing to performing challenges and tricks. 

The platform allows for videos up to a minute long. This is the perfect timeframe for users to fit in the max number of videos in a short scrolling session. It also appeals to the ever-shrinking attention spans of social media users. 

With following features, users can hone in on their favorite videos to see them first. Like other platforms, collecting followers is key to creating influencers. But we’ll get to that later.

The app’s algorithms take into account each unique user’s preferences. It creates a feed based on the types of videos you watch, like, and the users you follow. 

This creates an amazingly engaging personalized feed. The custom stream of videos hone in on and appeal to your preferences. All of this makes scrolling through TikTok a popular and addictive pastime. 

Why Advertise on TikTok?

With over a billion downloads last year, TikTok has become the most popular non-game downloaded app. It draws users from all over the world that spends hours on the platform.

So why advertise on TikTok? Because you simply can’t afford not to!

TikTok has an image of hipness and newness. Your ad on the platform can give your brand the same vibe. Seeing that you’re part of TikTok gives your brand a certain coolness.

But, “TikTok’s just for kids”, you say! You may think your target demographic isn’t on TikTok. However, you might be shocked at the app’s ability to span age ranges. 

While it’s true that the majority of the users are on the younger side, there is a decent percentage of users at every age range. With the huge audience on TikTok, even smaller groups make up a pretty significant number of users. 

TikTok is an amazing opportunity to capture the eyes of consumers of all ages. It’s also not super jam-packed with ads yet. So you’ll likely get more bang for your buck than on other platforms. 

Types Of TikTok Ads

One of the best things about TikTok advertising is the options. The app allows you to create super customizable campaigns. This lets you advertise in the best way for your brand. 

• In-feed Ads: These pop up in users’ News Feeds. They visit their “For You” page and can feel seamlessly part of their scrolling for high-impact results. 
• Brand Takeover: These first appear when a user opens TikTok. They remain on the screen for a few seconds before transitioning into an In-Feed Video.
• Branded Hashtag Challange: This engaging ad type gets users involved in challenges by encouraging them to hashtag their posts with your verbiage. It pops up on the “Discover” page.
• Branded Effects: Allows you to promote your brand with 2D/3D/AR content that users can add to their videos. 

Each of these ads has its own pros and cons. Don’t be tempted to stick with one type of TikTok ad. Creating a combination of these will likely give you the best impact.

In-feed ads can give you the chance to include a link to your site. It also gives you time to entice viewers and throw in a few calls to action. The fifteen-second limit gives you ample chance to share what’s great about your brand. 

However, there’s nothing making viewers actually watch your in-feed ad. They can scroll right by, completely ignoring your message. The key to overcoming this is being super engaging.

Brand Takeover ads pop up right when the app is open. This is the perfect chance to get the complete attention of your audience.

They are, of course, pricey. So make sure you make them meaningful if you spring for them.

A branded hashtag challenge can give you exponential exposure. They are a fun way to get users involved and increase brand awareness quite a bit.

The downside, they can be pricey and also come with the chance of failure.

Branded effects also give you the chance to rapidly spread brand awareness through other user videos. It gives you the air of hipness. 

Again, this also has the chance of failure and completely depends on users getting on board with your strategy and brand. 

Successfully Advertising on TikTok

Simply popping an ad on TikTok is not going to guarantee you results. As with any marketing strategy, you need to be strategic.

We know that branding is mainly about emotion and giving your brand personality. However, marketing smartly will save you cash and extend your marketing dollars. 

There are a few things you should keep in mind when developing your TikTok advertising strategy. 

Brainstorming a Dynamic Campaign

First things first, give your brand a voice. Decide what you’re trying to communicate to consumers and stick to it. Nothing is more confusing to buyers than an inconsistent message.

Plan to align your campaign across all of your channels. You want things to feel cohesive. To consumers, cohesive says reliable. 

Think about all of your marketing tools: 

• Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok)
• Your Web Page (Desktop Site, Mobile Site, Blog)
• Outbound Communications (Email, Print Media) 
• Signage (In-Store Displays, E-Billboards) 

These should all have the same general feel. Think a consistent color scheme, similar fonts, same mood.

Users that click on your TikTok ad should feel a seamless transition to your website. Your emails should mimic the feel of your print media. Your in-store displays should draw in shoppers with the familiarity of your brand. 

So, before you dive into your TikTok ad, be sure to have a clear campaign outlined. This will set you up for success as you can tailor your ads to be part of your message.

Set an Ad Budget

Now we know that marketing comes with financial constraints. Your budget dictates the extent of your campaign. 

This is just as true, if not more, with social media marketing. 

Your ad campaign should have a clearly defined budget. Your TikTok advertising budget should be part of that. 

What’s great about advertising on TikTok is that they make it super simple to stick to your set amount. 

Your campaign budget must be at least $500. At, the ad group level, the cost must be above $50. Other than that, you can set the best budget for you.

You can set your budget by the day or the cost of your total campaign. And this isn’t set in stone. You can change this amount at any time during your campaign.

Consider your budget when you decide on your ad types. They vary in price and potential impact. 

• In-feed Ads: Pre-pay per each view with a guaranteed minimum
• Brand Takeover: Pay per day with a minimum total time viewed
• Branded Hashtag Challange: Pay a flat cost for the week
• Branded Effects: Can vary based on how complicated the graphics are

This gives you an idea of how you can spread your budget. Some guarantee visibility while others allow for the chance to spend a little more for larger, exponential reach. 

Really, what also drives this decision is what you are trying to achieve with this campaign. And that brings us to deciding on your objective.

Decide on Your TikTok Advertising Objective

Defining a clear objective will help you move forward with purpose. What’s the whole point of your campaign and TikTok presence?

Are you trying to drive traffic to your site? Is your main goal to increase downloads of your app? Maybe you’re just trying to increase brand awareness.

When creating your ad, TikTok allows you to select your advertising objectives. The sophisticated algorithms will then best place your ad to achieve this goal.

Not only does this determine the optimal ad type for you, but it helps you determine your demographic and target audience.

Select Your Targeting Preferences

Another awesome thing about TikTok advertising is the ability to fine-tune your audience. This gives you the most effective way to reach your target demographic.

Before creating your ad, think about who exactly you are trying to reach. Are you trying to deepen your presence in your current market? Or are you trying to expand your customer base to new demographic groups?

TikTok allows you to set the categories for the audience you are trying to reach by:

• Age
• Location
• Gender
• Languages
• Interests

Once you have figured out these parameters, keep them in mind when you create your ad.

Younger audiences have short attention spans. Your best bet is to create ads that are immediately engaging. 

Think about location and seasonality when targeting certain markets. Even things like regional trends and current events can come into play.

Gender marketing is also important to consider. Tailor your ads to appeal to the specific sex that you’re targeting. 

Think about the tone of your message and the colors you use to appeal to each gender. You can also strive for gender neutrality and attempt to reach a broader audience.  

Check Out the Ad Competition

When it comes to marketing, why reinvent the wheel? Check out what your competition is doing well for some helpful hints.

If you’re just breaking into the market, look for leaders in your industry to mimic your strategy against. There is a reason their companies have grown to such success. 

Looking to expand your target audience? Find companies that are popular with that demographic and observe their ad features. 

This is not to say that you should brazenly copy their content. However, there are some key items that can give you some helpful hints when creating your ads. 

Do they include testimonials or endorsements? What is the overall tone of their ads? This can help you decide the energy and items that are best to include in your ads. 

Look to Trending Content

In the world of social media, trends are everything. They pop up and explode quickly and are constantly changing. 

Fortunately, TikTok trends are easy to identify. The “Discover” tab can give you instant access to the most trending hashtags. This information is invaluable in creating engaging content.

Use the search capabilities to find companies similar to yours. This is another great way to use the successful strategies of others to inspire your campaign. 

Check out the top content in your brand category. You can also see the most popular users, videos, sounds, and hashtags related to your industry.

Your ultimate goal is to make it to top rankings on the discover page. You can do this with a branded hashtag ad. However, generating creative and engaging content can also earn you this valuable spot.

Creating Engaging Ads

In-Feed Ads

Stopping the scroll is essential in making your ad impactful. You need users to stop and actually engage with your message. Creating unique ads is vital.

The first impression is everything with in-feed ads. You need to capture your audience’s attention within the first one or two seconds of your ad. Make an immediate effort to grab their focus.

Create a bold statement right off the bat. Music and videos should begin playing immediately. The viewer should know within seconds what you’re selling and why they need it.

End your in-feed ad with a memorable call to action. Leave users with a strong and lasting impression of your brand so they seek it out for future purchases. 

Hashtag Challenges

Hashtag challenges are all about inclusivity. You need to create a challenge that users feel they need to be part of for it to be successful. 

Strike the right combination of fun and hip. Make your hashtag about your brand but also flexible enough that users can put their own spin on it. 

Once your hashtag takes off, the goal is for it to continue to spread. A viral hashtag can give you an absolute ton of brand exposure. Be creative with your hashtag so users engage and increase your brand awareness.

Brand Takeovers

These ads launch when users open the app. They are a perfect opportunity to get in front of eyes that can’t scroll over your ad.

However, not being able to scroll through doesn’t necessarily mean that they are paying attention. Knowing this ad will appear when the app launches, many users simply look away and wait to move on to their scrolling. 

Grab their attention with bold graphics and engaging content. This is a good chance to win the click-through. Make it simple for them by providing a link to your external website. 

Branded Effects

These are another great way to get more brand awareness. When users add your branded content to their posts, you gain organic exposure.

Like hashtag challenges, the key here is making users feel like they want to participate in your marketing. For that, it needs to feel fun and hip.

Create a unique filter that users can use just for your brand. Give users access to stickers they can add to their videos. 

Keep it light and fun, but also reflective of your brand. The goal is to encourage users to want to use your effects, but to also increase branding exposure.

Strategically Placing Your Ads

Ad placement is everything. TikTok luckily has smart tools to help you best place your ads. You can also choose to manually place your ad.

When you advertise on TikTok, you also have access to their partners. This means that your ads can also be placed on popular apps like BuzzVideo, News Republic, and more.

Depending on your preferences and objectives, TikTok can strategically place your ad where it will achieve the best performance. By selecting the “Automatic Placement” option, you can take advantage of this information.

Utilize an Influencer

The advent of social media has brought us a whole new marketing tool. Influencers. These social media users have a cult-like following that trusts and values their opinions.

Using an influencer to market your product can give you both credibility and exposure. An astounding 92% of consumers trust an influencer’s word over traditional ads. 

Look for an influencer that makes sense to your brand. You’ll have access to their large audience and their ability to set trends.

Verified users have little blue check marks next to their names on TikTok. Look for an influencer that has plenty of followers but also makes sense for your product and demographic. 

Are you looking to increase sales of your food product? Check out foodie influencers like home chefs and health gurus. 

Trying to increase your brand awareness amongst a younger demographic? A teen influencer popular with the next generation of consumers could catapult your brand’s reputation. 

Your influencer has amassed a large following due to their ability to appeal to viewers. You can trust that they will create authentic and engaging messaging about your brand.

Adjust as Needed

Another awesome feature of TikTok advertising is the ability to track your reach. Nearly real-time feedback and monitoring allow you to clearly see how your ad is doing.

The TikTok dashboard has useful reports to evaluate your campaign. You can delve into metrics, making it easy to adjust your strategy as needed.

The data allows you to clearly see how well your ad is performing day by day. You can also see the number of individual impressions your ads are making.

It’s easy to evaluate the cost per conversion and your budget. This can help you decide how well your campaigns are working from and investment aspect. 

Bonus Tip – Utilize TikTok’s Advice and Tools

You don’t need a beautifully, professionally produced video to make an impact on TikTok. In fact, some of the most simple videos are the most effective. 

Make sure your video is clear and has a high-resolution. Try to keep the important imagery in the center of the screen for easier viewing.

TikTok provides simple guidelines to make creating great videos easy even for those with no experience. Following these and being creative can earn you more impressions and conversions.

The app’s Video Creation tool makes producing your video super easy. It even includes templates and royalty-free music tracks for a one-stop video making shop.

The TikTok Ad Studio app is a great way to make awesome videos from your mobile device. You can shoot, edit, and add effects and transitions, all in one place! 

With these tools and information, TikTok couldn’t have made it easier to get your ad up and running.

Making Marketing Simple

With this evolution in marketing, advertising is ironically made more simple. Taking a holistic approach can help your brand fit right into the TikTok landscape. 

It’s important to not overthink your branding strategy. Think of your brand as a person. What message are you trying to send?

Your presence on TikTok should seem natural, not forced. With the right combination of ads and engagement, you can take advantage of this platform to grow your brand in new and modern ways.

How can you use these TikTok advertising tips to bring new life to your marketing strategy?

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