With the Digital Advertising Summit, just a week away here are a few key thoughts and tips on great digital advertising for nonprofits and social impact orgs.
This space is rapidly evolving and there are some central elements that always matter and new items to learn.
Influencers and creators matter.
We have certainly crossed into a new social media threshold where individual creators are driving a new era of content. This is more dynamic creative with a more personalized audience than ever before.
- You need to have influencer and creator advertising in your advertising plans.
- TikTok, Snap, and Instagram are the platforms where they are leading these spaces – we’ll be talking all about that.
- Also your supporters are likely localized influencers too and we’ll dig into that.
Platforms are more varied than you are probably thinking of. Listen I think of Meta, Facebook and Instagram, and Google Adwords and YouTube first when I think of ads. But I’m an elder millennial. Ads are about that strategy to reach your audience where they are. You really need to be thinking about:
Audio
Please stop sleeping on this, audio ads can have a huge impact. From streaming audio to podcasts people haven’t stopped listening to audio. And in many cases, they are consuming more. Which means you have more places to reach them.
Video-based ads.
OK back to the influencer-driven you need to be advertising on TikTok, Snap, and Instagram but in ways that make sense for those platforms. But also on traditional platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and now the huge array of streaming destinations. Video is so powerful for so many engagement strategies.
Text-based ads.
Yeah people are still googling the shit out of everything. Bing is there too. Way too often I hear people just talk about Facebook ads and leave out search. There are people looking for what you do. They or more likely just don’t know it yet. Do the research and you’ll find they are probably there and you can connect with them.
And here are a few timeless best practices I’m always talking about:
Define your target audience: Clearly identify and understand your target audience’s demographics, interests, and online behavior. This knowledge will help you create more relevant and effective ad campaigns.
Set clear objectives: Establish specific goals for your advertising campaigns, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales. Clear objectives will guide your strategy and allow you to measure success accurately.
Use data to inform your strategy: Leverage data analytics to gain insights into audience behavior, ad performance, and trends. Analyze the data to optimize your campaigns, refine targeting, and make data-driven decisions.
Personalize your ads: Tailor your ad content and messaging to resonate with your target audience. Use personalization techniques based on user data and preferences to deliver more engaging and relevant ads.
Test and iterate: Conduct A/B testing to compare different ad variations, headlines, visuals, and calls to action. Continuously analyze the results and refine your ads based on what performs best. Iterative testing will help you optimize your campaigns over time.
Embrace storytelling: Craft compelling narratives that resonate with your target audience. Use storytelling techniques to evoke emotions, build brand affinity, and establish a deeper connection with your audience.
Want more? Join us at the digital advertising summit May 30th – June 1st more info here: https://centerfordigitalstrategy.com/digital-advertising-summit/
