Diversifying your marketing mix is an important part of creating effective campaigns. Being present on a number of different channels will help you reach more potential customers and be top-of-mind when they are ready to make a purchase decision. However, it can be challenging to determine how much to focus on each channel.
When deciding on your media strategy, you'll want to examine how to structure your earned, owned and paid channels. Including all three in your marketing plan is important; however, today we're going to break down the benefits of a paid media strategy.
What Is Paid Media?
Paid media is any advertising you pay for on a third party's platform — e.g., newspaper, display, TV/radio, paid search and social media ads.
Benefits of Paid Media
If you're like most small to medium-sized businesses with thinner marketing budgets, you may have reservations about committing to a paid media strategy since unlike its counterparts, it costs you money. However, earned and owned media will only take you so far, especially if you're in a highly competitive or saturated business sphere. Including paid media in your marketing mix is important because it:
#1 Is scalable
When it comes to paid advertising, whether you're being charged a one-time fee or PPC (price per click), the more you spend, the more reach you get. This means you can rest easy knowing your hard earned money is being put to work.
#2 Guarantees eyes on your advertisement
Unlike your earned or owned media, where you have to deploy more marketing strategies to acquire eyeballs on your content, your paid media will be guaranteed reach and impressions.The third party does the work for you, delivering you a large audience you wouldn't otherwise get in front of.
#3 Puts your brand in front of established audiences
When you advertise with a third party, like on our trusted news sites or papers, it creates an organic bridge between your brand and the audience they already have a relationship with. For example, in a recent study from IAB and Migid Research, nearly half (47%) of consumers said that advertising on a news source increases their positive perceptions of brand attributes, including heightened perceptions of brand relevance, customer focus and quality.
The Most Important Question to Consider
How Do I Measure Success?
Paid media will guarantee that people see your ad or content. However, understanding if your messaging is working is one of the most important factors to fostering an effective paid media strategy. Determining how you will measure success will tell you if your messaging strategy is compelling with your target audience. A good starting point is to look at your CTR (click-through rate) and your conversions, or how many people complete an action you're looking for — e.g., signing up for a newsletter, registering for an event, inquiring about your business, making a purchase, etc. If you are not satisfied with your results, it may be time to rethink your messaging and creative and test new ad versions.
Where to Start?
Want to understand how you can reach thousands of locals who look to us as the trusted source of local news on the Peninsula and in the Tri-Valley. Get in touch with one of our advertising and marketing experts and we'll help you determine the correct paid media strategy to support your goals and fit your budget.