This is How Good Social Media Advertising Works
We explain to you what social media advertising is, why it is so important, and how it works.
- What is social media advertising?
- Here's why social media is an important advertising channel for your company
- The pros and cons of social media advertising
- These types of social media advertising exist
- This is how social media advertising works
- You should consider these tips for the correct implementation of social media advertising
- These are the 8 best tools for social media advertising
- Hootsuite
- Later
- Facelift
- Falcon.io
- Sprout Social
- Planoly
- Buffer
- Canva Pro
- The result is after the advertisement
Social media is increasingly becoming important for businesses, which is probably not new to you. You can enhance your reach by your presence and the delivery of suitable content, thus reaching more potential customers. But you can also use social media platforms to market and subsequently sell your products. You should no longer underestimate this impact area of social media. But what is social media advertising actually and why should your company deal with it? We answer these questions in this article. We also deal with the advantages and disadvantages of social media advertising, the different types of advertising and how it works exactly. Afterwards, we'll give you an insight into how to correctly implement social media advertising for your company and your products and what costs you should plan for. In conclusion, we present the 8 best software for social media advertising that you can find at OMR Reviews.
What is social media advertising?
Before we delve deeper into how paid advertising on social media works, we'd like to give you a definition of social media advertising. Advertising on social media refers to paid advertising efforts on social networks that are intended to make your products and services known and to sell them. You can also call them Paid Content or sponsored content. Social Media Advertising is part of Social Media Marketing and is often used in combination with the distribution of organic content. The platform operators provide you with various analyses and statistics after the execution so that you can measure the success of your advertising efforts. In some cases, you can have your ads tested in advance.
Here's why social media is an important advertising channel for your company
Since the search and buying behavior of your customers has fundamentally changed in recent years, the form of advertising must also adapt to these new habits. Social media platforms collect a variety of data every day that users provide them. This is mainly because social media has now become a firm part of our everyday life. Based on this data, you can perform precise targeting and thus reach exactly the people who should see your social media advertising. In combination with your organic content, you can continuously build your brand awareness and popularity with users and stand out from your competitors. Your followers are directly connected to you on the platforms and it is easier for them to contact you if they have any questions, wishes or criticism. This increases interaction with your target group, from which you can gain knowledge on how to better adapt your products to their users, because you understand exactly what they need and what is important to them. Even if you don't sell products immediately through social media advertising, the investment is still worthwhile because you can use them to collect data from potential customers. You can then use this data to turn prospects into new customers through targeted delivery. Sounds logical right? Here's a summary of the main reasons why your company should rely on social media advertising:
- Increase in brand awareness
- Generation of leads
- Increased interaction with your customers
- Improved understanding of your target audience
- Precise delivery of your advertising
Recommended social media software
On our comparison platform OMR Reviews you can find more recommended social media software. We present over 100 solutions that are perfectly tailored to the needs of SMEs, start-ups and large corporations. Our platform supports you in all areas of social media management. Take the opportunity to compare different software and consult real user reviews to find the ideal solution for your requirements:
The pros and cons of social media advertising
You're already investing in traditional advertising, you're dealing with content creation and you're exchanging with your target group. And now you should also deal with another form of advertising? From our side the answer is clearly “Absolutely!”.
Of course, social media advertising is not a cure-all, but it can also have disadvantages:
- A holistic Social Media Strategy is needed in order to achieve effective results
- Higher financial effort compared to organic content
- Uncertainty regarding data security on social media platforms
But more than anything, social media advertising offers your company a multitude of advantages:
- Reduced wastage by precise addressing of the target group with various targeting options
- Automatic recording of user interaction with your social ads (clicks, views, etc.)
- Precise analysis and success measurement of social media advertising
- Cost control
- Also suitable for small marketing budgets
- Acquisition of new customers and strengthening of existing customer relationships
The advantages of social media advertising outweigh its potential disadvantages.
These types of social media advertising exist
As numerous as the social media platforms spring up are also the respective types of advertising. You can use the following types of social media advertising:
- Facebook: Photo ads, Story ads, and Video ads, advertising via Facebook Messenger
- Instagram: Photo ads and Story Ads
- Pinterest: Promoted pins, promoted video pins, and promoted app pins
- Twitter: Sponsored tweets and sponsored accounts
- TikTok: Video ads
- Snapchat: Video ads, filters, and lenses
- LinkedIn: Sponsored Content, Sponsored Messages, Text Ads, Dynamic Ads
- Xing: Landing pages, company profile and employer news
- Youtube: Commercial clips in front of the videos, Instream videos, Bumper videos, Discovery ads and clickable ads
Depending on how you have defined your target group and on which platforms they are primarily active, you need to decide for yourself which type of social media advertising is suitable for your company and your customers. You can also create your own stories on Instagram and Facebook in which you advertise your products or services. However, always make sure that you mark these posts as advertising. Otherwise, you could be cautioned.
This is how social media advertising works
Now let's get down to brass tacks: how does social media advertising work? As a rule, you can place your advertising via the advertising management tool of the respective platform. With Facebook and Instagram, for example, it's the Facebook Business Manager. With other platforms, however, you have to contact the responsible sales team directly in order to book the desired advertising format. After you have selected the advertising form and inserted your media and texts, limit your target group based on defined criteria such as age, gender, place of residence, interests, etc., so that your advertising is only shown to the people for whom it is relevant. In this way, you can greatly minimize wastage, unlike traditional forms of advertising such as print or radio. The scope of the characteristics of your target customers that you can determine can vary from platform to platform, as they offer you various options for differentiation. You then complete this with the time frame in which the advertising display is to be played.
Because your company is not the only advertiser on social media platforms, you compete with other companies for the same advertising space. The decision about which ad is shown to the users is often regulated through an auction system. Based on this system, the price is calculated that you have to pay if you get the advertising space. You should and can set a maximum bid, i.e., how much the placement of your ad should cost you at most. This way, you still have control over your social media advertising costs despite this form of advertising space auction. However, not only the amount of your bid determines whether you get the contract. The relevance of the ad for the viewers also plays a decisive role.
When your ad is finally shown to users and they click the ad, they are taken to the page stored there. This can be your company website, a category page, your profile on the platform or a separate landing page.
A major advantage that some social media platforms offer you are the so-called A/B tests. Here, two slightly different ads are tested for parts of your target group, before your actual campaign starts, so that you can identify the more successful ad after the test and play it to the entire target group. This way, you have the opportunity to achieve the best possible advertising result for you.
After your campaign has ended, the social media platforms provide you with statistics on the success of your campaign, which they have collected during the course of the campaign using targeting. You can then derive insights for your future digital marketing measures from these figures.
You should consider these tips for the correct implementation of social media advertising
Before you send off your advertising on Instagram, Facebook, or any of the other platforms, you should give something thought. Because the best ad won't bring you anything if it's not targeted. In the run-up, think about:
- Your target audience
- Your content or editorial plan
- Your goals that you want to achieve
A great social media ad must fit your target group. Does it fit the interests and characteristics of your target group? Are you solving a problem for your customers? Is your target audience on the platform you've chosen? Okay, but that's not all. Also, make sure that the tonality of your ad matches that of your other content. Otherwise, your customers will be confused and won't be able to link the ad to the previous social media presence of your company. Ideally, you also coordinate the placement of your ad with your editorial plan to achieve a cohesive overall image. Last but not least: Set goals. What do you want to achieve with the ad? Try to formulate your goals as concretely as possible in advance, so that you can analyze based on the relevant Social Media KPIs afterwards whether you really achieved them. Goals for social media advertising could be e.g.:
- We want to increase interaction with our social media content.
- We want to receive at least 15 applications for our job advertisement.
- We want to win 100 new email addresses for our newsletter.
- We want to sell the product shown at least 10 times.
These expenses you should plan for your advertising on social media
Let's get to a question that's probably still burning under your nails: What does social media advertising cost you? Unfortunately, one cannot say that to the Euro exactly. The prices for the different types of ads on the different platforms are different. Also, most providers use an auction system where the ads of the auction winners are then played out to the target groups. However, you don't have to outbid your competitors to the last thaler. Because you have the opportunity to set a maximum price for playing your social media advertising. This way, you have full control of your maximum costs at all times.
You don't need a big advertising budget to run social media advertising. However, you should not disregard the time you invest in creating content and ads. Depending on the success of your campaign, these costs can quickly pay off again.
These are the 8 best tools for social media advertising
Since you now know the advantages, the costs, and the right approach for placing social media advertising, you should now also get an overview of the 8 best tools that can support you in this. We take a look at the following software:
Additionally, we have created a Best-of article for you in which we compare the 7 best Social Media Tools.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social media tool that can simplify the creation, planning, and analyzing of your campaigns. With it, you can play not only Instagram and Facebook but also Twitter and Pinterest. It offers you a collected overview of the planned posts and statistics of your placed social media advertising. Incoming messages on social channels are displayed in a central inbox, which allows you easier distribution of pending tasks in your social media team.
Hootsuite Costs
Hootsuite offers you four different models that you can use for your social media advertising.
- Professional: €39 per month
Scope: 1 user, 10 social media accounts with unlimited posts
- Team: €109 per month
Scope: 3 users, 20 social media accounts with unlimited posts, administration of access rights and roles, tasks can be assigned to specific colleagues
- Business: €599 per month
Scope: 5 users, 35 social media accounts with unlimited posts, administration of access rights and roles, tasks can be assigned to specific colleagues, review of messages before publication, functionality can be expanded via premium apps
- Enterprise: Price on request
Scope: Unlimited number of users, 50 social media accounts with unlimited posts, additional wishes can be discussed with the support
Hootsuite Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Hootsuite Alternatives. So, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right social media software for you.
Later
The social media tool Later enables you to plan and place your posts and ads on the platforms Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. You can also analyze and optimize the results of your work afterwards based on collected numbers.
Later Costs
For your work, Later offers you four different models.
- Free: 0 USD per month
Suitable for: Individuals beginning with social media marketing
- Starter: from 15 USD per month
Suitable for: Small businesses wanting to increase their channel traffic
- Growth: from 25 USD per month
Suitable for: Growing social media teams focused on traffic and revenue growth
- Advanced: from 40 USD per month
Suitable for: Large teams managing multiple brands and focusing on maximum growth.
Later Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Later Alternatives. So, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right Social Media Software for you.
Facelift
Facelift is suitable for working with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and WhatsApp for Business and is also ISO 27001 certified. For the planning and release of your posts and social media advertising as well as their subsequent success measurement, various tools are available to you within the tool.
Facelift Costs
Facelift offers you two different models to organize the work of your social media team.
- Basic: €490 per month
Scope: 2 Users, 5 social media profiles
- Full Suite: Price on request
Scope: From 5 users, unlimited number of social media profiles
Facelift Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Facelift Alternatives. This way, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right social media software for you.
Falcon.io
Falcon.io is a social media tool that offers you an overview of the social channels you play and enabbles you to plan and deliver the ideal timing of posts and advertising campaigns. It also provides you with valuable insights into what topics are important to your target group.
Falcon.io Costs
If you're considering using Falcon.io for your social media advertising, you can choose between two different models.
- Essential: 108 USD per user per month
Suitable for: Small businesses for content planning and analysis.
- Full Suite: Price on request
Suitable for: Larger social media teams that require an all-in-one platform for managing their social media channels.
Falcon.io Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Falcon.io Alternatives. So, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right Social Media Software for you.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social has set itself the goal of supporting you in growing your social community. The social media software uses the areas of Engagement, Publishing & Scheduling, Analytics, and Listening. In addition to a central inbox, tools for keyword monitoring, boosting Facebook ads and reporting at various profile and post levels are available to you. Additionally, you can assign firm tasks within the social media tool to the respective users.
Sprout Social Costs
If you're considering using Sprout Social, you can choose between three models.
- Standard: $89 per user per month
Scope: 5 social media profiles, content planning and publication, monitoring of profiles, keywords, and locations, boosting of Facebook ads
- Professional: $149 per user per month
Scope: 10 social media profiles, all functions of the standard subscription, competition reports and ad reporting for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, scheduling based on optimal posting times, trend analysis for Twitter keywords and hashtags.
- Advanced: $249 per user per month
Scope: 10 social media profiles, all functions of the Professional subscription, automations, notifications at increased activity, Twitter polls to determine your CSAT or NPS.
Sprout Social Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Sprout Social Alternatives. So, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right social media software for you.
Planoly
The social media advertising platform Planoly includes a creator and scheduler for the platforms Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. The main functions include the drafting, planning, and scheduling as well as the publishing and analysis of content for your social media channels.
Planoly Costs
Planoly offers you four different models for your social media advertising and its planning.
- Free: 0 USD per month
Scope: 2 social media profiles, 1 user, 30 uploads per month and profile
- Solo: 7 USD per month
Scope: 2 social media profiles, 1 user, 1st profile: unlimited uploads per month, 2nd profile: 30 uploads per month
- Duo: 15 USD per month
Scope: 2 social media profiles, 2 users, unlimited uploads
- Custom: from 23 USD per month
Scope: User-defined number of social media profiles, Unlimited uploads, User-defined number of users
Planoly Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Planoly Alternatives. So, based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right Social Media Software for you.
Buffer
The social media management platform Buffer offers you tools for visual marketing, audience engagement, and analytics. With Buffer, you can pick different tool components. These include the scheduling tool “Publish”, the reporting tool “Analyze”, a landing page builder, and engagement tools.
Buffer Costs
Buffer offers you two different account models.
- Free: 0 USD per month
Scope: Management of up to 3 social media channels, Basic publishing tools and landing page builder.
- Essentials: 5 USD per month per social channel
Scope: Unlimited management of channels, planning and publication tools, analysis tools, engagement tools, landing page builder
Buffer Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Buffer Alternatives. Based on user reviews and their experiences, you can decide on the right social media software for you.
Canva Pro
Canva Pro is a web-based design program that allows you to create professional graphics for posts and ads. For this, the social media tool provides you with numerous templates which you can take directly or customize them individually for your company. Furthermore, you can pre-plan postings for up to eight platforms in Canva Pro.
Canva Pro Costs
The costs for Canva Pro are staggered according to the number of users.
- Up to 5 users: €109.99 per year
- Up to 10 users: €439.99 per year
- Up to 15 users: €769.99 per year
- Up to 50 users: €3,079.99 per year
Canva Pro Alternatives
On OMR Reviews you can find an overview of Canva Pro Alternatives. So you, based on user reviews and their experiences, can decide on the right Social Media Software for you.
The result is after the advertisement
Even though the placement of social media advertising can be a complex topic, this time and money investment can be worthwhile for your company. The multitude of types of advertising, the high reach with which you can reach your customers as well as the exact targeting of your campaigns can not only help you better understand your target group but also increase your sales. The right Social Media Tool can support you ideally in this. Because you can back up the success of your advertising campaigns with numbers, you can derive appropriate measures for upcoming actions. So there's nothing standing in the way of meeting the needs of your customers and increasing your sales.
Carolin ist freie Redakteurin bei OMR und mit ganzem Herzen Autorin. Als Brand Managerin war sie bereits bei verschiedenen Unternehmen aus der FMCG-Branche für das Marketing zuständig. Währenddessen hat Carolin berufsbegleitend Ihr Studium zur Marketing-Betriebswirtin abgeschlossen.
