Why you have to Pay to Play in Social Media

Social media has been the ‘buzz’ word in digital marketing for quite a number of years now and has certainly aided some big organisations to boost their brand.  But with every brand out there clambering to reach the number one spot on social media, it’s definitely getting tougher get attention.  Unfortunately, this is the reason why, in most instances, it’s now necessary to incorporate some paid for advertising on the social media platforms and where the loosely used term ‘pay to play’ comes in.

Organic social media is really great, but if you want your brand to make it into the higher league of social media you need to pay to see any real benefits from your digital marketing on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and LinkedIn.

To make sure you fully understand how paid advertising on social media platforms works, the best thing you need to do is complete a digital marketing course so that being seen on social media doesn’t become an expensive marketing campaign that your business may not be able to take on. It’s also important to constantly monitor and track your paid advertising as this can quickly get out of control and go beyond your digital marketing budget.

But, what about organic social media marketing?

With paid for social media marketing getting more attention, it may seem that organic social media marketing is a thing of the past.  All forms of digital marketing is constantly evolving and the need to pay to play in social media is evolving too, and at a fast pace.

A couple of years ago an average business could get by using only organic marketing on social media.  This is no longer the case.  It’s wise for any business to use a mix of organic and paid for advertising in their digital marketing efforts.  The value of an organic follower base is huge and is still needed to enable a successful paid for approach to advertising on social media.

How much of your budget should be spent on social media advertising?

It’s difficult to say, but the latest quoted figure is approximately 11% of your overall marketing budget.  In monetary form the business average spend ranges between $200 to $350 US per day.  However, the key to using your budget for paid marketing on social media is to spend it wisely by spreading it around the different social media sites.  The bottom line is – the more you spend the more likely you are to make a meaningful impact with your brand.

Doing it right saves money

Although it’s tempting to focus on organic marketing when posting on social media, it’s important to know that when it’s done right, paid for adverting doesn’t have to break the bank.The good news is you don’t need a massive social media advertising budget to start.

You can start with a very small amount and as your business grows you can up the amount to boost your brand even more.  Remember to remarket ads that have performed in the past.

Which social media platform is best for you?

Determining exactly which social media site will work best for your paid advertising can be quite tricky, so quite a bit of ‘trial and error’ is needed when starting out.  A useful tip is to focus on only two or three platforms at the beginning till you get a handle on what works and what doesn’t.

Investigate a platform’s demographics and engagement type, as well as taking a look at where your competitors are spending their social media advertising budget.

Here are a few great tips to get you reaping the benefits of paid social media advertising:

• Start at the beginning – Always start with organically as many sites reward a good organic following and engagement.
• Know your audience – Don’t advertise blindly. Know your audience and make sure you have defined your target customer.
• Be creative – To boost engagement with your advertisement make sure you include creative content such as images, videos and even infographics.
• Mobile accessibility – Ensure that all your paid for advertising is easily accessible no matter what device your audience may be using.
• Monitor everything – Keep track of what works for your brand and discard what doesn’t.