Clients often ask us about the optimal allocation of their marketing budget to various media. For the purpose of this article, we use recommendations by Roy H. Williams, author of “Secret Formulas from The Wizard of Ads” as a starting point and our own experiences to flush out our strategies below. Unlocking the secrets to achieving dominance in your chosen medium(s) and maximizing your return on investment, like most things in marketing, depends on who you are trying to reach, so let’s broadly walk through your main options to give you a starting point.
Dominating Radio Advertising
To achieve dominance in radio advertising, capturing the greatest share of voice is crucial. Learn strategic approaches to dominate not only all of radio but also individual stations, day-parts, and even specific time slots. Uncover effective tactics to amplify your brand’s presence and drive results through targeted radio campaigns.
Many stations these days will have every option laid out for you in a Rate Guide or, like New Country 92.3 FM, provide direct contacts to their sales team: https://www.newcountry923.com/advertise-with-us/
Unleash the Power of Television Advertising
When it comes to television advertising, channel loyalty is outweighed by show loyalty. Explore how to navigate this dynamic landscape by focusing on shows with specific demographics. Learn how to dominate a single hour, a particular TV show, or a single channel to effectively reach your target audience.
Like with radio stations, most channels will have a Rate Guide that you can download, but speaking with someone can also help you strategize. Also, local publishers have begun getting into the game such as the announcement made in 2022 by Rogers TV on launching a dedicated media buying platform for their stations called Rogers Sports & Media (RSM Ad Manager). Newer publishers such as this also often offer ad credits to promote their new offerings and provide walkthroughs to help you get started.
Winning Strategies for Radio Advertising on a Small Budget
Even with a small budget, you can make a significant impact on a large radio station. Uncover smart scheduling techniques that allow for good repetition among a specific segment of the station’s audience. Explore strategic options such as investing in Sunday radio spots when rates are lower and listenership is concentrated. There are many ways to optimize your media investment and achieve maximum reach within your budgetary constraints, you just have to be strategic. If you’re struggling to come up with a solution, many stations will discuss the options with you.
Partnering with a Sales Rep for Media Success
One of the smartest ways to leverage your media investment is by partnering with a dedicated sales representative. Find a representative who has your best interests at heart and can provide valuable insights on new opportunities. Learn how a collaborative relationship can help you navigate the ever-changing media landscape and make informed decisions that maximize your advertising impact.
This is something one of our staff did to not only minimize spend, but to also maximize exposure. By partnering with a media buyer, they were able to have their video shown in New York’s Times Square at a fraction of the cost and effort if they had instead tried to figure it out for themselves for the first time.
Print Media is a Powerful Complementary Tool
When considering advertising in print media, first, target specific publications that align with your target audience. Conduct thorough research to understand the readership demographics, interests, and purchasing behaviours of each publication. By choosing publications that have a strong correlation with your target market, you can ensure that your ads reach the right audience and generate better response rates. Additionally, consider the editorial content of the publication and see if it complements your brand’s image and values. Aligning your ads with relevant content can enhance the effectiveness and credibility of your campaign.
You can then check out their rate guide and negotiate favourable placement and pricing. Engage in proactive communication with the publication’s sales representatives to explore available options. Negotiate for competitive rates based on factors like ad size, frequency, and placement. Additionally, inquire about any special packages or discounts that the publication offers, such as bundle deals or seasonal promotions. By taking a proactive approach, you can maximize the visibility and cost-effectiveness of your print ads.
Google is Your First Digital Friend
When deciding on digital advertising strategies, as always, it’s crucial to consider the goal and audience of the campaign. If you’re a startup and trying to raise awareness or drive further consideration of your products, Google Ads is where you want to go BEFORE social media ads.
We tell people constantly that Google is the place to sell to people who’ve never heard of you. Social media ads are great if you want to build a following, a community that will eventually be loyal community members for your brand. Google has unmatched reach and targeting capabilities combined with AI tools such as their Performance Max campaign type that will create the ads for you and do all the targeting so long as you upload enough creative (photos/video/headlines etc). Google is the most widely used search engine globally, with billions of searches conducted daily. By leveraging Google Ads, your ads have the potential to reach a massive audience actively searching for products or services related to your business. Social media is the place to get people to buy from you again.
Another reason to prioritize Google Ads over social media advertising is the intent-driven nature of Google’s platform. When users search on Google, they often have a specific intent or a problem they want to solve. By displaying ads in Google search results, you can capture the attention of users who are actively looking for solutions or products similar or complementary to your business. This intent-driven approach generates high-quality leads and potential customers who are more likely to convert. On the other hand, social media platforms focus more on building brand awareness and engagement, which can be valuable but may not yield immediate results in terms of conversions. By starting with Google Ads, you can establish a solid foundation for driving targeted traffic and conversions, complementing your social media efforts to create a well-rounded digital advertising strategy.
Social Media is Your Road to Long-Term Success
When it comes to buying social media ads, first, define your target audience with precision. Social media platforms provide a wide range of targeting options, allowing you to reach specific demographics, interests, behaviours, and even lookalike audiences. Take the time to understand your ideal customer profile and create detailed buyer personas. Use this information to fine-tune your targeting parameters and ensure that your ads are displayed to the most relevant audience. By focusing on reaching the right people who are likely to be interested in your offerings, you can improve the effectiveness of your social media ads and increase the likelihood of generating meaningful engagement and conversions.
Once on the ad platforms, you can then leverage the power of ad formats and creative content. Different social media platforms offer various ad formats, including image, video, carousel, interactive ads and more. Each format has its strengths and can be used to convey your message in a compelling and engaging manner. Experiment with different ad formats to determine which ones resonate best with your target audience and align with your campaign objectives. Experimentation can cost as little as $5/day. Additionally, invest in creating high-quality and visually appealing ad creatives. Use attention-grabbing visuals (you only have three seconds to capture people’s attention before they scroll on), compelling copy, and a clear call-to-action to capture the interest of social media users. A/B test different creatives to identify top-performing variations and continuously optimize your ad content for maximum impact. By leveraging the right ad formats and crafting captivating creative content, you can capture the attention of social media users and drive them toward your desired actions.
The great thing about all current big digital media platforms, whether they be social media, Google, or shopping platforms like Amazon, is that they all have “schools” to teach you exactly how to use their software. While these won’t replace the value of experience and immediately make you an advertising genius, they provide excellent places to start for beginners.
Conclusion
As you now hopefully understand, where you should be spending your ad money depends. Optimizing your advertising budget requires strategic approaches tailored to each medium and an understanding of your goals and audience. Embrace the power of share of voice, dominate radio and television channels or shows, and leverage smart scheduling techniques. Partner with a knowledgeable sales representative to stay informed about new opportunities. Make things a little easier and learn how to do it yourself through digital media.
By following these strategies, you’ll unleash the full potential of your media investment and achieve remarkable results for your brand. Still having trouble figuring out all your options? Come talk to us today!