Creative advertising is one of the key requirements to boost brand recognition, but for start-up owners, managing operational and promotional costs can be quite challenging. More often than not, start-up companies have a limited budget, which goes into talent recruitment and product development and at the end of the month, executives realise that there’s not much left for advertising.
There are so many creative and disruptive start-ups out there that are actually making the world a better place and that deserve to make their presence known through a billboard in Times Square or through a million-dollar advertising campaign. However, when funds are limited, you have to manage somehow and find room for advertising in your plans. Without advertising, potential clients cannot find you and it will significantly more difficult for you to make a breakthrough on the market.
Fortunately, effective advertising is no longer expensive and, if you own a start-up, you can access a vast pool of affordable advertising solutions that help you achieve online brand recognition:
News features in local magazines.
With most printed newspapers transitioning to the Web and bringing with them masses of loyal readers, online news features are an advertising opportunity that you simply can’t ignore, especially given its relatively low price. Local publications are a perfect example, because you can target your advertising efforts towards a smaller local niche and become a household name. Local news sites are generally quite open with promotional content, as long as it’s relevant to the area and, whether you choose to promote yourself via a press release, editorial or advice column, the results will not be late to appear. News features are also effective because they link back to your website and this can boost your SEO.
Facebook advertising.
Social media advertising is one of the biggest things to have happened to marketing in the past decade and Facebook is by far the strongest social platform. These days, a whopping 80% of the Internet is made of active Facebook users – that’s 1.8 billion of monthly active users. For many people, Facebook is the Internet and as a brand, you simply can’t neglect this huge opportunity to connect with leads. Facebook advertising is not only affordable, but also incredibly targeted, allowing you to promote your products and services exactly to those categories of users you are interested in. Compared to TV advertising, where one commercial can be relevant just to a small handful of viewers, Facebook advertising is accurate and relevant. According to a professional Facebook marketing agency in London, Facebook advertising is also incredibly fast and you will reach out to thousands of users the same day you start your campaign. And all of this with a budget that starts as low as £5. Facebook ads convert, and they convert fast. Add the fact that they can also boost your website traffic and therefore improve your SEO and you have the perfect online advertising solution for your start-up.
Influencer marketing.
Like them or not, influencers have started to change the way people are introduced to brands. Because they are real, relatable people, influencers are like a vote of confidence for your brand. Because spam websites are so common on the Web, many people are quite sceptical towards trying a new product, fearing that it’s too good to be true. However, if an influencer that people know and love recommends that new product, people start to trust you. Partnering with an influencer is a great way to break the ice and stay in the spotlight and, according to a Tomoson study, it will turn into a $10 billion-dollar industry in the next five years. Does that mean it will become more exclusive? Not necessarily. While it goes without saying that establishing a partnership with an influencer like Chiara Ferragni or Tai Lopez is a bit out of reach for small businesses, a collaboration with a smaller local personality is much more feasible.
YouTube Ads.
Video is one of the most consumed forms of content on the Web. Recent statistics show that almost half of Internet users watch at least 30 minutes of videos every week, especially on their mobiles, and a staggering 87% of online marketers already use video content as a promotional strategy. Ads incorporated in YouTube videos have a high ROI because, just like Facebook ads, they are targeted and thus relevant for the audience watching them. Why choose video content over text? Because people who watch a video ad are more likely to remember your brand and because video content boost viewer engagement!
Whether you choose Facebook ads, YouTube ads or another form of online advertising, saving money is not the only benefit to be earned. Another major advantage they have in common is the fact that they are measurable. After you run a campaign, you can monitor and analyse the results: learn who watched or click on your ad and whether or not that led to a purchase. The agency you work with can send you a detailed report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of your campaign and this way you will be able to adapt your budget or better target your ads for maximum results.
