HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR VIRTUAL EVENTS
PAID SOCIAl MEDIA ADVERTISING
When done right virtual events can craft memorable customer experiences, build deeper relationships and transcend your brand from an 'order taking' mediocre entity to an 'order making' machine. Moreover, virtual events does give you the opportunity to delve deeper into the so-called funnel to build relationships with potential customers.
But, before you invite your potential prospects to your event, you want to know where they are in their buyer's journey
Depending on where your audience is in their buying journey, you’ll want to provide your customers with different content, use different types of targeting strategies, and optimize your ads for different objectives, or bids.
How?
Enter Journey-Based Digital Advertising
Journey-based advertising is a digital advertising strategy where you tailor your ad targeting and ad creative to align with the buyer’s journey. Whether you’re new to advertising or looking to expand your efforts, with journey-based advertising you can build brand awareness, expand your reach, and drive revenue.
Why Marketers are Turning to Social Media Advertising to Reach their Audience
If you are wondering why your organic reach on social media platform is on a downward spiral, you are not the only one.
In fact, organic reach for posts on social media platforms like Facebook could be as low as just 1% of your audience on the platform.
Worse still, link posts, which are a common component of a social media marketing strategy, simply don’t perform as well as they used to. BuzzSumo conducted a study analyzing 777 million Facebook posts and found that link posts that share an article or link out to another website receive low reach and engagement. He
How Can Digital Ads Benefit your Organic Performance?
If you are wondering why your organic reach on social media platform is on a downward spiral, you are not the only one.
In fact, organic reach for posts on social media platforms like Facebook could be as low as just 1% of your audience on the platform.
Worse still, link posts, which are a common component of a social media marketing strategy, simply don’t perform as well as they used to. BuzzSumo conducted a study analyzing 777 million Facebook posts and found that link posts that share an article or link out to another website receive low reach and engagement. He
How Can Digital Ads Benefit your Organic Performance?
- An increase in brand awareness by displaying your content to individuals within and outside of your networks.
- A better understanding of your audiences by leveraging the targeting and analytics of the ads platforms.
- The creation of higher-performing content by understanding what ad content helps you achieve your business goals and what doesn't.
Why Paid Advertisings Work as an Effective tool in Social Media Marketing?
People conducting a search online are looking for something specific and will click on the first result they believe is going to be the most helpful to them.
There are three key reasons why paid advertising makes good business sense:
People conducting a search online are looking for something specific and will click on the first result they believe is going to be the most helpful to them.
There are three key reasons why paid advertising makes good business sense:
- On average, advertisers make $8 for every $1 they spend on Google Ads.
- Advertising on search engines protects you from the competition who may be advertising on your branded terms.
- Search ads appear first in the search engine results pages (SERPs) above the organic results.
GLOBALLY, SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING IS PROJECTED TO EXCEED 8.5BN DOLLARS
Slide Source: Hubspot
HubSpot's tools let you manage all of your social media from one platform. You can write or share new posts and respond to comments and mentions all through the HubSpot interface. You can even compare performance across your social channels and keep track of the number of visits and leads you receive. Since the tools are linked to the HubSpot free HubSpot CRM, this data is immediately transferred and recorded onto the contact records in your account. HubSpot's Social Media tools are compatible with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and LinkedIn and can be easily set up to monitor conversation across various channels. HubSpot’s free marketing tools include email marketing, live chat, forms, contact management, ads, and more
(Yes, I personally use Hubspot)
HubSpot's tools let you manage all of your social media from one platform. You can write or share new posts and respond to comments and mentions all through the HubSpot interface. You can even compare performance across your social channels and keep track of the number of visits and leads you receive. Since the tools are linked to the HubSpot free HubSpot CRM, this data is immediately transferred and recorded onto the contact records in your account. HubSpot's Social Media tools are compatible with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and LinkedIn and can be easily set up to monitor conversation across various channels. HubSpot’s free marketing tools include email marketing, live chat, forms, contact management, ads, and more
(Yes, I personally use Hubspot)
SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING ALLOWS YOU TO TARGET PEOPLE WHO
HAVEN'T HEARD OF YOU YET. GET STARTED ON TARGETING FOR FREE
How to Establish a Digital Strategy that Embraces Paid Advertisements for Your Virtual Events
When establishing a digital marketing strategy, you want to run ads across platforms where your audience spends their time. One platform will not meet all the needs of your business. Having a mix of advertisements across Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn will allow you to be most effective and efficient with your media budget.
Create your account and Determine How Much Budget You Want to Allocate for Each
GOOLGE ADS ACCOUNT
Getting started with a Google Ads account is easy. You simply need an email address and website for your business to get started. Head over to ads.google.com to get create your account.
Install Google Conversion Tracking — By installing the Google Pixel on your business website, you will be able to
measure actions that visitors take — whether you are looking to measure site conversions, phone calls, or more.
Instructions for Set Up Conversion Tracking
Install Google Conversion Tracking — By installing the Google Pixel on your business website, you will be able to
measure actions that visitors take — whether you are looking to measure site conversions, phone calls, or more.
Instructions for Set Up Conversion Tracking
FACEBOOK ADS ACCOUNT
Reach one of the world’s largest communities by setting up a Facebook Page and creating an ad. All you need is an email address and Facebook account (Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger). To get started head to facebook.com/business.
Create and install the Facebook Pixel on your website to measure the effectiveness of your advertising. Ensure you are reaching the audiences that are most likely to take action, learn about your audience demographics and interests,
and measure conversions across mobile and desktop advertising.
Instructions to Install
Create and install the Facebook Pixel on your website to measure the effectiveness of your advertising. Ensure you are reaching the audiences that are most likely to take action, learn about your audience demographics and interests,
and measure conversions across mobile and desktop advertising.
Instructions to Install
LINKEDIN ADS ACCOUNT
Once you create a LinkedIn profile and a LinkedIn Page, you can use advertising to reach your
customers on the world’s largest professional network. Make your way to business.linkedin.com to start running ads.
LinkedIn Insights Tag —Unlocks robust campaign reporting and information about your website visitors. Power conversion tracking, understand website audiences, and website demographics for your LinkedIn ad campaigns.
Get Started Here.
customers on the world’s largest professional network. Make your way to business.linkedin.com to start running ads.
LinkedIn Insights Tag —Unlocks robust campaign reporting and information about your website visitors. Power conversion tracking, understand website audiences, and website demographics for your LinkedIn ad campaigns.
Get Started Here.
CONNECT YOUR AD ACCOUNTS TO YOUR FREE HUBSPOT CRM ACCOUNT
Finally, once your advertising accounts are set up, connect them to your database. Use CRM and web analytics data to inform your ad campaigns and see exactly which ads are turning prospects into loyal customers
How to Prepare for Your Social Media Advertising for your Virtual Events
Without a foundation of data, technology, and remarkable creative, businesses struggle to reach and engage audiences.
Leverage advertising as a part of your marketing mix to raise brand awareness, generate leads, and grow your brand capacity. Use the slide deck below, as a framework for your digital advertising and create advertisements that your business is worthy of and your customers would rave about.
Without a foundation of data, technology, and remarkable creative, businesses struggle to reach and engage audiences.
Leverage advertising as a part of your marketing mix to raise brand awareness, generate leads, and grow your brand capacity. Use the slide deck below, as a framework for your digital advertising and create advertisements that your business is worthy of and your customers would rave about.
Use the DACI Framework for Charting Out Crystal Clear Communication
- (D)river: This person is the project's main driver directing all aspects of virtual events. The driver will coordinate all of the moving pieces of the project, answer all the questions for sales and marketing and oversees the event from inception to wrap-up.
- (A)pprover: Typically a director, VP, or manager, this will be the person who must approve the framework and budget of the event. They'll give feedback, recommendations, or approval on the overall project and have a final say in all project deliverables.
- (C)ontributors: Contributors will be the individuals who are responsible for creating one or more deliverables for the event. In an advertising campaign, this can include copywriters, video producers, animators, designers, and digital advertising specialists.
- (I)nformed: These are employees who are kept in the loop as the project goes on. Examples include the department heads and the managers of project contributors. These people have no direct responsibilities but benefit from knowing about the project and its status. Encourage and incentivize this segment to talk about the virtual event production that you are putting up in their social channels.
“Advertising should be about solving problems for real customers. Removing barriers in their research and purchase path.
That's what separates good advertising from bad.”
That's what separates good advertising from bad.”
How to Optimize Your Advertising Performance?
A unique benefit of digital advertising is your ability to make adjustments along the way. Digital ads are not a set-it-and-forget-it marketing tactic. Unlike outdoor or print ads, digital ads can be adjusted at any time. Once you are able a clear understanding of how your ads are performing consider various optimizations.
Optimize Facebook Ads: When optimizing your Facebook ads, consider adjusting your campaign objective, revising your bid strategy, changing your targeting, or updating the campaign landing page on your site.
Optimize Google Ads: Google offers various resources to optimize your advertising performance. When making optimizations consider the keywords you are targeting, your ad copy, your ad extensions, and bid modifiers.
Optimize LinkedIn Ads: Whether you are getting started or an advertising expert, visit LinkedIn Marketing Solutions for a library of resources to improve your campaign performance. Consider making adjustments daily to ensure that your ads, targeting, and landing page are relevant.
A unique benefit of digital advertising is your ability to make adjustments along the way. Digital ads are not a set-it-and-forget-it marketing tactic. Unlike outdoor or print ads, digital ads can be adjusted at any time. Once you are able a clear understanding of how your ads are performing consider various optimizations.
Optimize Facebook Ads: When optimizing your Facebook ads, consider adjusting your campaign objective, revising your bid strategy, changing your targeting, or updating the campaign landing page on your site.
Optimize Google Ads: Google offers various resources to optimize your advertising performance. When making optimizations consider the keywords you are targeting, your ad copy, your ad extensions, and bid modifiers.
Optimize LinkedIn Ads: Whether you are getting started or an advertising expert, visit LinkedIn Marketing Solutions for a library of resources to improve your campaign performance. Consider making adjustments daily to ensure that your ads, targeting, and landing page are relevant.
The Latest Google Insights on the Mindset of Your Target Audience
Find Relatable Nuggets:
When possible, find a way to relate to your audience based on their personal interests, but keep in mind that those interests might not be what you’d expect. If you’re targeting people interested in self-improvement, for example, don’t restrict yourself to your vertical alone. Follow the behavior.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
Think Educational:
Forty-six percent of global viewers use video content to learn something new. Video as a paid ad campaign has grown from an awareness-only medium to an engaging one, and ad strategies should follow suit.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
Focus on Passion, Not Just Production:
When choosing what to watch, relating to passions was 1.6X more important to viewers than high production quality.4 That means people are more inclined to watch when content speaks to what they’re passionate about, even if it doesn’t have a traditionally premium look.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
The chart below shows what kind of content your audience is wanting to experience from your brand offering.
Find Relatable Nuggets:
When possible, find a way to relate to your audience based on their personal interests, but keep in mind that those interests might not be what you’d expect. If you’re targeting people interested in self-improvement, for example, don’t restrict yourself to your vertical alone. Follow the behavior.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
Think Educational:
Forty-six percent of global viewers use video content to learn something new. Video as a paid ad campaign has grown from an awareness-only medium to an engaging one, and ad strategies should follow suit.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
Focus on Passion, Not Just Production:
When choosing what to watch, relating to passions was 1.6X more important to viewers than high production quality.4 That means people are more inclined to watch when content speaks to what they’re passionate about, even if it doesn’t have a traditionally premium look.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
The chart below shows what kind of content your audience is wanting to experience from your brand offering.
Google/Insight Strategy Group, Global, “Premium Is Personal” studies, AU, BR, CA, DE, IN, JP, KR, U.K., U.S.: n=12,000 people, ages 13–64, July 2019; U.S.: n=3,200 people, ages 13–64, July 2018.
ADVANCE YOUR SKILLS AND THRIVE
Good advertising is designed to be effectively influential, memorable, and, at times, risqué. It breaks through the countless clutter, suspends the viewer’s attention, and demands their focus. By putting the customer at the center of your advertising strategy, you will be able to create high-performing advertising campaigns that are effective, efficient and enduring.
For marketers who are more advanced in advertising strategy and tactics, below are some resources from Hubspot experts to improve the effectiveness of your campaigns:
How You Can Leverage Your CRM to Improve Paid Media
You don't see ROI on your ad spend if you don't continue to work with the leads that come in through your ads.
Explore Advanced Google Ad Features
Discover various campaign types, learn more about each tool, and read about customer success stories.
Guides for Advanced Advertisers on Facebook
Whether you’re acquiring new customers for a mobile app, advertising your in-store products, or using look-a-like audiences to optimize your bids, read these advanced guides for Facebook advertisers.
Your Guide to Advanced Targeting and Optimization on LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities remains one of the differentiators of their advertising solutions. Armed with advanced targeting and optimization best practices, you can more effectively reach decision-makers on the world’s largest professional network.
Final Notes:
“It’s not that quality content isn’t an effective magnet for prospective customers. It’s that companies like Facebook and Google are less likely to surface that content today without some budget behind it.” Now you know why paid advertising is essential for your digital marketing mix.
For marketers who are more advanced in advertising strategy and tactics, below are some resources from Hubspot experts to improve the effectiveness of your campaigns:
How You Can Leverage Your CRM to Improve Paid Media
You don't see ROI on your ad spend if you don't continue to work with the leads that come in through your ads.
Explore Advanced Google Ad Features
Discover various campaign types, learn more about each tool, and read about customer success stories.
Guides for Advanced Advertisers on Facebook
Whether you’re acquiring new customers for a mobile app, advertising your in-store products, or using look-a-like audiences to optimize your bids, read these advanced guides for Facebook advertisers.
Your Guide to Advanced Targeting and Optimization on LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities remains one of the differentiators of their advertising solutions. Armed with advanced targeting and optimization best practices, you can more effectively reach decision-makers on the world’s largest professional network.
Final Notes:
“It’s not that quality content isn’t an effective magnet for prospective customers. It’s that companies like Facebook and Google are less likely to surface that content today without some budget behind it.” Now you know why paid advertising is essential for your digital marketing mix.
