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Online Advertisment (Ad-Campaign)

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Online advertising is a strategy that involves promoting a product, service, or brand through digital channels, such as search engines, social media, display ads, and video ads, to reach a large audience and drive traffic in order to find out more about demand.

Just like a regular marketing campaign, ads, landing pages, and supporting content are combined into a cohesive user experience. But a few elements are not like a regular marketing campaign: a) The presence of “in development” or “coming soon” to reflect the status of the product concept, b) the lack of pre-existing customer data, and, of course, c) the fact that there are multiple marketing strategies being tested in parallel. How do you know if there is demand for your beverage concept? When a potential customer gives your company their email address for a product that does not yet exist, you’re on to something. In an era in which privacy is increasingly valued, email is currency; a high rate of email sign-ups is the best possible validation of demand without actually building the product.

Step-by-Step Guide:

An online advertising campaign aims to promote products, services, or brands through digital channels such as social media, search engines, and display networks. Here's a concise step-by-step guide to running an effective ad campaign.

Step 1: Set Clear Objectives

  • Define what you want to achieve with your ad campaign (e.g., increased website traffic, lead generation, brand awareness, product sales).
  • Use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to set precise goals.

Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience

  • Determine the specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and geographic locations of your target audience.
  • Use tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Audience Insights to refine your target market based on historical data.

Step 3: Choose Your Platforms

  • Select platforms based on your target audience and campaign goals:
  • Google Ads: Best for search-based ads and intent-driven traffic.
  • Facebook & Instagram Ads: Ideal for visual storytelling, brand awareness, and engagement.
  • LinkedIn Ads: Target professionals and B2B audiences.
  • YouTube Ads: Focus on video content for broader reach.

Step 4: Create Engaging Ad Creatives

  • Design ads with attention-grabbing visuals and clear, concise copy.
  • Include a strong call-to-action (CTA) (e.g., "Buy Now", "Learn More").
  • Ensure the design is mobile-friendly as most users engage through mobile devices.

Step 5: Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy

  • Allocate a daily or total budget for your campaign.
  • Choose a bidding strategy based on your goals (e.g., cost per click (CPC), cost per thousand impressions (CPM), cost per action (CPA)).
  • Start with a small budget to test and adjust as needed.

Step 6: Launch and Monitor the Campaign

  • Launch the ad campaign on the chosen platform(s).
  • Use real-time analytics to monitor key metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversions, and return on ad spend (ROAS).

Step 7: Optimize the Campaign

  • Analyze the performance data regularly and adjust targeting, ad copy, or bidding strategies as necessary.
  • A/B test different versions of your ads to find the best-performing creatives and strategies.

Step 8: Measure Success

  • At the end of the campaign, evaluate the overall performance against the initial objectives.
  • Assess key metrics such as conversion rates, return on investment (ROI), and overall impact on brand awareness or sales.

By following these steps, you can execute a well-targeted, effective online ad campaign that maximizes reach and drives results.  

Example:

Red Bull Stratos is a prime example of Red Bull’s mastery in online advertising. This campaign featured Felix Baumgartner's jump from the edge of space, which was live-streamed and promoted across social media and YouTube. The live event drew millions of viewers and quickly went viral, breaking YouTube’s live streaming record with 50 million views within days. Red Bull effectively used content marketing and digital ads to position itself as a leader in extreme sports, connecting the brand with adventure and innovation.

Prime Video: Space Jump: How Red Bull Stratos Captured the World's  Attention - Season 1
Image source: primevideo.com

For more information on the topic, please see the source below:

Kreutzer, R. T. (2021). Online-Marketing (3rd ed.). Springer Gabler Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-33937-1

Klapdor, S. (2013). Effectiveness of online marketing campaigns: An investigation into online multichannel and search engine advertising (1st ed.). Springer Gabler Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-01732-3

#Communication Channels #Benefits & value

Livio Filomeno
ZHAW Institut für Marketing Management

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