What is Paid Media?

Paid Media, as the name suggests, involves paying an external source to amplify your message.
Costs and plans vary depending on the type of media, audience, platform, and duration of your campaign.

The following are 3 examples of paid media you may have seen:

• “Promoted” Ads on Facebook or Twitter.
• Google Search results with listings showing ‘Ads’ on top
• Television commercials, Print Ads, billboards, etc.

Why Paid Media?
Since it is often handled by an external source that may have the means and resources to a larger network, using paid media can help you reach a wider audience, faster. Paid Media is beneficial when your in-house efforts may be limited! Other benefits include:

• Reaching a targeted demographic
• Brand awareness
• Strong online presence
• Increase organic ranking (if properly coordinated)
• Reach audience that were undiscovered or previously not considered
• Enhanced analytics provided by platforms on user behavior, demographics and other invaluable data points.

What are a few simple paid media sources that startups can consider?

• Google Ads
• Facebook Ads (some offers begin at just $10)
• Remarketing programs
• Native Ads
• Audio Ads (Radio or Podcasts)

The paid media landscape is vast and complex.
Starting from sailing into the open ocean of paid media by engaging Google keywords can be scary and risky. Instead, consider a controlled approach to paid media by focusing on converting those already familiar with your brand from organic campaigns – this is the basis of remarketing campaigns. They tend to be more cost efficient and generate more targeted results.

Bonus: When should you invest in paid media?

Paid media is a powerful initiative that can quickly amplify reach and engagement for a brand. Businesses should think of it as nitro for the marketing engine. But unless the marketing engine itself has been tuned, as in optimized organically, the impact of paid media will not be fully realized, or sustainable.

As a general rule, paid media should be considered once you have achieved strong organic (SEO) optimization of your content, message, and traffic. Doing so without reaching this milestone will undercut your paid media investment.

Below are a few indicators that you are ready to make the most of the investment in paid media:

• UTM Tracking of channels/events/tracks
• Funnel tracking with multiple pixels/events.
• GA4 is installed, working and integrated into your business metrics/dashboard
• Clear nurture paths of engagement
• Clear definition of pain points to segment
• Plateau on organic growth trend
• Best practices in basic and advanced on-page SEO implemented

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Want to talk about a good paid media strategy for your business? At no cost?
Contact our team (help@masonsbdc.org) to set up a virtual meeting with our Digital Marketing SME, Hussain Shah.

Post by:

• Hussain Shah (SME – Digital Marketing, Mason SBDC)
• Sindhu Mathew (Marketing and Communications Specialist)

• Related blog: Heard of ‘Earned Media’? Read about it in our previous post.
• See more blogs by our experts -https://masonsbdc.org/blogs-newsletters/

Photo by Nicolai Berntsen on Unsplash – Digital Ads NYC

Photo by Rubaitul Azad on Unsplash Google Ads