Do Not Advertise Until You Understand This!

I started advertising my small business about 15 years ago and I mostly did it on my own. 

What I found to be highly effective then was for the cost of a textbook, I could do my own SEO and then set up my platforms. For the cost of another book, I could update my website on WordPress and find ways to optimize the site for not only Google but for my ads. For an additional few books, I learned copywriting, the psychology of writing, persuasion, selling, and how to use programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, and more.

Fast forward to today and everything has changed. For instance, I have been using iMovie for all my movie editing- it’s all I needed up until now. So since my videos are becoming more sophisticated, I needed Final Cut Pro, a natural evolution in what I need since it was designed similarly to iMovie (genius hack). 

But now, all I need to do is follow along and Google “how to ____” and a tutorial is indexed incredibly right up top with a video and a follow-along tutorial. 

I will be an expert in a year.

All these tactics, movie editing included, are similar to what you need to get started in advertising. In fact, I highly recommend starting on your own so you can learn all our favorite acronyms on your own! Who can go to sleep without these acronyms dancing above your sleepless eyes:

• CPC: Cost Per Click - The amount you pay for each click on your ad.
• CPM: Cost Per Mille (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) - The price of 1,000 advertisement impressions on a webpage.
• CTR: Click-Through Rate - The ratio of users who click on a specific link to the number of total users who view the ad, email, or page. It's a key metric to measure ad effectiveness.
• CPA: Cost Per Acquisition (sometimes Cost Per Action) - The amount you pay when a click on your ad results in a specific action or conversion, like a sale or sign-up.
• CPL: Cost Per Lead - The amount you pay for each lead generated.
• ROAS: Return On Ad Spend - A metric that measures the effectiveness of a digital advertising campaign. ROAS helps online businesses evaluate which methods are working and how they can improve future advertising efforts.
• QS: Quality Score - A metric used by search engines to rate the quality and relevance of your PPC ads and keywords. It affects the cost and position of ads.
• SEM: Search Engine Marketing - A broader term that encompasses SEO (search engine optimization) and paid search activities.
• GDN: Google Display Network - A network of websites where Google ads appear. It includes Google services like YouTube and Gmail, as well as partner websites.
• RLSA: Remarketing Lists for Search Ads - Allows you to customize your search ad campaigns based on whether users have previously visited your website and tailor bids and ads to these visitors when they're searching on Google and Google partner sites.

Before you start muttering “FML”, behold there is a way around all this: 

You can pay someone to know all this, strategize about all your goals, report to you and give you leads!

Before you breathe a sigh of relief, remember that it’s for a sizable fee.

(room exhales in disbelief)

And each agency gets different results… mostly bad

(someone faints)

OK, if you are a marketer and you are reading this you are thinking “Why I OUGHTA…” and pulling up your sleeves for a fight because you may be really good at this, relax. 

Believe me- I have hired the literal worst, “Mrs. Expert”.

And here is what to do to avoid this at all costs

If you are thinking about hiring an agency to market what you are doing on social media or on any search engine, remember what the roles are for each area in advertising:

• Strategic Planning:
• Definition: This involves developing a comprehensive plan for a business's social media presence. The agency will analyze the client's current status, target audience, and goals to formulate a strategy that aligns with the business objectives.
• Key Responsibilities: Setting clear objectives, identifying target audience personas, deciding on platforms to use, establishing a content calendar, determining key performance indicators (KPIs), and continuously revisiting and refining the strategy based on results.
• Publishing:
• Definition: This refers to the act of posting content on social media platforms. It's not just about posting content, but doing so in a timely, consistent, and strategic manner.
• Key Responsibilities: Scheduling posts, ensuring content is posted at optimal times for the target audience, and using the appropriate tools and software to streamline the publishing process.
• Content Creation:
• Definition: This encompasses the design and development of content tailored for social media. It can include graphics, videos, articles, infographics, GIFs, and more.
• Key Responsibilities: Understanding the brand voice and image, producing high-quality visuals and written content, tailoring content to different platforms (e.g., Instagram stories vs. LinkedIn articles), and ensuring content aligns with the overall strategy.
• Community Management:
• Definition: This is about nurturing and managing the community of followers and fans on social media platforms. It involves active engagement, responding to comments and messages, and fostering a positive environment for users.
• Key Responsibilities: Responding to comments, direct messages, and mentions in a timely manner, moderating and managing any negative feedback or comments, building and fostering relationships with followers, and often involving crisis management if issues arise.
• Complete Social Media Management:
• Definition: This is a comprehensive service that covers all aspects of a business's social media presence, from strategic planning to content creation, publishing, and community management.
• Key Responsibilities: Essentially, this combines all the roles mentioned above. The agency acts as the complete social media arm of the business, handling every facet of the brand's online presence.

Ready to give up? Now that you are completely familiar with all the aspects of the agency, it’s time to (cry)... no… 

It’s time to:

Navigate Social Media Marketing on a Small Budget

In today's ridiculous world, so many opportunities hide in the shadows of your keyboard. Small businesses face the challenge of navigating the vast landscape of building a brand on social media, especially with constrained budgets. If you are getting started, the best thing to do is to just get started and make strategy changes along the way. Other ways to learn about small business social media marketing:

1. Watch videos
2. Read
3. Google
4. Ask AI

Whether you're contemplating hiring a social media marketing agency or leveraging PPC advertising agencies, it's vital to make every dollar count. A strong social media strategy for business can spell the difference between obscurity and virality. I have been on both sides of the coin.

My own strategy on social media posts, campaigns, and other social media have been 100x more effective than an agency.

Understanding Your Business Needs

Before diving into the deep end, it's pivotal to outline your needs. Are you aiming to enhance your online visibility through SEO social media marketing? Or are you primarily intrigued by implementing a tailored Facebook marketing strategy? By understanding your goals, you can more effectively choose whether you require the expertise of an SEO advertising agency or if your primary focus should be on platforms like Facebook, guided by a Facebook marketing expert.

Choosing an Affordable Social Media Marketing Agency

Small businesses might not have the budget for renowned agencies, but there are cost-effective solutions out there:

• Local or Niche Agencies: Look into smaller web marketing agencies or even platforms like Fiverr social media marketing. They often offer bespoke social media packages for small businesses, catering specifically to limited budgets.
• Freelancers & Consultants: Hiring a social media consultant or specialist on a project basis can be more cost-efficient than retaining an agency. They can guide your strategy, manage your social media ads, and even train your team to handle ongoing tasks.
• Balancing Costs and Services: While an online advertising firm might provide a comprehensive solution, ask yourself what you truly need. Sometimes, a simple consultation with a Facebook marketing expert or a few paid social campaigns can give you the boost you're seeking.

DIY Social Media Marketing Tips

With resources available online, there's a lot that small business owners can do in-house:

• Educate Yourself: Plenty of free resources and courses are available online to help you understand the basics of SEO social media marketing. Platforms like Coursera or Udemy offer courses tailored for beginners.
• Engage with Your Audience: Building a brand on social media isn't just about promoting your products. Engage with your SMM followers, reply to their comments, and be present.
• Collaborate with Influencers: Engage with a social influencer agency for short-term campaigns. Micro-influencers can often provide a better ROI for small businesses than major celebrities.
• Monitor and Adjust: Use online advertising firm tools or free alternatives like Google Analytics to track the effectiveness of your campaigns. If a particular social media strategy or ad isn't yielding results, pivot.

Balancing DIY and Agency Assistance

Personally, I found a tremendous amount of learning from seeing what other people did. It’s amazing to me how people will hire an agency and then blame them if there are no results. Those are the same people that are looking for sales from social media only. They aren’t looking at the finite goals in a campaign or even the long term. If sales are the be-all-end-all, I don’t think posts will do it. If ad spend is in your budget and you must sell products or services NOW, then understand who your customer is. If you find yourself struggling with creating effective social media ads, it might be time to invest in a consultation with a specialist or explore the services of PPC advertising agencies. The hybrid model, a blend of in-house efforts and selective outsourcing, often works best for small businesses on a tight budget.

I still SUCK as a world-class marketer but 15 years of experience has made me understand what I need to succeed. Still, with the right strategy, tools, and occasional assistance from professionals—whether that's a full-blown social media marketing agency or a freelance social media specialist—small businesses can make a significant impact. The digital realm levels the playing field, ensuring that even businesses with constrained budgets can compete with larger entities, provided they approach the process strategically and authentically. 

Choose wisely!