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THREAD: Read this if you're new to ads. Here's how to make each ad channel work.
E.g. Facebook, Instagram, Google, Snapchat, Pinterest.
(from our experience running ads for 400+ startups)
E.g. Facebook, Instagram, Google, Snapchat, Pinterest.
(from our experience running ads for 400+ startups)
IMPORTANT. We're growth marketers. We believe that you should test most channels (in time). This is an 80/20 to help you prioritize which you might want to test FIRST based on your business.
2 types of ad targeting:
Behavior: Serves ads to people searching for your product. Better for conversion, but audience size is limited to ppl searching for you.
Profile: Uses social profiles/engagement to serve ads. Conversion is lower, but audience size is less restricted.
Behavior: Serves ads to people searching for your product. Better for conversion, but audience size is limited to ppl searching for you.
Profile: Uses social profiles/engagement to serve ads. Conversion is lower, but audience size is less restricted.
Top channels ordered by average cost/click for U.S. audiences (LinkedIn being most expensive)
1. LinkedIn
2. Twitter
3. Instagram
4. Facebook
5. Google Ads
6. Pinterest
7. Snapchat
We'll dive into each (and a few more)
1. LinkedIn
2. Twitter
3. Instagram
4. Facebook
5. Google Ads
6. Pinterest
7. Snapchat
We'll dive into each (and a few more)
LinkedIn offers uniquely granular company and employee targeting (firmographic targeting)
Clicks are expensive. Most companies won't be able to afford LinkedIn ads.
Good fit: B2B companies earning *thousands* per customer.
Poor fit: anyone earning < $10,000 USD in LTV
Clicks are expensive. Most companies won't be able to afford LinkedIn ads.
Good fit: B2B companies earning *thousands* per customer.
Poor fit: anyone earning < $10,000 USD in LTV
Experiment w/ LinkedIn's ad units:
• Text Ads: Typically only work for retargeting & brand marketing
• Sponsored Content: Focus on these. Decent CTRs but saturate quickly due to small audiences
• InMail: Generally avoid. Response rate is poor compared to good cold emailing
• Text Ads: Typically only work for retargeting & brand marketing
• Sponsored Content: Focus on these. Decent CTRs but saturate quickly due to small audiences
• InMail: Generally avoid. Response rate is poor compared to good cold emailing
Twitter ads let you target users who follow a particular topic or person. That's unique.
Best for 2 scenarios:
• Companies targeting niche audiences that can ONLY be identified based on who they follow.
• Enterprises running brand marketing. They "buy" followers through ads.
Best for 2 scenarios:
• Companies targeting niche audiences that can ONLY be identified based on who they follow.
• Enterprises running brand marketing. They "buy" followers through ads.
Downsides compared to FB/IG:
• Twitter ads usually cost 2x more/click
• Conversion is usually lower
• Audiences saturate quickly bc there are fewer engaged users
Better use case: If your profit margins allow, run Twitter ads to get sales leads that you close via email/phone.
• Twitter ads usually cost 2x more/click
• Conversion is usually lower
• Audiences saturate quickly bc there are fewer engaged users
Better use case: If your profit margins allow, run Twitter ads to get sales leads that you close via email/phone.
Facebook (FB) and Instagram (IG): The best profile targeting channels.
Good fit for: Mobile apps/SaaS, eCommerce.
Poor fit: Most enterprise products.
IG ads generally convert better than FB. Use IG to target the 18-24 y/o audience that DOESN'T use FB.
Good fit for: Mobile apps/SaaS, eCommerce.
Poor fit: Most enterprise products.
IG ads generally convert better than FB. Use IG to target the 18-24 y/o audience that DOESN'T use FB.
FB & IG ads 80/20:
• FB and IG have a ton of users. If you get ads to work, they'll sustain a higher daily spend than other social channels.
• Best for product *discovery*
• Start broad, then niche down. It's the one channel where you can really lean into the algorithm
• FB and IG have a ton of users. If you get ads to work, they'll sustain a higher daily spend than other social channels.
• Best for product *discovery*
• Start broad, then niche down. It's the one channel where you can really lean into the algorithm
Google ads
The best behavior targeting channel: Reach people who are actively searching for your product.
Good fit: Products that solve *known*, high-volume problems
Bad fit: Products people don't search for because they don't know they exist. e.g. cutting edge technology
The best behavior targeting channel: Reach people who are actively searching for your product.
Good fit: Products that solve *known*, high-volume problems
Bad fit: Products people don't search for because they don't know they exist. e.g. cutting edge technology
Google ads 80/20:
Balance specific vs broad: Use exact match keywords on the "money" keywords, and add a broad match modifier (e.g. women, summer, hats) to capture long-tail keywords.
Add negative keywords to filter out things that aren't suitable.
Balance specific vs broad: Use exact match keywords on the "money" keywords, and add a broad match modifier (e.g. women, summer, hats) to capture long-tail keywords.
Add negative keywords to filter out things that aren't suitable.
Pinterest ads combine profile (interest) targeting with behavior targeting (search)
Best for:
• Selling fashion, food, or furniture
• Products that lend themselves to pretty, eye-catching imagery
• Predominantly targeting women (70%+ of Pinterest's audience)
• B2C eCommerce
Best for:
• Selling fashion, food, or furniture
• Products that lend themselves to pretty, eye-catching imagery
• Predominantly targeting women (70%+ of Pinterest's audience)
• B2C eCommerce
Key for Pinterest: You don't want users to click your ad by accident.
1. Ads can't look so obvious that people reflexively ignore them.
2. But, make them look enough like ads that those who click do so purposefully.
Blend in, but don't mislead.
1. Ads can't look so obvious that people reflexively ignore them.
2. But, make them look enough like ads that those who click do so purposefully.
Blend in, but don't mislead.
Reddit ads work best in two scenarios:
• If your product appeals very broadly (e.g. underwear, credit cards)
• If you earn a lot per customer AND your niche is active in a subreddit.
• If your product appeals very broadly (e.g. underwear, credit cards)
• If you earn a lot per customer AND your niche is active in a subreddit.
If your product fits within a large subreddit category, try subreddit targeting: Running ads within niche subforums.
You can get them to run profitably, and large subreddits take longer to saturate than small ones.
You can get them to run profitably, and large subreddits take longer to saturate than small ones.
Snapchat ads
We've seen snapchat ads work for 2 company types:
1. Consumer-facing mobile apps or games with a free trial.
2. Retail businesses that lend themselves to impulse purchases (e.g. restaurants)—You can target users near your store and capture them as they walk by.
We've seen snapchat ads work for 2 company types:
1. Consumer-facing mobile apps or games with a free trial.
2. Retail businesses that lend themselves to impulse purchases (e.g. restaurants)—You can target users near your store and capture them as they walk by.
Banner ads
Best for:
• Cheap brand marketing: Advertising not to get clicks, but to stay top of mind.
• Retargeting: Showing ads to your site's visitors to get them back.
If you do run display ads, do it through Google Display Network—It provides the most granular targeting
Best for:
• Cheap brand marketing: Advertising not to get clicks, but to stay top of mind.
• Retargeting: Showing ads to your site's visitors to get them back.
If you do run display ads, do it through Google Display Network—It provides the most granular targeting
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