Ishrat Pasha

When you least feel like you can afford to take a break is when you most need one.

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Why would you want to take time and effort to attract organic Facebook leads when you could just pay for prospects? 

Organic leads are free, and there are plenty of ways to get started, even if you’re not sure how. Social media sites like Facebook provide several free tools to start building a community, including:

• Facebook groups
• stories
• posts

Facebook also provides an “insights” tool, allowing you to measure responsiveness, reach, and clicks. 

Then there’s the overall effectiveness of your advertising. To get the best results from your campaigns, some say it’s better to combine paid and free social media leads.

Another advantage with organic leads is these prospects are already interested in your product or service. They may just need some nurturing to convince them to buy.

If you need a further reason, here it is: Your organic ads can allow you to build lasting results from people who already feel they know and trust you.

That’s the main benefits covered. However, how do you start getting a steady stream of organic leads?

This article will explain, but first, let’s go over the difference between organic and paid Facebook leads.

What Are Organic Facebook Leads?

As explained above, you don’t pay for organic Facebook leads. Instead, you build them by creating written and visual content and sharing it wherever you think your audience might be. 

Organic leads are crucial to any inbound marketing campaign, and they can ensure you get interest from your ideal prospects.

While organic Facebook leads won’t cost you anything, gaining them may be time-consuming, and your results can depend on your creativity levels, where you place your content, and the way you promote it.

In contrast, paid ads are advertising services you pay for on a specific platform. Paid leads are usually known as PPC ads. Social media sites all provide PPC ads in varying forms. In Facebook’s case, you can create customized lead ads, for example.

5 Tips to Get Facebook Leads Organically

Getting Facebook leads organically doesn’t need to be complicated. With some proven methods, you can start getting free traffic from interested prospects.

In the following section, you’ll find five ways and some tips on how you can implement them yourself.

1. Join Facebook Groups for Your Industry and Post Links to Your Website

When Facebook announced a greater focus on “meaningful” discussion, it was met with positive results.

The move meant the social network’s users are now more engaged with groups, and Facebook says 400 million people are in groups that it considers meaningful.

Not only that, Facebook believes in groups so much it paid an estimated $10 million for a SuperBowl ad, writes CNBC.

That’s a huge audience and a lot of prospects.

Since these groups already have an active membership of interested followers, why not reach out to them?

Join some industry-related groups. Begin posting helpful content and answering questions where you can. Feel free to talk about your business and what it does to get people to message you on Facebook or your website. Just make sure you’re not overly promotional.

When looking for suitable groups to join, you’ll have to think of your typical audience and the day-to-day problems they may have. If your product or service can solve them, sign up, interact with group members, and get conversations rolling.

You can do this by:

• posting informative content
• asking and answering questions
• offering free content to get group members to sign up for your newsletter or your other marketing materials

Although there are no golden rules for posting in groups as such, you may like to consider a few things:

• When you use the group approach, ensure you’re consistent. You may not see results at first, but you should in time if you’re targeting the correct groups.
• Get the balance right. You’ll need to be visible in groups, but you don’t want to reply so often it looks like spam.
• Post at times of the highest engagement. As research from CoSchedule shows, this differs for each business sector. 

2. Optimize Your Facebook Business Page

Since their introduction, Facebook business pages have undergone considerable changes and continue to improve and evolve. Although business pages are getting increasingly sophisticated, just setting up a page isn’t enough: You’ll want your page to do some work by gaining organic Facebook leads.

You can do this by optimizing your page for increased clickthroughs and revenues. However, you’ll only need to optimize the parts relevant to gaining leads. Facebook suggests you concentrate on three main areas:

• your business name and description
• profile photos and cover photos
• a call to action (CTA)

Let’s look at each of these areas.

Your Business Description

Information about your businesses’ purpose and how you can help should be readily available. Likewise, you’ll need to write a description that sells your product or service while explaining your concept.

Other ways to optimize your description for Facebook leads include:

• using short, clear sentences and simple language
• writing short paragraphs to make your content more scannable
• highlighting the most important information at the start of your text
• keeping your descriptions super-short
• using keywords, but not overdoing them

Writing an About Page

Write your “About” page in the same way you would on your website. Add some background about yourself, the origins of your business, and anything you feel resonates with your target market.

Then, enhance confidence by adding a physical address and phone number so your prospects can contact you. You can also add different keywords. Use a free keyword tool like Ubersuggest to find suggestions, or try out the paid version to get extra features. 

Personalize Where You Can and Add Images

Facebook has templates for a range of business categories allowing you to customize the page depending on your sector. However, templates can make every page look the same, so personalize where you can.

You can begin customizing your page by updating your business page tabs and adding customization for visitors to sign up for your newsletter.

For further branding and personalization, add a cover image and profile photo. People like to know who’s behind a business, and a strong cover image can get you noticed.

When choosing an image:

• Keep it relevant and consistent with your other branding.
• Follow Facebook’s guidelines for images.
• Choose a responsive image with impact.
• Make it simple by limiting the number of pictures you use.

Finally, finish with a strong CTA. Facebook has a CTA button you can add to include contact details or to make a booking etc.

3. Post Content That Capitalizes on Current Events in Your Industry

Draw in organic Facebook leads by covering industry events and trends. You can track these through newspapers, industry press releases, trade publications, and Google Trends.

Piggybacking or “newsjacking” off current events within your industry trends works well for two reasons: 

• First, if a subject is at the forefront of people’s minds, they might want to find out more. 
• Secondly, it demonstrates your company is eager to keep up with developing events and trends.

There are a few methods you could use with this type of content.

For instance, you could write regular articles or blog posts around trending topics. However, why not get creative with video commentary and related images? The more imagination you show, the more shareable your content becomes.

Here are some creative ideas you can consider to get Facebook users sharing:

• Use popular memes. Add a witty caption or include your contact info with them.
• Promote specific products off the back of a trending story.
• Present a video report. Or a Q&A-style video about a product or service.
• Host a special offer or a deal.

4. Hold Facebook Live Events

Facebook provides a few video services, so why use Facebook Live? Well, viewership is the most pressing reason—Facebook Live has a much higher view rate.

Facebook Live lets users live stream video content in real-time, and you can choose the format. Some examples to consider are:

• virtual conferences
• Q&As
• virtual tours
• staff introductions

Above all, though, Facebook Live is a way to interact with prospects so they can get to know you better. This way, they can see the faces behind the brand and become more comfortable with your company and what you offer.

You can stream from your laptop or mobile, and you can choose who can attend your Facebook Live events. There’s also comment moderation, and you can schedule events and promote them before a live stream.

If you haven’t used Facebook Live before, don’t worry. You don’t need to be a tech whiz. However, if you’re looking for guidance, you’ll find tutorials readily available.

While there are many ways you could use Facebook Live, Sephora and Bloomberg are two brands you can mimic and adapt their approach to your strategy. 

As a news channel, Bloomberg covers current events on Facebook Live. It also highlights upcoming Live events to stir interest and create anticipation.

Sephora’s past live events include beauty tips, window reveals, new products, and trends.

Consider doing the same. Offering product demos and reveals and responding to breaking news is something every brand can do to gain Facebook leads.

5. User-Generated Content

Are you looking for a free way to get content and to develop Facebook organic leads? Then consider user-generated content (USG).

UGC gives your brand authenticity and credibility in the eyes of potential prospects. After all, if happy users feel strongly enough about your brand to create content around it, that’s a good sign, right?

UGC is imperative to the purchasing decision, and most age groups are open to it. According to research from media experience platform Cloudinary, visual UGC content is popular among varying demographics:

Cloudinary’s survey showed:

• Seventy percent of Gen X and Gen Z consumers surveyed found UGC either “extremely helpful” or “very helpful.”
• Seventy-eight percent of millennials said the same.

Further, although visual UGC was less popular among other groups, 52 percent of baby boomers and 45 percent of the silent generation found it helpful too.

Sanjay Sarathy, the VP of Marketing at Cloudinary, says:

“The survey shows a clear trend of people increasingly wanting to hear from others through user-generated, visual content.”

Sarathy went on to add that brands need to analyze their content if they’re to deliver the correct mix of UGC, visual, and text content.

UGC can work incredibly well for video content on Facebook, and it’s also vital to inbound marketing by:

• enabling consumers to discover your brand
• attracting and closing prospects
• increasing brand awareness

Many brands are already taking this approach, like Coca-Cola.

Some years ago, it launched a personalized “Share a Coke With” campaign in Australia. Coca-Cola’s digital promotion allowed consumers to send virtual Cokes on Facebook.

OK, you might not have the same advertising budget or reach as Coca-Cola, but the company shows how creativity and creating a buzz beyond the usual UGC can get you noticed.

Think about how your brand can do the same.

Easy Ways to Earn Facebook Leads Organically

Conclusion

With millions of users and thousands of communities, Facebook is a fantastic place to market your products and services and gain leads.

Although they may take longer to show results, organic Facebook leads can pay dividends by getting an already interested audience to visit your website, sign up for newsletters, and become customers.

By providing other group members with answers to questions, valuable insights, and industry updates, you can establish yourself as an expert while building confidence among prospects.

Using UGC, holding Facebook Live events, and piggybacking on trends are also effective ways of engaging an audience and building relationships in the long term.

Do you use organic Facebook ads? Share your tips for effective campaigns below.

“It’s Hashtag time!” yells the beloved host of the The Tonight Show and we all know what we gotta do. Bring our seats closer, open Twitter, and share a bite of our very own ensued hilarity in a form of a hashtag.

And just in time for Mom’s day, Jimmy Fallon put up an announcement: “Tweet out a funny or weird thing your mom has said and tag it with #MomQuotes,” on May 3.

The answers started flooding in like there was no tomorrow, because we know how crazy, boomer-like, adorable, and clueless in tech (but not in your dating life!) our moms can be. So let’s give them a big round of applause and get ready for the funniest tweets right below.

After you’re done reading this one, be sure to check out our earlier Jimmy Fallon hashtags, #MyWeirdSuperstition, #WeddingFail, and #FitnessFail.

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It's time to get rid of papers older than three years. Business files are different than personal files. You need to keep business records longer than personal files. Check out the list.

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Did you know that 73 percent of sellers prefer working with agencies that use real estate video marketing? Whether it’s a walkthrough of the property or a Q&A session, sellers expect their agents to use video marketing to reach the right buyers and sell their properties.

For real estate agents, this demand presents a few challenges. How do you make an engaging real estate video to impress both sellers and buyers alike, and how do you track a video’s performance for your marketing purposes?

Luckily it is not as hard as it might seem. Although real estate videos serve a unique purpose, they’re similar to regular marketing videos in many ways, so don’t be intimidated by them.

Let’s take a closer look at why real estate videos are worth the effort and how you fit them into your overall video marketing strategy.

Why Should You Create Real Estate Video Ads?

Real estate videos do two things: they attract buyers to your listing, and they encourage prospective sellers to choose your agency over your competitors.

Are they worth the effort, though, when you could create social media ads or optimize your listings? Maybe with the current market, you think it will be a waste of resources. Let’s look at what the numbers say.

• 46 percent of buyers think video tours are the most influential content on an agency’s website.
• Listings with embedded videos are 53 times more likely to rank highly on Google than listings without embedded video.
• Real estate videos attract up to 403 percent more traffic than other content.
• You’ll earn around 60 percent more qualified leads through real estate videos.
• A caring personality is one of the top reasons sellers choose a particular agent or agency, and that’s easier to share in a video than, say, a picture or article.

What’s more, 84 percent of video marketers feel they’ve generated more leads thanks to video marketing, and 94 percent of us use videos to learn more about the products we’re buying.

The takeaway? To draw traffic to your listings and impress your sellers, try out real estate video marketing.

Before we dig into strategies, let’s cover the basics.

What Equipment Do You Need to Create Real Estate Video Ads?

There’s no need to spend a fortune on top-of-the-range lighting, props, or cameras. However, you’ll still need some recording equipment before you shoot your first real estate video. How much you spend depends on your marketing budget, but let’s break down the basics.

First, you’ll need a camera capable of shooting in 4K or HD to make sure the videos are high quality and not blurry or pixelated. A smartphone works, too.

If you opt for a camera, make sure it’s capable of capturing both high-quality video and images. Practice shooting with the camera before filming day to ensure you get the most from the equipment.

Using a smartphone? Clip on a wide-angle camera lens. This allows you to shoot larger scenes while minimizing glare and improving image quality. Here’s what the lens looks like:

Lenses like this one shown above are cost-effective and widely available, so shop around.

Want to go all-out? You can always buy a drone for 360 aerial footage. However, you’ll probably need a permit to fly a drone in most areas, so keep that in mind.

Next, you’ll need lighting filters. Use a neutral density filter for shooting outside, and get a pocket-sized LED light you can attach to the camera (or smartphone) for filming in poorly-lit areas.

Got the lighting sorted? Now you’ll need a microphone. You can either buy a mic attachment for your smartphone, or a portable mic for attaching to any camera device.

You’ll also need editing software. Check out tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X for professional editing support. You’ll likely pay for a subscription, but they’re easy enough to master, and you’ll produce the sharpest, most professional videos this way. Alternatively, you could outsource editing to a freelancer.

Finally, you’ll probably need a stabilizer like a selfie stick or a gimbal. These tools keep your camera steady and minimize shaking while you walk around a property.

10 Tips for Successful Real Estate Video Ads

A real estate video is all about setting a great first impression. You want to bring the property to life, connect with potential buyers, and ultimately set yourself apart from other realtors with your professional marketing skills.

To help ensure your content achieves these goals, here are ten tips to produce the highest-quality real estate video ads.

1. Know Your Real Estate Video Ad Budget

Be clear about what you can afford to spend on video marketing. Unsure how to allocate your budget? Let me give you a few pointers.

First, consider your target audience. It’s worth watching real estate videos in your listing’s price range to see how your efforts compare to your competitors’ video ads.

Next, think about how much you’ll spend on actually promoting your videos. From social media ads to targeted email marketing, the costs can eventually add up. To keep things more cost-effective, repurpose your real estate videos into digital ads so you can double your content output without spending more.

Also, take the time to research paid ad strategies, or hire a digital marketing consultant to take care of the budget, targeting, and testing.

2. Plan Your Angle in Advance

A great real estate video doesn’t just happen. It takes planning. Remember, you’re trying to tell a story, so you need to spend time thinking about what story you want to tell.

For example, determine what equipment you’ll need, whether you’ll hire actors to play any roles, and what time of day or night you plan on filming. Do you want to sell your own real estate skills or help a buyer fall in love with an unusual property?

Depending on the seller, you might also need their approval before you start filming or sending the video out to prospects, so factor in time for adjusting your angle and making changes as required.

3. Keep Your Real Estate Video Ad Short and Sweet

The length of your real estate video depends on where you’re marketing it. For example, according to HubSpot, popular Twitter videos average around 43 seconds, while popular YouTube videos run a little longer at two minutes.

A real estate video can be as long as six minutes, but it’s not always wise to fill this time. Why? People have short attention spans. Don’t risk losing a potential buyer’s attention just because you’ve added 30 or 40 seconds of filler to your video.

For example, here’s a video for a property listed by Douglas Elliman. It’s just over 90 seconds long, but it’s visually engaging and covers every angle a potential buyer needs to see without extra fluff:

4. Script the Video

Great real estate videos typically follow a three-act story structure, according to research by Vimeo.

• Act one: Give a clear, frontal view of the property and a few clips of the neighborhood.
• Act two: This part focuses on showcasing each room. Start with the main feature rooms before moving on to the smaller rooms.
• Act three: End the video ad with an exterior view of the property. If you’re using drone footage, place it here.

Remember, you’re telling a story, so following a traditional story structure works!

5. Provide an Engaging House Tour

If you want to ensure a prospect watches your video the whole way through, keep it engaging. Be enthusiastic. Show people why you’re excited about the property, and inspire potential buyers to envision themselves living in the property.

Focus on the possibilities. What could make this property truly special for the right buyer? How might the property be flexible over time? For example, a first-floor bedroom can be an office now and a bedroom for an aging parent or partner later. A basement can be a game room, an in-law suite, or an at-home gym. Drive home how the property can meet their needs over time.

6. Focus on Special or Unique Features

No matter the price range, every property boasts a special, unique, or at least intriguing feature.

Maybe there’s cool history attached to the building, or there’s a custom marble countertop in the kitchen. Or, maybe it’s just the first house to come to market in the area for a long time.

To identify unique features, ask the buyer what changes they’ve made since they bought the house, and if it’s an older property, identify if they kept any key features like original wooden flooring.

Special features can be anything from dual sinks to fully-landscaped gardens, so look for those little quirks that make the property unique compared to similar properties.

For example, this property in Montecito has a wine rack:

Plus, it boasts a hot tub:

Capturing these features in the video highlights the unique aspects of this home.

7. Show Off the Neighborhood

It’s great to show off a property, but what’s going on around it? Include a few clips of the surrounding area, even if you just zoom out to capture the apartment block and a couple of nearby amenities. Make sure to include any famous landmarks, fun events, schools, and even sidewalks.

Is the neighborhood a little rundown or potentially off-putting? An aerial view might work best, so you don’t focus too much on the finer details.

8. Sell the Lifestyle

When you’re looking for a property, it’s not just about the unit. It’s about the life the buyer will lead when they live there. For example, if you’re near the beach or a park, talk up the family-friendly vibes. Are you close to the buzz of shops, restaurants, and cafes? Highlight the walkable, cosmopolitan lifestyle.

Use the property to sell the lifestyle, too. For example, going back to the Montecito property, the landscaping gives off seriously chilled, secluded vibes:

9. Interview Neighbors

People make neighborhoods. After all, who better to tell you what a neighborhood is really like than the residents? Try to get a testimonial or two to add some authenticity and personality to your real estate videos.

Unless it’s a new neighborhood, try to find residents who’ve lived there a few years. Otherwise, potential buyers might wonder why people don’t stay there very long!

10. Use Interactive Elements

From CTA buttons to clickable links, interactive elements help bring your videos to life. Use your editing software to add a CTA inviting people to book a showing, or include a link to a page where buyers can learn more about the listing and the services you offer.

Remember, real estate videos are a marketing tool. Use them effectively and treat them as you would, say, a YouTube video or digital ad.

Measuring the Success of Your Real Estate Video Ads

You’ve filmed your real estate video and launched some ads. How do you know if it’s working for you? The answer’s in your metrics. Here are five key metrics to track if you’re trying to measure your success rate.

• View count: Your view count tells you, well, how many people watched your video!
• Engagement: Video engagement levels tell whether people watch your video all the way through or stop watching.
• Click-through rate: Want to know if people interact with your video and click those links and buttons? Check the click-through rate.
• Conversions: Your conversions tell you if people are taking the desired actions, such as booking a showing or signing up for a newsletter.
• Social media shares: Are people sharing your videos across social media? It’s a good sign if they are, so track your social media shares.

To get this data, either integrate your videos with your usual marketing platform to track metrics, or use a dedicated video analytics platform like Vidyard.

Conclusion

Video ads bring a whole new dimension to real estate marketing. With the right editing tools, a sharp eye for detail, and some enthusiasm, you can bring your property to life or show possible clients why you are the best choice.

There’s one final point to remember. You can shoot a clear, engaging, and professional real estate video with little more than a smartphone.

Don’t feel like you need to splurge to create successful video ads unless it’s within your budget to do so!

Need any more help with marketing? Check out my consulting services.

Have you made a real estate video ad for a listing yet? How did it go? 

At some point in life, there is this point when you need a little bit of inspiration, encouragement, or a piece of golden advice. Inspirational quotes from famous people, anonymous, or created by the general public are abundant on social media. You can always stumble upon a good old “Not all those who wander are lost” and “Dance like no one’s watching” plonked on a picture of a sunset on some beach in Thailand.

But people on social media decided to turn hilarious WhatsApp messages from family members, argument statements, and hilarious texts from boyfriends into inspirational quotes. And anything is possible with Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” playing in the background.

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A post shared by Mr. Cook, AKA Ty (@cook_in_the_classroom)

More info: Instagram

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The latest reels on Instagram now poke fun at the old-school “Live, Laugh, Love” and turn things said by dads, daughters, boyfriends in random texts, arguments, and just everyday messages into inspirational quotes, so Gen Z and not only can turn their mean, funny, and sometimes dark humor into quote images on tasteful backgrounds. Some of the quotes are as deep as “Okay,” “You burnt the rice again,” and “Ugh, mom.” And as Instagram continues adding new sleek features making the app even more engaging, the jokes keep on coming. And we couldn’t be happier.

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The food and beverage industry is growing fast. In the foreseeable future, analysts predict this sector will increase by 4.74 percent annually.

It’s also an area where new trends are constantly emerging, giving food businesses more chances to get on board with “hot” products.

For instance, more recently, there’s been a high demand for health, immunity, and plant-based foods, along with flavors with global appeal.

Increasing growth is good news for food businesses. However, to gain traction, companies need to differentiate themselves.

One way to achieve this is through advertisements that hit the spot creatively.

Food brands often use creative ads that indulge the senses while appealing to consumers’ physiological and emotional sides.

How can you do the same? Here are some tips you can start using today.

8 Tips for Creating Effective Food Ads

Many of the best food ads use proven techniques to capture viewers’ attention, get people talking, and build customer trust. Regardless of your budget, these are all methods you can use in your food ad campaigns.

Let’s get started with the first one:

1. Use Visual Storytelling

Brands have used storytelling for decades. However, there’s now a greater emphasis on visual storytelling. Rather than relying on words, strong visual imaging enables food brands to gain viewers’ attention in a marketing world full of clutter and rivals’ messaging.

When a brand uses visual storytelling effectively, these food ads can encourage an audience to become regular customers.

However, what does visual storytelling mean?

You’ll find plenty of definitions online, but Shlomi Ron, CEO of the Visual Storytelling Institute, says it involves four main factors:

1. creating compelling narratives
2. ensuring the customer is the main focus of the story
3. developing an emotional, visual media experience
4. distributing these elements throughout the buyer’s journey

At a recent webinar, Ron explained how visual storytelling would shape the next decade, citing brands like Panera Bread.

The Missouri-based company used its drivers in a campaign to improve consumer trust and credibility among shoppers. However, if you watch most of Panera Bread’s ads, you’ll notice visual storytelling is part of them.

How can you do the same? By:

• Determining the reaction you want from consumers: Do you want them to feel happy? Relaxed? Confident? How can your ad convey that?
• Learning from the best: There’s plenty of good examples of visual storytelling around. Find a brand in your niche that does it well.
• Using tried and tested storytelling techniques: Hook your viewers from the first scene, show instead of telling, and create an effective narrative arc.
• Including customer stories: Make your ads customer-focused while addressing their concerns or wants.

Another way to do this is by demonstrating your values, showing your consumers what you care about, and how your brand makes the world a better place.

2. Choose Your Colors Carefully

Color is one of the most critical parts of your food ads. Picking the right color engages consumers and can affect their buying behaviors.

The right color also builds your food brand’s identity. In a sector where your branding needs to be bold to get noticed, it’s not surprising many food companies frequently use bright primary colors.

Food and drink brands often use reds, blues, oranges, and greens—and these colors all speak to shoppers differently.

For example, advertisers use red to trigger appetite, and consumers associate green with health. Yellow shades reportedly increase serotonin and happiness.

When choosing your colors, ask yourself what emotions are you trying to express? How does your typical consumer think when they buy your product? How does your chosen color fit in with your brand overall?

3. Show Your Brand’s Voice and Personality

There’s a wide variety of personalities in food ads. You’ll see everything from playful and fun to formal and even functional. It all comes down to the overall tone of the individual brand.

However, whichever voice you’re going with needs to be powerful, and your buyers must recognize and relate to it.

Once you’ve decided on your brand’s personality, it’s best practice to incorporate it across your business, including your:

• website
• packaging
• newsletters
• logos

Take time to decide on your brand’s voice and ensure it’s consistent. Do you need inspiration? Take a look at Starbucks.

As the company explains, it’s gone with an expressive, functional voice, and it uses the same tone in-store, on social media, and its website. Starbucks incorporates the same styles of typography throughout too.

Take a note from Starbucks and create consistency throughout your food ads, right from the colors you use to the typography and tone.

4. Research Each Platform for Advertising

You could create the world’s best food ad, but if you’re putting it in front of the wrong audience, it’s going to be a waste of time and money.

There are many ways to get your brand noticed, but don’t feel like you have to be on every platform. The right vertical for you depends on who your market is and where you can find them.

If you’re using social media, then according to Up Menu:

• Facebook has enormous potential for restaurants.
• Twitter works best for sharing details of food industry happenings.
• Instagram and Pinterest work well for visual storytelling and sharing images.
• YouTube is the most obvious choice for sharing video guides.

Additionally, many food brands are using TikTok well, like Chipotle and Kool-Aid.

It’s not all about social media, though. A lot of us consume information in different ways. Some prefer the website or blog format, while others like information presented in a newsletter or video adverts to watch on the go.

Make sure you understand your audience’s preferences so you can reach them and think of creative ways to captivate them.

5. Engage With Your Audience

While it won’t always be applicable, engaging with your audience is essential for brand building, and there are many ways you can do this.

Social media is open to everyone. It’s also one of the easier ways to engross your audience. You could do this by:

• sharing your food ads and inviting views
• asking followers to create user-generated content
• offering discounts and contests.

Away from social media, you could include calls to action (CTAs), website links, and sign-up forms to drive customers back to your site and nurture leads.

6. Keep Ahead of Trends

Knowing what’s hot is an effective way to boost your sales. One of the quickest ways of keeping up with new fashions is Google Trends.

You can use Google Trends for global searches or more localized regions, making it ideal for picking up on niche ideas for a specific area.

For instance, if you search for “food,” then “take out food” and “fast food restaurant near me” appear in the top five.

Niche it down further to “ice cream,” and you’ll get more specific search terms you could potentially work with.

Other ways of identifying trends include Ubersuggest. There’s a free tool available, or you can sign up for the paid version for more features and a seven-day trial.

7. Make It Personal

Put a face to the name or tell the story behind the brand’s origins in your advertising. Amy’s Kitchen, for example, does this well.

You’ve only got to look at the story on the packaging to know Amy’s Kitchen is a family business that advocates organic, wholesome foods. If you go further and look at the website, you’ll see a group of happy employees. Additionally, you’ll learn that Amy’s supports local farmers and cares about quality.

As you can see, Amy’s advertising reflects their wholesome branding.

Amy’s Kitchen also supports its message about eating well and community through:

• newsletters and blog posts
• explaining its philosophy
• giving visitors a glimpse inside its business

These are all things your brand can learn from and incorporate into your food ads. What’s your unique story, and how can you use it in your branding? Can you:

• Tell the story of its origins?
• Feature your images?
• Include your name in the brand?
• Explain your company ethics?

Anything that differentiates your food ads will give you a better chance of getting noticed and set you apart from competitors.

8. Tell Your Customers What to Do Next

Your customers or potential buyers have finished reading your emails, looking at your newsletters, or visiting your social media pages.

What do you want them to do next, and how do you express this?

The usual technique is the CTA. For instance, if a would-be customer visits your website, where do you want them to go from there?

Do you want to encourage them to sign up for a newsletter or social media so they can learn more about your brand? Tell them, and maybe even offer an incentive!

3 Examples of Effective Food Ads

The advertising world’s given us many memorable moments. Whether it’s taking center stage at the Super Bowl, or just one of those great food ads you’ve seen on the TV that’s got you talking, these adverts are part of our culture.

Here are some of the best examples:

Chipotle

Chipotle is a real success story. It’s innovative, accessible, and excelling in its digital sales. However, that’s not the only area where the California-based Mexican grill shines.

Chipotle is great at making adverts that get noticed. Let’s take its “Back to the Start” campaign as an example.

The animated ad debuted in U.S. movie theatres and at the Grammys. It’s a great example of visual storytelling. The ad highlights why we should consider looking towards a more sustainable approach to farming and food.

What makes the ad so great is it not only used visual storytelling to its maximum but also touched on a subject people care about, demonstrating an understanding of its audience and beyond.

Further, it showed the brand’s personality, and Chipotle put plenty of consideration into its chosen platform.

Anyone can take the Chipotle approach in their food ads: use visual storytelling, engage an audience, and create a compelling narrative. Then ensure you put the ad on the right channels to get it noticed.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell has got social media advertising down to a fine art. When it’s not promoting its latest products to its near one million Facebook followers, it’s taking the educational approach.

Taco Bell uses its ads on Facebook to create a sense of urgency or excitement by announcing the return of old favorites or new store openings.

Then there’s the educational side. On Taco Bell’s Facebook page, you’ll see a series of videos that give viewers a glimpse behind the scenes.

Further, Taco Bell increases engagement by giving a sneak peek at new locations or its Bell Hotel. It then enhances trust by explaining how they serve customers safely and promotes timely, seasonal offers to drive sales.

Finally, Taco Bell uses personalization, trends, and exclusivity in its advertising, as you’ll see below.

Taco Bell’s “Build Your Own Cravings Box” works on multiple levels:

• It appeals to people’s desire to personalize while highlighting affordability and limited availability.
• It also adds exclusivity by limiting its offer to online and app users, capturing the audience where they are at the time.
• With the imaging, you’ll see mouth-watering food and a leisurely image, cementing Taco Bell’s reputation as friendly and family-orientated.

In other words, Taco Bell says a lot without using complicated imagery or too much detail. This shows that sometimes the simplest ideas are best.

M&M’S

Another way to engage an audience is to make your food ads fun, and this is something M&M’S achieves with ease.

M&M’S ads have been making us laugh for years, and some would say the brand exceeded expectations with one of its Super Bowl ads.

Taking its inspiration from modern life, the ad included everything from a “Karen” and “Mansplaining.” Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” fame also put in an appearance.

Above all, though, the ad sought to make us feel more connected. Sarah Levy, Chief Marketing Officer at Mars Wrigley North America, explained the ad’s purpose was to: “Create better moments that make the world smile.”

If it’s in keeping with your brand, ask yourself how you can do the same.

Conclusion

The food industry is one of the most competitive, but that doesn’t mean your brand hasn’t got what it takes to get noticed.

There are several ways you can make your food ads more appealing to consumers, and it doesn’t need to cost you a lot of money.

Creating a consistent style and tone, adding some personality, and engaging with your audience is something every food business can do. You can also take inspiration from famous names like Chipotle and Taco Bell by using visual storytelling or an educational approach to keep your audience interested.

Whichever method you use, make sure you choose the right platform so you can reach and engage with your ideal audience.

Which food ad stands out for you? What are your best tips for creating effective food ads?

Hartley quote – Mother's Day Tribute: Inspirational Quotes From Mom

Read more: pinterest.co.uk

The boom of Bitcoin has made blockchain technology a trending topic.

However, it wasn’t always viewed in the most favorable light. When cryptocurrencies emerged, it was primarily used for seedy transactions on the dark web.

Luckily, sentiment and use have changed. More people see the value of investing in Bitcoin, and companies are warming up to the idea of using its technology in business. 

This technology can do more than buy and sell cryptocurrencies. It has the potential to impact how we work, even if you’re not planning to accept cryptocurrency as a payment method.

Here’s what you need to know about its effect on the digital marketing industry.

What Is Blockchain Technology?

Let’s start with the basics.

Blockchain technology is a new way to secure your data.

The “blocks” are pieces of digital information or records, and the “chains” are public databases housing the information.

You can use blocks to store information like:

• financial transactions
• contracts
• medical data
• supply information
• confidential customer data

Here’s how a block of information is created and then stored in a chain:

1. A transaction takes place, e.g., someone buys $100 of Bitcoin.
2. The transaction is verified and stored as a block.
3. The block gets a unique identification code called a “hash.”
4. The blocks of information are bound and secured together by cryptographic principles called chains.

How Does Blockchain Work for Data Security?

Blockchain is a possible solution to giving customers peace of mind over their data.

Every couple of months, you hear news stories about companies experiencing customer data leaks.

Credit card information, passwords, physical addresses, and more are exposed on the dark web, making people vulnerable to cyber crimes like:

• identify theft
• phishing schemes
• online harassment
• cyberstalking 

After all, data is valuable.

Every time we search on Google, buy an item on Amazon, or double-tap on an Instagram post, this information is tracked because it’s valuable.

The high level of security offered by this technology allows companies to establish a secure data network to record and store consumer’s data.

However, you can’t delete this data. Once it’s recorded in the chain, it’s there forever.

While this means you won’t be able to pick what data is recorded, blockchain does have the potential to allow users to decide what data to share and with whom.

Why Should You Use Blockchain in Marketing Data Security?

Marketers can leverage blockchain by giving customers transparency and data protection while combating fraud and building brand recognition. These are attributes people may be searching for so they can feel safe doing business with a company.

Here are some of the benefits of using this technology in marketing data security.

Blockchain Offers Greater Transparency and Accountability

The biggest benefit is its transparency. The transaction ledger is open to public viewing, which adds a layer of accountability. 

It ensures businesses have to act responsibly and with integrity when using consumers’ data.

No matter your company size, it’s not always easy to gain trust. People are naturally skeptical about the information online, especially in the era of deepfakes.

As a result, transparency has a major impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions.

Blockchain Improves Security, Encryption, and Validation

Each time blockchain creates a new transaction, it’s encrypted and linked to the previous transaction.

Once it’s formed, it’s impossible to alter.

Blockchain’s immutable and incorruptible nature makes it incredibly safe to use, protects information from becoming falsified, and lowers the risk of hacks.

Marketers can also use smart contracts for added trust, transparency, and security. This automates workflow by triggering the following action when conditions are met.

How Could Blockchain Change the Marketing Industry for Data Security?

This new technology may be on track to disrupt digital marketing, including how we collect data and interact with customers.

Here are some ways the technology could change everything from keyword tracking to creating more data-driven campaigns.

Improved Keyword Tracking

Over the last couple of years, tracking keywords has become easier.

With tools like Ubersuggest, it’s easy to see how you’re performing in search. What if you could combine that with this new technology?

Marketers could use the technology to track keyword positions across all devices in any location. With blockchain, you have real numbers to use for more data-driven and accurate campaigns.

Decentralized Social Media

Data breaches and Facebook’s involvement in the 2016 US elections are causing social media users to become more aware of how their data can be used against them.

As a response, there’s a growing market for decentralized social media networks. These sites allow users to share, connect, and discover content without surveillance. 

What does this mean for marketers?

If sites using this technology grow in popularity, it will force us to stop relying on easy data collection and look at new ways to generate leads. 

Generate Better Leads

Like most marketers, you probably pull information from various sources and run your campaign based on what you’ve found.

The only problem? The data is not always accurate.

With blockchain, marketers can go straight to the consumer for data collection. You could incentivize people to give you access to their information.

For example, if you want someone to subscribe to your newsletter, you could pay the reader a small amount each time they read an email.

While this would likely have a higher upfront cost, a customer is a much stronger lead if they’re prepared to hand over their data. Using this type of method could tighten your sales funnel and give you more qualified leads ready for nurturing.

Eliminating Click Fraud in Online Ads

One of the biggest problems in the digital marketing space is click fraud.

This is when a human or a computer program clicks on ads pretending to be a legitimate user. Site owners often use this tactic to boost their ad revenue.

Using blockchain, you can make sure ad impressions and clicks are authentic.

adChain is a company working to combat this problem. The adChain Registry uses a smart contract on blockchain to authentic engagement. 

Their results show it can help increase transparency and reduce online digital advertising fraud.

Transparency for Customers

When using blockchain technology, your customers know who has access to their data and how they got it.

It can stop nefarious companies from selling cold lead marketing data and help customers control the spam filling their inboxes.

For marketers, less time could be wasted on leads who don’t care about your business. You’ll have a pool of real people with the problem your product or service solves.

Examples of Blockchain Companies

Here are how some companies are already using this new(ish) technology.

Spring Labs 

Spring Labs uses blockchain to verify identities and reduce fraud in the financial sector. It helps institutions securely control and mutually benefit from sharing information without leaking sensitive data.

Coinbase 

Coinbase is one of the largest companies in the world using blockchain technology. The digital portfolio allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Litecoin. According to a report from Axios, when Coinbase sold shares on the public market, it was evaluated at $100 billion.

Mythical Games 

Mythical Games creates blockchain-based games where players can make money by selling digital ownership of items. Using the technology, Mythical Games can verify the scarcity of an item and create a record of ownership. 

Doc.ai 

Doc.ai is an app using blockchain and machine learning technology. It works by combining all your medical data from pharmacies, doctor visits, hospitals, etc., into one secure location. It gives patients the ability to manage their medical data and offers predictive insights about risks of future illnesses or diseases.

Blockchain in Marketing FAQ

Conclusion

Blockchain is far more than just technology for processing cryptocurrency payments. 

Digital marketers can tap into its power to give consumers more control over their information, add an extra layer of security to build trust, and tap into valuable, distilled data without all the fluff.

How do you think blockchain will change the world of digital marketing?

You came up with an idea, did your research, maybe even found some funding. You are ready to launch a business — but how do you get people to your website or store?

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are one of the most effective ways to drive growth for your new business. Unlike brand building, content marketing, and social media, PPC ads can drive traffic today. There’s no need to wait weeks or months for your efforts to pay off.

Even if you have years of business experience behind you and are pretty well-versed in marketing, PPC ads for a new business need to be handled differently. Below, you can learn more about why PPC ads may be the way to go for your business and find tips for to make the most of them.

Why Should You Launch a Business With PPC Ads?

PPC ads can be a great way to launch a business because they allow you to reach your specific target market through keywords and target demographics. 

With PPC ads, you create an ad and pay only when someone clicks on it. The ad should do something to draw the audience’s eye and make them want to click.

This type of ad is for new businesses for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is since they’re paid, you don’t have to wait to get to the top of search engine results organically. They show up at the top of the list automatically. 

Some other reasons include:

Reach Only Your Target Audience

PPC ads are highly targeted. When creating a PPC ad, you get to enter a ton of details about who you want to see the ad. The ad is then shown to people who fit that description. For example, you can target people based on their location, age, income, likes, family status, and even what shows they like.

Budget-Friendly

While the platform requirements vary, you can set a budget limit upfront with PPC ads. You know the absolute max you’ll spend on an ad campaign when you start, then you can track the success of your PPC ad and make alterations for future ones. 

This also makes it easy to scale; when you a ready for more traffic, just up your budget.

Trackability 

Because PPC ads are based on each click or interaction with the ad, you can follow how people respond. If an ad isn’t getting the responses you want—though remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day—you can alter the way the ad looks and see if that works better. 

Being able to track the ROI of your ads directly makes it easier to pivot if things aren’t going well — or spend more money when they are.

How Are PPC Ad Campaigns for Launching a Business Different From PPC Ad Campaigns for Existing Businesses?

Existing businesses have name recognition working in their favor, while new companies don’t. So, your PPC ads need to work a bit differently. While both types involve keyword research and target audiences, your research and focus on both factors need to be more intensive. 

Keywords and PPC Ads for New Businesses

You need to use keywords specific to your brand and products in your PPC ads. Businesses that have been around for a while already know what keywords drive their traffic; you need to do a lot more digging as a new business owner.

Start with a keyword research tool. Search for words relating to your brand, determine which combinations seem to drive the most traffic for other brands, and tailor them for your needs. 

Once you’ve chosen your keywords, make sure they’re in your copy so potential customers know exactly what it is you’re selling, why they should choose you, and call them to action.

Here’s an example. When we search for tomato seeds, we get a selection of ads from various sellers:

The ones that stand out showcase the tomato seeds keywords, as well as related keywords such as heirloom and organic. Unless a user searched for a specific brand, they’re likely to be drawn in by your keywords and not your brand name.

Target Audiences and New Business PPC Ads

Your target audience is the group you want to see your ads. You can define them by location, age, gender, income, and more. Again, this is about being as specific as possible, figuring out who you want to buy your product via intensive research.

Your potential customers are more than just data, though. They like specific things. When you launch your first campaign, you should find out what types of ads they’re most likely to click on and create ads lining up with those details. You also need to find out where they’re most likely to click on them. Are they on Google or social media?

If they’re on social media, use strong visuals to stand out. As a bonus, you can often have a bit more copy with social media PPC ads than with search engine PPC ads. To grab their attention, use your picture and content to make it clear your new business meets your audience’s needs.

Let’s take TapRm. When you see this ad, specially targeted for those who live in NYC, you know immediately what they are all about. The various selling points, such as same-day delivery, may entice you to click and learn more.

5 Tips for Launching a Business With a PPC Ad Campaign

Are you ready to dive into PPC ads to launch your business? Here are some actionable steps.

1. Get Really Focused 

One way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your PPC ads is to zone in on exactly who you are targeting and what you want them to do right now. Don’t get distracted by possibilities down the line. 

Stay focused on the market your business is best designed for and limit your reach to the most qualified buyers. These early days are the time to build buzz among your most potentially loyal customers, who will fall in love with your business. 

2. Decide Where Your Audience Should Go 

Your audience likely found you because they searched for a resolution to a specific problem, so avoid the temptation to send them to your homepage.

Instead, think through exactly where you want them to go when they click your ad. Maybe it’s a product page, sign-up page, or landing page created just for this campaign. Since customers are likely new to your website, you want to keep the conversion journey short and straightforward.

3. Start Small

You could create a wide range of PPC ads when you launch a business, focusing on different aspects of your business and showing up in various online spaces. But in these early days, keep it simple. Choose one of the platforms where your target audience is likely to be, either on social media or search engines, and focus on solving specific problems your customers have. 

Keeping things this focused at first can help you figure out what types of ads people click on to find your site and whether or not they convert. Later, you can use this information to expand your types of PPC ads.

4. Analyze the Data

Once you launch your PPC campaign, keep an eye on how your ads perform. Luckily, most paid platforms track this data automatically, making it relatively easy to see how many people see the ads versus how many click.

Are people seeing the ads but not clicking? Maybe you aren’t speaking to your customers’ needs.

Are people clicking but not converting? Maybe you’re sending them to a page that doesn’t immediately solve their problem.

Keep watching the ads, figure out when and how people are converting, and change tactics accordingly.

5. Build on What’s Working

As you continue your PPC efforts, create campaigns using campaign strategies that worked in the past, making them better each time. If you had a copy-only ad at first, you could take that copy and use it to create a PPC ad with a photo or video, for instance. 

Measuring the Success of Your PPC Campaign When You Launch a Business

Watching your PPC campaign’s metrics can provide the feedback you need so you can create paid ads that actually convert.

The metrics you should pay attention to include:

Impressions 

These tell you how many people see your ads. Knowing how many people see the ad lets you know if your audience is too broad or narrow, particularly when compared to the number who click.

Click-Through Rates

Click-through rates show you how well your ad design and copy are performing. If people are clicking through, you’ve made a good first step.

Conversion Rates

Once you notice those click-throughs, you’ll need to watch for conversion. Are people buying, signing up, or other actions? If not, find out why and change accordingly.

Social Interactions

If your ads are on social media, look for interactions such as likes or shares. With your new business, these metrics may not be about conversions but to show some growth in brand awareness. 

When you launch a business, you’re bound to try things that aren’t going to work. Don’t be afraid to scrap an idea and start fresh. Success in PPC ads involves trial and error until you connect with your ideal target market with a message they respond to. 

Conclusion 

You’ve launched your big idea. As a struggling startup, what’s next? 

It’s time to get out there and start advertising. PPC ads can help you narrow down your focus, provide valuable feedback about how customers respond to your new business, and help you understand how to meet their needs.

What kind of PPC ads are you going to use for your next business venture?

Could you imagine getting into a car, planning to go somewhere, and yet have no idea as to when you’ve arrived? This seems absolutely ridiculous. How could you get anywhere without being aware of the destination? Yet, the truth is, this is how many of us work towards success. We have the idea in our mind that we’d like to be successful, but there is no clear picture of what this success would be. In other words, we have no destination.

I played college baseball, so this failure to define success was quite evident within myself. Before a game, I would say that I wanted to play well, as most athletes do. But what I failed to realize was what playing well truly meant. Without pinpointing what a successful day would be, I’d be lost in all the ways it went wrong. As a result of having no clear definition of success, I succumbed to all sorts of negative forms of thinking. 

Like clockwork, I could always find areas where I fell short. However, that all changed once I learned a valuable skill. As a result of learning how to define success, I freed myself from much of my perfectionism and anxiety, along with developing a clear picture of what it meant to be successful. 

What Does it Mean to Define Success?

Success is truly subjective. We should never allow anyone else to determine what it means for us to be successful. What is important is how we view success. What does it mean to you to be successful? Operating off the definition of success described by someone else is where much of our stress and anxiety can come from. 

The way we define success is of our own choosing. Up until I realized what it meant to define success, I was operating off the definitions of others. I saw success largely as a comparison to those around me. While this can be seen as a productive way to operate, especially in a competition fueled environment like sports, it actually hinders performance. 

Constant comparison of ourselves to others pulls our focus away from the processes we must follow to actually achieve peak performance. In order to attain our goals and reach what we deem to be successful, first we must define success.

“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” – Anne Sweeney

Goal Setting Procedure

When thinking about how to set goals in order to define success, there are two types to take into consideration: large goals and small goals. 

Large Goals – Large goals are the ones that take a significant amount of time to accomplish. These typically operate under the time frame of years but can sometimes be months. This large amount of time allows for all the necessary actions to unfold that lead to the successful achievement of the goal. 

Small Goals – The next type of goals we must focus on are the small, process goals that seek to achieve the larger one. These are the activities we do on a daily basis. 

The reason they are referred to as process goals is because they are not outcome oriented. When we set a large goal, it is mainly based on an external outcome. It may take the form of a number on a scale, landing a certain job, finishing the season with a specific number of wins, or earning a targeted income. However, focusing on the end result is a key distractor that causes us to never actually achieve our goal. So, enter process goals as the solution. Here you have the habits that you trust will lead you on the path towards your desired outcome.

How to Define Success

We can use the concept of large and small goals to help us define success in any area of our lives. What I would like to do is provide you with an outline you can use to easily define success for yourself. 

Step 1: Define Your Large Goal

The first step in defining success will be to outline your goal. Think about the goal setting procedure discussed above. You want to split your goals into two categories: large and small goals. In this step, you want to be thinking in terms of a large goal. We should always be working towards an outcome we desire, and this step gives us the opportunity to define what that will be. A good rule of thumb when defining your large goal is to make it as specific as possible. This way, you will know exactly when it has been achieved. 

Step 2: Focus on Process Goals

Here is where we really get into the best way defining success helps us become successful. Once a large goal is set, it is now time to focus on the smaller process goals that will get you there. By setting process goals, you will be able to state whether each day was a success. That is where the process of defining success truly becomes powerful.

When defining success using process goals, you want to focus on two areas: mindset and physical goals. These are going to be goals you set which are completely in your control. That way, you can be sure to accomplish them. 

Mindset Goals

Setting mindset goals involves declaring how you want your mental state to be. This can be done for a game, a practice, a meeting, or simply a whole day. Here are some examples of great mindset goals:

    Stay confident and positive no matter the result.
    Repeat affirmations three times today.
    Feel gratitude.
    Remain focused on my responsibilities.
    Desire success instead of fearing failure.

Each one of these is something we are all capable of achieving, making them fantastic mindset process goals.

“Without dreams and goals there is no living, only merely existing, and that is not why we are here.” – Mark Twain

Physical Goals

Setting physical goals involves outlining and defining how you want to behave from a physical standpoint. It may seem like physical goals are more designed for athletes, but we all can focus on physical process goals to help us define success. Here are some examples of physical process goals:

    Walk with my chest up to feel confident. 
    Go to the gym for one hour. 
    Look everyone in the eye when I talk to them. 
    Read for 30 minutes. 
    Write 1,000 words.

So, as you can see, these physical goals involve any activity that is necessary on the path towards your goal. By defining mindset and physical process goals, you will have a clear picture of whether your day was a success. Focusing and trusting your process goals will provide you with the opportunity to feel confident and successful each day. This will put you in a great position to achieve the ultimate success you desire. 

Read more: addicted2success.com

One of a for-profit business’s best investments is often their online marketing strategy.

Is the same for true for nonprofits?

Let’s take a look at how nonprofit marketing strategy is different from for-profit strategy and how nonprofit corporations may be able to better reach their goals by further leveraging digital marketing.

What Makes Nonprofit Marketing Different From Marketing in Other Fields?

The main difference for nonprofit marketing is about the goals. Often, with a for-profit company, the goal in advertising is the sale at the end. A nonprofit may have other needs in mind, and therefore other goals for the marketing campaign. We will dive more into detail on this in a bit.

It Has More Complicated Messaging

Think about your messaging. It’s not just about a transactional sale, so you want to be clear as well as inspiring. This is part of what makes nonprofit marketing difficult. People are used to being shown ads for a shoe or a new table. They can filter that out mentally or get on board and buy the product.

With nonprofit marketing, you’ve got a taller order. You’re not just trying to convert a sale. You may be trying to convert a mindset, or at least connect with a mindset that the person already has. You’re trying to appeal to values and aspirations for the world at large.

That’s asking a lot of a small social media ad, a video, a banner, or whatever other method you are using.

Its Main Goal Is Making It about Others

However, it’s not impossible. In fact, in some ways, you could think of this as more straightforward. Why? One thing people struggle with when trying to sell a product is not making it all about themselves and the product. There’s always the “why” question. Why should a customer care about what you’re selling?

With a nonprofit, the mission is built in. Usually, your message isn’t even really about you. It’s about those you serve. That’s the story you can tell in your nonprofit marketing and automatically, you’re the good guy or the hero others want to rally around.

Here is an example from Charity: Water’s Instagram account. There’s a lot of faces there, with, of course, some water thrown in. Their pictures are about the results and what they are trying to do, rather than about the organization. They draw you in and entice you to click to learn more.

All the Working Parts are Different

As you’re working through your nonprofit marketing campaign components, everything is going to be different. For instance, the imagery you choose may tell a story instead of showcase a product.

Where you run the ad might change too. You can’t use a shopping ad on Google for a donation, for instance. You want to be thoughtful about where you are placing your nonprofit marketing ads and whether that’s the place people will be in the headspace to convert.

You’ll also want to think about where they are going to learn more. It’s not just an e-commerce shop. You will probably want places on your website dedicated to telling stories about what your nonprofit does, with longer-form narratives and videos, as well as plenty of opportunities to engage, such as donate buttons and email newsletter sign-ups.

Goals of Nonprofit Marketing Ads

As we just talked about, there are a lot of differences between typical marketing and nonprofit marketing. The most fundamental difference is in the goals. Sometimes with e-commerce or for-profit advertising, the goal is very obvious. Nonprofit marketing goals may be more complicated. It’s not necessarily about making a sale; rather, the advertising goals might include:

• gathering donations
• spreading awareness
• building follower base
• recruiting volunteers
• promoting an event
• encouraging involvement

Of course, every organization needs to gather money one way or another, just to keep the doors open. That’s just the nature of things.

With nonprofit marketing though, it can all feel complex. When you ask someone what the goal of an ad is, the answers may include any number of the above, maybe more.

That’s because, with nonprofits, it’s all about the mission. When you’re working in this field, you just want to keep doing better at what you’re doing. You want to reach more, make more of a difference. When you think about marketing, you want all those goals. You want more people involved, more money to run the organization, more awareness of the problems, and more awareness of the solution you provide.

However, it’s going to be key to drill down as much as you can. Get a handle on what you want this marketing campaign or set of ads to do in particular. If you have to, maybe there are a couple of subgoals, but keep it as specific as you can.

Knowing exactly what you want out of your nonprofit marketing campaign will help you evaluate how well it’s working so you can pivot and leverage the parts that are succeeding. This will help your marketing stay cost-efficient in the long term, and you will have more to show your board of directors and other key players.

5 Tips to Make Effective Nonprofit Marketing Ads

As we’ve discussed, nonprofit marketing ads can be so different from other types of ads, not only in the messaging but also in what you’re trying to accomplish. Measuring effectiveness will come down to what exactly the goal is and how you’re going to track it. Once you know that, you can start designing and developing your nonprofit marketing campaign. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you are creating it to leverage maximum results for your goals.

1. Appeal to Emotions

We touched on this above, but let’s take a closer look at the emotional aspect of your nonprofit marketing. This comes down to the mission of your organization. what are you about? Why is your mission so vitally important?

Emotions of “Why?”

First, let’s talk about how emotions are relevant to any kind of marketing. Even if you’re selling a shoe, people want to know why they should buy that shoe. As in, why should they really? How are they going to feel after having that shoe? What kind of connections will they have with others because of the shoe?

Does that sound far-fetched? Well, think about Michael Jordan’s sneakers for a moment and it’s suddenly not so crazy.

The great thing about your nonprofit marketing is the emotional appeal is not a stretch. It won’t take you long to come up with stories and testimonials that speak to why your organization is changing lives and the planet.

Lean into those and let them drive your marketing.

Emotions of Urgency

Urgency is part of the emotional appeal, but with a specific drive. You want people to understand why your work is vital now, as well as why their support is vital.

Getting people to act is the foundational goal of any ad so building in urgency can help that happen faster.

Don’t fake it, though. This isn’t about drumming up fake urgency, which makes your organization sound slimy. Look at your data and share the numbers to help people understand why what you’re doing is important and why you need them.

In their Facebook sponsored ads, Feeding America highlights the number of meals they have distributed as well as highlight the urgency of needing to deliver even more. It ends with a call to action to learn more about the organization.

2. Clear CTAs

If you want to know if your ad is effective, you’re going to need to track how people interact with it. Beyond that, it needs to be very obvious what you want them to do next and how they can go about doing it.

Think about goals, and write calls to action that speak to those goals. Here are some examples:

• If you need donations, say “Donate Now.”
• If you need awareness, say “Learn More.”
• If you need followers and volunteers, say “Join Us.”

Make sure once they click or do what you’ve asked them to do, the next step is just as easy. Build a great landing page that shares more of your story and inspires action.

3. Make Donate Options Easy

You may not be trying to sell a product, but you may be gathering donations. Whether it’s an annual fund drive or a critical need that needs to be covered, nonprofit marketing can help raise awareness of that need for donations.

To be as effective as possible with a donation drive, include as many ways to donate as possible:

• Set up an easy and automatic payment via credit card, PayPal, Venmo, and other integrations.
• Make it clear where they can send donations if they prefer a slower method, such as a check.
• Give a phone option, or at least email, for anyone having trouble donating online.

Make sure to include an opportunity to sign up for your newsletter or otherwise stay in touch with you as they are donating.

4. Gather Followers

With nonprofit marketing, it isn’t always about immediate action. Sure, you may want some donations or shares of your content, but there’s also an important long game driving your initiative.

As you are creating your campaigns, make it clear how to join the mission and align with what you’re about.

You can gather email addresses or provide a section on your website where people can learn more about local events or gatherings.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to include links to your social media accounts. Make sure your social media is filled with pictures and videos that highlight what you do. If your accounts are new, be sure to upload a dozen or so photos and videos to make them look full and scrollable. Use the daily features, such as Instagram Stories, to make it clear it’s an active account. Make it enticing to follow, with recent updates so they know if they follow, they will continue to learn more.

5. Look for Grants and Other Opportunities

For nonprofit marketing, grant opportunities exist to help get your message out there for a reduced price or costs covered. Depending on your goals and where you want to place your ads, you may want to take the time to apply for these, save money, and learn more from the provider about how to create effective ads. Here are a few examples to get you started:

Google Ad Grants

Google Ad Grants provide some free search ads to eligible nonprofit organizations as account support and other resources. You can also browse the Google Ad Grants site to see examples of other nonprofits running effective campaigns.

Twitter for Good

Twitter for Good provides free ads, as well as marketing campaign support and a variety of resources, such as custom emoji options, to nonprofits that join. This program focuses on areas of interest like internet safety, freedom of speech, equality, environmental conservation, and crisis management. Organizations involved in those areas may wish to apply.

How to Make Successful Nonprofit Marketing Ads

Conclusion

Nonprofit marketing can seem more complicated on the surface, with a larger mission and lots of different ways to engage with people. However, when you dive into the messaging, it often becomes a little easier. Nonprofits have a great story to tell, which can work into content marketing with ease. As you develop ads for your nonprofit marketing, focusing on an achievable goal can help ensure your ads are effective and keep your spending at a minimum.

If you are a nonprofit needing help with your digital strategy, reach out. Our team of experts can help!

How are you going to evolve your next nonprofit marketing campaign to make it more effective?