Ads as the first time you meet your future clients
From the part of this course devoted to traffic sources you learned what advertising is, what types exist out there and how to make bomb creatives that attract your audience.
Now it’s time to shine with that knowledge, because the 1st place, the 1st stage of the Alpha Funnel is respectfully given to Ads.
Why, though? Here’s the simple answer: it works and it works best. When it comes to attracting your potential audience effectively to your website for the first time there’s simply nothing else than ads.
Ads give you the wonderful opportunity to reach particular audiences and do it via multiple placements on the social media platforms they most commonly use.
Yes, it takes some creativity and specific knowledge to launch cool ad campaigns that work, but you’ve already learned the tricks from the previous chapters.
Here’s an all-in-one checklist for you to launch ads (if you decide to go both with paid and free ones) at the first stage of the Alpha Funnel.
1. Research and Planning:
- Audience Identification: Understand your target audience’s demographics, interests, and online behaviors.
- Budget Allocation: Decide on how much you’re willing to spend for each channel.
- Platform Selection: Choose where you will run your ads (e.g., Google, Facebook, Instagram) and where you’ll focus influencer marketing efforts.
2. Content Creation:
Paid Ads:
- Ad creatives (images, videos, etc.)
- Ad copy and headlines
- CTAs
Free Ads:
- Value-driven content for organic reach (don’t forget short videos like Reels or Shorts or TikToks)
- Posts for organic social media
Influencer Marketing:
- Product/service samples for influencers
- Guidelines or briefing documents detailing the campaign’s objectives and desired outcomes
- Creative assets, if necessary, or allow influencers creative freedom within set guidelines
3. Setup:
Paid Ads:
- Setup ad accounts (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager)
- Implement tracking (e.g., Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics)
- Set audience targeting, bidding strategy, and budgets
Free Ads:
- Ensure your content is SEO optimized
- Schedule social media posts, you can do it using different tools (e.g., Buffer, Hootsuite, Social Rabbit, Later, Simplified)
Influencer Marketing:
- Identify potential influencers through platforms or direct outreach
- Negotiate terms, contracts, and deliverables
- Share necessary resources and information
4. Launch:
- Synchronize the release of paid ads, free ads, and influencer campaigns for maximum impact.
5. Monitor:
Paid Ads:
- Track ad performance using relevant metrics (e.g., CTR, conversion rate)
- Adjust campaigns as needed for optimal results
Free Ads:
- Monitor organic traffic, engagement, and growth
Influencer Marketing:
- Track influencer post engagements, reach, and referral traffic
- Communicate with influencers for feedback and potential improvements
6. Engage:
- Respond to comments, messages, or queries on ads and influencer posts to maintain brand authenticity.
- Remember, communication is key. Keep all stakeholders informed and ensure all elements of the campaign are cohesive and aligned with the overarching marketing and brand strategy.
7. Adjust:
- Optimize ads based on performance data.
- Re-engage with influencers if needed for additional promotions or tweaks.
- Adapt free ad strategies to changes in platform algorithms or audience behavior.
Remember, that this is the general checklist: every business is unique, so until you find the best way to advertise you might be going to need multiple testing and adjustments. You can add or omit elements from this checklist and create your own one.
Once you’ve decided on Ads, you can move on to the next chapter, the second stage of the Alpha Funnel (the most exciting things are yet for you to discover)!
