In today’s social media advertising world you have to pay to play. In the early years of social media marketing, impressions and influences were earned by organically posting intriguing content. Now they are sold to the highest bidder. Companies who are dragging their feet to incorporate paid social media advertising are missing out on a lot of exciting opportunities for their business. Numerous companies have embraced the benefits of paid social media advertising, but there are plenty who remain skeptical. The reality is that social media is rapidly growing, and showing no signs of slowing down. Here are 4 reasons why your company should include social media in your advertising plan.

1. It’s cost-effective!
   • Every business wants to get the most bang for their buck. Social media enables you to have an immense reach at a low cost. Advertising on social media is significantly more cost-effective than traditional advertising. Even if you are not comfortable with running extensive campaigns on social media platforms, you can use them as an inexpensive way to test your content and creatives. Find out what combination of creatives, ad copy, content, and targeting works best and then implement your findings into more expensive mediums.
2. Your organic posts are NOT being seen
   • If you think you have a presence on social media through organic posts, think again. In reality your followers will see less than 20% of the content you post. Companies that completely depend on organic influence risk becoming irrelevant on social platforms.  By utilizing paid social media advertising you can reach an audience beyond your followers.
3. Advanced Targeting
   • You can get very granular with social media targeting, which allows you to reach people that have a genuine interest in what your company has to offer. Typical targeting includes targeting by interests, job titles, keywords, geography, demographics, and many more depending on the site.
4. Something for everyone!
   • Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are great starting points for your social media advertising, but there are so many other options! Instagram, Pinterest, Xing, Google+, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, and Reddit are all social platforms with different focuses. Research which platform works for you and best conveys your message. Chances are that your customers, or potential customer are on at least one of these social platforms.

Social media is constantly evolving and attracts billions of users around the world. Paying to have a presence on social media is the future. Paid social reaches more people, and when used correctly it can help generate awareness, leads, followers, video views, purchases, and much more. Do some research, test audiences, and discover which social platforms fit your brand and company goals.

Subi D’Aguiar
Just Media, Inc.