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Google + Facebook Ads: Where to Start

Fingers tapping on a tablet with technological icons floating

If you’re getting started with online advertising, the two foundations are Google and Facebook (or Meta) Ads. Google Ads allows you to have ads appear in searches and on any of Google’s services, e.g. YouTube. Meta’s ad platform lets you put ads on the two social media juggernauts: Facebook and Instagram. Naturally, ads on these two have major online coverage. This is why they hold more than 52% of total ad spending worldwide and over 64% in North America. That online advertising is essential for your business’ growth. Creating effective ads with strong leads turns into conversions and sales. Today 65% of people click on an ad before making a purchase. You’ve probably looked at and maybe even begun advertising on both. Are you wondering where to start making those ads, or maybe you aren’t seeing great conversions? Here are three important things to consider when starting any ad on Google or Meta.

Targets

All your advertising should have certain targets in mind. That doesn’t just mean a single general audience. For example, some products or services you provide may have a typically different target customer or clientele than others. Any demographic information may be important, such as gender, age group, location, etc. Certain advertising or communication tactics are going to resonate better or worse with these different groups, so you will want to tailor ads accordingly. If your business’ services are primarily for women around Aurora, ON, there is little to no tangible benefit that a man living in Vancouver, BC see your ads. Use audience segments to ensure your ads are targeting those they are most likely to convert.  

Platforms and Ad Types

Both Google and Meta provide a set of places to present your ads. Google Ads can appear in various kinds of searches such as web, shopping, or maps. They also have ads that appear in Gmail and video ads for YouTube. Meta provides a whole suite of ads, with different kinds for Facebook and Instagram. On these platforms ads can appear as stories, reels, videos, posts in timelines and feeds, etc.

To start creating impactful ads, you need to know where you plan to put ads because that will tailor what kind of leads you need to create. For example, search ads are primarily text. Google shopping promotions will be specific product listing recommendations. Instagram and Facebook promoted stories, however, are primarily visual with an image, graphic, or short video. You will want to focus effort in creating ad content that will reach its target audience on the platforms they use, especially for the Meta suite. For example, Facebook’s userbase is predominantly between the ages 25-54, while Instagram skews younger at 18-34. 

Experiment

Both Google and Facebook Ads provide an incredible amount of data and metrics for your ads’ viewership, conversion rates, and overall performance. However, those numbers will not be especially informative if you have nothing to compare to. It’s best to experiment by running at least two ads to get a sense of how they perform differently. This kind of testing will provide you with a lot of valuable information for identifying what qualities create impactful ads and resonate with customers/client. This is so essential that both Google and Meta Ads provide tools to make experimenting easy and informative.

When running multiple ads for experiments, try to minimize differences. For example, if you change copy and target demographics, and the ad performs differently, you will be left wondering if it was because of the copy, its target, or both. One effective method of testing is to split a similar audience into two segments that each see different versions of the ad (otherwise known as A/B testing). This should provide an informative comparison for discovering what kind of ads best capture and convert.

Once You Start Making Ads, Never Stop

Creating ads on Google and Meta or Facebook is a continuous process. They should be repeatedly updated and/or changed to reflect your business and home in on the developing interests of your own changing audience. Once you start making ads, you shouldn’t stop or settle. Keep targeting, identifying the right platforms and ad types, and experimenting. Remember, if a certain ad doesn’t do as well, that can be just as informative as one that transcends. If you’re looking for help to start your Google or Facebook Ads, Rosewood’s marketing team are virtuosos. They can help you create and improve your ads and identify and interpret key metrics

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Are You Ready to Build a Website?

Dasha from the Web Design Team at Rosewood sits at her desk

Today, every business needs a website. It allows potential customers or clients to learn about your service, contact you, view, and book services, and/or purchase products. When starting a new business, building its website is one of the first things you should do. 

Creating and designing a website, however, takes a lot of skills and knowledge that you probably don’t have time to dedicate yourself to, especially since you’re running your business. Hiring a team to design, build, and maintain your website gives you a professional and effective website without you sacrificing your time where it matters most. Our web design team creates professional, beautiful, functional, and accessible websites that suit your business. Before they can start designing, there will be a few things you will need to do. Here are all the essentials you need before you meet with Rosewoods’ team, and they start designing the website that perfectly represents and serves your business.

Registering a Domain

In order for you to start a website, your business will need a domain name. The domain is the main address that points to your website. google.com, wikipedia.org, and rosewoodmarketing.ca are all examples of domain names. There can be a lot that goes into coming up with a domain, like whether you want a .com, .ca, or another top-level domain. Two quick standards to remember is that shorter and memorable are better, and ensure it aligns with your brand’s name.

However, you can’t just create and have a domain. It needs to be available and registered. To see if a domain is available and how much it will cost, use a registry service, like GoDaddy. A domain will cost you an annual fee to register and retain. If the domain is new, it will be a nominal cost, but already registered domains can cost significantly more. However, if your new domain gains value and you decide you want to sell it, GoDaddy provides this option. 

Content

To build your website, it will need content: pictures, text, graphics, etc. Gather and create/commission all the materials you want for your website. If you’re not sure what to include, look at the websites of similar businesses to get a sense of the kind of content you need. An “about us” write up, contact information, location, availability, information about the services or products you provide, and a gallery of your store or examples of your work are all standards.

Logo and Branding

Often when starting your business, after the countless hours of picking the right, and available, name then comes the struggle of just the right logo. It’s the icon that will represent your business on all its communication channels. It will also be a main image on your website so it’s essential you have it ready beforehand. Along with your logo, you will need your branding. Your branding determines your business’ aesthetic. A marketing team will use these colours, fonts, and voice/tone to design a perfectly representative website.

Pictures Really Are Worth a Thousand Words

A lot of your website’s content will be visual to give a full impression of your business. There are two main options to give your website professional pictures. One more immediate option is to create a collection of stock images. Only pick those that reflect your business’ brand and aesthetic, or else the images will feel disingenuous. Alternatively, book a photoshoot to get professional pictures for your site. These will give your website a more accurate and authentic reflection of your business. Fortunately, Rosewood also provides brand photography. Let us know if this is something you would like to add to build your website.

Get a Google Business Profile

Google Business is one of the essential places you need to be listing your business. By creating a Google Business Profile, your business will populate in Google searches, and you can directly connect your website to the profile. You can also post the same pictures from your photoshoot here. This profile will help optimize your new website for Google searches so that more people discover your business and visit the website.

A Website Hosting Provider

A domain allows users to get to your website by entering the address in their browser, but your actual website and all its content will need to be hosted on a server that people can access. You will need to subscribe your domain to a hosting service that will keep your website up. There are numerous hosting services available, but your marketing and website design team can recommend a hosting provider. We recommend Cloudways or use our affiliate link with Siteground.

Connecting with a Marketing Team

The expertise of a marketing team like Rosewood’s can help you strategize the most effective sections, social media connections, and content plans like blogs and email marketing for your business’ website. They can also help you with content and branding, and help you determine the best combination that will perfectly suit your business and properly contend with any competition. Contact our marketing team for help strategizing your website.

You are ready to build a website!

Once you have these materials prepared, you’re ready to have a website built and designed. Our website design team will take all these and create mockups for your approval. Once approved, you’ll soon see your website starting to come to life. Ready to start the design process? Contact Rosewood’s website design team today!

Papers with drawings and mockups for website design
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2022’s Holiday Social Media Trends

Couple using self stick to get content ready for holiday social media trends

Halloween is over. Ghosts and the Monster Mash have been dethroned by the holiday spirt and Mariah Carey. It’s also time for social media channels to shift into holiday gear. So, to start the season, Rosewood is gifting to a list of the major trends that you should consider while creating your social media content for the holiday season of 2022. 

Visual Content

Nearly half of consumers want to see images and video of the products they might buy. As a result, visual social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are especially suited for holiday content. Livestreams on these platforms are also a great opportunity for engagement where you answer questions or provide personalized recommendations to your followers. Overall, ensure your holiday content is going on the right channels.

Experiences and Outside

The last two years have left many wanting for moments outside that the pandemic prevented. As a result, people are putting increasing value in experiences over things. Content that appeals to this desire is perfect for the holidays, especially as many seasonal activities will be resuming this year. People are far less worried it’s cold outside than they are excited about getting to go to holiday markets and winter festivals. Content that includes these holiday experiences is likely to resonate well with your audience. Connect products and/or services you provide to holiday experiences. This product or service might be the perfect thing to unwrap! You can also invite followers to comment about their holiday plans and hopes to create engagement. 

Influencer Gift Guides

More than half of social media users buy products based on influencer recommendations. Many influencers now provide gift guides or recommendations as the holidays approach. If you have relationships with influencers, send them a gift or see about the possibility of them recommending one of your products or services as one. If an influencer organically recommends you, be sure to share their content on your own page. Lastly, if you aren’t working with any influencers yet, it can be a good idea. Even for small businesses, micro-influencers can give you a huge social media boost.

User-Generated Content

You might not just have influencers creating content for you. The holidays are a particularly active time on social media. Users will regularly be posting about gifts and services they are giving or receiving. These users are actively making your business a part of their holiday celebrations and experiences, which will lend your brand more authenticity and interest others to do the same. If they tag your business and praise your business, products, or services, then be sure to repost their content on your own page, 

Sharing is Caring

You can also use your followers to help spread your business. Many of your followers are those who are interested in your products or services already. This means they probably would like those as gifts this holiday season. Create content that highlights popular products and services with call to actions for followers to share as a gift idea. They can provide a family member or friend a not-so-subtle hint while sharing your content. 

Shopping Early 

For the last two years, the major surge in holiday shopping has begun in November and now, over half of holiday shopping is done by December 1. Most shoppers look for early holiday sales by November 1 so that’s more and earlier than just black Friday. Highlight deals and offerings now so that they capture your audience’s attention when they are starting their holiday searches.

Last Minute Reminders and “Super Saturday” 

While most shopping happens in November, plenty still happens during the quintessential holiday month of December itself. Plus, there are always last-minute purchases happening in-store. Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, is still a big last-minute shopping day. Continue to highlight special offerings as well as smaller products or services that make perfect last-minute gifts. 

Online and In-Store

Most holiday shopping now happens online, especially the first wave in November. Thankfully it is much easier to convert social media engagement into online purchases, so ensure holiday posts include call to actions that direct followers to your e-commerce marketplace. 

Delivery Woes

On the other hand, the last two years have also familiarized folks with the constraints of shipping around the holidays. Canada Post and other shipping companies become quickly bogged down by the onslaught of orders. As people have now learned the lesson that holiday gifts might not arrive in time, they are more likely to shop in-person as the holidays get closer. Content that highlights your storefront may induce more to come. Alternatively, if you can guarantee shipping times or use a more local delivery option, highlight that advantage in your content. 

Services are Timely

If you’re business focuses on services, the holiday’s delivery woes won’t be an issue, something you can emphasize in your content. However, your business is still limited by its availability and the holidays can be busy. Provide content that highlights your availability and its limits. For both product or service-based businesses, it’s a good practice to communicate when your business is taking its own time to celebrate the holidays.

Enjoy!

The holidays are festive, so have fun with creating this season’s content. If you’re looking for more tips or want some support on your holiday social media trends and content, our marketing team are masters of every social media season. 

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