Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads – Part 2

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads have come a long way from simply boosting posts for $20 here and there. If you are going to spend any money on Facebook, I recommend setting up a Facebooks Ads Manager Account instead of boosting posts randomly.

Did you know that Facebook owns Instagram, and that Facebook Ads will also run over the Instagram network?

Did you know that more than 2 billion people use Facebook and 1 billion people use Instagram worldwide every month?

No matter what audience you are trying to reach, you can find them via Facebook Ads.

Who Should Use Facebook Ads?

Facebook Ads has been around for a while and has really exploded in the last few years with the rapid expansion of the network. To be honest, we’ve found it almost impossible to market organically on Facebook anymore due to the saturation of content and posts. The way around this is to run Facebook Ads. Did you know that you don’t need a large following to run these ads? We actually prefer to drive people AWAY from Facebook and towards your website or landing page to convert the sale.

What Are They?

Facebook Ads is Facebook’s PPC (Pay Per Click) Ad platform offering advertisements to businesses across Facebooks ad network: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and more. You can set the targeting based on people’s demographic information such as age, gender/sex, location, and interests. It’s important to be specific with your targeting because, unlike Google Ads, your ads are not triggered by keywords – therefore you want to make sure you’re appealing to your targeted avatar.

Unlike Google Ads, Facebook Ads should always have a visual component accompanying the ad. This can be a beautiful picture, or a strategically created graphic. Then it will have your heading, a description and a Call to Action. Your call to action will differ depending on the product/service you’re offering and your campaign goals.

Where Are They Seen?

These ads are available on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and more. Even if you only want to run Instagram Ads, you will need to create an account with Facebook Ads Manager.

When Should You Use Facebook Ads?

Facebook Ads are recommended for the following types of products/services:

  • Products from an E-Commerce Store (general products)
  • Impulse Buy Products/Services
  • App Downloads
  • Workshops and Seminars
  • General Brand Awareness Campaigns (targeting a hyperlocal audience)

Why Use Them?

Facebook Ads can be a great solution when configured properly and managed on a regular basis. We primarily use them for businesses that sell products online or have a seminar/workshop and need to fill seats. With conversion tracking properly configured via the Facebook Pixel, it’s easy to see your conversion rates. We also recommend you have a landing page specific to the product/service and connect the pixel to the contact form/payment button, so you can see an accurate conversion rate.

Overall, Facebook Ads (including Instagram Ads), can be a great addition to most businesses’ marketing strategies. When setup and managed properly, they can offer significant conversions of your products/services.

Here at Rosewood we offer the initial setup of the text for the ads as well as the graphic design of the visual ads themselves. We also offer monthly management to ensure your ads are running optimally, reaching your desired audience and reducing your CPC while increasing your conversions.

Please reach out if you’d like to speak to one of our Ad Specialists today.

Hang around for Part 3 where we compare Facebook and Google Ads to determine which to use if you need to choose.

If you haven’t read part 1 where we discuss Google Ads, check it out here.

Til next time,

Deanna Simone

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Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads

Google Ads

Part 1: Google Ads

If you could spend $1 and make $2, why wouldn’t you?  That is what PPC (Pay Per Click) Ads can do for your business when properly managed. Did you know that Dragon’s Den Dragon Michelle Romanow’s company Clearbanc’s only lending requirement is that businesses are spending appropriately in Google and Facebook Ads?

Why are Google Ads and Facebook Ads so popular? Firstly, because they work. And secondly because they’re trackable; you can easily see your return on investment in real time. When configured correctly you can easily compare your PPC or CPC vs. your return on investment.

Now, the most popular question we’re faced with from clients is: should I invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads?  The answer, it depends on your business goals and the product/service you are promoting.  We’re going to break down the who, what, where, when and why of each service, so you can see for yourself which one is right for your business goals.

Google Ads

We have been providing Google Ads services for 5 years to entrepreneurs and small businesses in York Region and beyond. We have seen great results, low CPC’s and high conversions across a range of industries.

Who Should Use Google Ads?

Google Ads are great for 99.99% of businesses. Who is the 0.01%? I’ll explain. Google Ads offers a variety of campaign types specific to different goals.

CPC:

In cost-per-click campaigns, you determine how much you’re willing to spend on keywords, and are only charged when someone clicks on your ad. These ads are our #1 choice for beginning Google Ads. They are especially easy to track when you are selling products via an e-commerce platform.

CPM:

In cost per thousand impressions campaigns, your ads are shown across the display network on a variety of websites within the Google Display Network. Let’s say you’re selling special athletic socks. Your display ads would then show on a variety of sites with shoes, or sports equipment for sale.

What are Google Ads?

Google Ads are a way to pay to have your website listed on the frontpage of Google. Your ads will only appear when a potential lead makes a search using the keywords you have specified. You determine the type of campaign you wish to run, and your budget. Your PPC Manager should help you determine this information.

Where are Your Ads Shown?

You have several options of where your ads can appear.  The Google Ads Network encompasses the following:

Search Network:

Text-Only Ads that appear only when relevant searches are queried. These are great for local businesses with a niche.

Display Network:

Graphics and text ads that can appear on the Google Display Network, which is a collection of over a million websites (you can set parameters on which websites your ads will appear on). These are great for larger brand awareness.

Shopping Network:

Your products would appear in relevant searches as shoppable listings. Only use this type if you have an e-commerce platform.

YouTube:

Your video ads would appear before YouTube videos. You must have a commercial video to use this campaign type.

Universal Apps:

When you have a new or existing app and want to encourage app downloads.

When Should You Use Google Ads?

Google Ads should be incorporated into any business strategy. As a minimum budget, you will need to run a report on your estimated cost of keywords and overall reach for the month. You may also need to factor in agency management fees if you decide to outsource your ads management.

Why?

Google Ads can act as a virtual salesman. As long as your account, campaigns and ads are set up properly, you can take advantage of a sales stream that was previously untapped by your business. The great thing is you can see results of individual ads – we use this to run A/B testing and come up with the highest performing ads, then pit them against newbies!

We offer account setup as well as ongoing monthly management of ads. We start with a customized strategy, specific to your products/services, business goals and budget. We then set up your account and either hand it over to your or we can act as your PPC Manager; regularly reviewing your results, making adjustments and ensuring that your account is optimized to reduce the cost-per-click and increase your return on investment. Please reach out if you’d like to speak to us about these ads for your business.

Overall, Google Ads are a favourite here at Rosewood. We have taken the Google Certifications courses and always stay up to date with Algorithm and Guideline changes. If you’re not taking advantage of properly configured CPC marketing, you could be missing out.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog where we will be looking in-depth into Facebook Ads.

Let’s Connect

Rosewood is a full-service digital marketing agency outside Toronto dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their online presence. We work with clients across North America and Europe to identify, strategize and reach their marketing goals!

You can join the conversation online on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Or contact us to chat about your marketing goals for 2020 or to discuss how Rosewood can assist you in building your website!

Sign up for our Newsletter to keep up with our latest news!

Until next time,

Deanna Simone

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Comparing WordPress vs. Shopify vs. Wix & Weebly: Which is Best?

Hiring Web Developer WordPress Shopify websites in Newmarket by Rosewood Marketing

Having a website for your business is tremendously important. Not just for your customers and clients to see what you’re all about, but to also bring in new customers and clients that find your website when searching specifics on search engines like Google or Bing. There are many different options of builders and platforms to design your website on. In this blog, we will be comparing premium options like WordPress, Shopify and Squarespace as well as free options like Wix and Weebly.

Getting to Know Each Platform

WordPress

In our opinion, and the opinion of many others, WordPress is the best all-around website builder. Over 35% of all websites on the internet are run through WordPress. Over the years, it has become easier to use for front end development. We recommend hiring a developer when it comes to a WordPress website as it can be complex for someone with no experience in the field to take on. When our team builds a website, we provide training and video tutorials to show our clients how to easily update content and images on their site. It is important to make sure that you are using WordPress.org rather than WordPress.com.

Shopify

Shopify is great if you have an online store and don’t offer in-person services. The store is easier to manage on Shopify in comparison to WordPress’ WooCommerce platform. However, it offers less organic SEO capabilities than WordPress. We recommend running Google ads in tandem with a new Shopify store.

Squarespace

Squarespace is extremely easy to use. It is inexpensive and the price includes the theme as well as hosting and your domain. However, Squarespace offers very little organic SEO. An honourable mention also goes to ShowIt, which is a drag-and-drop website builder. We found this platform to be overwhelming and once again, offered very little organic SEO. If you are just getting started and need a website fast, Squarespace is a good option for you.

Free Builders: Wix, and Weebly

These builders are also a great choice for businesses just starting out that need a website as soon as possible. They are easy to use but offer very little organic SEO. If you have a strong referral-based business, you can get away with these options. However, if you want your website to generate leads for you, do yourself a favour and invest in a professional website on a professional platform.

SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essentially the process of getting organic traffic to your website through search results on search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo. We at Rosewood like to weigh our options before making a final decision. We tested out all the above-mentioned website building platforms, and no platform generates SEO like WordPress does. Shopify is a close second, but again, is recommended for online stores that do not offer in person services or sales. Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly all performed poorly when it came to organic SEO.

E-Commerce

Choosing a platform to design your E-Commerce website is not easy. For those who are unsure what an E-Commerce website is, it is basically a software that allows you to build an online store and sell your products with cart options as well as shipping, inventory, etc. For those who are in need of an E-Commerce site but are unsure of which platform to go with, we highly recommend WordPress or Shopify.

WordPress WooCommerce

With WordPress, the E-Commerce feature is not automatically included. You will need to install a plugin called WooCommerce which will then give you all the E-Commerce features. This can be a lot more difficult but will ultimately be less expensive as there are no recurring fees.

Shopify E-Commerce

Shopify on the other hand is extremely quick and easy to get up and running. After you sign up, you will go through easy step-by-step options to customize your website and add your products.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is a difficult factor to go off of when building a website. If you are planning to build and design your website on your own without the help of a developer, then this is definitely a weighing factor. If you are planning to design your website by yourself, then Squarespace, Wix or Weebly would be beneficial for you. As your business and website grows, we always recommend transferring over to WordPress or Shopify. WordPress definitely has a learning curve, which is why we recommend hiring a developer to help you set up an efficient website that not only looks great but will optimize great on search engines. We also provide training after all web development projects.

Cost & Performance Value

Higher Cost = Higher Value

When it comes to website building and designing, you really do get what you pay for in terms of performance. It is important to clearly understand the skill level of your developer. They may be a design pro and build a stunningly beautiful website. However, they may not understand the complexities of Readability, SEO, and Performance Optimizations. It is important to ask questions and understand exactly what’s included in the web design package you are purchasing.

Lower Cost = Lower Value

If you want to build a website that is 100% free, Wix and Weebly are the two options for you. However, building a free website on these platforms will mean that your website domain will be www.yoursite.weebly.com or www.yoursite.wix.com. If you wish to have a domain name that just includes your business name, you will need to pay for this no matter what platform you are using.

Essentially, WordPress is free to download and is an open source which means that you have maximum control over your website, unlike the other builders we have mentioned. However, with WordPress, you will need to purchase your own domain name as well as hosting. This is mandatory as hosting is what puts your website live on the internet. Without hosting, it is not possible to have a website that is available on the internet. With Shopify, Squarespace, Wix or Weebly, the hosting is included in whichever plan you choose.

In Review

Upon reviewing the website platforms mentioned in this blog, our personal favourite here at Rosewood is WordPress and Shopify. Building a website is an important step in bettering your business and is definitely worth the cost as it will build, improve, and grow your business more than you could have imagined. SEO is extremely important, and building platforms like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly just don’t cut it in comparison to WordPress. As we mentioned, WordPress definitely has a learning curve. But have no fear! Rosewood’s team of website builders can help you design the website you want and make it optimized for search engines like Google and Bing. This is done through various things such as keywords, alt tags, meta descriptions and more.

Let’s Connect

Rosewood is a full-service digital marketing agency outside Toronto dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their online presence. We work with clients across North America and Europe to identify, strategize and reach their marketing goals!

You can join the conversation online on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Or contact us to chat about your marketing goals for 2020 or to discuss how Rosewood can assist you in building your website!

Sign up for our Newsletter to keep up with our latest news!

Until next time,

Cassandra

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