Paid advertising is a powerful tool. It can help businesses reach a wider audience, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. But for many digital marketers, it can be difficult to know what works and what doesn’t.
How do you make your paid advertising campaigns successful? It’s a question many digital marketers ask themselves as they try to find the magic formula for success. To help answer this question, we’ll explore different paid advertising strategies that have been successful and also discuss what we can learn from them.
By looking at successful paid advertising case studies, we can analyze what worked and what didn’t and use that knowledge to tailor our campaigns to maximize success. In this article, we’ll explore different paid advertising strategies that have been successful and also discuss what we can learn from them. Finally, we’ll look at examples of successful campaigns and analyze the elements that made them successful.
What is paid advertising?
Paid advertising, or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, is a form of digital marketing where businesses pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. It’s a great way to reach a larger audience and generate more leads and sales. Paid advertising can be done on various platforms, such as search engines, social media, and online marketplaces.
The most common type of paid advertising is search engine advertising, done through Google Ads and Bing Ads. These ads are displayed at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone searches for keywords related to the business’s products or services.
Another type of paid advertising is social media advertising. This is done through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media ads are typically more targeted than search engine ads, as they can target users based on their interests, location, and other factors.
Finally, there’s display advertising, which is done through networks such as Google Display Network and AdRoll. Display ads are typically image or video ads on websites and mobile apps.
Benefits of paid advertising
- Reach
- Cost-effectiveness
- Targeted
- Measurable
Paid advertising has many benefits. It’s a great way to quickly reach a large audience and generate leads and sales. It’s also more cost effective than traditional advertising methods. With paid advertising, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad or takes a desired action. This allows you to get the most out of your advertising budget.
Another benefit of paid advertising is that it’s highly targeted. You can target your ads to a specific audience, such as people in a particular location or those with specific interests. This ensures that your ads reach the right people and increase your chances of generating leads and sales.
Finally, paid advertising is very measurable. You can track and analyze the performance of your ads, so you can make adjustments and optimize your campaigns to get the best results.
Different types of paid advertising
As already highlighted above, there are many different types of paid advertising, each with its benefits. Here are some of the most popular types of paid advertising:
• Search engine advertising
This is done through Google Ads and Bing Ads. Ads are displayed at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone searches for keywords related to your business.
• Social media advertising
This is done through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In addition, ads can be targeted to users based on their interests, location, and other factors.
• Display advertising
This is done through networks such as Google Display Network and AdRoll. Display ads are typically image or video ads on websites and mobile apps.
• Native advertising
This is done through platforms such as Taboola and Outbrain. Native ads are typically content-based ads displayed on websites and mobile apps.
• Video advertising
This is done through platforms such as YouTube, Hulu, and Twitch. Video ads are typically short videos displayed on video streaming platforms.
Paid advertising case studies
Now, let’s look at some of the most successful paid ads campaigns.
Case study #1: Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is one of the most successful brands when it comes to paid advertising. One of their most successful campaigns was their “Share a Coke” campaign. The campaign was launched in 2013, featuring bottles of Coca-Cola with people’s names on them. The campaign encouraged people to share their unique Coke bottles with others.
To make the campaign successful, Coca-Cola used a combination of search engine advertising, social media advertising, and display advertising. They ran ads on Google and Bing, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They also ran display ads on websites and mobile apps.
The campaign was a huge success. Throughout the campaign, more than 1 billion bottles were sold, and sales of Coca-Cola increased by 8%. The campaign also generated significant brand awareness and engagement, as it was shared more than 800,000 times on social media.
From this campaign, we can learn the importance of having an engaging and creative concept for your campaign. For example, the “Share a Coke” campaign was simple yet effective, and it resonated with people. We can also learn the importance of combining different types of advertising to maximize reach and engagement.
Case study #2: Airbnb
Airbnb is another brand that has had success with paid advertising. In 2016, they launched the “Live There” campaign to promote their rental listings. The campaign featured a series of videos that showcased the unique experiences people can have when they stay in an Airbnb rental.
To make the campaign successful, Airbnb used a combination of search engine advertising, social media advertising, and display advertising. They ran ads on Google and Bing, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They also ran display ads on websites and mobile apps.
The campaign was a huge success. The videos generated over 10 million views, and the campaign generated more than $100 million in bookings. It also generated significant brand awareness and engagement, as it was shared more than 400,000 times on social media.
From this campaign, we can learn the importance of having an engaging concept for your campaign. For example, the “Live There” videos were creative and entertaining, and they resonated with people. We can also learn the importance of using different types of advertising to maximize reach and engagement.
Case study #3: Uber
Uber is another successful brand when it comes to paid advertising. In 2018, they launched a campaign called “Ride to the Polls,” designed to encourage people to vote in the 2018 US midterm elections. The campaign featured videos and ads highlighting the importance of voting and urged people to use Uber to get to their polling places.
To make the campaign successful, Uber used a combination of search engine advertising, social media advertising, and display advertising. They ran ads on Google and Bing, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They also ran display ads on websites and mobile apps.
The campaign was a huge success. More than 4 million people used Uber to get to their polling places. In addition, the campaign generated more than $1 million in fares. It also generated significant brand awareness and engagement, as it was shared more than 200,000 times on social media.
From this campaign, we can learn the importance of using a timely and relevant concept for your campaign. The “Ride to the Polls” campaign was timely and relevant to the election and resonated with people. We can also learn the importance of using different types of advertising to maximize reach and engagement.
Sure, here are some other paid advertising case studies to draw inspiration from:
1. HubSpot
HubSpot wanted to increase its brand awareness and reach more small and medium-sized businesses. So they launched a YouTube campaign targeting users who searched for marketing-related keywords. The campaign increased brand awareness by 20% and generated a 33% increase in website traffic.
2. Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club used humor in its YouTube ads to appeal to a younger male demographic. The ads went viral and helped the company gain over 12,000 new subscribers within 48 hours.
3. Squatty Potty
Squatty Potty used a humorous video to explain the benefits of its product. The video went viral and generated over 500 million views, resulting in a 600% increase in online sales.
4. Grammarly
Grammarly used a mix of search and display ads to target users searching for grammar and spelling help. The campaign generated over $10 million in revenue and a 400% return on investment.
These paid advertising case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of different strategies and how they can help businesses achieve their marketing goals.
Common elements of successful paid advertising strategies
Now that we’ve looked at some successful paid advertising campaigns let’s discuss some common features of successful strategies:
• Creative and engaging concept
The concept of your campaign should be creative and engaging. It should resonate with your audience and encourage them to take action.
• Targeted approach
You should target your ads to a specific audience to ensure that they reach the right people. For example, you can target ads based on location, interests, and other factors.
• Multiple channels
You should use a combination of different types of advertising to maximize reach and engagement. For example, you can use the search engine, social media, and display advertising.
• Measurable results
You should track and analyze the performance of your ads to ensure that you’re getting the best results. You can use tools such as Google Analytics to track the performance of your ads.
Tips for creating and managing your paid advertising campaigns
Here are some tips for creating and managing your paid advertising campaigns:
• Set clear objectives
Before you launch a campaign, you should have clear objectives. What do you want to achieve? How will you measure success?
• Do your research
Research your target audience to understand their needs and interests. You should also research the competitive landscape to understand what other businesses are doing.
• Create compelling ads
Your ads should be creative and engaging. They should include a clear call to action and encourage people to take action.
• Test and optimize
You should test different versions of your ads to see which ones are the most effective. You should also analyze the performance of your ads and optimize them to get the best results.
How to measure the success of your paid advertising campaigns
Once your campaign is up and running, you should track and analyze the performance of your ads to ensure that you’re getting the best results. Here are some metrics you should track:
• Cost per click (CPC)
This metric measures the cost of each click your ad receives. The lower your CPC, the more cost-effective your campaign is.
• Click-through rate (CTR)
This metric measures the percentage of people who click on your ad. The higher your CTR, the more effective your ad is.
• Conversion rate
This metric measures the percentage of people who take a desired action, such as subscribing to your email list or purchasing. The higher your conversion rate, the more successful your campaign is.
• Cost per action (CPA)
This metric measures the cost of each desired action your ad receives. The lower your CPA, the more cost-effective your campaign is.
• Return on investment (ROI)
This metric measures the profit you make from your campaign compared to the amount you spend. The higher your ROI, the more successful your campaign is.
Conclusion
By now, you should better understand the strategies you can use to make your campaigns successful. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution — the best approach is to look at successful paid advertising case studies and learn from their strategies. Nevertheless, you can make your paid advertising campaigns successful with the right strategies and creativity.
A PPC campaign is still the most cost-effective approach to this day. For one, it is highly targeted, bringing you convert-ready visitors. Optimind offers Google Ads campaign management services. Tell us how we can help you. Contact us now!
