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Facebook Alternatives: 7 Alternatives to Advertising on Facebook to Consider

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Alternatives to Facebook Marketing

Listen to your Grandma: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.

Sure, your Gran probably wasn’t talking about Facebook marketing, but her wisdom holds true.

For some time now, the cost of advertising on Facebook has increased while impressions have gone down.

Facebook Advertising Costs

Relying too much on one form of customer acquisition is dicey for any business. You’re bound to get caught with your pants down at some point.

Plus, you’re missing out.

People don’t just use Facebook. In fact, the average internet user has an average of 7.6 social media accounts!

There are also tons of other advantages to diversifying your advertising channels, such as cross-channel retargeting.

Bottom line, diversity brings security and advantages.

In this article, you’ll get an overview of seven channels that are great alternatives to Facebook.

Let’s dive in.

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Facebook Alternative #1: Google Ads

Google Ads is one of the best alternatives to marketing on Facebook.

In fact, Google is the only digital advertising channel that receives more U.S. digital ad spend than Facebook.

This is unsurprising when you consider that Google processes more than 4.5 billion search queries each day – that’s over 70,000 search queries every second.

You can use Google Ads to advertise on their Search Network and/or their Display Network.

Advertising on Google’s Search Network is when you bid to place your ads on Google’s search engine results page, or “SERP.”

Here’s an example from footwear company Vivobarefoot:

Google Ads

Next, advertising on Google’s Display Network lets you place ads on websites which use Google AdSense:

Google Network Ads

There are numerous benefits to using Google Ads, such as:

  • Advanced targeting
  • Budget control
  • Highly measurable
  • Fast results
  • Remarketing tools

Google Ads is based on a pay-per-click auction system.

In essence, advertisers bid on keywords, and the highest bid wins the advertising opportunity. Then, advertisers pay Google each time someone clicks on one of their ads.

To get started, check out our guide: Google Adwords Tutorial: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Campaign.

Facebook Alternative #2: Instagram

Instagram may be owned by Facebook, but it’s a different beast entirely.

Instagram has experienced massive growth in recent years and now has more than one billion monthly active users.

Plus, more than half of Instagram’s users visit the platform at least once per day, making it a brilliant alternative to Facebook.

So much so, that many advertisers are shifting ad dollars from Facebook to Instagram.

In fact, performance marketing agency Merkle recently reported that ad spend on Instagram was growing at four times the rate of ad spend on Facebook.

Specifically, year on year during Q2, Instagram’s ad spend went up 177 percent compared to Facebook’s 40 percent increase.

And there’s more.

This advertising channel is ideal for businesses outside of the U.S. or those looking to expand internationally, as 80% of the platform’s user base lives outside of the U.S.

Unsurprisingly, most of Instagram’s users are Millennials. In fact, 31% of Instagram users are 18 to 24 years old, and 30% are 25 to 34.

You can run five different types of Instagram ads:

  1. Photo ads
  2. Video ads
  3. Carousel ads
  4. Slideshow ads
  5. Stories ads

AirBNB Instagram Ads

It’s also easy to get started with Instagram ads if you’re currently advertising with Facebook. This is because Instagram ads are managed through Facebook’s ad manager.

To learn more, check out: Instagram Ads: How to Successfully Sell Your Products.

Facebook Alternative #3: YouTube

YouTube now has nearly 1.8 billion monthly active users.

It’s Google’s most popular service, with viewers watching more than 1 billion hours of video each day.

Here’s the crazy part…

YouTube on mobile alone reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.

This advertising channel is well worth exploring, especially as video content is expected to claim 80 percent of all web traffic by 2019.

And according to “The State of Video Marketing in 2018,” 81 percent of people are convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. Plus, 76 percent of businesses say video helped them increase sales.

When it comes to marketing, YouTube is a suitable alternative (or addition) to Facebook, with advanced targeting, remarketing capabilities, and plenty of other features.

There are six types of YouTube ads you can use:

  1. TrueView ads
  2. Non-skippable instream ads
  3. Bumper instream ads
  4. Sponsored card ads
  5. Overlay ads
  6. Display ads

These various advertising formats allow you to get extremely creative with your messaging and content.

For example, check out how Nike showcases their brand personality in this six-second bumper video ad:

YouTube also allows you to set your video campaign objective from one of the following:

  • Leads
  • Website traffic
  • Product and brand consideration
  • Brand awareness and reach

YouTube Ad Types

To get started, check out: YouTube Ads for Beginners: How to Launch Your First Campaign.

 

To read the full article, click here: https://www.oberlo.com/blog/alternatives-advertising-facebook

Shattering Gendered Marketing

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In industries where products have been historically marketed based on gender, some brands are beginning to shun stereotypes and embrace neutrality

In a 1955 print ad, the household brand Lux presented a woman dressed in a sensible apron and pearl earrings, surrounded by a mountain of dishes. “Get out of the kitchen sooner!” read the text above her. An overlaid image depicted her husband and child relaxing outdoors. In another ad, released 31 years later in 1996, car manufacturer Daihatsu offered an image of a man driving a van full of smiling women below the words, “Picks up five times more women than a Lamborghini.” The logic behind such advertising, of course, is that women are in charge of housework and family care, while car purchases are left primarily to the men.

In today’s social climate, it seems unlikely that people would stand for such egregious stereotyping, but products such as dish soap and cars are still aimed at consumers based on gender demographics—brands are just subtler in their approach. For children, gender stereotyping is on full display in retail. A pink convertible or a doll might be listed for girls online or in stores, while a blue truck or a baseball bat may be labeled as boys’ toys. It’s a relatively modern phenomenon: According to an Atlantic article by sociology professor Elizabeth Sweet, less than 2% of toys were explicitly marketed to either boys or girls in Sears catalog ads in 1975. By 1995, gendered toys made up roughly half of the Sears catalog’s offerings. For adults, brands might aim targeted online ads for household products to women, while a sports equipment company might only portray men in their commercials.

But this pink and blue divide also persists because brands have traditionally operated on the belief that consumers are making purchasing decisions based on their gender. Marketing to a person’s gender not only risks alienating other potential consumers—ones who don’t conform to traditional gender roles or interests—but it also shows a failure by the company to mine for deeper insights about its audience.

 

To read the full article, click here: https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/shattering-gendered-marketing/

Extend Reach Through Instagram Hashtags

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A majority of businesses today are shifting towards social media to attract new potential customers. Ever wonder why you are not receiving the desired likes or followers you deserve? Hashtags on Instagram posts are one of the easiest ways to engage with customers and ensure brand loyalty.

By using hashtags, it allows you to be discoverable by anyone using the app while extending your potential reach. Another advantage is that it allows you to link events and promotions specifically through your business name.

Now that you understand all the benefits of hashtagging in Instagram, the next step is to see what types of Instagram Hashtags are out there. Usually successful Instagram pages use hashtags that are simple yet explain what the post is all about. Keep in mind that sometimes it is better to use common keywords such as “food” for example because they are easier to find.

Just remember, hashtags only benefit your business rather than hurt it as long as it has context with your page and posts. Lastly, hashtagging is not only limited to Instagram but is also on other social media platforms as well such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tumblr. What are you waiting for, start incorporating hashtags into your Instagram page now and gain the exposure you need!

Adapting Your Business Marketing Tactics for Facebook’s Algorithm Change

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Facebook has been making companies that rely on Facebook Organic Reach to go crazy so far in 2018! In late 2017, Facebook tested a new algorithm change that had oversea businesses in shock. In pre-selected international markets, the algorithm change began to promote posts from actual people – instead of businesses. Marketers were stunned and left wondering how they could possibly reach their audience again on their most lucrative platforms out there. Remember, the fastest growing segment on Facebook is people over 40 years of age who are very business friendly.

In the U.S., the change became permanent in January – the “people over pages” algorithm update was released to everyone. And the effect was immediate.  Businesses were hit hard and their organic reach went from 6 digits to less than a few hundred!

If you read the news and listen to the experts, there have been plenty of research that supports this change. But what really matters RIGHT THIS MINUTE is: How can you reach your Facebook audience again after this update? No doubt, it is going to be a challenge that we all have to adapt towards. In order to do so, businesses need to create more quality content that engages conversation amongst users while being involved with Facebook groups. Here are a few ways my business is adapting to the new algorithm. RG Pacific creates new and attractive content on business pages that link to the company’s website while ensuring that users have a chance to comment and convey their ideas in the post.

Snap Audience Match, Snapchat’s New Ad Targeting

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Snapchat has become one of the most popular channels to share photos and videos. However, compared to other social media sites, Snapchat had missed the in-app behavioral targeting for marketers. With the introduction of Snap Audience Match, Snapchat will now allow brands to take their email lists and files of mobiles devices IDs in order to anonymously sync data from Snap chats user pool. Marketers will also be able to target viewers based on the content categories that they follow. This new strategy will also allow brands to target interstitial ads. For example if a viewer were watching a recipe channel, then a food brand like Nestlé would be able to advertise in between videos. Another method that marketers can use are the Snapchat Geofilters or sponsored lenses. In this case if an individual uses one of these sponsored filters then the brand would be able to retarget him.

To read the full article from AdWeek click here.

To find out more about RG Pacific’s Social Media services click here.

Finding the Best Social Media Channel For Your Industry

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Finding the right social media platform for your business is crucial. While certain industries may strive on Instagram others may do poorly. That is because each social media platform has its niche industry in which it serves the strongest to. This can be due to many reasons, maybe the album sharing, creation of events or videos. Certain industries need specific attributes of the social media platform for the industry. One of the reasons why using a specific social media site is important is because of the influencers from your industry that can be found. Influencers are a significant factor because of how they affect the consumer market. More recently, consumers have begun to trust social media influencers because they act as a tastemaker and friend. Influencers have become more trusted than celebrities because they connect personally with their audience and are everyday people like them. In one of AdWeek’s recent articles they shared an infographic that displays where industries ‘shine the brightest.’ Some of the information that can be found is how Instagram is the strongest channel for fashion and travel influencers. While parenting influencers are best found on Twitter and the best channel for the food industry is Facebook. Finding influencers on these social media channels can be a successful tool in reaching your audience. Check out the infographic here to see what social media platforms are best for your industry. Additionally you can allow RG Pacific to manage your social media accounts and help you find the best way to reach your audience and keep them engaged.

Your Guide To Using Snapchat For Marketing

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As video marketing content becomes increasing successful at bringing in customers, Snapchat is taking the lead when it comes to promoting your business’ services on social media. Snapchat has gone from being a simple photo and video sharing app to a marketing tool that can’t be ignored. The app has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2011; self-destructing photos and video are no longer just for smartphone-savvy teens – they’re for marketers who want a creative way to reach their target audience.

Read more on Forbes.com…

Instagram is Changing the Way Businesses Advertise on Social Media

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RG Pacific has actively proven that Social Media Marketing (SMM) can elevate a company’s customer base and increase sales in a dramatic way. SMM implements social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to successfully brand and market a business among today’s largest communities. Through years of successful experience and training, our web and marketing team at RG Pacific has mastered the algorithms behind top and upcoming social media platforms to help our clients create an impactful social media marketing plan. We like to live on the cutting edge of marketing innovation so our customers’ businesses stay ahead.

Until recently, marketing boutiques such as RG Pacific had little control over the reachable demographic on the image based social media platform: Instagram. On the other hand, Twitter and Facebook had optimized features, such as paid in-app advertising, feedback on activity, and interactive platforms. Instagram was a relatively elusive platform for the purpose of SMM.

According to a Pew Research Center report, 72% of online American adults use Facebook. So, when Facebook purchased Instagram in 2012 they also acquired the data from Instagram’s younger demographic. Since its acquisition of Instagram, Facebook has already begun making changes within Instagram that allow the RG Pacific’s marketing team to use Instagram in innovative ways to bring more customers to our clients. We are able to gain more insight into our target demographics’ preferences through the use of Facebook and Instagram’s detailed demographic data. Additionally, Facebook has incorporated their algorithms into Instagram news feed, which allows relevant and personalized content to be featured on a user’s Instagram homepage, placing our advertisements in the hands of potential customers.

Our team of experts recognize the immense value Instagram presents to our clients when it comes to accessing potential buyers and brand followers. Instagram now has 500 million users, and 300 million of them actively use the app every single day. Collectively, Instagram users are tapping the “like” button on Instagram 4.2 billion times per day, placing Facebook’s latest project on the forefront of user interaction. Our team at RG Pacific has years of working with Facebook algorithms which are now being implemented within Instagram. By combining this knowledge with our creative content development, we have finally gained control over how our clients are represented on Instagram.

With a highly comprehensive grasp on the back-end functions of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, RG Pacific has completed the SMM trifecta and we are excited to bring this knowledge to our clients. RG Pacific uses our client’s accounts to create content that reflects the culture of the consumer using the data provided on Analytics reports, social media insights, and e-commerce data. Our creative team works closely with the companies we represent to increase their online presence and generate leads to their products and services. We customize our SMM services to develop inspired marketing campaigns and engaging content to increase followers. In addition to these services, our team creates reports on conversions, clicks, and levels of engagement to help our clients keep track of the progress they are making on the online community. Give us a call at (888) 568-2555 to learn more about how the team at RG Pacific can help your company get into the hands of thousands of potential new customers.

Using Twitter to Build Your Brand

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Twitter is a micro blogging social network that is very simple to set up, and get running for the purposes of promoting your brand, content, products, sales, and more. The better the content you put out, the farther your content will go and the more mentions, retweets, and favorites it will earn.

Think of Twitter as a long term project. You need time to understand and grow your Twitter audience. A successful Twitter campaign consists of dedicated daily effort.

RG Pacific offers plans to help your business build its brand via Twitter. Our social media experts engage users by using hash tags, trending topics, and what people are searching on Twitter. Additionally, we search for your competition and get an idea of what content of theirs gets published consistently on Twitter.

Hire RG Pacific to manage your Twitter Profile

  • Set up new profile
  • Build your exisiting profile
  • Set up Twitter updates
  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Set up and manage contests or sweepstakes
  • Build followers
  • Connect with buyers, followers, industry experts, etc.
  • Link building

Pinterest for Your Business: a New Social Media Tool That You Need NOW

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Pinterest has quickly risen in 2012 and has become one of the hottest social networks for  fashion curators, celebrities, brands, and even the POTUS! But more importantly, it is now becoming a must have for e-commerce and business services websites everywhere!

The growth of Pinterest was very sudden and is one of the surprises in the Technology Industry for 2012. Pinterest grew its audience from 2.5 million people to 25 million between 2011 and 2012. By the end of the year, Nielsen ranked Pinterest as the sixth most popular social network, with 27.2 million unique U.S. visitors.

So how exactly does Pinterest work for you an your business? It can allow you to grow an audience similar to Facebook and Twitter BUT it also allows users to follow your brand and share it on a level that encourages trends, products, and reviews. It also is a great SEO tool as well. Your “board” can be optimized with your top terms to make your content SEO rich and gain a larger audience.

If you are in E-Commerce, it is critical that you add an item to Pinterest for your followers to check out (and share,

too!), with a price banner in the corner of the photo. Simply type out the value within the caption, like “Men’s Designer Shirt, $59”. Not only will it grow interest in your product, but can lead directly to sales as well.

One important element of Pinterest that is not only new but critical to business owners, whom are not really aware, is that most Pinterest users are in the purchase-ready part of the buying cycle! They are willing and ready to purchase items as they browse the Pinterest network. Therefore, it is CRUCIAL that you get your products in front of willing buyers who come across your products.
Pinterest is now becoming a critical marketing tool for businesses and is a new and innovative way to drive traffic to your website and, more importantly, build brand awareness and sales.  Pinterest is actively building integration tools for websites and site platforms like Magento, WordPress, and others. Not having Pinterest in 2013 will be a big mistake. Build your presence with Pinterest and see active users that are looking for a product or service like yours. It has even been reported that ROI and Sales is actually HIGHER on Pinterest than Facebook and Twitter COMBINED. That also is a tidbit of information that many are not aware of yet. Take this info and run with it before your competitors do.
Pin it to win!
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