Social media marketing services for small businesses help companies flourish. Discover some of the most effective tools in our guide. Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned veteran, you will find what you need here. So, how to use social media for small businesses?

What are Social Media Marketing Services?

The strategy tool most used by businesses is social media. Professional services allow brands to leverage platforms like Instagram to reach a broader and more multifaceted audience. Social media marketing services for small businesses let them establish recognition, attract and retain customers, and achieve other goals. Companies reach their prospects where they spend their time online and drive sales. 

Generic advertising does not work anymore. Social media is a space for engaging and targeted ads that get users talking about products and services. Forget unsolicited DMs from companies trying to showcase their products. Effective campaigns are complex, focused on relevance and trust-building. 

You cannot expect remarkable results without giving a lot of thought to your goals or methods. Professionals help businesses avoid the typical pitfalls and maximize output. Social media marketing services include:

• the choice of the right channels — sites and apps that drive traffic and demand in your niche,
• data-driven strategy planning based on the goals, channels, and target audience of your brand,
• account/profile setup if the company has not used social media before, 
• creation and publishing of content and ads,
• campaign management,
• monitoring and analysis of the results,
• education and consulting, 
• and more! 

The Value of Social Media Marketing Services for Small Businesses

In many small organizations, marketers have to be the jacks of all trades. They are tasked with graphic design, press releases, and anything remotely connected to communications. With so much on their plates, they are often unable to devote time to all relevant channels. Some employees are not even sure how to use social media for small businesses. When it falls off their to-do list, this is a big mistake.

These networks have become so important that no company can afford to ignore them. Social media allows businesses to boost sales and the bottom line. Positive interaction between brands and users prompts purchases — 90% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they follow online. 

Social media marketing for small businesses allows them to forge and reinforce relationships with customers through targeted engagement, build trust, drive awareness and sales. It is also a place where news of poor customer experience spreads like wildfire. This is particularly dangerous when the business does not have a social media presence, so it is oblivious to the damage until it is too late. Negative media content can disrupt trust in a brand quickly. So, how can you harness the power of social media in businesses? 

Small Business Pain Points

Social media marketing for small businesses requires thorough planning and marketing expertise. Here are some of the most common challenges in any industry and digital marketing services that resolve them. 

• We are not able to get new customers

Social media connects you with people who do not know about your brand and can benefit from your products or services. For example, entrepreneurs can use Biteable to create video pitches. Engaging, entertaining, and informing the audience helps them build credibility and drive sales.

Make sure your ads are shown to the right users. They can be targeted based on interests, behaviors, and other demographic data. The Aitarget Video Ad is a social media tool for businesses that lets you showcase goods to the audience that needs them. 

• We are not able to keep existing customers

Offering great products at low prices may not suffice to turn customers into brand advocates. You need to keep track of conversations about your company and fix any issues quickly. Mention can monitor references to your brand, products, or competitors in real-time.

Aitarget will help you present exclusive offers and loyalty programs through well-designed ads. Retargeting is also crucial, as it lets businesses reach 98% of non-returning users and potentially turn them into customers. Our QMODERATION social media marketing service lets you take care of the comment section, so users will feel heard. 

• Our website sucks

Social media ads can drive traffic, but what if the potential customers do not like what they see? Poor design and navigation are detrimental to the user experience. Free tools like Responsive Design Checker let companies check the responsiveness of their sites on different screens. Did you know that 47% of consumers expect a site to load in 2 seconds or less?  The Aitarget experts will suggest the best ways to optimize your platform, so leads turn into paying customers.

• Nobody knows who we are

Boosting brand awareness is the number one goal for 80% of businesses that advertise on social networks. As people learn about your brand and mention it to friends and followers, you will get more referrals. This is the new word-of-mouth. The Buzzsumo research tool shows how your content is doing and who is spreading the word. Marketing services for small businesses provided by Aitarget help them create memorable ads that spark conversations. 

• The competitors’ advertising is way better than ours

Users are inundated with ads, so you have 3 seconds or less to capture their attention. Boring design and generic messages will get you nowhere. The Aitarget social media marketing service ensures the ads stand out, and you can customize successful designer videos to your brand quickly. 

Success also requires consistency. Marketers should follow a schedule based on the best time for their audience. Automated services like Hootsuite Scheduler let companies plan hundreds of posts based on the best time for the audience. Bulk posting is a great time-saver.

• We don’t show up for anything relevant to our business when people search in Google, Bing, or other search engines

Website content must be optimized via different SEO methods, such as keywords for the niche. Handy tools like the Yoast plugin boost the performance of WordPress platforms. Meanwhile, the Drupal SEO Checklist suggests the necessary changes for sites built on this CMS.

Sharing the right links across social platforms increases brand exposure. The look of the URLs also matters, which makes link generators like Rebrandly popular. The Aitarget team will provide a review of your site and pinpoint areas of improvement to help you climb to the top. 

• Sales are down 30% from last year

The lead-to-close rate on social media is twice as high as for outbound marketing.  The Aitarget team will provide a comprehensive review of your campaigns, including ad delivery and optimization methods. We will help you make the most of social media in businesses by advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat simultaneously. Using Google Analytics, you can see how much traffic comes to your site from each of the networks and measure social ROI.

• There’s some new competition in town, and they look like they really know what they are doing

Any company can gain an edge with an effective strategy. Aitarget will help you outshine and outsmart your rivals. For example, aside from creating memorable and engaging content, you could target users whose interests include your competitors. The Ubersuggest tool lets businesses reverse engineer their rivals’ SEO, content marketing, and SMM marketing.

Setting Social Media Advertising Goals for Small Business

Without clear goals, you cannot determine if your tactics are working. Setting the objectives is crucial, but it is also challenging. Here are three ways to identify relevant targets for marketing services for small businesses.

Based on Your Funnel

This is the path your potential customers travel through. What is their first impression? What can you do to lead them all the way to the purchasing stage? Overemphasis on sales is the reason why 45% of users unfollow brands on social media. Your content must drive brand awareness, generate demand, and drive conversion. Digital marketing services for small businesses drive engagement, so you can get positive mentions and inspire customer evangelism. 

Based on Peer Analysis

Many other marketers are facing the same challenges as you. Look at your counterparts and their goals. According to Sprout, most professionals focus on increasing brand awareness, boosting community engagement, and attracting web traffic. These objectives are probably aligned with your own! 

By industry

Educational institutions may use social media to recruit new students or increase event attendance. Software providers are interested in leads, loyalty, and competitor analysis. Retailers want to drive sales and expand reach. Healthcare providers can attract more patients, build trust and relationships in the local community. Look at your industry to figure out what goals to pursue.

Time to Start Selling Globally With Aitarget Social Media Marketing Ads Tools

Aitarget is a marketing partner for Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. We help brands create engaging and transferable ads across digital platforms. Our social media marketing services for small businesses help them reach a global audience using:

• The Aitarget eCommerce is a social media tool for businesses that generates powerful video ads for Facebook on the basis of product catalogs. It is packed with eye-catching templates that bring proven results. Just pick the colors, fonts, and effects, and your video will be ready in 45 seconds! 
• The Aitarget Automation small business tool lets you launch ads on Facebook and Instagram quickly. Using versatile settings, you can automate and copy your campaigns to save time and effort. The tool gathers stats, facilitates A/B tests, and supports automation strategies of different complexity. It allows easy scaling and ensures you stay within budget.
• The Aitarget Video Tool creates personalized video ads based on your design, catalog, and audience splitting. Target users by country, demographics, or interests. Update and format videos for different platforms methods, such as Instagram stories, Facebook news feeds, or YouTube.

The First Step for Selecting the Right Social Media Tool

Before choosing social media services for small businesses, collect data on your audience. Its technological preferences will define tailored methods that work for it. For example, Facebook is used by 2.7 billion users, most of whom are between the ages of 25 and 34. It is also used by boomers who have more money to spend.

Many social media platforms have built-in insights. For example, the analytics option on Twitter allows you to get a breakdown of your audiences. You can understand where these users are based, whether they are mostly male or female, there are lifestyle preferences, buyer styles, and more. Make no mistake — the first step for selecting the right social media tools is always studying your audience. 

Aitarget Automated Ad Tool Helps Small Businesses to Achieve Social Media Goals 

With Aitarget, enterprises forge ahead in the digital space through video creatives, management, automation, and scaling of campaigns. We are passionate about social media technologies and help companies of any size reach and engage customers on the biggest and fastest-growing platforms. Our social media services for small businesses help them streamline, automate and manage promotional efforts across this vibrant digital space. 

Our digital marketing services for small businesses help companies make the most of social media tools, as our automation and tracking solutions reduce the workload. You can monitor your spending and performance in one place, and make changes to campaigns at any time. Smart automation by Aitarget allows you to copy ads and UTM tags from one ad set to another. Make your brand stand out on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube! 

Another component of online marketing services for small businesses is expert support, which helps clients optimize their catalogs. Aitarget will turn your product feed into Dynamic Ads that will catch the eye and drive conversions across social media. We assist clients at every stage and monitor the results with them. Customizable metrics let us adapt the insights from web and mobile traffic to your needs. As our tools integrate data from 200+ CRM and offline conversion sources, you can build a robust retail channel quickly. With Aitarget, you will:

Increase Brand Awareness

This is the top priority for small business marketing services. Through ads, you will get the word out. Aitarget will help you choose the right platforms for your audience. Outstanding ads are not just viewed — they are also shared, which means even more people learn about your brand. 

Users repost values-driven content that affects them emotionally. This is impossible without targeting. Aitarget lets you target users by country, demography, or interests to hit the bull’s eye. We provide all prerequisites for an awareness boost: the right platforms, the right strategies, and the right formats. 

Increase Community Engagement

Brands that overlook this aspect set themselves up for failure. After all, social media is all about being social. Users are not impressed by overly promotional content. Online marketing services for small businesses are not a one-way street: aside from showcasing your products, you should also bring value to the audience. Answer questions and manage feedback in real-time using our moderation tool. 

Target your ads, so what the user sees resonates with their interests or buying patterns. Aitarget will help you create ads focused on value, rather than features. Such content gets the users talking, so your ads will be shared and discussed.

Increase Website Clicks

With social media marketing services for small businesses from Aitarget, you can create attractive and relevant ads with a clear call to action. Automated campaigns will drive traffic, as they will resonate with your target audience. Did you know that adding a CTA on Facebook can boost the click-through rate by 285%? 

We will also analyze your website’s Facebook Pixel to help you boost conversions, optimize ads, and adjust targeting and retargeting. As more users will click on your ads, you will get more leads and customers. This helps to boost the bottom line in any industry, which is why the information strategy tool most used by businesses is social media.

We live in a time when consumer preferences are highly changeable, and technology marketing is developing at breakneck speed to keep up with them. Advertisers cannot rely on guesswork. They have to constantly manage the balance between proven methods and the latest fads to outpace the competition. 

Discover 18 hottest trends in digital marketing that will help your brand flourish in this age of innovation. From AR to video marketing to influencer marketing & geofencing, these are the things you can implement today to stay relevant in the future. They will boost the visibility of your website, drive traffic and sales. 

AR

According to Gartner, by 2022, almost two thirds of businesses will be experimenting with immersive technologies, and a quarter of companies will have implemented them in production. Despite the hype around virtual reality, augmented reality (AR) is easier to adopt. It also lets brands create a superior customer experience that drives sales.

For example, Sephora Virtual Artist by ModiFace shows the user how different types of make-up products would look on their face. Meanwhile, IKEA Place overlays the company’s furniture on a photo of a room. You can even move the items around and see how they look from different angles.

AI 

Companies hesitating to adopt Artificial Intelligence may soon find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. AI-driven systems analyze consumer behavior and search, aggregate and condense data from blogs and social media. These technologies help brands understand how users find their products or services and boost visibility. 

For example, the MasterCard chatbot on Facebook uses natural language processing to reply to queries and automate payments. ClickFlow’s Content Editor helps companies optimize content based on data from the top 20 ranking pages. It serves up keywords, subtopics, recommended word count, and more to help them climb to the top of organic search results. Aitarget uses powerful AI tools for cross-platform marketing on social media, including fluid creatives based on real-time insights. 

Voice Search Optimization

72% of consumers who own voice-activated speakers consider them an integral part of their daily routines. Systems like Google and Siri are getting smarter, and voice shopping is expected to reach $40 billion in 2022. As consumers are using such assistants to search for products, voice search optimization is becoming a must for any e-commerce site. 

This novelty can provide a unique experience that fosters brand loyalty. For example, Domino’s lets customers order pizza without phone calls or an app. You can even make PayPal transfers using Siri. Nestlé created a “skill” for Alexa that provides voice instructions as you cook.

Programmatic Advertising

This term refers to automated buying and selling of online advertising. The trend is strong: according to eMarketer, 88% of digital display ads in the U.S. will be programmatic by the end of 2021. A great example is real-time bidding, which is more efficient than manual methods. The format translates into higher conversion and cheaper customer acquisition. 

Brands do not have to use separate platforms to advertise on different channels, and they may use hundreds of targeting signals to tailor their ads narrowly. Manual campaigns consider 3-4 criteria, such as keyword or location. Meanwhile, programmatic advertising platforms may target users according to behavior habits or lifestyle. 

Social Messaging Apps

Did you know that WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat combined have over 4.5 billion users? In Facebook Messenger alone, 10 billion messages are exchanged between individuals and businesses monthly. As social messaging apps are so popular, companies use them to reach their target audience directly, providing a personalized user experience.

If your website has a live chat, customers are more likely to return to it. This is true for 63% of users. In addition, messaging apps will let you deliver valuable information and cultivate contact with your target audience, boost sales, involve customers in events, and provide support.

Shoppable Content

Any image, video, or article may be shoppable, which means it contains a direct link to a buyout portal. This simplifies the journey from discovering products to purchasing them on e-commerce platforms.

This is so much more engaging than standard product descriptions with details, images, and prices. Shoppable content is interactive, and it can tell a captivating story. For example, Instagram users may purchase products directly from a post or story. A similar feature is offered by Pinterest. Brands like H&M are filling their profiles with shoppable posts. Their followers get inspired, discover new products, and buy them directly.

Video Marketing

Research confirms that videos appeal to users more than static images or text. 70% of consumers have shared a brand’s video at least once, while 72% of companies have seen a substantial improvement in conversion rate thanks to video ads. 

This is the most popular way to learn about new products and services. Creating powerful videos is also easier than ever thanks to automation. For example, the Aitarget E-Commerce Tool can generate them from product catalogs in just 45 seconds!

Over half of consumers say that product videos give them confidence in their buying decisions online. This does not only apply to YouTube! Video posts and live broadcasts are now shared on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

Instagram Reels

The emergence of Reels was great news for a savvy marketer. They provide twice as much engagement as normal videos and are used for different types of content, from product reviews to behind-the-scenes processes. Instagram also lets you track the performance of these ads using its insights.

Louis Vuitton’s marketers create Instagram reels bound to go viral — each of their innovative videos receives 5 million views on average! When NFL teams’ launched their Reels, they saw 67% more engagement as compared to regular videos. Clearly, this is one of the best ways to grab and retain your customers’ attention. 

Personalization 

Generic advertising is a poor choice, as 63% of users find it annoying. In comparison, personalized emails, recommendations, and products attract 90% of consumers. Personalized videos created by Aitarget help companies maximize their results on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Personalization works across industries, as accurate targeting ensures relevance. 

For example, EasyJet found that emails with stories based on the user’s travel history had a 25% higher click-through rate. Cadbury’s achieved a 65% CTR when it launched a video campaign matching a Dairy Milk flavor with Facebook users based on their age, interest, location, and other information on their profiles. 

Conversational Marketing

Today, when a consumer has a sales-related query, they expect an immediate response. According to new research published on HubSpot, 82% of users do not want to wait. Conversation marketing caters to their needs, as it is all about building a real-time connection between brands and customers. Thanks to chatbots, brands can build AI-driven dialogue 24/7 across multiple devices and platforms. 

Conversational marketing boosts engagement, as it enhances the user experience through a feedback-based model. Eventually, this translates into higher brand loyalty. Businesses need to incorporate a wide spectrum of channels and adopt the manner of communication their audience prefers. 

Chatbots 

Chatbots that communicate by text and auditory methods are one of the biggest trends. Instant responses to questions from site visitors boost engagement and let companies reduce staff costs. For example, Starbucks’ MyBarista app lets customers place orders through a chatbot using Amazon Alexa or messaging.

Over half — 63% — of users prefer this format to other channels. Chatbots are also multitaskers, as they can provide 24/7 customer support dealing with hundreds of inquiries at once. Today, delegating repetitive tasks to AI is a no-brainer. Companies may also let the AiTarget QModeration tool moderate comments to their ads on social media.

Visual Search

Now, users can upload an image of a product to find where to buy it or find similar goods. Pinterest Lens, Google Lens, CamFind, and Bing Visuals Search turn your smartphone into a visual search bar. The method is used for many categories from fashion to travel. 62% of Millennials prefer it to other novelties.

Now, Pinterest Lens recognizes 2.5 billion objects, and it has been used over 600 million times. Pincodes found in stores and magazines open the brands’ profiles when scanned. Lens Your Look takes the guesswork out of wardrobe planning, while Shop the Look lets you buy products you see in a photo. 

Browser Push Notifications

Most e-commerce sites (85%) use push notifications to boost engagement. Enhanced with images and CTAs, they can bring twice as many sign-ups as newsletters. They let marketers increase the click-through rate despite short attention spans. Push notifications are also resistant to ad blockers, which are now installed on 615 million devices. Meanwhile, ROI may grow by as much as 2,200%!

These notifications are increasingly sophisticated and customized. Personalization shows higher conversions in comparison with generic messages (54% vs. 15%), and a higher open rate (7% vs. 3%). This is a popular way to re-engage users and remind them about abandoned shopping carts.

Automated Email Marketing

Emails are still the most reliable channel of online marketing. They are six times more likely to be clicked on than a tweet, while a CTA button in an email can boost the click-through rate by 28%, according to Backlinko. However, the abuse of mailshots has reduced the efficiency of conventional methods. 

Innovative systems let a marketer send personalized emails based on schedules or triggers. Automated email marketing campaigns show that the brand is not an impersonal entity, which makes customers feel special and brings tangible results. As we have mentioned, EasyJet achieved a higher conversion through email personalization based on every user’s purchase history. 

Interactive Content 

A whopping 91% of customers are actively searching for interactive content. One of the fastest-growing trends of 2021 signifies a shift from text to dynamic, engaging, and immersive forms. These include quizzes, polls, calculators, AR ads, and 360° videos. 

For example, the Single Grain’s Marketing Impact Calculator lets users see how much more money they can make by using the company’s services. Content built for interaction is more memorable, and it makes people feel connected to brands on a deeper level. This means interactive elements will help your brand achieve its goals better than a static image or article. 

SERP Position Zero

Position zero in search results is a great way to win eyes and organic click-through. It refers to the information shown above the first result (not including paid ads), which is also known as a “featured snippet”. It is the holy grail of modern SEO.

Now, you do not need a screen to run an internet search. This year, nearly a third of queries will be zero-click voice searches. In almost 41% of cases, answers come from a featured snippet. This brings VSEO (voice search engine optimization) to the forefront. Brands are competing for space in Google SERPs, as “zero-click search” is used for 62.5% of mobile searches and 34.4% of desktop searches.

Influencer Marketing & Geofencing

Cooperation with influencers helps brands amplify their messages, as these users (YouTube and Instagram personalities or celebrities) have a huge following. This form of marketing is perceived as more authentic, and 63% of consumers trust the opinions of influencers more than ads. 

Another trend is geofencing — the use of radio frequency identification, GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular data to trigger a text, email, or ad. Starbucks sends push notifications with great deals when the user is around one of its coffee shops. Meanwhile, Sephora’s “store companion” is activated once the customer walks into the store. It shows current promos, discounts, etc. 

Branding

Google aims to provide users with accurate, up-to-date, and authoritative content on any topic. Its E.A.T. (Expertise, Authority, and Trust) ranking factor gives strong brands an advantage, as it prioritizes pages with high-quality content that comes from experts and contains links to trusted sites. 

Over 65% of consumers feel connected to a brand they trust, and companies must focus on building their expertise. Some of the methods are guest posts on leading blogs in their niche, talks at conferences, and applying for industry awards. Author bio at the bottom of published content builds brand recognition and earns trust. 

When everything is set up, you will need amazing images for your creative ads. Let’s get in touch!

Our team of experts in e-commerce advertising will show you cool overlay technology to scale banner production process. Such companies as Adidas, Farfetch and Philips have already tried it, now it’s your turn. Contact us help@aitarget.com

When you thought that advertisers had been through the worst of the storm, they are dealt with this new card, talk about hitting them when they are already down. In this light, marketing companies have no option but to look for unorthodox means of getting new customers and also keeping tabs on the current ones. 

One option for achieving this is by getting data directly from consenting customers as a Direct-To-Customer (DTC) brand. The whole privacy improvement idea is centered around removing self-attribution networks that have become major players in this field. New features like masking the IP and email address will make it difficult to use them as the only online tracking identifier. For advertisers and marketers, this new update requires different strategies, lets discuss what other implications it has for digital advertisers.

iOS 14.5 + iOS 15 – the Difference

As far as general differences between the two operating systems, there are several updates that come along with the recent version. While most of the features have remained pretty much the same, Apple shifted its focus on new apps and improving some existing features like Siri and Maps. 

But, let’s get away from that, the differences in the updates that make sense to the digital advertiser and online marketers are the improvements on privacy. The recent update essentially builds on iOS 14.5 and comes with three significant upgrades. iOS 15 builds from its predecessor’s tracking dashboard. The App Tracking Transparency feature makes tracking consent-based. The user has full control over the trackers they want to be involved in or not. Users can also see who is collecting data from them through a detailed but easy report. This new update is also putting a stop to email tracking by masking the IP address. The last significant update for privacy is to enable Siri to operate offline to avoid the risk of unwarranted audio recording.

App Privacy Report

In the spirit of putting matters of privacy in the hands of the user, the latest update comes with a detailed yet easy-to-understand privacy report. This report is a summary of how frequently applications use the permissions the user extends to them, for instance, microphone, camera, location, and even contacts. The user can then critically analyze the data and see whether it makes sense to them or not. 

It doesn’t stop here, the report also puts to the fore who their data is shared with by highlighting all the third-party domains associated with the particular application, how often the domain contacts the app, and vice versa. Right from this feature, users have the ability to decide on what to do with the applications that share data with other third-party domains. One possible course to take is to remove all the permissions previously granted by the user. Such detailed reports were not available on other previous updates. This new version affects digital advertisers who depend on third-party domains for data. 

SKAdNetwork Postback Aggregation in iOS 15

It is not all bad with the iOS 15 altogether, it is however good to see that Apple is acknowledging the presence of advertisers in this equation although in a small way. SKAdNetworks are a friendly way of sharing information with the applications on the phone while withholding user and device-level data. Now advertisers have the opportunity to receive copies of winning postbacks that come via the API privacy attribution, SKAdNetwork. 

This particular change is very much welcomed because it gives marketers and advertisers better transparency, what’s more, getting data right from the source is a better option for many advertisers. Once you opt in, you will receive postbacks on every successive install via an ad. This feature is not just beneficial to advertising agencies but also to developers who have been pushing for this feature for the longest time. On the flip side nonetheless, advertisers do not have the control or power over the SKAN campaign ID. The control lies with the ad networks where each network has its own individual mapping.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Intelligent Tracking Prevention is not an entirely new feature exclusive for this update, on the contrary, this feature first came into existence back in 2017 as Apple introduced API to Safari. Essentially, ITP changes how advertisers and different websites were accustomed to using cookies to tailor-make advertisements. The owners of different sites and digital advertisers track user’s digital footprints across different domains and from that they are able to personalize ads and campaigns to offer services or advertise goods. 

ITP is evolving and different web browsers are taking the Apple approach by incorporating ITP as part of privacy protection to its users. Firefox has an ITP that blocks and reports back to the user how many cookies have been blocked but doesn’t indicate who placed the cookies. However, Google Chrome is blaming Apple and Firefox for the more harmful approaches to tracking that are now taking shape because of blocking cookies. 

Changes in the New iOS Affecting Digital Advertisers Negatively

Let’s face it, ad performance is the bread and butter of any marketing or digital advertising company, and Apple is not slowing down on strict privacy updates. These privacy control features are giving digital marketing companies a hard time in getting their hands on important conversion data. 

For instance, the API Safari feature blocks cookies from tracking the online activities of users making it difficult for marketing companies to come up with ads exclusive to different individuals. Moreover, the opt-in feature that Apple requires apps to consent to in order to access identifiers from the user is counterproductive since the user can decide not to give certain permission to that particular app or worse still, no permissions at all. 

How do Changes in iOS 15 Affect the Activities of Digital Advertisers?

The current iOS version; iOS 14.5 dealt a big blow to digital advertisers and the latest version; iOS 15 is not getting any lenient to them. In fact, this latest version is coming with more privacy options for users, digital marketers have just been dealt a significant blow. The most significant change in the new version that is going to affect the activities of online advertisers is the Mail Privacy Protection. 

With the introduction of the Apple Mail app, the Mail Privacy Protection will prevent the sender from knowing whether the email sent has been opened or not, therefore, making it very difficult to determine whether that action is linked to other online activities. For online advertisers, email marketing has been essential in their business, giving brands the highest Return on Investment. Considering the footprint Apple Mail app has on all the available devices, the future is not looking too good for digital advertisers. With the Mail Privacy Protection, online advertisers will have a difficult time assessing the relation between email activity and the Return On Investment making business difficult. 

Difficulties Encountered When Working with Versions 15 of iOS

Similar to the previous version, there are a few bugs that mainly affect the general user experience. These bugs, however, were mainly evident on the beta version but the September release promises to take care of the few hitches. Nonetheless, digital advertisers have more than a few hitches to worry about. The whole transition to consumer privacy control is what will bring roadblocks to the business. 

While the previous versions had the identifier for Advertisers  IDFA where advertisers could know what ads to present to a particular user, the new version iOS 15 comes with an option to disable this feature. Technically this is similar to blinding the advertiser, it will be virtually impossible to know what the user’s online activities are and also how to reach them in any network. For the first time ever, this new update gives the users control of what market will have some access to their data and who will not.

Recommendations for Overcoming Difficulties in iOS 15

The silent war between digital marketing and privacy will not end any time soon. However, it is imperative to develop new ways of navigating this murky world that is proving to be a tough nut for online marketers to crack. Regardless, overcoming difficulties for advertisers will mean looking for new approaches to marketing. 

The silver lining in this dark cloud is that marketing will have to take a more valuable approach. Data is like currency, marketers will have to provide value before asking for data. Now, digital advertisers will have to come up with creative ways of reconnecting and building stronger ties with their audiences. Moving forward, it will be necessary to have to show value and accountability before asking for data. Forging more honest relationships with the audience will also mean that their feedback is reliable, transparent, and trusted. 

Now you will be able to curate emails that the recipients want because they will be able to give you their preferences. No more guessing about what users may fancy. The move towards more privacy will help marketing go back to its former glory. Because the information will be willingly given to you by the audience, as a marketer you can now create meaningful and valuable content which is relevant for them. Finally, the best way to get ahead of any situation is to equip yourself with relevant and up-to-date information. Understand the direction marketing is going and also work with other experts in trying to find the best solution that will work for you. 

Direct-to-consumer Brands and iOS 15

D2C brands appear to be barely taking the brunt of the recent iOS 15 upgrade. This is because they are already making use of the direct-to-customer approach that digital marketers will soon have to get into. Right now, direct-to-consumer brands are getting first-hand data from consistent and consenting clients. However, D2C brands have not been relying entirely on consenting clients, to the contrary, they have been relying on social media platforms for advertising and customer acquisition. These brands have been able to critically assess client’s purchasing patterns thanks to detailed tracking. 

So what does the new upgrade have to do with the direct-to-consumer brands? With the new update, D2C brands might still be able to push advertisements but they won’t be able to tell whether clients made purchases through their phones. This will in turn compromise their ability to make better business decisions without the effective data from the advertisements. Now D2C companies have to fall back to their original ways of getting loyal clients who will give them reliable feedback to work with.

Embrace Personalized Messaging

All is not lost yet, despite the new update coming with the Hide my email feature, the mechanism of operation still gives some room for smart advertising. It goes without saying that the online marketing company will not be able to see the email address of the user that has given consent, but they will still have a line of communication. Understanding how to personalize the emails and sending them at the right time is key. Digital advertising agencies need to come up with creative ways they can use to persuade users to share data through this channel. 

For instance, you could offer a discount on sales or services offered if the user agrees to fill in simple and fast surveys. Through this method, digital advertisers can collect valuable data on the user’s preference and purchasing intentions for free. What’s more, this process will also give you accurate information directly from the user which can be relied upon. Moving forward, the digital marketing scene will require deliberate efforts to get the right information using this channel of direct communication to the user. 

Conclusion

Apple isn’t stopping any time soon with the privacy-centered approach. With the soon-to-be-launched iOS 15 updates, more privacy features are expected. This will further destabilize the digital advertising space, but the good thing is that businesses still have ways to work within the system. Through restrategizing and changing tact, digital advertisers will be able to adapt to the soon to arrive upgrade.

A dozen rules for a winning Snapchat advertising strategy

The greatest advantage of Snapchat for business is its unique audience of millenials. These users are digital natives: fresh, trendy, highly involved. Another big benefit: you cannot come across 40% of them on any other platform.

Aitarget became a Snapchat marketing partner in 2017, which opened easy new ways for brands to advertise in Eastern Europe. Our client BetterMe – a fitness app with Ukrainian roots – then utilised Snapchat Ads to leap into the Top 3 apps by revenue in the American App Store within six months.

With the help of Aitarget, the BetterMe app drove new audiences and doubled traffic by way of winning creatives and meticulously configured automations. The cost per purchase decreased by 30%, and conversions from app installs to purchase increased by one third.

Snapchat ad for BetterMe. Source: Snapchat Success Story.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Snapchat has 186 million daily active users spread across the world. In the US it is the most popular social network among teenagers, ahead of Instagram. Imagine promoting your business through Snapchat to this hungry audience. Yet many advertisers are unaware of the best ways to leverage this funky messaging service.

Some rules for winning Snap-creatives

The nature of Snapchat ads means there are no random clicks or swipes for users to interact with your creative. A user’s intention to communicate with your business through your ad is always deliberate, and therefore interest in your product immediately turns into the target action of a potential client. This makes Snapchat ads more profitable, providing you with a much higher conversion rate.

Through our many experiences with Snapchat advertising, Aitarget has been collecting and analysing various practices and experiments from our clients. We present our findings and advertising tips to encourage you to thrive through Snapchat.

Tailor your Snapchat content

Re-formatted or cropped videos from Instagram do not work as well as tailor-made content. The maximum length of a Snapchat ad is 10 seconds, but we recommend that your message should be no longer than three to five seconds.

To begin with, show your brand, logo and call to action. First impressions are key: make an attractive brand image, otherwise the audience will not be interested.

Keep your objective in mind

Your message must serve the objective you’re trying to achieve with your advertising campaign. What is the overall purpose of the campaign and what are you trying to achieve? Be direct in showing what it is all about. Remember that a CTA is just a way to get the audience to complete the goal you’re aiming for. Use a simple visual way to bring it to life.

Ad Formats for Snapchat. Source: Snap Business.

Feature a singular message

After sorting out your objective and CTA, you’ll now need to communicate that in a simple, singular message. Keep it short and sweet! Five seconds is too little to cover all the advantages of your product. Choose the main benefit of your product, and stick to it.

Encourage users to take the right action

The whole idea of running any ad campaign is to achieve a certain goal. You must provide clear straightforward direction on what you want your audience to do next. Whether it is downloading an app, purchasing a product, or visiting a website.

A Sumpto study showed 67% of university students want to receive more brand discounts and promotions on Snapchat. Encourage the audience to visit your website or social media profiles, and reward those that engage with a special filter or competitive prices.

Use purposeful sound design

Many people overlook the power of sound, especially in social media ads.

According to Snapchat, more than two thirds of Snapchat videos are viewed with the sound on. Pay attention to this small detail and produce a purposeful sound design along with creative visuals. Remember, your ad might look great, but it must also sound great!

Snapchat content has to be exquisite and appealing

The audience will not engage with simplistic designs. Millennials love VR and Snapchat is quite good at it. The more impressive your content is, the better your chances of obtaining positive results. The creation of a “cool-looking” vibe includes the use of various engaging effects, like Glitch.

Source: Snapchat Lens Studio News

Play with the audience

Snapchat users aren’t afraid of ads

On the contrary, they despise dishonesty.

With all due respect to vast VR options for advertisers, natural ads from influencers are no less effective – just don’t try to pretend it’s not an ad.

Creatives with emoji and drawn elements attract more attention and increase viewing time. Selfie videos are also worthwhile tools to consider.

Don’t disregard the mature audience

It comes as no surprise that a typical user on Snapchat is relatively young. For example, in the United States 78% of Internet users under 24 years old use Snapchat. However, it’s not just for teens – more and more adults are showing greater interest in the platform.

In 2017 about 15% of all American accounts on Snapchat belonged to those over 35 years old. According to forecasts, by 2021 the number will reach almost 23%.

Snapchat’s core audience is hyper-engaged

On average, users spend about 30 minutes per day on Snapchat, creating a total of 3.5 million snaps daily.

Snapchatters have the courage to share their daily life because of the embedded ephemerality feature. One can see a snap only once within 24 hours after it was published. Videos up to 10 seconds long are not kept in the accounts and automatically disappear after playback. This enables users to relax and not care about content quality. They can be more informal and it prevents the accumulation of meaningless and potentially embarrassing content.

Snapchatters like exclusive content, and surprises

Show them something only they can use and then boast about to their friends. Create geofilters that can be opened in a specific location (e.g. near your store) or 24-hour lenses that will vanish afterwards, etc.

Your marketing creativity in Snapchat is unlimited: take note of pet lens as an example.

Source: Snapchat Cat Lenses

Geofilter, it’s worth it!

Geofilter is a special overlay for Snapchatters that reflects the geographic location where they are at the time of sending the message. It’s a unique Snapchat trait. Try a custom Geofilter for an event, promotion, or location of your business.

Business filters. Source: Snapchat Support.

Use “moments”

Try to engage a specific audience segment at a set time (e.g. at around 7.45 am show your creative to young moms with a branded cereal lens, because at that time they will most likely be making a breakfast).