rankingCoach Blog

Why should you advertise on social media and how can you get started?

Written by Joshua | 12/7/21 10:28 AM

Social media advertising is one of the most effective ways for small and medium-sized businesses to get noticed online. With paid ads, you can deliver tailored messages to your ideal audience on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

In today’s digital landscape, attention is the most valuable resource. People scroll quickly, switch between apps, and filter out irrelevant content. That’s why advertising on social media has become a powerful tool to reach potential buyers across their entire customer journey. You can launch awareness campaigns before a product release, run targeted ads during peak seasons, and retarget users who already engaged with your website or posts.

 

Why consider advertising on social media?

We’ve already discussed how SEO and Google Ads bring valuable traffic from search engines. But relying only on search means waiting for people to type in a query. Social media lets you actively reach the right people based on demographics, location, interests, and behavior.

Key reasons to invest in social media advertising:

  • Your audience is already there. Social platforms are where most of your customers spend their time.

  • Highly targeted campaigns. You can segment audiences by age, gender, interests, job titles, and more.

  • Full control and flexibility. Adjust budget, targeting, placements, or creatives instantly.

  • Modern formats. Carousel ads, lead generation ads, video reels, and stories offer dynamic ways to engage.

According to recent industry studies, businesses are steadily increasing ad spend on social media. Brands that adopt smart targeting and creative formats see stronger ROI and brand recognition.

 

What are the costs of advertising on social media?

Costs vary depending on the platform, audience, and competition. Ads typically run on an auction model (similar to Google Ads), where you define a maximum bid or daily budget.

Common pricing models include:

  • Cost per 1000 impressions (CPM)

  • Cost per Click (CPC)

  • Cost per Conversion

  • Cost per Video View

What affects cost?

  • Ad quality and relevance

  • Campaign goal

  • Audience size and segmentation

  • Country and region

  • Seasonality and time of day

  • Placement (e.g., feed, stories, search results)

The good news: all major platforms provide ad manager tools with recommendations based on your goals, so you can plan and adjust in real time.

 

Tips for running successful social media ads

 

If you’re new to social media advertising, start with a clear plan:

  • Define your business objectives.Decide if you want awareness, leads, or conversions.

  • Know your audience. Be specific: age, gender, location, income, interests, habits.

  • Leverage your organic posts. Test ideas with unpaid posts first. If something performs well, it’s a strong candidate for paid promotion.

  • Create multiple ad creatives. Don’t just A/B test small changes — design completely different visuals and copy variations. The platform will optimize automatically for the best performer.

  • Optimize for mobile. Most ads are viewed on smartphones, so use clear visuals and concise copy.

How to choose the right platform

Once you know your goals and audience, pick the platforms that fit best:

Facebook

The largest user base, powerful targeting, and a broad mix of formats. Ideal for reaching a wide audience and maintaining long-term customer relationships.

Instagram

Visual-first and highly engaging, especially for younger audiences. Works well for retail, lifestyle, food, beauty, and creative brands. Easily managed via Facebook Ad Manager.

LinkedIn

Best for B2B campaigns. Target by job title, company size, or industry. Great for lead generation and professional networking.

TikTok

Explosive growth among younger demographics. Excellent for brand awareness with short, creative videos. Strong fit for entertainment, retail, and visual-based businesses.

YouTube

The second largest search engine worldwide. Perfect for “how-to” videos, tutorials, lifestyle content, and product demos.

Pinterest

Popular for inspiration and discovery, particularly among women. Effective for retail, DIY, design, and lifestyle.

Snapchat

Great for Gen Z and millennials. Works best with casual, fun, and interactive content.

Twitter (X)

Now called X, this platform thrives on trending topics and real-time engagement. Useful for brand awareness, events, and quick updates.

Boost your posts with rankingCoach

Social media advertising can feel complex, but it doesn’t have to be. With rankingCoach boost posts, small businesses can run impactful campaigns quickly and easily. You can boost posts on Facebook and Instagram at the same time, reaching a broader audience without needing advanced ad management skills. Boosted posts can achieve up to 3x more visibility and engagement, helping your content stand out.

Key advantages:

  • Save time: Promote posts simultaneously on Facebook and Instagram.

  • More interactions: Gain more likes, comments, and shares.

  • Precise targeting: Define your audience easily by age, gender, and location.

  • Budget control: Stay in charge with a flexible, adjustable budget.

  • Simple setup: Quick to launch and delivers measurable results.

With rankingCoach, you don’t need to be a marketing expert to advertise effectively. Just boost your posts, track performance, and watch your business grow.