The Best AdWords Alternatives to Try in 2018 – Boost Your Online Advertising Strategy!

The Best AdWords Alternatives to Try in 2018

Are you tired of relying solely on Google AdWords for your online advertising campaigns? While AdWords is undoubtedly a dominant force in the digital marketing world, there are several other platforms that offer effective alternatives. In this post, we will explore the top AdWords alternatives to try in 2018, along with some valuable tips for optimizing your campaigns on each platform. By diversifying your online advertising strategy, you can reach a wider audience and potentially achieve better results for your business.

Bing Ads

Overview and benefits: Bing Ads is one of the most popular alternatives to Google AdWords. It offers a substantial reach with access to a different set of users who may not use Google as their primary search engine. Bing Ads allows you to target your ads to a specific demographic, location, or device, ensuring that your ads are displayed to a relevant audience.

Target audience: Bing Ads is particularly useful for businesses targeting an older demographic or those looking to explore untapped markets. It has a significant user base in certain industries such as healthcare and finance.

Pricing and budget considerations: Bing Ads operates on a similar auction-based pricing model as AdWords. The cost per click (CPC) varies depending on the competitiveness of the keyword. It is important to determine your budget and set realistic expectations for your campaigns.

Tips for optimizing campaigns on Bing Ads:

• Research keywords that perform well on Bing and optimize your campaigns accordingly.
• Set up conversion tracking to measure the success of your campaigns and make necessary adjustments.
• Utilize ad extensions, such as sitelink extensions and call extensions, to enhance your ads and improve click-through rates.

Facebook Ads

Overview and benefits: With over 2 billion active users, Facebook is a powerhouse when it comes to online advertising. Facebook Ads provides a highly targeted advertising platform that allows you to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. It also offers various ad formats, including images, videos, and carousel ads.

Target audience: Facebook’s extensive user base makes it suitable for businesses targeting a wide range of audiences. Whether you’re looking to reach millennials, parents, or professionals, Facebook Ads can help you effectively target your ideal customers.

Pricing and budget considerations: Facebook Ads operates on a bidding system similar to AdWords. The cost per click (CPC) is influenced by factors such as audience targeting, ad relevance, and competition. Setting a budget that aligns with your advertising goals is essential.

Tips for optimizing campaigns on Facebook Ads:

• Experiment with different ad formats to determine which ones resonate best with your target audience.
• Use Facebook’s audience targeting options to narrow down your audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
• Monitor your campaigns closely and make adjustments based on the performance metrics provided by Facebook Ads Manager.

LinkedIn Ads

Overview and benefits: LinkedIn Ads is a powerful platform for businesses targeting professionals and B2B audiences. With its robust targeting capabilities, you can reach individuals based on their industry, job title, company size, and more. LinkedIn Ads offers a variety of ad formats, including sponsored content, text ads, and sponsored InMail.

Target audience: LinkedIn is ideal for businesses looking to connect with professionals and decision-makers in specific industries. It is particularly effective for B2B marketing and professional services.

Pricing and budget considerations: LinkedIn Ads operates on an auction-based system, similar to AdWords. The cost per click (CPC) can be higher compared to other platforms, so it is important to set a realistic budget based on your advertising goals.

Tips for optimizing campaigns on LinkedIn Ads:

• Create compelling and informative ad content that resonates with your target audience.
• Utilize LinkedIn’s targeting options to focus on specific industries, job titles, or company sizes that are most relevant to your business.
• Monitor the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments based on the data provided by LinkedIn Campaign Manager.

Twitter Ads

Overview and benefits: Twitter Ads allows you to reach a large audience and engage with users in real-time. It offers various ad formats, including promoted tweets, promoted accounts, and promoted trends. Twitter Ads enables you to target users based on their interests, demographics, and behaviors.

Target audience: Twitter is particularly effective for businesses targeting a younger demographic and those seeking to promote timely content or engage with customers through real-time conversations.

Pricing and budget considerations: Twitter Ads operates on a bidding system, similar to other platforms. It is essential to set a budget that aligns with your advertising goals and be mindful of the competition for certain keywords or target audiences.

Tips for optimizing campaigns on Twitter Ads:

• Create concise and attention-grabbing ad content within the character limit.
• Utilize hashtags effectively to increase the visibility of your ads and join relevant conversations.
• Regularly analyze the performance of your campaigns and make necessary adjustments to improve results.

Amazon Advertising

Overview and benefits: If you’re an e-commerce business, Amazon Advertising can be a highly effective platform to promote your products. It allows you to display your ads to shoppers who are actively searching for products on Amazon. Amazon Advertising offers various ad formats, including sponsored products, sponsored brands, and display ads.

Target audience: Amazon’s vast customer base makes it an ideal platform for businesses in the e-commerce sector. It allows you to target specific product categories, interests, and even competitor products to reach your ideal customers.

Pricing and budget considerations: Amazon Advertising operates on a cost per click (CPC) basis. The bidding process determines the position and visibility of your ads. It is important to set a competitive bid and track your budget closely.

Tips for optimizing campaigns on Amazon Advertising:

• Optimize your product listings by incorporating relevant keywords, appealing product images, and compelling product descriptions.
• Monitor the performance of your campaigns and adjust your bids and budgets based on the data provided by Amazon Advertising’s reporting tools.
• Consider utilizing Amazon’s display ads to maximize your reach and visibility within the platform.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an AdWords Alternative

Alignment with business goals: When evaluating ad platforms, consider if they align with your business objectives. Determine if they cater to your target audience and provide the ad formats that suit your advertising goals.

Target audience reach and demographics: Assess the reach and demographics of the platform’s user base to determine if it aligns with your target audience. It’s crucial to choose a platform that allows you to effectively reach and engage with your ideal customers.

Advertising formats and options: Evaluate the variety and suitability of ad formats offered by each platform. Some platforms may excel in visual ads, while others may specialize in text-based or video ads. Choose a platform that supports the ad formats that best represent your brand.

Budget and pricing structures: Understand the bidding process and pricing structures of each platform. Consider your budget and expected return on investment (ROI) when choosing an ad platform that aligns with your financial resources.

Tracking and reporting capabilities: Look for platforms that provide robust tracking and reporting features. The ability to monitor the performance of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions is crucial for optimizing your advertising efforts.

Integration with other marketing channels: Consider if the ad platform integrates seamlessly with your other marketing channels. This allows you to create cohesive campaigns and maximize the impact of your overall marketing strategy.

Conclusion

Recap of the main alternatives discussed: In this blog post, we have explored some of the best AdWords alternatives for 2018, including Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter Ads, and Amazon Advertising. Each platform offers unique benefits and targeting options that can help you diversify your online advertising strategy.

Importance of testing and analyzing results: It is important to experiment with different platforms and continually test and analyze the results of your campaigns. This enables you to understand which platforms perform best for your business and make informed decisions based on data.

Encouragement to try different platforms: Don’t limit yourself to just one ad platform. By exploring different alternatives, you can potentially reach new audiences, enhance your brand visibility, and achieve better results. Diversifying your online advertising strategy is key to staying ahead in the ever-changing digital landscape.