Some studies have indicated that 40% of the paid advertising budget is wasted due to a lack of proper understanding of marketing channels, user behavior on these platforms, or the use of channels that do not align with the nature of the product or service and do not reach the intended audience. The primary goal of paid advertising is to attract more customers and increase business growth, but a brilliant message becomes futile if it is not directed to the right audience, in the right place and time, using a language that resonates with them. Likewise, marketing efforts won't yield desired results if they don't reach the targeted audience through channels where they are present, and in a way that captures their attention and prompts them to engage. We previously discussed essential marketing methods and how to build a marketing strategy. In this context, we'll delve into paid marketing channels and their significance. 

What is the importance of paid advertising for business activities? 

Paid advertising is an essential and indispensable part of marketing strategies, as its importance lies in:

• Enhancing brand awareness. 
• Attracting a specific audience through precise targeting. 
• Achieving rapid growth and immediate results unlike free marketing. 
• Low cost compared to traditional advertisements, where you can start with a low budget. 
• Paid advertisements are measurable, as advertising platforms provide sufficient data for performance analysis.  

The difference between paid advertisements and free marketing:

There is no preference for one over the other as they work together synergistically, and both have the ability to acquire customers and increase conversion rates. However, paid marketing is usually used to attract new customers and capture a larger market share, while free marketing is used to retain current customers, provide them with exceptional service, and increase their loyalty. To achieve the maximum benefit from both, follow the following tips: 

• When you want to achieve quick goals or advertise a new product or service, use paid channels. 
• If you want to get more engagement with your content, use organic marketing. 
• Try promoting posts that receive high engagement through free marketing to attract new customers. 
• Utilize automation for routine tasks such as email campaigns and social media posting, allowing you to focus on content creation.
• Work on retargeting website visitors and engaged social media followers through paid campaigns to increase conversion rates. 

Paid Marketing Channels : 

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Advertising. 
2. Visual Ads 
3. Affiliate Marketing 
4. Content Discovery 
5. Video Promotion 
6. Retargeting 
7. Social media ads

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) :

it involves paying to have your website appear in the top results of search engines when visitors search using a targeted keyword. This method is effective in acquiring qualified customers for purchases, and its cost is reasonable since you only pay for people who click on your site and view your offering. This type of advertising requires expertise in keyword research and analysis, followed by targeting keywords with low to medium competition, as well as selecting words and phrases that generate higher revenue and achieve a good conversion rate. 

Visual Ads : 

These advertisements are typically used in retargeting campaigns, and there are different types of them: 

1-Interactive Ads: These are text ads usually containing an image or a logo, a one-line text, and a link with your specific address. 

2- Gmail Ads: They appear at the top of the inbox in Gmail and resemble email messages. When clicked, they expand to show a full-sized graphical page. 

3- Banner Ads:  They are among the most widespread types of visual advertisements and can be found on the majority of websites. 

4- App Ads:  These are interactive ads of small size that appear on mobile phone applications and games. They typically include short text along with a link to your specific destination. 

Affiliate Marketing: 

This type of marketing relies on paying a small commission for each sale, whether it's done through affiliate companies or individuals who promote the products and services of the main company through various marketing channels such as blogs, social media, and YouTube channels. Affiliate marketing has achieved a growth exceeding 5 billion dollars in the United States alone in the past three years. This system has proven its efficiency, and major companies now rely on it to increase their sales and generate profits. 

Suggested Content (Related Articles): 

When you search for a specific topic on a search engine and then click on one of the websites, you'll often see related articles in the sidebar or bottom section of the site. This is known as sponsored content discovery. This advertising tool provides widespread exposure for your blog posts on other websites that are similar to your niche, bringing in more visits for a modest fee. The charges are typically based on pay-per-click (PPC), where you pay for each click. To maximize the benefit from this type of advertising, it's advisable to promote articles with a high conversion rate. One of the most well-known marketing tools for this purpose is Taboola or Outbrain.

Video Promotion:

Viewers retain about 95% of a marketing message when presented through video, compared to only 10% when reading it as text, as stated by the invideo website. Video is a powerful tool that allows you to build brand awareness and attract more potential customers. However, creating an effective promotional video requires careful attention to achieve desired results. Here are some tips to consider when crafting a video for your business:  

• The message should be delivered fully in the first few seconds, ideally between 6-10 seconds. 
• Try to evoke emotions in the viewers; don't just present them with a dry marketing message. 
• Promotional videos should be inspiring, educational, and entertaining. 
• Incorporate creative and artistic elements, and steer away from conventional ideas. 

Retargeting: 

It's a marketing strategy aimed at directing advertisements to specific audiences who have previously engaged with your content or interacted with your business. These audiences can include visitors to your website or followers on social media. This strategy is effective in increasing awareness, boosting conversion rates, and reducing abandoned shopping carts through retargeting campaigns. Most advertising platforms offer retargeting tools, such as AdWords Remarketing and Facebook Pixel, along with separate platforms like Perfect Audience and Bizo. 

Social Media Advertising: 

With over 3.5 billion active users on various social media platforms, companies now have the opportunity to achieve significant growth and rapid outreach to a broad audience. They can precisely target this audience based on geographic location, gender, age, and interests, enhancing the campaign's effectiveness. Social media marketing is suitable for both large and small companies, as well as startups, as these platforms allow you to set your advertising budget freely. You can start a campaign with as little as $5. Social media has also helped businesses and individuals increase brand awareness and establish connections with their targeted audience.

Tips before starting a paid campaign: 

• Invest some time in learning the basics of campaign launching through YouTube or via the digital marketing program for entrepreneurs. 
• Plan well and set specific goals for each campaign. 
• Get to know your target audience more, including their locations and interests. 
• Identify the marketing channels you will work on. 
• Study different advertising platforms to understand their content nature and audience interaction methods. 
• Don't hesitate to consult an expert or work with a specialized marketing company to conduct promotional campaigns. 

If you follow these tips and implement these steps, we assure you that you'll save time, effort, and money, and you'll achieve your business goals more quickly.