B2B marketers who have been around a while might recognize the early and mid-2010s as a golden era of paid advertising. Costs per click were less expensive, and budgets could go much further. As we move into 2023, paid ads are still an excellent way to attract a targeted audience. However, the channel has grown more complex and dynamic regarding drawing in the right people.
It’s still possible to successfully incorporate paid ads into your funnel and make them a positive investment in your marketing. You’ll just need to calibrate your approach a bit more carefully. The strategies and tips below will help.
Ensure All Ads Are Responsive
Responsive design ensures that content is accessible, viewable, and properly usable on all kinds of devices and has been around as a web design principle for a while. Still, considering the recent changes in the B2B audience, it’s critical to ensure all elements of your ad funnel operate well on all kinds of devices. According to data from Google, 70% or more of B2B searches originate on mobile devices. Many people from Generation Z who grew up using mobile devices their entire lives are now moving into professional roles related to B2B purchasing.
It’s not enough for an ad or landing page to load on a smartphone or tablet – it also has to be clickable, with accessibility for forms if your ad requires collecting information. Think about the usable elements of your ad funnel when someone squeezes and taps with their fingers instead of using a mouse.
Incorporate Multimedia Content
For a long time, standard ad formats have involved a main image, headline, and some text underneath the picture. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this format, today, several other forms of media are gaining popularity in advertising. Social networks like TikTok and Instagram, which emphasize video, are becoming much more popular than traditional options.
Think about the usable elements of your ad funnel when someone squeezes and taps with their fingers instead of using a mouse. Share on XIf you don’t think TikTok is the right place for your brand, you might be surprised. Over 40% of TikTok users are between 30 and 49 years old. TikTok also boasts higher retention rates than most other networks. There are lots of devoted TikTokers of all ages – you probably know a few yourself – and while they may not specifically use it for B2B purposes, that doesn’t mean TikTok can’t work as an effective platform for that kind of marketing.
If you aren’t sure how to get started with videos in your ads, try starting with simple smartphone videos that you can record with basic equipment like a tripod or stabilizer device. Thanks to technology, you don’t need to invest five figures in a studio or production company to make quality B2B ad videos.
Include a Hard-Hitting Fact, Stat, or Statement
Attention-grabbing sentences are common in loads of marketing, from blog posts to emails to ads. It’s sometimes called a “hook” because you intend to lead the message and pull people’s attention to you. On most paid advertising platforms, users look at multiple different kinds of media, often scrolling through a home page or feed.
The statement or statistic aims to get someone to stop scrolling and think about your ad. Not everyone who stops to look at your ad will be a good fit for your funnel, and that’s okay – the fact that your hook was able to stop and get their attention is a good sign on its own.
What examples of hooks can you use to get someone’s attention in a paid ad campaign? Here are a few:
- A quote from a customer testimonial
- A statistic presented in a visual format, such as an infographic
- Actual results from a customer case study or trial run
- An abstract image or visual (as long as it’s at least loosely relevant to your offering)
With some creativity it’s possible to come up with a unique hook that draws in the specific audience you’re targeting. Your hook’s effectiveness is in your ad’s clickthrough rate, but you can also look into more advanced metrics for engagement, like time spent on the ad’s landing page or the number of repeat sessions with an ad campaign.
Speak Your Prospects’ Language
Whether using videos, text, or different communication tools, your content must resonate with the people you want to see your ads. You’re more likely to succeed when you use the type of words and descriptions they commonly use in their day-to-day roles. You don’t need to pack your ads and landing pages full of jargon or overly technical terms. Still, anyone who reads or hears a unique term or phrase they use often will immediately feel a connection with your ad and its associated landing page.
For the right balance, it can be helpful to include an actual quote from a client or someone in the industry, for example, a case study or expert interview. If you aren’t sure whether or not your video or ad copy has too much jargon, talk to an unbiased expert in that field. They’ll be able to tell you if your content sounds natural and normal or if it sounds like you are trying too hard to match the way a prospect might talk.
Final Thoughts on Making effective B2B ads today
On almost any social network you spend even a little bit of time on today, you’re bound to come across several different ads for advertisers in virtually any field – including B2B. You probably already know how effective these ads can be if you create them properly. You may even have purchased something or subscribed to a business because of one!
The biggest challenge with paid advertising these days is competition. Even in a relatively niche field, you likely have to deal with multiple competitors vying for the same attention on the platform. The best way to overcome this challenge is to constantly optimize your ads and create them to appeal to a particular subset of people.
There are three key aspects to this approach you should bear in mind: 1) Make sure your ads (and all related funnel components) work well on any device. 2) Ensure you speak your prospects’ language. 3) Incorporate a hook that grabs their attention and makes them want to engage further with your ad.
Of course, this process is typically easier said than done. It usually takes time, practice, and trial and error with a specific social network to succeed at the right voice, find the right people and get them to convert once they take the next step and click on your ad.
If you’re looking for expert assistance with this entire process or want a few more sets of eyes looking at your current B2B ad campaign, FunnelEnvy can help. Our team works with B2B companies of all varieties, from tech to healthcare to finance and everything in between. If you want to learn more about our services and schedule a consultation to see if we can help your team grow, click here to complete a short quiz that will help you learn more about our pricing.
