Digital targeting entails connecting with target audiences through highly targeted ads on various digital platforms. This type of marketing is vital to successful campaigns because of the potential reach that it carries. If you take the time to understand your audiences and their behavior, you can ensure your ads get in front of them with digital targeting strategies.
In addition to general demographics, you learn about your target audience’s purchasing behaviors, keyword phrases used in search engines, geographic location, and which platforms are used and when. All of these details can help you hone your digital targeting efforts to ensure your ads get in front of those you are trying to reach.
There are some specific benefits of digital targeting that make these strategies some of the best to use. Whether your goal is to increase brand awareness, attract new leads, or drive sales, digital targeting is among the most crucial assets. Read on as we discuss those benefits below.
Reach the Right People at the Right Time
Through digital targeting, you can determine when and where your audience spends their time. For instance, you may find that an audience of parents watches programs alongside their children. This is where you can launch OTT ads, spend time on specific social media platforms, and use certain keyword terms that you can target with PPC ads.
With ads that connect with people on the right platforms and at the correct times, you can effectively keep your brand in front of audiences that matter when they're most active. Targeted ads also have the chance to perform better than broad reach ads, as one survey found that 40.5% of respondents preferred targeted ads, while 27.6% were content with either targeted or randomly occurring ads.
Gain Better Insight into People Viewing Your Ads
As you conduct audience research to improve targeting, you'll have a better understanding of who is seeing your ads. Without effective targeting, you might have a general idea of your audiences. However, by learning more about their behaviors and interests, you can determine how best to reach them and drive your ads’ engagement. Knowing every detail about your audience can help inform your ads' creative in addition to placement, giving you ideas for which visuals and messaging to use to establish a strong connection.
Know if Your Ads Are Resonating with Your Audience
If you target your campaigns, you'll be able to gauge whether your ads are connecting with audiences more effectively. If you're making sure your ads reach the right people at the right times, but they're simply not engaging with them despite a high number of impressions, you can more easily identify what's wrong. You may determine that the problem lies in your ad content, whether the specific issue is weak visuals or ineffective messaging, or both. You can then make some changes to your ads and A/B test them to determine which resonate the best.
Don't Waste Money on Ads Reaching the Wrong Audiences
Another advantage of digital targeting is avoiding launching massive campaigns that reach audiences who aren't interested in your brand. Using digital targeting will reach only the people who can benefit from what you have to offer. This strategy allows you to see what’s working in real-time, making it easier to implement the necessary changes and adjustments to see better metrics. As a result, you benefit from more cost-effective campaigns that only use the resources needed to connect with the right audiences. Today, it's possible to narrow down the exposure and avoid wasting money on unreliable over-reaching campaigns.
Increase Brand Awareness Among the Right Audiences
With well-targeted ads, you can significantly boost brand awareness when you connect with the right audiences. People who may not otherwise hear about or see your brand can encounter it in well-placed and -timed ads that genuinely speak to them. With consistent exposure, people will come to recognize your brand and even associate it with platforms they trust. In the process, you'll differentiate yourself from less targeted competitor ads and further attract people interested in your offerings. Subsequently, you'll be able to convert more people into leads and eventually loyal customers.
Even if people don't connect with you at first, you can further drive leads toward a sale through retargeting. People who see retargeting ads are 70% more likely to purchase as they become more familiar with your brand.
Use Digital Targeting to Get the Best Possible Results from Your Ads
All of the above benefits illustrate the importance of digital targeting with well-optimized ad campaigns. If you can use digital targeting to your advantage, you'll be able to make sure you reach only the right audiences and make the most of your budget. With good targeting and a deep understanding of your audience, you can convert more people into valuable leads and increase sales, leading to better marketing ROI.