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How to order online advertising for your business: a guide

How to Order Advertising for Your Business on the Internet

Nowadays, online advertising has become one of the most effective ways to promote a business. Thanks to its broad reach, targeting capabilities, and clear analytics, you can attract exactly those customers who are interested in your product or service. However, without a systematic approach and understanding of the key stages involved, you can quickly spend your budget without achieving a noticeable result. In this article, we’ll look at how to correctly order advertising for your business on the internet, which platforms to choose, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of your investments.

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1. Define Your Goals and Budget

1.1 What Results Do You Want to Achieve?

First and foremost, determine what exactly you expect from your online advertising campaign. Possible aims include:

Increasing Sales. You want potential customers to purchase your product or order your service.
Raising Brand Awareness. When a new business enters the market, it needs advertising to build a positive image.
Collecting Contacts (Leads). Often you need to gather a database of potential customers for further communication through email or other channels.
Driving Traffic to Your Website. This can be useful for content projects, media outlets, or blogs.

Depending on the goal, the tactics of an advertising campaign will differ. For direct sales, it’s better to use ads with clear calls to action (“Buy Now”), whereas for brand awareness, more image-oriented formats work best.

1.2 Determining Your Advertising Budget

Online advertising allows for flexible budgeting: you can spend anywhere from 10 dollars a day to 10 thousand. However, it’s important to understand:

Approximate prices on different platforms. For example, Facebook and Instagram Ads may have a lower cost-per-click than some niches in Google Ads, but it depends on your industry.
Profitability metrics (ROI, ROAS). If your product’s average ticket is $1000, how much are you willing to spend to attract one customer (CPA)?
Testing periods. Start with smaller amounts, evaluate the results, and gradually increase investments in campaigns that deliver returns.

2. Choose the Format and Platform

2.1 The Most Popular Online Advertising Channels

Google Ads

Search ads triggered by keywords (Search Ads).
Display network (banners on partner websites).
Video advertising on YouTube.
Ideal for “catching” people right when they’re searching for a specific product or service.

Facebook and Instagram Ads

Large reach, powerful targeting tools (by age, location, interests, etc.).
Works well for building brand image and capturing an audience that hasn’t searched for your product yet but may be potentially interested.

YouTube Ads

Video clips (In-stream, Bumper, Discovery) shown before or during a video, as well as ads in YouTube’s search results.
Relevant if you want to convey your message in a more interactive format (video).

LinkedIn Ads

A specialized network for the B2B segment and professionals.
Suitable if your clients are companies or business executives.

Contextual and Display Networks (CDN)

Banners or text-and-image ads on major portals and topic-specific websites.
Effective for brand recall and expanding brand awareness.

2.2 Which Format is Right for You?Choose the ad format based on your product and target audience:

Search Advertising (Google Search Ads). If potential customers are actively searching for “professional cameras buy New York,” it’s a sign of high intent.
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram). Suited for promoting products that you can showcase through attractive photos or videos, as well as services where visuals matter (beauty, tourism, clothing).
Video Ads (YouTube). When you need to explain a complex product or create an emotional connection with your brand.
Professional Communities (LinkedIn, specialized forums). Ideal if you operate in the B2B sector or offer niche services.

3. Contact an Agency or a Freelancer: Which to Choose?

3.1 Working with an Agency

Advantages

A team of specialists with different skill sets (targeting, design, copywriting).
Well-established processes and extensive experience in various niches.
The possibility of integrating additional services (SEO, SMM, web design).

Disadvantages

Higher pricing thresholds.
Potentially more formal approach (depending on the agency’s size).
Less flexibility in communication if you have a modest budget and aren’t a priority client.

3.2 Collaborating with a Freelancer

Advantages

Flexible schedule, personalized approach.
Often cheaper than an agency.
Direct communication and quick revisions.

Disadvantages

Results can be unstable (depending on one individual).
If the freelancer is ill or busy, delays may occur.
Additional services (design, copywriting) may not always be available.

3.3 How to Choose a Contractor

Experience in Your Field. Check portfolios, case studies, and client feedback.
Clear Terms of Cooperation: Timeline, reporting format, payment, communication methods.
Pilot Project. If you’re wary of starting with large budgets, agree on a test campaign with a smaller budget and evaluate the results.

4. How to Order Advertising: A Step-by-Step Guide

Below is a structured plan to help you understand how to order internet advertising from start to finish.

4.1 Step 1: Gather Information

Goals: Note down the specific outcomes you want to achieve (X sales, Y leads, Z% brand awareness).
Business Description: Briefly describe your business, target audience, key benefits, and unique selling proposition.
Budget and Deadlines: Decide how much you’re willing to spend on advertising and within what timeframe you expect to see results.

4.2 Step 2: Find Potential Contractors

Word of Mouth: Ask colleagues, friends, or partners who’ve already purchased advertising for recommendations.
Online Search: Agencies and freelancers typically have websites or social media profiles. Check out their case studies and reviews.
Freelance Platforms (Upwork, Freelancehunt, Kabanchik, etc.): Examine the profiles and ratings of various contractors.

4.3 Step 3: Conduct a Briefing or Provide a Task Specification

Brief: Contractors often provide a short questionnaire about your business and expectations.
Technical Specification (TS): In your specification, include exact figures, materials (logo, images, video), and design requirements.
Agreement on Reporting Format: How often you will receive statistics and which metrics will be analyzed (CTR, CPA, ROI, etc.).

4.4 Step 4: Sign the Contract

Financial Terms: Prepayment, phased payments, monthly fees.
Deadlines and Guarantees: Clearly outline the timeframe for completion and the responsibilities of each party.
Access and Confidentiality: If you’re handing over access to accounts or sensitive business information, ensure it’s stated in the contract.

4.5 Step 5: Launch the Advertising Campaign

Test Period: The first days or weeks are particularly critical. A targeting specialist or marketer sets up the ads and collects initial data.
Optimization: After a few days, preliminary results are analyzed, ineffective ads are turned off, and adjustments are made.
Scaling: If the ads are performing well, the budget is increased or the target audience is broadened.

4.6 Step 6: Monitoring and Reporting

Weekly/Monthly Reports: A good contractor will provide transparent metrics: number of clicks, costs, cost per acquired customer.
Adjustments: Based on the data, the contractor updates the strategy, creates new creatives, and modifies the audience settings.
Feedback: It’s important to share information about actual sales or inquiries so you can see how well the traffic is converting into customers.

5. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

5.1 Incorrect Target Audience DefinitionIf you advertise “to everyone at once,” you’re likely to waste your budget unnecessarily. It’s important to segment your audience by age, location, interests, purchasing power, etc.
How to fix it: Before launching, carefully outline your customer profile: their pain points, lifestyle, and what they search for online.

5.2 No Clear USP (Unique Selling Proposition)If the ad or landing page doesn’t clearly explain why your product is better than the competition, users will simply go elsewhere.
How to fix it: Develop a concise message highlighting the unique advantages of your product or service.

5.3 Ignoring AnalyticsLaunched your ads and forgot about them? Then you won’t know which format works, which creatives resonate best, or why your click-through rate has dropped.
How to fix it: Actively use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and UTM parameters. Track CTR, conversions, CPA, and LTV (customer lifetime value).

5.4 Poor Communication with the ContractorIf you don’t share up-to-date information about products, promotions, or website updates, the ad campaign may become irrelevant.
How to fix it: Set up a regular schedule for meetings or calls to discuss results and plans for the coming week/month.

5.5 No A/B TestingRelying on a single creative or text is risky. A different headline or image might yield more clicks.
How to fix it: Conduct A/B tests regularly. Change one element at a time (headline, text, image) and compare the metrics.

6. Real Examples of Successful Campaigns

6.1 Case: Online Children’s Toy Store

Goal: Increase sales before the holiday season.
Platform: Facebook and Instagram Ads.
Actions: Showed animated video clips with amusing play scenes, targeted parents of preschoolers.
Result: Sales rose by 35% compared to the previous year, and the cost per acquisition (CPA) dropped by 20%.

6.2 Case: Online English Language School

Goal: Attract new students for a free trial lesson.
Platform: Google Search Ads + YouTube Ads.
Actions: Bid on keywords like “online English courses,” “learn English quickly.” Filmed short testimonial videos with real students, placed as In-stream ads on YouTube.
Result: 500 new inquiries in one month, with a 45% conversion rate from the trial lesson to a paid course.

7. Key Metrics to Evaluate Ad Effectiveness

CTR (Click-Through Rate): Indicates how appealing the ad is (clicks per impression).
CPC (Cost Per Click): The cost of a single click, used to assess the efficiency of ad spending.
CPA (Cost Per Action): The cost of a specific action (form submission, newsletter signup, purchase).
ROI (Return on Investment): The ratio of profit earned to money spent, crucial for determining whether the ad campaign pays off.
Leads and Sales: How many genuine inquiries you received and how many of them converted into sales.

8. Tips for Better Results

Focus on Website or Landing Page Quality: If the page is inconvenient or loads slowly, users will leave even high-performing ads.
Use Retargeting: Show ads to people who have already visited your site but did not make a purchase.
Stay in Touch with Customers: Set up chatbots, quickly respond to social media comments and messages.
Test Different Creatives: Don’t rely on just one design or piece of text.
Monitor Competitors: Analyze how they interact with their audience and which ad formats they use.

Ordering online advertising for your business is a multifaceted process that requires thorough planning, careful platform and contractor selection, and regular results analysis. The effectiveness of your ad campaigns and the profitability of your investment largely depend on how precisely you define your goals and target audience.
If you’re just starting out, don’t rush to spend large budgets. Begin with test campaigns, gather data, and refine your strategy based on the insights you gain. Most importantly, keep improving your product and service so that people who respond to your ads become happy long-term customers.

How much money do I need to invest in online advertising?

Every campaign is unique because it depends on the size and goals of your business. You can start with a small daily budget (for example, 200–500 UAH) and gradually increase it if you see good results. It’s important to run tests, analyze, and optimize.

How quickly will I see results from paid advertising?

You usually start seeing initial data within a few hours or days after launching a campaign. However, to evaluate effectiveness more precisely, a longer period is needed (from a week to a month) to analyze trends and optimize settings.

Which platform is best for me—Google Ads, Facebook, or Instagram?

It depends on the specifics of your product or service, as well as where your target audience is located. If people are actively searching for certain keywords, Google Ads is great for direct sales. Facebook or Instagram Ads are more commonly chosen for building brand awareness and providing a vibrant visual presentation.

Should I work with an agency or a freelancer?

Each option has its pros and cons. An agency offers a team of specialists and a broader range of services, but it also costs more. A freelancer often provides a more personalized approach and can be cheaper, yet success depends on one person and their availability.

How do I know if my advertising is truly effective?

Key indicators include CTR (click-through rate), CPC (cost per click), CPA (cost per conversion), and ROI (return on investment). It’s also important to track the number of actual customers or inquiries generated by the ad and regularly optimize your campaigns.

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