Gone are the days when only the biggest companies with dedicated advertising staffs could get their messages out into the world. Mobile technology has made marketing for small businesses easier than ever.
Today, you can advertise and market to the whole world from your phone — no staff, no agencies, no hassles. No need to worry about buying expensive airtime or page space. You just need to know who your audience is and focus on how to reach them. Even better, most online advertising comes with low-risk buy-in and high levels of customization.
Here are four of the easiest ways to get your company’s name out there.
One of the basic principles of advertising is that you, the advertiser, need to be where the people are. With billions of users on every continent and in every corner of the country, Facebook is definitely where you can find people. But on the flipside, with so many users it can be tough to find your focus.
Facebook is a great option B2C (business to consumer) advertising. Facebook business pages and sponsored posts are great community outreach tools. But if you’re looking to find new customers, you can “boost” a Facebook post and target who sees it based on demographics, location, and interests. Looking to recruit drivers? Try targeting people who are interested in trucking or semi-trucks.
If we think of Facebook as the billboard spreading your message to everyone passing through your community, LinkedIn is like a direct mailer to your digital neighbors. This career-focused social networking site is the best for B2B (business to business) communication, connecting professionals across industries and across the country.
LinkedIn’s advantage comes from its ability to get your message in front of stakeholders and decision-makers. Their in-mail advertising and options for sidebar ads put your message where readers will see, and LinkedIn’s targeting options will make sure those readers are the folks you want to connect with. LinkedIn’s campaign manager tool makes focusing your ad’s reach as easy scrolling through your phone.
Google Ads
If Facebook is a billboard and LinkedIn is direct mail, then Google Ads is the skywriting of internet advertising. With the biggest reach and the broadest of appeals, Google is a good way to cast a wide net and connect with whoever is searching for your keywords. You can also target people searching from certain areas. For example, if you run a carrier business out of Dallas, you might want to pay to show up in search results for “Texas Truckload Carrier.”
Fortunately, you only pay Google whenever someone clicks on your ad, meaning you pay for results rather than simple exposure. With thorough, easy-to-read tutorials and comprehensive metrics, Google Ads makes it easy to finetune your message and find the audience that needs your services.
Load boards
When it comes to getting your company in front of potential business partners, posting your available truck on a load board is still your best bet.
With a DAT Load Board subscription, you get unlimited truck posts, starting at just $[TE_STANDARD] per month. Looking for new customers that need shipments between Atlanta and Chicago? Post your truck on that lane and let them come calling.
