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The internet is increasingly the first stop of information for people looking to purchase anything for furniture to refrigerators, cars or even clothes. Research shows that in the Asia-Pacific region alone, around 65 percent of consumers surveyed conducted research online before purchasing offline. The percentage was still higher in the Philippines. Around 70 percent of Filipinos, did just that even if they purchase offline. This means that important purchase decisions are being informed by conversations online.


If this sounds like a golden opportunity for advertisers, whether large or small, to engage with consumers, that’s because it is. However, the truth is, digital advertising is no longer merely an opportunity. It’s a necessity. Consumers have embraced the digital revolution, which means advertisers should too. But with a myriad of tools and ad formats online, it can be challenging to form a streamlined online campaign.

Here’re some tips for the first-time online advertiser:

 

1. Think like a customer: Pretend you’re a user searching for the product or service you offer. What search terms would you use to look for information? To avoid generic and general keywords that might result in un-targeted traffic to your website, use two- to three-word phrases. For optimal ad visibility, also include relevant keyword variations such as colloquial terms, plurals, alternate spellings and synonyms. And remember you only pay for clicks, so the better you pre-qualify clicks by picking specific keywords, the more effective your campaign will be.

Get rid of broad terms that could relate to a wide spectrum of products or services. For example, if you’re selling purses, don’t just run on the generic keyword bags because your ad might show on irrelevant search queries for tea bags and vacuum bags.

 

3. Write compelling ads: Attract your audience and get straight to the point because good copy leads to clicks, and clicks lead to sales. Use keywords in the title and ad text so they appear in bold font and users know your ad is relevant to their search. Highlight any key product benefits, or special offers like free shipping and discounts, and encourage action with active verbs and phrases like "Learn More or "Order Now."

 

4. Use free web analytics: Web analytics tools helps you analyze what people are doing on your site. It tracks visitors, referrals, search engine performance, email promotions amongst others. This detailed analysis about user navigation and behavior on your website can help you create more effective website pages and improve your ROI.

 

5. Choose the format that best suits your purpose and budget: Ad formats and placements range from simple text ads that show up as “sponsored links” that appear next to search results, to the text, video or rich media ads that appear in display networks like the Google Display Network, which spans millions of websites, news pages, blogs and Google websites like YouTube. Choose the ads that suit both your purpose and budget. For example, if your intended audience uses search engines to look for information on products and services, then a search marketing campaign may be just what you need to engage with them.

Your marketing plan will also affect and be affected by your budget. Find a balance between what your needs are -- perhaps you don’t really need that banner ad and instead a smaller text ad may do the trick -- and what you can afford to optimize your investment.

 

6. Check out online resources: Most online advertising programs have a resource center of helpful demos, articles and videos. Also, many other advertisers have likely had the same experiences and questions as you, so find answers to common questions in online Help Centers.