2021’s Spring iOS 14 update (that we discussed last year) disrupted the Facebook advertising ecosystem, and put the need for Platform Diversity into greater relief.
iOS 14 prompts users to opt-out of tracking; this affects the efficacy of certain (but not all) targeting options. Bottom line: the FB/IG advertising platform is degraded (we can disagree about how degraded) and brands need to diversify their portfolio by trying new platforms, even if there’s risk there. Because the alternative, continuing to reply on FB/IG, is even riskier.
Audiences vs Reporting
There’s an open debate about whether the audiences available to brands have changed more than the in-platform reporting on those audiences. Adrian Padron, V.P of Operations here at Mason, says “Facebook’s inconsistent data has caused dilution of trust. Our clients don’t trust FB’s data. There’s always been a gap between what Facebook reports and the client sees in their CRM, but this gap was usually A) explicable and B) consistent. Now, it’s neither.”
iOS 14 update “reduced the efficacy of Facebook advertising and forced people into different platforms.” With audience data now skewed in Facebook, brands move to different platforms to better reach their target audience. Though, a challenge that we see is customers don’t want to change because they like the ROI and if they try new things and don’t see the same ROI they want to pull the plug.
Most brands are hesitant when it comes to diversifying platforms when they are so used to Facebook, especially when it comes to the ROI they are used to. As Padron adds, “Budgets are a main contributor to clients not wanting to diversify. To get the results you want, you need big budgets per platform. Most clients have a small budget, that if they were split amongst different platforms, would yield no results.”
If clients do not have enough budget to spread, they should re-allocate to SEO. For example, if you have a large social media following try posting about your product or sale. Posts can go a long way for sales. Brands should also have different content per platform. What works on one platform will not yield the same results on another, be empathic to your audience, know what makes them tick, and be specific with your content. SEO will go a long way when it comes to targeting the right people.
When it comes to changing or trying new platforms brands should try it for at least 90 days before they start seeing results. Then try remarketing ads on the same platform. A new platform may be twice the cost but it could yield twice the return. Being patient with new platforms will be key in being successful with them and obtaining the results you want. Another thing to keep in mind is the importance of creative. In the past, AI took poor creative and optimized it to the best it could be. Now brands need creative that cuts through the clutter, resonates, and motivates the consumer to make a purchase with a CTA. Padron adds, “Consumers are used to going on instagram and seeing products they would buy. Which means finding creative outlets to reach people is important. Some outlets people don’t talk about is OTT and OOH.” Find the user in the midst of where they are. Some great examples of brands that have disruptive, creative ads are: Squatty potty, Lume deodorant and Poo-Pourri.
The platform Mason has seen the most success with amongst their clients has been with video advertising such as on YouTube and Tik Tok. As Padron notes, “We started pushing people to Google to diversify, as well as TV impressions and TikTok. We thought the most success we have seen thus far has been with video based advertising platforms. YouTube is the number two search engine with Google being the first. Video ads receive more views, more click-through-rates, and more engagement than other ads. Though not any video will obtain high ROI. Video ads must be tagged, well titled, have good SEO, and that are structured well.
Conclusion
Folks in the office often hear me say that we can’t choose which platforms our customers are on. To survive, you have to get creative and invest in exploring new places to find your customers.
You do not have to be alone when it comes to planning and strategizing for new platforms. Let us help diversify your marketing efforts to increase your sales, reach new audiences and expand your brand awareness. We are here for you!