Paid Social Media Advertising Strategies to Increase Results
While we are just about to head into the unofficial kickoff of summer, and while you may have achieved some of your new years resolutions, we know maybe this one did not quite get solved yet. Well, there is no better time to get that social media strategy right.
If your marketing budget feels like it’s been throwing darts in the dark, hoping to hit a bullseye, then you’ve landed in the right place. Because let’s face it, in the wild west of digital advertising, if you’re not optimizing, you’re basically just donating money to the internet gods.
Gone are the days when a simple tweet or a pretty Instagram image guaranteed viral fame. Now, with TikTok dances and Snapchat filters ruling the roost (and making X, look like your grandpa’s photo album), the digital landscape is less about “likes” and more about “leverages.” It’s dynamic, it’s data-driven, and if you’re not interactive, you’re invisible.
This updated guide isn’t just going to tell you what to do; it’s going to arm you with the secrets to creating social media marketing campaigns that actually make your wallet sing, not weep. We’ll dive into platform quirks, dissect the latest ad trends, and answer all those burning FAQs to ensure your business isn’t just competitive in 2025, but downright captivating.
Why Paid Social Ads Matter More Than Ever
With the rise of advanced algorithms and changes in how social media feeds operate, many platforms now prioritize paid content over organic posts to generate revenue. Every social media platform is in the business of making money from advertising: it makes up between 95% to 99% of their revenue. Organic social media posts remain critical for engagement and community building, but to ensure visibility for your business, paid social ads are now the go-to strategy.
Key Social Media Platforms for Paid Advertising
Let’s review the major platforms and their benefits for paid campaigns.
Facebook is still the most versatile choice for small businesses due to its range of ad formats (image ads, video ads, carousel ads) and highly detailed audience targeting across geography, demographics, and interests.
Instagram is a partner platform to Facebook and is ideal for brands with a high visual presence, aiming to promote image ads and video ads. Utilize Reels, which remain one of the most engaging ad formats.
LinkedIn is a professional social platform, particularly valuable for the business-related information it provides for retargeting. The platform offers rich employment and educational history for targeting, and it’s great for growing networks, promoting content, and advertising B2B (business-to-business) products, more specific types of events, and even job openings.
TikTok has disrupted the landscape with its creative ad formats and placements, such as in-feed video ads, branded hashtag challenges, and Spark ads.
Snapchat appeals to younger demographics (Gen Z and Millennials). Its ad-friendly features, like augmented reality (AR) ads and lenses, allow small businesses to create immersive brand experiences and drive sales.
Will Paid Social Media Ads Deliver ROI for Your Business?
To understand the ROI on paid social media ads for your business, you need to know what a visitor is worth on your website. Determining this requires data. Once these metrics are clarified, you can create a budget to generate the clicks needed to make a conversion through your marketing campaigns.
When set up correctly, Google Analytics (GA4) provides the necessary information to see what percentage of website traffic converts. You can see how people are finding the site, what leads are being generated by that traffic, and what segment of that traffic turns into an actual sale.
E-commerce websites allow for very clear conversion tracking by seeing which customers put an item in their cart and complete the checkout process. Businesses that sell to other businesses, on the other hand, may use a variety of different metrics to track conversations, such as email sign-ups or contact form submissions.
By tracking the information gathered through traffic patterns and conversion rates, you can understand what a lead costs. By studying your customers’ behavior over time, you can discover the lifetime value of the average customer. Together, these metrics will show you which advertising methods can deliver a positive return on investment.
Determining the Cost of Leads from Different Social Media Platforms
Different advertising services offer different values at different times. Once you’ve determined the value of a lead, your next step is to find out the cost of a lead from each platform. Then you can choose how best to spend the budget for a paid strategy. Testing is key to figuring out which platform will help deliver the most cost-effective clicks.
The data below outlines the general expectation for the cost per click from the major social networks.
Instagram Ad Cost: ~$0.50 to $1.00 per click
Instagram Stories, Reels, and Feed ads deliver strong performance in terms of both engagement and brand awareness. The platform’s focus on visual storytelling aligns perfectly with businesses aiming to create impactful, eye-catching ad campaigns.
Facebook Ad Cost: ~$0.20 to $1.50 per new like, with the average CPC ranging between $0.40 and $0.50
While Facebook’s ad prices are increasing over time, its detailed analytics and massive reach make it a top platform for both engagement and conversions.
LinkedIn Ad Cost: ~$1 to $10 per click, with the average CPC around $4
Though LinkedIn is the most expensive platform, its high-quality audience makes it worthwhile for businesses in relevant industries. The platform also offers Sponsored Content and dynamic ad formats to drive engagement.
TikTok Ad Cost: ~$0.10 to $0.30 per view, with CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) ranging from $10 to $20
TikTok also offers innovative ad formats like Branded Hashtag Challenges and TopView ads, which drive high engagement rates. Businesses with creative, entertaining content often see strong ROI on TikTok.
Snapchat Ad Cost: ~$0.15 to $0.75 per swipe-up or click
Advertising through Snapchat Stories or Discover Pages is particularly effective for brand awareness campaigns. Its unique ad formats and high engagement rates make Snapchat a viable option for small businesses.
The most common way to waste money in advertising is to get clicks from people who aren’t going to buy your product or service. That’s why it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your customers in order to spend your budget wisely. The more you know about the target audience and their social media behavior, the more strategically you can create ads where clicks lead to conversions.
How Can I Target People on These Platforms?
- Facebook: Targeting options are highly detailed and include geography, interests, demographics, and followers. Businesses can also create lookalike audiences based on existing customer data.
- Instagram: As part of Meta, Instagram’s targeting is similar to Facebook, utilizing location, interests, behaviors, and demographics. Visual content plays an essential role in capturing attention here.
- LinkedIn: Perfect for B2B marketing, LinkedIn allows targeting based on industry, skills, job title, years of experience, company size, and education. This precision makes it ideal for professional outreach.
- TikTok: TikTok offers advanced targeting options such as interests, behaviors, device types, and custom audiences through pixel tracking. Trends and creative, engaging videos play a key role in connecting with the audience on this platform.
- Snapchat: Advertisers can target users based on location, interests, demographics, and behavior. Unique ad formats, such as AR lenses and filters, stand out here for engaging younger audiences.
Remarketing Ads on Social Media
Remarketing allows you to target people after they’ve visited your website. No matter how the visitor arrives at the website—by email, organic search, or direct traffic—they’re added to a list on a specific social media platform. You can, in turn, run ads on that platform explicitly directed to those who have previously visited your website.
Which Platforms Offer Remarketing?
- Instagram: Remarketing on Instagram is now highly recommended, particularly with its advanced e-commerce features, which make it easy to retarget users and drive conversions.
- Facebook: Facebook has long been a leader in remarketing strategies, offering diverse options for nurturing leads and retargeting users with personalized ads.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is ideal for remarketing promotions for your business, such as industry events and B2B campaigns, ensuring your message reaches the right audience.
- TikTok: TikTok offers practical remarketing tools, allowing you to reach users who’ve interacted with your website or app. This can be especially impactful for brands aiming to connect with younger, trend-oriented audiences.
- Snapchat: Snapchat uses pixel tracking and provides robust remarketing tools. These tools ensure that your ads are delivered to users who have recently engaged with your website or app, leveraging creative formats to increase engagement.
Building an Effective Paid Social Media Campaign
To create an effective marketing strategy using paid social ads, follow these steps:
- Define Your Campaign Objectives: Start by clarifying what success looks like. Is it lead generation, increased website traffic, or better brand awareness? Your goal dictates your ad creatives and ad spend focus.
- Refine Your Target Audience: Use each platform’s specific audience filters to refine parameters like age, gender, location, behavior, and even hobbies. This ensures you’re reaching the right people.
- Use Compelling Ad Creatives: Focus on high-quality video content or visually striking graphics. Examples include carousel ads for showcasing multiple products or using dynamic video ads to tell a story.
- Leverage Remarketing: Retarget visitors who previously interacted with your website or ads to improve engagement.
- Monitor Performance Metrics: Use tools like Google Analytics or Meta Ads Manager to track key metrics, such as ad spend, CTR, and ROI, for better optimization.
- Test and Learn: Employ A/B testing for images, headlines, landing pages, and calls-to-action (CTAs) to refine campaigns based on real-time data.
Get Started with Paid Social Media Ads
Paid social media advertising is a necessary tool to drive traffic from a wider audience to your business. By implementing modern strategies, using advanced tools like A/B testing and granular targeting, and leveraging platforms like TikTok and Instagram, small businesses can take their social media campaigns to the next level.
Want to take the guesswork out of ad campaigns? Reach out to us for in-depth social media management services to create customized strategies that suit your business goals.
FAQs about Paid Social Media Advertising
What Is Paid Social Media Advertising?
Paid social media advertising involves promoting your business on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Snapchat using tools such as sponsored posts, video ads, or sponsored event promotions.
How Much Should I Budget for Paid Ads?
Start small and scale up. Platforms like Facebook can deliver results for $100 to $300 per month for small ad campaigns. On TikTok, businesses typically need a minimum daily spend of $20.
Are Paid Ads Worth It for Small Businesses?
Yes! When done strategically, paid ads generate measurable results, such as higher click-through rates and increased lead generation, which brings in potential customers.
Which platform is best for my business?
The best platform depends on your goals:
- Facebook for versatile ad types
- Instagram for highly visual storytelling
- TikTok for viral or unique video content
- LinkedIn for professionals and B2B
How can I track campaign success?
Use tools like Meta Ads Manager, TikTok’s analytics, or UTM parameters tied to Google Analytics. Measure CTR, Conversion Rates, and overall ROI to see if the campaign aligns with your goals.