We all more or less know what advertising is and in what forms it is conducted, but sometimes we cannot provide an exact definition or design an effective strategy for it. Advertising has undergone major changes since the inception of print media, but the level of need for advertising and the essential techniques and tips for creating effective ads have not changed much for individuals or businesses.
The literal meaning of “advertising” in Persian is to inform someone about something, to deliver a message, to promote, or to disseminate. Based on these meanings, it becomes easy to understand what advertising is and what its purpose is. Any product or service needs advertising to become known in the market and introduced to its target audience.
Advertising is a process that uses various methods and techniques to inform and introduce services, products, or other specific goals. Ultimately, it aims to attract the audience’s attention and lead to sales or support. Advertising is generally used for selling goods and services or branding, but its practical range is very wide.
Objectives of Advertising
Advertising usually serves one of the following purposes:
• Product or Service Introduction
Creating advertisements to introduce a product or service is the first step in the marketing and sales cycle. Advertising a specific product or service makes the general public more familiar with it and helps the brand name become more well-known.
• Creating Demand
Advertising instills a sense of need for acquiring a product or service among the audience. Successful businesses use various advertising strategies to bring products and services to the market with high demand.
• Branding
Strategic advertising can contribute to effective and successful branding of a business. In this sense, advertising plays a crucial role.
• Creating Competition
Effective and principled advertising can help a brand gain an advantage over its competitors and become more memorable in the minds of the audience.
What is the Difference Between Advertising and Marketing?
Advertising and marketing are often thought to be synonymous, but this is a misconception.
Marketing is a process that includes research, development, and the execution of various strategies to create campaigns aimed at increasing brand awareness and business revenue.
Advertising, on the other hand, is actually a part of a marketing campaign. In other words, marketing is a broad plan to introduce the brand to the audience and encourage them to make purchases, while advertising is the act of communicating and delivering messages to achieve marketing goals.
Marketing is a general term for engaging with audiences, and advertising is a subset of marketing. Marketing can be carried out through various channels such as social media marketing, email marketing, public relations, SEO, and paid advertising. The overall marketing strategy of companies usually includes a plan for advertising, which focuses on crafting and disseminating persuasive messages to encourage users to take specific actions.
Designing, Evaluating, and Managing an Advertising Strategy
As mentioned, advertising can increase business sales, inform customers about new products or services, improve existing offerings, and highlight special deals. Moreover, advertising helps businesses build a distinctive brand.
Following the steps below helps businesses design effective advertising campaign strategies:
- Planning for advertising
- Defining objectives
- Budgeting
- Researching competitors and customers
- Analyzing data and statistics
- Selecting a strategy
- Consulting with experts
- Developing an action plan
Planning for Advertising
The first step in designing effective advertising campaigns is planning. When planning your advertising campaigns, consider the following points:
- Vision and goals of the advertising campaign
- Budget allocated for launching the campaign
- The target audience you intend to reach
- The type and strategy of advertising you want to use
- The ideal time to launch the campaign, including content calendars
- How you will measure the results and define success
These elements are crucial in planning for marketing and advertising. Also, remember to continuously evaluate your marketing and advertising plans to ensure you’re using the best strategies to reach your goals.
Defining Objectives
Just like in all areas of business, setting clear objectives is essential when launching advertising campaigns. To define precise goals for your marketing campaigns, ask yourself this question:
What measurable and tangible goals do you want to achieve by next year or within a specific time frame?
Setting clear advertising goals makes it easier to decide where and when to launch your campaigns. For instance, you might want to:
- Increase sales of a specific product
- Inform your customers about a new product or service
- Attract customers from competing businesses to purchase from you instead