Social media platforms have become a primary source of information, connection and promotion. Because of that, social media platforms are one of the most common and accessible spaces for companies to advertise. But because of the specialized target markets and long lead times for B2B companies, social media advertising can be more difficult to navigate. Even if your company is an established player in your marketplace, it takes more than a single Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn ad to convince prospects to make a purchase. Before committing your marketing dollars to a paid social media advertising program, take a look at six common myths and the truth that surrounds them.

Social Media Advertising Myths

Myth 1: Social media advertising is only for B2C.

Your personal social media feeds are likely riddled with flashy ads for the newest consumer products and services. It’s easy to believe those are the only kind of social media ads that exist. However, paid social media ads are viable for B2B brands, too. B2B social media spending is growing steadily each year. It currently accounts for approximately 38 percent of B2B ad spending. With the average B2B company using six different social media sites today, paid advertising is a great way to get ahead of the competition. 

Myth 2: Social media advertising is all about self-promotion.

Paid advertising can get a bad rap for being overly self-promotional (just like those flashy consumer ads we mentioned). However, good marketing content provides value, and paid ads aren’t any different. Treat paid social media ads the same way you treat your organic social media content. Showcase benefits, expertise, credibility and corporate differential. Most of all, provide an authentic and meaningful value proposition that resonates with your target markets.

Myth 3: Social media advertising is too expensive.

Each social media platform has different price breakdowns based on clicks, impressions or mille (one thousand views). Once you see the cost breakdown, you may think that paid social media advertising is too expensive. After all, costs can range between $900 and $7,000 per month, depending on the size of your company and ad campaign. Some platforms allow you to establish daily, weekly or monthly maximum spends, helping companies establish a budget that works for them. Any marketing tactic is too expensive if you’re not getting a good ROI. Test the waters with smaller campaigns across different platforms to see which works the best before overloading your budget, and scale according to successes.

Myth 4: Each social media platform is a silo.

When producing social media ads, it’s easy to get focused on the requirements, costs and metrics of a single campaign. After all, there’s a lot of work that goes into a single ad campaign. Don’t let the details distract you from the big picture. The strongest social media ads align with your other social media marketing and tactics across your overall marketing plan. Even better, align the campaigns with your sales team’s efforts and input. Use paid advertising to complement your other lead generation activities for the best outcome.

Myth 5: Anyone can handle your paid social media ads.

Paid social media advertising is complex and nuanced. Consider the “hard skills” such as writing, design, data analysis, and a thorough understanding of social platforms and the tools that support them. But also consider “soft skills” such as communication, organization, teamwork and a strong grasp of company mission and services. Perhaps most importantly, social media marketers are successful when they have a pulse on the needs and challenges of their target markets and know how to address them in a concise and valuable ad campaign.

Myth 6: You have to run ads on all of your platforms.

As important as it is to align your efforts across all platforms, this isn’t to say you must invest in ads for every profile. Consider which platforms garner the most engagement with your targeted audience and start there. For example, 71 percent of B2B marketers use LinkedIn as part of their advertising strategy. LinkedIn is one of the most relevant platforms for B2B strategies due to the professional focus of its users. If the majority of your engaged followers exist there, try to boost exposure and leads through paid ads. That said, since LinkedIn is the favorite of most B2B companies, it’s also a good idea to branch out to other active platforms such as Facebook or Twitter to find a competitive edge.

A Balancing Act

Nearly 50 percent of the world’s population uses social media. That’s over three billion users worldwide. No other outlet can claim that large of a circulation. If you’re considering where to commit your advertising budget and you’re not already using social media ads, now is a good time to start. Just keep in mind it requires a balancing act to create an effective campaign that provides ROI and generates viable leads.