How Digital Ads Can Help Your Marketing Strategy

If you’ve wondered whether digital ads are worth it, the answer is almost always yes. Consider this: People are 155% more likely to search for your brand after seeing a display ad. And digital ads can boost brand awareness by 80%.

Still, digital advertising can feel overwhelming. Zoe Marketing & Communications has helped businesses decide how to use this tactic since 2020.

Here, you’ll gain a clearer picture of how digital ads fit into your marketing strategy, from benefits and types to typical results, costs and challenges.

6 benefits of digital ads

1. Reach people where they are. Ads appear where your audience spends time — websites, apps and social media.
2. Get detailed targeting. Refine your audience by location, interests, demographics and online behaviors.
3. Retarget your best prospects. Re-engage people who clicked but didn’t take action, keeping your brand top of mind.
4. Layer your strategies. Digital ads integrate well with content marketing, email and SEO to expand your reach.
5. See real-time results. Track ad performance and adjust strategies instantly.
6. Scale up fast. When an ad performs well, increase spending for greater impact.

3 types of digital ads to consider

1. Search engine marketing (SEM)

• These pay-per-click (PPC) ads appear in Google searches based on selected keywords.
• They’re ideal for targeting searchers actively looking for services, such as private schools or ABA therapy.
• About 65% of small businesses use SEM.

2. Social media ads

• Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok offer detailed audience targeting.
• Social ads account for one-third of all digital ad spend and drive high engagement.
• Platform selection depends on your audience. For a flavor:
  • Facebook + YouTube = broad reach
  • Instagram + Twitter = millennial-heavy
  • TikTok + Pinterest = larger female audience
  • LinkedIn = B2B targeting

3. Programmatic ads

• These display ads appear on websites and apps, targeting users based on behavior and demographics.
• Around 89% of all display ads are programmatic, making it a dominant strategy.
• They’re great for long-term brand awareness.

What to expect from digital ads

Digital ads drive traffic, but results vary by industry. Click-through rate (CTR) is a key metric:

• Google display ads: 0.06%-0.08%
• Google keyword ads: 3% or higher
• Facebook + Instagram ads: 2%-5%

For most ads, the average CTR is 1.9%. Also, note that buyers cycle through three stages, so it’s important to have a variety of ads:

1. Awareness (learning about your brand)
2. Consideration (evaluating options)
3. Decision (ready to buy)

Your ads should run consistently and refresh every 60-90 days for the best results and to avoid ad fatigue.

What do digital ads cost?

Budget varies by platform. 

• SEM: $9,000-$10,000/month (ads + management fees)
• Social media: $200-$1,500/month (+ $1,000-$2,500 for management)
• Programmatic: $1-$15 per 1,000 impressions (agency required)

Challenges to keep in mind

Digital ads require consistency. Random, short-term campaigns rarely work. Many businesses reach a decision point: “Do we invest time to learn or hire an expert?”

An agency can:

• Strategize and test for better ROI
• Manage and optimize ads across multiple platforms
• Ensure your budget aligns with business goals

What’s next for your digital ad strategy?

Digital ads keep you competitive and visible to the right audience. This blog covered six key benefits, three major ad types, expected results, costs and challenges.

If you’re ready to make digital ads work for you, talk to us at Zoe Marketing & Communications. Our team can help you build, manage and optimize ad campaigns for maximum results.

To learn more about different ad types, explore our quick guides:

• What SEM is and how it works
• A snapshot of social media ads
• How programmatic ads work