{"id":1121,"date":"2024-03-27T14:43:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T14:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:11:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:11:47","slug":"advantages-of-social-media-advertising","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","title":{"rendered":"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve all seen big brands using social media effectively, but these platforms have lots of potential for small businesses too. Here\u2019s how to get ahead of your competition by using social media advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll cover specific tips for advertising on social media channels in this guide, but for an in-depth look at marketing read our guide on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-advertise-your-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1410\" >how to advertise your business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"using-social-media-for-advertising\">Using social media for advertising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thinking of going beyond just sharing updates on your social media channels and putting some money behind your posts? This is where ad hoc marketing becomes more strategic and you start to create targeted adverts to reach more people with your product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll need a clear&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1456\" >marketing plan<\/a>&nbsp;and budget before getting started with paid social media advertising. Keep reading to find out more about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#advantages-of-advertising-on-social-media\">advantages of social media advertising<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#disadvantages-of-social-media-advertising\">disadvantages of social media advertising<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#what-is-social-media-advertising\">what is social media advertising?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#how-to-advertise-your-business-on-social-media\">how to advertise your business on social media<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#what-platform-should-i-use-for-paid-social-media-advertising\">what platforms to use<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#how-much-does-social-media-advertising-cost\">costs of advertising on social media<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"advantages-of-advertising-on-social-media\">Advantages of advertising on social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Cost-effective advertising<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 in general, you only pay when someone has clicked on or viewed your ad, and platforms make it easy to control your budget and spending (this gives you a low-risk way to experiment).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Gather data and insight&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 social media platforms have lots of data on users \u2013 by advertising on them, you can build up detailed information on performance and your audience too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Attract new leads&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 social media platforms have wide reach, so clever use of ads can help you get email addresses and contact details of people you can later market to (for example, by encouraging people to sign up to an event you\u2019re running).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Boosts brand awareness&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 a consistent&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-create-a-brand-identity\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1114\" >brand identity<\/a>&nbsp;across your social media posts and paid ads help keep your business in the minds of potential customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Easily track performance<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 in contrast to traditional marketing methods like printed flyers and newspapers, social media advertising makes it easy to see how well your campaigns are performing. If you\u2019re using a lot of platforms,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/technology-for-small-businesses\/best-social-media-management-tools\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1347\" >social media management tools<\/a>&nbsp;can help you get the full picture.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"disadvantages-of-social-media-advertising\">Disadvantages of social media advertising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Steep learning curve<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 while there\u2019s lots of free resources to help you get set up, taking the initial steps can be overwhelming.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Negative feedback and comments<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 with targeted advertising, you need to make sure your audience and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/what-is-tone-of-voice-in-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1120\" >tone of voice<\/a>&nbsp;are exactly right, as people may wonder why you\u2019re trying to talk to them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>It\u2019s difficult to cut through the noise&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 you should weigh up the benefits of social media advertising against more traditional marketing for your business, as social media is an increasingly crowded space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Security and privacy<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 it\u2019s important to make sure that you handle people\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/data-protection-act-principles-for-small-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1011\" >data<\/a>&nbsp;correctly (and protect your business against any data breaches, too).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Targeting can be difficult<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 targeting the right people and for the right price so you get a good&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/what-is-roi\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1028\" >ROI<\/a>&nbsp;isn\u2019t always straightforward and you may need help from an SEO agency.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-social-media-advertising\">What is social media advertising?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might already have business social media accounts that you use to talk to your customers, whether you post photos on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/how-to-sell-on-instagram-uk\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"942\" >Instagram<\/a>&nbsp;or updates on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-create-a-facebook-business-account\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1127\" >Facebook<\/a>. This sort of broad activity is called social media marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Social media advertising, on the other hand, is a paid form of social media marketing. It\u2019s where you create highly targeted adverts to specific audiences in the hope of selling your product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think about your own social media use. You might recognise social media advertising because the word \u2018sponsored\u2019 usually shows up to explain that it\u2019s been paid for by a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each platform has different options to explore. Not all of them will suit your business, so be sure to research which one best fits with your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/strategy\/how-to-write-a-business-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1199\" >business plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-advertise-your-business-on-social-media\">How to advertise your business on social media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As mentioned above, there\u2019ll be a fair amount of trial and error when advertising on social media for the first time. Here\u2019s a few things to remember when getting started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>set&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/strategy\/smart-goal-setting-for-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1528\" ><strong>goals<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;for your social media advertising \u2013 for example growing sales, attracting new customers, or getting more people to visit your website<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>decide on your&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/income\/how-to-budget-calculator-and-guide-for-the-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"956\" ><strong>budget<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>design your ads<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 free tools like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Canva<\/a>&nbsp;can help you create eye catching posts (just make sure they\u2019re consistent with your brand\u2019s look and feel)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>proofread&nbsp;<\/strong>your content before going live<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>consider using tools&nbsp;<\/strong>to manage your social media posts and ads if you have multiple platforms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>track performance<\/strong>&nbsp;and make changes if something\u2019s not working<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could also consider looking into&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-start-affiliate-marketing\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1451\" >affiliate marketing<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 essentially a way to partner with other publishers who can promote your product or service on their website or social media channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"social-media-examples\">Social media examples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When creating your content, it\u2019s worth having a look at how your competitors are using social media ads. What are they doing well and how could you improve on them? What\u2019s trending right now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set up a document that you can add examples to when you see them. Eventually, you should have a set of social media advertising examples that you can refer back to when you\u2019re creating your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, keep notes about how you engage with social media ads in your personal life too. Which ones do you click on and which ones do you ignore? This should give you inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1024\" width=\"564\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/instagram-advertising-example.webp?w=564\" alt=\"Instagram advertising example\" class=\"wp-image-18088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/instagram-advertising-example.webp 590w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/instagram-advertising-example.webp?resize=440,800 440w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/instagram-advertising-example.webp?resize=564,1024 564w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/instagram-advertising-example.webp?resize=150,273 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of a paid ad on Instagram promoting a competition<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-platform-should-i-use-for-paid-social-media-advertising\">What platform should I use for paid social media advertising?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s now lots of social media platforms, from long-term players like Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/how-to-make-money-on-pinterest\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1437\" >Pinterest<\/a>&nbsp;to new upstarts like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-make-money-on-tiktok\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1438\" >TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each platform offers different formats for posting your content, for example simple photo ads to video ads and carousel ads (in which your audience can click through a series of products all in the same ad).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll also have access to advanced tools for tracking performance, which encourages testing and experimentation. While video ads might work well for one business, they could fall flat for another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So when you\u2019re starting out, it\u2019s useful to take a \u2018test and learn\u2019 approach and record your results. Eventually, you\u2019ll have enough data to optimise your ads, from the best time of day to post to the ideal types of content that resonate with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;ll explain more about how to get started with paid ads on each of these platforms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#facebook\">Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#instagram\">Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#twitter\">X (formally Twitter)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thinking beyond social ads? You could look into digital billboards to support your local advertising strategy. Read more about the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/billboard-advertising-guide-for-small-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1225\" >advantages of billboard advertising<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"facebook\">Paid social media advertising on Facebook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The death of Facebook has been greatly exaggerated. It has over three billion monthly active users. And as it\u2019s one of the earliest social media platforms to be adopted on a big scale, it has lots of data on its users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means you can create highly targeted ads for your audience, using details like age, interests, location, and consumer behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One way to get started using paid Facebook advertising is by&nbsp;<strong>boosting&nbsp;<\/strong>an existing post. If you\u2019ve posted something to your business page that\u2019s had a positive reaction already and you\u2019d like it to reach new people, you can click the&nbsp;<strong>boost post<\/strong>&nbsp;button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can then choose how much you\u2019d like to spend and how long you\u2019d like the post to be boosted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, you can create a brand new ad by clicking the&nbsp;<strong>promote<\/strong>&nbsp;button. Then you can set your objectives, budget, and audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meta gives you the ability to run the same ad across Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/small-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook has free resources<\/a>&nbsp;to help you get your ads up and running. Plus, read about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/how-to-set-up-facebook-shops\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1067\" >how to sell using Facebook Shops<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"590\" height=\"932\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/Example-paid-facebook-ad.webp\" alt=\"Example of a business using paid advertising to sell a product on Facebook\" class=\"wp-image-18089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/Example-paid-facebook-ad.webp 590w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/Example-paid-facebook-ad.webp?resize=506,800 506w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/Example-paid-facebook-ad.webp?resize=150,237 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of a business using paid advertising to sell a product on Facebook<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"instagram\">Paid social media advertising on Instagram<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instagram is also owned by Meta, meaning it has similar features to Facebook when it comes to ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, Instagram is different in that it\u2019s primarily a platform for photos, imagery, and video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means you can run photo, video, carousel and story (a feature that shows images and video in quick succession) ads on the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with Facebook, you can choose to boost an existing post or create a new ad, and you can get very specific about who you target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As well as paid ads, you could read up on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-get-followers-on-instagram-expert-advice\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1433\" >how to get more followers on Instagram<\/a>&nbsp;and attract customers by posting directly on your profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could also choose to work with influencers to promote your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Related guides<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-become-an-influencer\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1417\" >How much do influencers make?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en-gb.facebook.com\/business\/ads\/instagram-ad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">How to create an Instagram ad<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"twitter\">Advertising on X (formally Twitter)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few ways businesses can use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/business.x.com\/en\/advertising.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">paid advertising on X<\/a>&nbsp;(previously called Twitter), although the platform has seen a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2023\/dec\/01\/x-twitter-advertisers-elon-musk-outburst\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">rise in big organisations pulling their ads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>promoted ads<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 you can pay to promote tweets to people who aren\u2019t already following you (this includes images, videos, carousels, and text)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>timeline takeovers<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 puts your brand\u2019s ad at the top of the conversation each day<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>promoted trends<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 topics can trend on X, with trends showing up on the platform\u2019s right hand side \u2013 brands can pay for a spot in the list<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>real-time ads<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 X lets you promote live content in real time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"linkedin\">Paid social media advertising on LinkedIn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LinkedIn helps you target people in a professional context. For example, if your ideal customers are other businesses, LinkedIn can help you reach key decision makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can create LinkedIn advertising using&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/campaignmanager\/new-advertiser\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">LinkedIn\u2019s Campaign Manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LinkedIn adverts come in different formats:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>sponsored content&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 this appears in targeted people\u2019s LinkedIn feeds and can be image, video or carousel-based<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>message ads<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 these ads go directly to your targeted audience\u2019s private messages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>dynamic ads<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 these give you the ability to personalise your ads at scale<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>text ads&nbsp;<\/strong>\u2013 simple ads that are pay-per-click (PPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with paid advertising on other social media networks, when setting up your ads you choose your objectives, audience, budget, and format. Then when you\u2019ve gone live with your ad, you can measure its performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LinkedIn has resources that explain how to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/business.linkedin.com\/marketing-solutions\/success\/getting-started\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">get started with your first ad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"paid-social-media-advertising-on-other-platforms\">Paid social media advertising on other platforms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The above are four of the most well-established social media platforms that you can start experimenting with today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But remember, every social media network is a relatively new tool \u2013 and more are springing up all the time. These include (with links to their paid advertising resources):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/business\/en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">TikTok<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forbusiness.snapchat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Snapchat<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitchadvertising.tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Twitch<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And of course, don\u2019t forget that YouTube is a social media platform too. Read more about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-make-money-on-youtube\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1439\" >how to make money on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with any advertising, it\u2019s best to go back to basics and write a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1456\" >marketing plan<\/a>&nbsp;before putting it in motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Doing groundwork on your audience and objectives will help you choose the right platform to use for advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-much-does-social-media-advertising-cost\">How much does social media advertising cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Social media advertising costs vary depending on the platform you use and your objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To give you an idea, these are the average costs by platform for the UK, according to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.airtasker.com\/uk\/marketing\/social-media-marketing\/price\/social-media-advertising-cost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Airtasker<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Facebook \u2013 \u00a30.40 a click<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Instagram \u2013 \u00a30.50 a click<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">TikTok \u2013 \u00a36 a click<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">YouTube \u2013 \u00a36 a day<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">LinkedIn \u2013 \u00a34 to \u00a36<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your costs might also increase if you decide you need freelance help, for example a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-graphic-designer\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"902\" >graphic designer<\/a>&nbsp;to create content for your ads, or a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"813\" >copywriter<\/a>&nbsp;to write the copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"social-media-advertising-with-affiliates\">Social media advertising with affiliates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Affiliate marketing is another way of advertising your business on social media \u2013 this time by partnering with affiliates. An affiliate marketer is someone who publishes content to promote another company in exchange for commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are different payment structures and affiliate models to choose from, for example it could be someone who&#8217;s used your product and then reviews it on their social media channels. Our guide to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-start-affiliate-marketing\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1451\" >affiliate marketing<\/a>&nbsp;outlines more about how the process works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"experimentation-is-key-\">Experimentation is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main thing to remember with paid social media advertising is to start small and keep learning along the way. By experimenting with platforms, style of adverts, and budget, you\u2019ll start to learn what works for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just make sure you\u2019re clear on your goals and track your progress. And if it\u2019s not working? Stop putting money into it and try something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Are you considering setting up a social media advertising plan for your business? Let us know in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-advertise-your-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1410\" >Small business advertising ideas<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/tech\/seo-companies-for-small-business-growth\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1518\" >How to find the right SEO agency for your business<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/what-is-tone-of-voice-in-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1120\" >What is tone of voice?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/faq\/what-type-of-business-insurance-do-i-need\/\">What type of business insurance do I need?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-upsell-001\" class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Ready to set up your cover?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">As one of the UK&#8217;s biggest&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\/insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"470\" >business insurance<\/a>&nbsp;providers, we specialise in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a>&nbsp;and protect more trades than anybody else. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored quote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get a quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>puhhha\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"newsletter-subscribe\" class=\"wp-block-group newsletter-subscribe is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow wp-block-block\" style=\"border-top-color:#cccccc;border-top-width:1px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:0\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-dark-800-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-ced002c3d2e03fde51d8880b5da0f3bb wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">A free monthly newsletter with the latest news and tools for small businesses and landlords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-222c5d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline has-size-medium is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/about-us\/newsletter-signup\/\">Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links has-small-icon-size is-style-logos-only is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Follow Simply Business on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-x  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.x.com\/simplybusiness\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M13.982 10.622 20.54 3h-1.554l-5.693 6.618L8.745 3H3.5l6.876 10.007L3.5 21h1.554l6.012-6.989L15.868 21h5.245l-7.131-10.378Zm-2.128 2.474-.697-.997-5.543-7.93H8l4.474 6.4.697.996 5.815 8.318h-2.387l-4.745-6.787Z\" \/><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Follow Simply Business on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-youtube  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/simplybusiness\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M21.8,8.001c0,0-0.195-1.378-0.795-1.985c-0.76-0.797-1.613-0.801-2.004-0.847c-2.799-0.202-6.997-0.202-6.997-0.202 h-0.009c0,0-4.198,0-6.997,0.202C4.608,5.216,3.756,5.22,2.995,6.016C2.395,6.623,2.2,8.001,2.2,8.001S2,9.62,2,11.238v1.517 c0,1.618,0.2,3.237,0.2,3.237s0.195,1.378,0.795,1.985c0.761,0.797,1.76,0.771,2.205,0.855c1.6,0.153,6.8,0.201,6.8,0.201 s4.203-0.006,7.001-0.209c0.391-0.047,1.243-0.051,2.004-0.847c0.6-0.607,0.795-1.985,0.795-1.985s0.2-1.618,0.2-3.237v-1.517 C22,9.62,21.8,8.001,21.8,8.001z M9.935,14.594l-0.001-5.62l5.404,2.82L9.935,14.594z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Subscribe to Simply Business Videos on Youtube<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/simply-business_39914\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Follow Simply Business on LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/simplybusiness\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Follow Simply Business on Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-tiktok  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@simplybusiness\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M16.708 0.027c1.745-0.027 3.48-0.011 5.213-0.027 0.105 2.041 0.839 4.12 2.333 5.563 1.491 1.479 3.6 2.156 5.652 2.385v5.369c-1.923-0.063-3.855-0.463-5.6-1.291-0.76-0.344-1.468-0.787-2.161-1.24-0.009 3.896 0.016 7.787-0.025 11.667-0.104 1.864-0.719 3.719-1.803 5.255-1.744 2.557-4.771 4.224-7.88 4.276-1.907 0.109-3.812-0.411-5.437-1.369-2.693-1.588-4.588-4.495-4.864-7.615-0.032-0.667-0.043-1.333-0.016-1.984 0.24-2.537 1.495-4.964 3.443-6.615 2.208-1.923 5.301-2.839 8.197-2.297 0.027 1.975-0.052 3.948-0.052 5.923-1.323-0.428-2.869-0.308-4.025 0.495-0.844 0.547-1.485 1.385-1.819 2.333-0.276 0.676-0.197 1.427-0.181 2.145 0.317 2.188 2.421 4.027 4.667 3.828 1.489-0.016 2.916-0.88 3.692-2.145 0.251-0.443 0.532-0.896 0.547-1.417 0.131-2.385 0.079-4.76 0.095-7.145 0.011-5.375-0.016-10.735 0.025-16.093z\" \/><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Follow Simply Business on TikTok<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all seen big brands using social media effectively, but these platforms have lots of potential for small businesses too. Here\u2019s how to get ahead of your competition by using social media advertising. We\u2019ll cover specific tips for advertising on social media channels in this guide, but for an in-depth look at marketing read our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":9674,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[26],"class_list":["post-1121","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 advantages of social media advertising for small businesses<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking of going beyond sharing ad hoc updates and putting some money behind your posts? That&#039;s social media advertising. Here&#039;s how to do it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Social media advertising guide for small businesses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It&#039;s possible to reach new customers through social media.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/social-media-advertising-hero.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Sam Bromley\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Sam Bromley\",\"description\":\"\\nSam has more than 10 years of experience in writing for financial services.\u00a0He specialises in illuminating complicated topics, from IR35 to ISAs, and identifying emerging trends that audiences want to know about.\u00a0Sam spent five years at Simply Business, where he was Senior Copywriter.\"},\"headline\":\"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-27T14:43:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\"},\"wordCount\":2265,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Marketing your business\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\",\"name\":\"5 advantages of social media advertising for small businesses\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-27T14:43:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00\",\"description\":\"Thinking of going beyond sharing ad hoc updates and putting some money behind your posts? That's social media advertising. Here's how to do it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp\",\"width\":850,\"height\":567,\"caption\":\"social-media-advertising-hero\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Knowledge\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/77f91625e7ec1b88a7fca8910ce6c69f\",\"name\":\"rishvashah\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"caption\":\"rishvashah\"}},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row\",\"addressLocality\":\"London\",\"postalCode\":\"EC1Y 8LZ\",\"addressCountry\":\"GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"width\":533,\"height\":187,\"caption\":\"Simply Business UK\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta name=\"geo.placename\" content=\"London\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.region\" content=\"United Kingdom (UK)\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 advantages of social media advertising for small businesses","description":"Thinking of going beyond sharing ad hoc updates and putting some money behind your posts? That's social media advertising. Here's how to do it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Social media advertising guide for small businesses","og_description":"It's possible to reach new customers through social media.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","og_site_name":"Simply Business UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness","article_modified_time":"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/social-media-advertising-hero.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started","twitter_site":"@simplybusiness","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"11 minutes","Written by":"Sam Bromley"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Bromley","description":"\nSam has more than 10 years of experience in writing for financial services.\u00a0He specialises in illuminating complicated topics, from IR35 to ISAs, and identifying emerging trends that audiences want to know about.\u00a0Sam spent five years at Simply Business, where he was Senior Copywriter."},"headline":"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started","datePublished":"2024-03-27T14:43:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/"},"wordCount":2265,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp","articleSection":["Marketing your business"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","name":"5 advantages of social media advertising for small businesses","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp","datePublished":"2024-03-27T14:43:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-22T13:11:47+00:00","description":"Thinking of going beyond sharing ad hoc updates and putting some money behind your posts? That's social media advertising. Here's how to do it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp","width":850,"height":567,"caption":"social-media-advertising-hero"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Knowledge","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/","name":"Simply Business UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/77f91625e7ec1b88a7fca8910ce6c69f","name":"rishvashah","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","caption":"rishvashah"}},{"@type":"PostalAddress","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#local-main-place-address","streetAddress":"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row","addressLocality":"London","postalCode":"EC1Y 8LZ","addressCountry":"GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","width":533,"height":187,"caption":"Simply Business UK"}]},"geo.placename":"London","geo.region":"United Kingdom (UK)"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"http:\/\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"5 advantages of social media advertising \u2013 and how to get started","url":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp"},"articleSection":"Marketing your business","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Bromley"}],"creator":["Sam Bromley"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Simply Business UK","logo":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/icon-512x512-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2024-03-27T14:43:00Z","datePublished":"2024-03-27T14:43:00Z","dateModified":"2025-05-22T13:11:47Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"5 advantages of social media advertising \\u2013 and how to get started\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/marketing\\\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/marketing\\\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/social-media-advertising-hero.webp\"},\"articleSection\":\"Marketing your business\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Sam Bromley\"}],\"creator\":[\"Sam Bromley\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/icon-512x512-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2024-03-27T14:43:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-27T14:43:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-22T13:11:47Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/p.js"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1121"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39550,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1121\/revisions\/39550"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1121"},{"taxonomy":"hidden-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hidden-category?post=1121"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}