When a new platform emerges onto the scene, it’s a waiting game to see how it will develop in the sea of digital opportunity. If the platform survives the torrent of competition and comes out ahead, it’s only a matter of time before they dip their toes into the advertising game.
Today there are a myriad of digital media advertising opportunities that didn’t exist in the past. Where once Google ads were a brand or campaign’s only solace, today advertisers have to think strategically about where to put their ad dollars depending on the audience.
So, what are some of the new platforms campaigns should consider advertising on, especially as 2016 arises? Check out this list of opportunities.
- Pandora has stepped up the advertising game to include extremely geo-targeted and niche-targeted markets. Because Pandora users are forced to sit through ads in order to get to their next song, it’s a place you can ensure your ads will be heard—and that the right people will hear them.
- It took Pinterest several years to finally jump on the advertising game but at the end of 2014, they debuted promoted pins. With Pinterest aiming to become a prime search engine for the next digital era, this is a phenomenal place to experiment with minimal expense, as you can set your own budget.
- LinkedIn is a platform that people often don’t know how to tackle. There are a lot of important, influential individuals to reach on this platform, especially when it comes to specific policy issues. Use LinkedIn’s ad platforms to micro-target exactly who you want to reach on those issues that make a difference in the long run. After half a billion in sales last year, they have big plans for 2015 and beyond.
- Facebook Native Video.Facebook has put a major emphasis on native video in a powerful attempt to overtake YouTube’s dominance in the video field. They now offer Facebook video embeds and give native video more organic reach than anything else. Now is the time to invest in Facebook native video advertising. With the organic weight propelling into advertising, you can’t miss reaching your demographic.
- In-App Ads. How many times do you open your favorite apps? Chances are, multiple times a day. More and more apps are allowing advertisers opportunities to get in the game. Find the apps most relevant to your audience and talk with their developers about advertising.
- Instagram advertising is new and very few companies are able to do it thus far, considering its rumored $300k+ price tag. For those high level campaigns who can do it, consider staking your claim on the world’s fastest growing social network, which has now overtaken Twitter users in number.
- Taboola. This company has been around for a while but many people still haven’t taken advantage of what they offer: a way to place your advertising content where you know your target audiences already hangs out.
This isn’t an exhaustive list but it’s a good place to start. When considering your digital advertising budget for 2015 and 2016, don’t forget to include innovative new platforms with more targeting capabilities than ever. With so much noise coming onto our daily streams, it’s important you stand out in the right way.
