11 - Choose the Right Marketing Channels for Your Budget

Choose the Right Marketing Channels for Your Budget

Paid Advertising · Module 11

← Fundamentals of Digital Marketing - Google

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Index

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1. Paid Ads and Your Brand

Defining Goals

Goal	Example
Awareness	Get brand name out (e.g. social ads, video ads)
Interest	Tell people about new products or sales
Retargeting	Bring visitors back who didn’t convert

Multiple goals need multiple campaigns. Use 02 - Build Your Digital Marketing Strategy and 03 - Know Your Digital Customers to align.

Sales Funnel Stages

Stage	Focus
Awareness	Strong first impression; what makes you stand out; broad audience
Interest	Shape opinions; highlight advantages; narrow to site visitors, followers
Consideration	Target considerers; testimonials; site visitors, followers
Conversion	Offers, discounts, free trials; target interested but not yet converted

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2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Organic vs Paid

Type	Description
Organic	Algorithm-chosen; no payment. See 07 - Help Customers Find You Through Search.
Paid	”Sponsored” at top; you bid on keywords

Why SEM Works

Factor	Benefit
Pay per click (PPC)	Pay only when someone clicks
Targeted	Searchers are actively looking; keywords match intent
Measurable	Track every click, conversion, and cost

The SEM Auction

Limited ad slots per page. Advertisers bid. Highest ad rank wins better placement. Ad rank = Max CPC × Quality Score (+ extensions, UX factors).

Quality Score (1–10)

Component	Focus
Expected CTR	Likelihood of click when shown
Ad relevance	Match to search intent
Landing page UX	Usable, useful, fast, clear CTA

Higher score → better placement, lower cost.

Keyword Match Types (Google Ads)

Type	Syntax	Reach
Broad	keyword	Related searches; widest reach; AI-optimised matching
Phrase	”quotes”	Searches including the phrase meaning
Exact	[brackets]	Same meaning/intent; most control
Negative	-keyword	Exclude unwanted searches

Making Ads Stand Out

Compelling headlines, engaging copy, clear CTAs. Responsive Search Ads (RSAs): Provide multiple headlines and descriptions; Google’s AI tests combinations and optimises for performance.

Conversions

What counts: Order, enquiry form, PDF download, rate request. Tracking: Set up conversion actions in Google Ads; use Google Tag Manager for implementation.

Value of click = Conversion rate × Value per conversion. E.g. 15% rate × £40 sale = £6 per click.

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3. Display Advertising

SEM vs Display

Aspect	SEM	Display
Targeting	Active searchers	Browsing behaviour, interests, demographics
Placement	Search results only	Millions of websites across ad networks
Format	Text-based RSAs	Banners, video, animations, native

How Display Works

Method	Description
Ad networks	Reach many sites at once (Google Display Network covers 90%+ of internet users)
Programmatic	Automated, AI-driven buying across multiple networks in real-time

Targeting

Option	Example
Contextual	Fitness ads on workout sites
Audience	Interests (health, wellness) across sites
First-party data	Your own customer data for targeting (essential post-cookie deprecation)
Similar / lookalike audiences	AI finds users similar to your best customers

Ad Formats

Format	Use
Responsive display ads	Google’s AI adjusts size, format, and appearance to fit any ad space
Video	Motion and sound; high engagement
Native	Blends with site content; less intrusive
Interactive	Quiz, poll, expandable

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4. Retargeting

This is the consolidated reference for retargeting across all channels. Module 09 (E-commerce) links here.

How It Works

Track behaviour on your site; show targeted ads after visitors leave. Define audience (e.g. added to cart but didn’t purchase; viewed pricing page but didn’t sign up). Create focused ads with relevant offers.

Step	Description
Define audience segments	Cart abandoners, product page viewers, pricing page visitors, past customers
Set up tracking	Google Ads remarketing tag, Meta Pixel, or platform-specific tracking
Create targeted ads	Personalised messaging based on what they viewed or did
Set frequency caps	Limit how often ads appear to avoid fatigue (3–5 impressions per week typical)
Test incentives	Discounts, free shipping, urgency—but don’t always discount; test what works

Privacy and First-Party Data

Change	Response
Third-party cookie deprecation	Safari and Firefox already block; Chrome phasing out. Shift strategy accordingly.
Privacy Sandbox (Google)	Topics API groups users by interest without individual tracking.
Consent requirements	GDPR, CCPA require explicit consent. Use consent management platforms (CMPs).
First-party data strategy	Build direct relationships: email, purchases, on-site behaviour. Most durable targeting method.
Server-side tracking	Reduces reliance on browser cookies; more accurate data collection. GA4, Google Tag Manager Server-Side.

Retargeting Channels

Channel	How
Google Ads	Display remarketing, search remarketing (RLSA), YouTube remarketing
Meta Ads	Custom audiences from website visitors, app users, customer lists
Email	Cart abandonment sequences, browse abandonment (see 13 - Craft Effective Email Campaigns)
Social platforms	Platform-specific retargeting pixels on TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest

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5. Advertising on Social Media

This is the consolidated reference for paid social. Module 06 covers organic social strategy.

Benefits

Benefit	Description
Targeted reach	Age, interests, location, behaviours, lookalike audiences
Quick visibility	Faster than organic alone
Cost control	Daily/campaign limits; start with any budget
Instant engagement	Visits, downloads, purchases
AI optimisation	Platforms automatically optimise delivery to people most likely to take your desired action

Targeting Options

Demographics, interests, behaviours, location, custom audiences (from your data), lookalike/similar audiences, AI-powered broad targeting (Meta Advantage+). Respect privacy controls and consent requirements.

Ad Types

Type	Use
Promoted/boosted posts	Boost high-performing organic content
Image/video ads	Photos, video, Stories placement
Carousel	Multiple images/videos; product range
Collection	Curated products; shop from ad (Instagram, Facebook)
Lead ads	Forms for contact capture without leaving platform
Shopping ads	Product catalogue ads with price and image (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest)
Spark Ads (TikTok)	Boost creator content as paid ad while keeping organic engagement

Platform Ad Managers

Platform	Tool
Meta (Facebook/Instagram)	Meta Ads Manager; Advantage+ for AI-optimised campaigns
TikTok	TikTok Ads Manager; Smart Performance Campaigns
LinkedIn	LinkedIn Campaign Manager; ideal for B2B
Pinterest	Pinterest Ads; strong for discovery and shopping intent
YouTube	Google Ads (video campaigns)

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6. Advertising on Video Platforms

Video Ad Formats

Format	Notes
Skippable in-stream	Before/during/after; skip after 5 seconds
Non-skippable in-stream	Up to 15s; bumper = 6s; guaranteed views
YouTube Shorts ads	Vertical, full-screen, mobile-first
In-feed (discovery)	Looks like organic content; thumbnail draws click
Masthead	Top of homepage; high visibility; premium cost

Approach

Step	Action
1. Know audience	What they watch; which creators; what topics
2. Create ad	Match platform style. YouTube = polished or educational; TikTok = raw, trend-driven.
3. Choose format	Match goal: awareness = bumper/non-skip; engagement = skippable; conversion = in-feed
4. Target	Keywords, topics, placements, audiences, demographics
5. Monitor and optimise	Track view rate, CTR, conversions. Test variations.

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7. AI-Powered Advertising

How AI Changes Paid Advertising

Capability	Example
Performance Max (Google)	One campaign across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps. AI optimises budget allocation, targeting, and creative in real-time.
Meta Advantage+	AI-optimised targeting, creative, and placement across Facebook and Instagram. Reduces manual setup.
Smart Bidding	Google Ads AI adjusts bids per auction based on likelihood of conversion (Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximise Conversions).
Dynamic Creative	AI assembles ad variations from your assets and tests what performs best.
AI copywriting	Google Ads and Meta now generate ad copy suggestions. Review for accuracy and brand voice.

Best Practices for AI-Assisted Campaigns

Practice	Notes
Feed quality data	AI optimisation is only as good as your conversion data. Ensure tracking is accurate.
Give it time	AI campaigns need a learning period (typically 2–4 weeks). Don’t make major changes during this phase.
Provide diverse creative	More asset variations = more for AI to test and optimise.
Monitor, don’t autopilot	AI handles execution, but humans set strategy, review creative, and ensure brand safety.

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8. Checklists

Goals and Funnel

• Match one goal to a funnel stage
• Craft message for that stage
• Choose ad format
• Plan targeting (visitors, followers, lookalikes)

SEM Research

• Search keywords relevant to your business
• Note who advertises and their ad quality
• Compare ad positions and relevance

SEM Ad Creation

• Use keyword tools; find relevant keywords by intent
• Select by relevance, traffic, competition
• Write multiple headlines and descriptions for RSA testing

Conversions

• List 2–3 actions to track
• Set up conversion actions in Google Ads
• Implement tracking via Google Tag Manager

Retargeting

• Define audience segments (cart abandoners, page viewers, etc.)
• Set up tracking pixels/tags on your site
• Create targeted messaging per segment
• Set frequency caps
• Review privacy compliance (consent, GDPR, CCPA)

Social Ads

• Identify 1–2 platforms for your audience
• Set up business ad accounts and tracking pixels
• Define audience targeting (custom, lookalike, interest-based)
• Create ad variations for A/B testing

Video Ads

• Choose format based on goal (awareness, engagement, conversion)
• Create content tailored to platform style
• Set targeting and budget
• Monitor and optimise after learning period

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