📊 57% of consumers still want to see and touch products before making a purchase.
Despite the rapid growth of online shopping and its technological advancements, 32% of consumers place high importance on face-to-face interactions with sellers and consultants in physical stores, while 57% still prefer to see and feel the product before buying.
At the same time, 68% of shoppers have a positive attitude toward personalized offers powered by artificial intelligence. However, 49% had a negative experience with chatbots, as they were unable to get answers to their questions.
Apple’s fiscal calendar determines when app developers receive their payments. It’s important to remember that when a user subscribes, the funds first go to Apple, and payouts to developers only happen on designated days.
Why does this matter? Cash flow gaps and advertising debts can negatively impact your app’s financial health.
Recently, I had the chance to work on an exciting project where we used Facebook and Instagram ads to promote a new podcast. The goal was to drive awareness and increase listenership, and the results were nothing short of impressive. This case perfectly illustrates how powerful targeted advertising can be when it comes to promoting podcasts.
First, we created a series of engaging, visually appealing ads tailored to the podcast’s core themes. The key was to make sure the visuals and messaging resonated with the podcast’s target audience. We used short video clips, sound bites, and eye-catching graphics to spark interest and encourage users to click through to the podcast platform.
Targeting was crucial to the campaign’s success. We identified key audience segments based on interests, behaviors, and demographics. This allowed us to reach exactly the right people—those who were most likely to be interested in the podcast’s content. We also set up retargeting ads to capture users who had previously engaged with the podcast but hadn’t yet become regular listeners.
The results? The podcast’s visibility skyrocketed. We saw a significant increase in downloads and streams, with thousands of new listeners tuning in. The ad campaign also helped build a strong community around the podcast, as listeners began sharing episodes and engaging with the content on social media.
This case shows how effective Facebook and Instagram ads can be when it comes to promoting podcasts. By targeting the right audience and delivering engaging content, you can dramatically boost listenership and create lasting connections with your audience. If you’re looking to grow your podcast, social media advertising is definitely a tool worth exploring!
Over the past 10 years, the number of registered patents in the field of generative AI has surged from 733 in 2014 to over 14,000 in 2023. Since 2017, patent activity has shown strong growth, with an average annual increase of around 45%.
China dominates the patent race, with Tencent and Baidu leading the rankings. Baidu recently unveiled its latest AI chatbot, ERNIE 4.0, based on a large language model (LLM). Tencent plans to integrate generative AI capabilities into products like WeChat. Among U.S. companies, IBM, Alphabet (Google), and Microsoft hold leading positions.
You might be wondering: why does a Russian-speaking Belarusian like myself, Denis Vasilkov, run a personal brand website entirely in English? Fair question! Let me walk you through my reasoning.
English is the universal language of marketing and digital business. Like it or not, English has become the lingua franca of our digital age, and I’m not about to fight that reality. In marketing and tech, English isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. It’s the language where deals get made, innovations spread, and careers take off.
Now, imagine if I wrote everything in Belarusian or Russian instead. Sure, I’d connect deeply with speakers of those languages, but I’d also be talking to a much smaller audience. What’s the point of sharing insights and ideas if only a fraction of the world can engage with them? I want to reach fellow marketers, potential clients, and industry partners globally—and English is simply the most effective way to do that.
There’s also a personal side to this decision. Writing in English keeps my language skills sharp—think of each blog post as a mini workout for my brain. It’s also an interesting experiment: can I actually make it in the English-speaking marketing world? So far, the journey’s been pretty rewarding.
Some of you are probably thinking: “Denis, what about Belarusian, Polish, or Russian versions?” Here’s the scoop: Belarusian and Polish versions are definitely planned—so stay tuned! As for Russian… well, let’s just say I’m already managing quite a linguistic juggling act, and I prefer keeping things interesting and unpredictable. 😉
Ultimately, writing in English helps me grow professionally, connect with a global community, and hopefully provide value to readers whether they’re in Minsk, Warsaw, or San Francisco. So until those other language versions launch, I hope you’ll stick around for my thoughts in the world’s most widely spoken business language.
How to Promote Instagram Reels: A Complete Guide with Meta Ads, Budget Tips, and Audience Targeting
Instagram Reels have become one of the hottest content formats for driving engagement, visibility, and brand awareness. But how do you take your Reels to the next level with paid promotion? In this article, we’ll explore how to use Meta Ads (formerly Facebook Ads) to promote Instagram Reels effectively. We’ll cover detailed setup instructions, examples, and tips on budgets and audience targeting to ensure your campaign is a success.
Why Promote Instagram Reels?
Reels are short, engaging videos that allow users to discover new content in a fun, quick format. Promoting Reels helps you:
Reach a larger audience beyond your followers.
Increase brand visibility and engagement.
Drive traffic to your website, product pages, or other social platforms.
Build a loyal audience by showcasing creative and authentic content.
Setting Up Meta Ads to Promote Instagram Reels
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an effective ad campaign using Meta Ads to promote your Instagram Reels.
1. Create Your Reel
Before setting up your campaign, ensure that your Reel is ready to go. Make sure it’s high-quality, engaging, and aligns with your goals. If you’re promoting a product, highlight key features in a visually appealing way. For educational content, keep the messaging clear and concise.
2. Access Meta Ads Manager
Go to Meta Ads Manager and select the ad account you want to use for the campaign.
3. Choose Your Objective
When setting up your ad campaign, choose the right objective for promoting Reels. The most effective objectives are:
Video Views: Maximizes the number of times your Reel is watched.
Engagement: Focuses on boosting interactions (likes, comments, shares).
Traffic: Drives viewers to a landing page or website after watching your Reel.
Conversions: Encourages users to take specific actions like signing up or purchasing.
4. Set Up Your Campaign
Campaign Name: Give your campaign a clear, relevant name (e.g., “Reel Promotion – New Product Launch”).
Campaign Budget Optimization: Turn this option on if you want Meta to allocate your budget automatically across different ad sets for the best performance.
5. Define Your Audience
One of the keys to successful Reel promotion is precise audience targeting. You can target your audience based on:
Demographics: Age, gender, location, language.
Interests: Based on the topics users engage with (e.g., fitness, fashion, travel).
Behavior: Purchase habits, devices used, past interactions with your content.
Custom Audiences: Upload email lists or target people who’ve interacted with your Instagram account.
Lookalike Audiences: Target people similar to your current followers or customers.
Example: If you’re promoting a Reel for a fitness app, you might target men and women aged 18-35 interested in health and fitness, sports, or gym workouts.
6. Budget and Scheduling
When setting your budget, keep in mind that it’s better to start small and adjust as you see results.
Daily Budget: If you’re running an ongoing campaign, you might set a daily budget of $10–$30. This allows Meta to optimize delivery without overspending.
Lifetime Budget: For time-sensitive campaigns, set a lifetime budget (e.g., $300 for a two-week campaign). This ensures that your budget is spent evenly over the campaign period.
Pro Tip: If you’re new to promoting Reels, start with a small daily budget of $10–$15 and gradually increase as you optimize your campaign.
7. Choose Placements
For Reel promotion, make sure to choose Instagram Reels as a placement option. Additionally, you may want to include Instagram Feed and Explore placements for broader reach. Meta Ads Manager will give you the option to either manually choose placements or use automatic placements.
8. Create Your Ad
Now, it’s time to build your ad. Since you’re promoting a Reel, you’ll choose Use Existing Post and select the Reel you want to promote from your Instagram account.
Call to Action: Choose a strong call-to-action (CTA) that aligns with your objective. For example, if you want viewers to visit your website, select “Learn More” or “Shop Now.”
Ad Copy: Keep your copy concise and engaging. Highlight what viewers will gain from watching the Reel, whether it’s discovering a new product or learning something useful.
9. Launch and Monitor Your Campaign
Once your ad is set up, review everything and click Publish. After your campaign is live, it’s crucial to monitor performance using key metrics such as:
Reach: How many people saw your ad.
Engagement: How many likes, comments, and shares your Reel received.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people who clicked on your CTA.
Cost Per Result: How much you’re spending per view, click, or conversion.
If you notice that certain aspects of your campaign aren’t performing well, you can adjust the audience, budget, or placements to improve results.
Budget Tips for Promoting Instagram Reels
Start Small: Begin with a modest budget of $10–$15 per day, allowing you to test audience targeting and ad performance.
Adjust as Needed: Increase your budget only after you’ve seen positive results. If your ads are converting well, scaling to $50 or more per day can boost visibility.
Allocate for A/B Testing: Set aside a portion of your budget (e.g., 10%) for testing different audiences, CTAs, or ad formats. This will help you optimize performance over time.
Best Practices for Promoting Instagram Reels
Keep It Engaging: Reels should be short, fun, and attention-grabbing. The first few seconds are critical—make sure to hook your audience early.
Use Trending Sounds: Leveraging popular sounds and music can increase the chances of your Reel being discovered by a wider audience.
Leverage Hashtags: Include relevant hashtags to improve organic discoverability alongside your paid promotions.
Consistency Matters: Don’t rely on one promoted Reel. Consistently create and promote content to build a loyal audience over time.
Conclusion
Promoting Instagram Reels with Meta Ads is an excellent way to expand your reach, boost engagement, and drive traffic or conversions. By setting the right budget, targeting the right audience, and optimizing your campaign for performance, you can make the most out of your advertising efforts. Start small, test different strategies, and watch your Reels grow in popularity!
YouTube has become one of the most powerful platforms for content creators, brands, and businesses. However, with millions of videos uploaded daily, standing out can be challenging. One of the most effective ways to boost your YouTube video’s visibility is through Google Ads. In this SEO article, we’ll explore how to promote YouTube videos with Google Ads, offering detailed setup instructions, budget tips, audience targeting strategies, and examples to ensure your campaign succeeds.
Why Use Google Ads for YouTube Video Promotion?
Increased Visibility: Google Ads can help get your video in front of a larger audience that may not be exposed to your content organically.
Targeted Reach: Google Ads lets you narrow down your audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Higher Engagement: Promoted videos have higher chances of generating likes, comments, shares, and even subscribers.
Control Over Budget: You can control your ad spend based on your goals, whether it’s awareness, engagement, or conversions.
Types of YouTube Ads via Google Ads
There are various ad formats available when promoting YouTube videos:
In-Stream Ads (Skippable): These ads play before, during, or after other YouTube videos. Users can skip the ad after 5 seconds. This is ideal for awareness campaigns.
In-Stream Ads (Non-Skippable): Users must watch the entire ad (usually up to 15 seconds). Great for delivering a concise message.
Video Discovery Ads: These appear in YouTube search results or next to related videos, inviting users to click and watch.
Bumper Ads: Short, non-skippable ads (up to 6 seconds). Perfect for brand awareness.
Outstream Ads: Play on Google partner sites outside YouTube.
Setting Up Google Ads to Promote Your YouTube Video
Step 1: Create Your YouTube Video
Before setting up a Google Ads campaign, ensure that your video is high-quality, engaging, and optimized. Some tips:
Strong Hook: Capture attention in the first few seconds.
Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage viewers to like, comment, subscribe, or visit your website.
Length: Aim for 15–60 seconds for in-stream ads, but longer videos can work well for discovery ads.
Step 2: Set Up Google Ads Account
If you don’t have a Google Ads account, create one at ads.google.com. Link your YouTube channel to Google Ads to access your videos and monitor performance directly from your account.
Step 3: Choose Campaign Objective
Start by selecting the right campaign objective. For promoting YouTube videos, the following objectives work best:
Brand Awareness and Reach: Ideal for creating visibility and reaching as many people as possible.
Website Traffic: If your goal is to drive viewers to your site.
Lead Generation: To collect leads via a form integrated into the video ad.
Step 4: Campaign Type and Ad Format
Next, choose the Video campaign type, which is specific to YouTube ads. Depending on your objective, you can select:
In-Stream Ads: For brand awareness.
Discovery Ads: To appear in YouTube search results.
Example: If you want your video to show up in YouTube search results when users type in related keywords, opt for Discovery Ads.
Step 5: Set Budget and Bidding Strategy
Your budget depends on your goals, but here’s a breakdown of the typical settings:
Daily Budget: Set a daily budget starting from $10–$20 if you’re just testing campaigns. You can increase it later as you see results.
Total Budget: If you prefer a total budget over a set period (e.g., $300 for a month-long campaign), select the Total Campaign Budget option.
Bidding: Choose the bidding strategy based on your campaign goal:
CPV (Cost Per View): You pay for each view (typically between $0.05 to $0.30 depending on your target audience and competition).
CPM (Cost Per 1000 Impressions): You pay for every 1,000 impressions, ideal for brand awareness campaigns.
Tip: Start with CPV bidding if your goal is to engage viewers and drive actions like likes and comments.
Step 6: Audience Targeting
Targeting the right audience is crucial for successful video promotion. Google Ads offers several targeting options:
Demographics: Select age, gender, household income, and parental status.
Example: If you’re promoting a tech product video, target males and females aged 18–34 with interests in gadgets and technology.
Interests: Choose interests related to your content. For instance, if your video is about fitness, target users interested in exercise, healthy living, and wellness.
Keywords: Use specific keywords related to your video’s content to ensure it shows up in relevant searches.
Example: If your video is about social media marketing tips, use keywords like “social media tips,” “digital marketing,” or “grow Instagram followers.”
Placement Targeting: Select specific YouTube channels or videos where you want your ad to appear.
Example: If you know that your audience watches videos from a popular fitness YouTuber, place your ads on that creator’s videos.
Custom Audiences: You can create custom audiences by uploading customer email lists or targeting people who’ve interacted with your brand before.
Step 7: Create the Ad
Now, it’s time to build your ad. You can select an existing YouTube video to promote:
In-Stream Ads: Add your video link, write a headline (up to 15 characters), and a description (up to 90 characters).
Discovery Ads: Choose a strong thumbnail, write a compelling headline, and add relevant descriptions to encourage clicks.
Make sure to add a strong Call-to-Action (CTA) that tells viewers what to do next—whether it’s subscribing, visiting your website, or watching another video.
Step 8: Launch and Monitor the Campaign
Once everything is set up, launch your campaign. Monitor performance using the following key metrics:
Views: How many people watched your video.
View Rate: The percentage of people who watched the ad after it started playing.
Engagement: Likes, comments, and shares generated from the video.
CTR (Click-Through Rate): How many people clicked on your CTA.
CPV (Cost Per View): The average amount you’re paying for each view.
Adjust your campaign as necessary. For example, if one target audience is performing better, increase your budget for that segment.
Budget Tips for YouTube Video Promotion
Start Small: If you’re new to promoting YouTube videos, start with $10–$20 per day. Gradually increase your budget as you optimize your audience and ad performance.
Focus on Engagement: If your goal is to grow subscribers and engagement, choose CPV bidding and focus on audiences with higher engagement rates.
Test Multiple Ads: Don’t rely on just one video ad. A/B test different creatives, lengths, and CTAs to see what performs best.
Best Practices for Promoting YouTube Videos
Keep Videos Short and Engaging: Aim to hook viewers in the first 5 seconds, especially for in-stream ads. Longer videos should maintain engagement throughout.
Use Eye-Catching Thumbnails: For discovery ads, your thumbnail is the first thing users will see—make sure it grabs attention and entices them to click.
Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your video looks great on mobile devices, as a significant portion of YouTube traffic comes from mobile users.
Leverage Trending Topics: If relevant, tie your video content to trending topics or popular events to increase engagement.
Conclusion
Promoting your YouTube videos with Google Ads is an effective way to boost your reach, grow your channel, and drive engagement. By following the steps outlined above—setting a clear budget, targeting the right audience, and optimizing your campaigns—you can significantly increase the success of your video content. Start small, test different strategies, and watch your YouTube channel thrive!
As my blog has gained popularity, many of my friends and readers often ask why I don’t write in Russian or Belarusian. I should have addressed this earlier, but here we are, and I’ll explain—still in English.
First of all, I wanted to challenge myself. I was curious to see how well I could handle writing in English, processing English-language sources, and making it engaging for readers. It’s been a personal journey to improve my language skills.
Secondly, I believe that anyone working in digital should be fluent in English, and it shouldn’t be an obstacle for professionals in the field. It’s a global language for a reason, especially in our industry.
Lastly, if reading in English is a struggle, there are plenty of online translation tools, or—seriously—it might be time to learn English once and for all!
That being said, I do have plans for two additional language versions—Belarusian and Polish—as well as launching a full-scale digital media outlet for Belarusians around the world. Stay tuned!
The future of podcasts is bright and rapidly evolving. As one of the fastest-growing forms of media, podcasts are no longer just a niche interest—they’ve become a mainstream platform for content creators, brands, and audiences alike.
In the near future, we can expect podcasts to continue expanding in both reach and format. With the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, podcasts will become even more integrated into daily routines, offering listeners on-demand content anywhere and anytime. Additionally, innovations like interactive podcasts, where listeners can influence the story or outcome, are starting to gain traction, opening up new possibilities for engagement.
Another key trend we’ll see is the growth of branded podcasts. More companies are recognizing the power of podcasts to build deeper connections with their audience. Through storytelling and value-driven content, brands can engage listeners in a more personal and authentic way than traditional advertising allows.
Monetization will also continue to evolve, with platforms offering new ways for creators to earn, from listener subscriptions to dynamic ad insertions tailored to specific audiences. This means that for both independent creators and businesses, podcasting will become an increasingly viable and profitable platform.
In short, the future of podcasts is all about growth, innovation, and new opportunities for creators and listeners alike. As the medium continues to evolve, those who embrace it will find themselves at the forefront of a powerful shift in media consumption.
Facebook is a powerful platform for reaching a large audience, but getting more engagement on your posts—whether likes, comments, or shares—can be a challenge. Promoting your posts using Meta Ads (formerly Facebook Ads) is one of the most effective ways to boost your visibility and interaction. In this guide, we’ll cover how to set up a Facebook ad campaign to promote your posts, as well as tips on budget, audience targeting, and maximizing engagement.
Why Promote Facebook Posts?
Promoting Facebook posts can:
Increase visibility by reaching a broader audience.
Boost engagement, including likes, comments, and shares.
Strengthen brand presence and credibility through social proof.
Drive traffic to your website or landing pages from a more engaged audience.
Setting Up Meta Ads to Promote Facebook Posts
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an ad campaign that focuses on promoting Facebook posts for more engagement.
1. Choose the Right Post to Promote
Before diving into the campaign setup, make sure you select a post that’s already performing well or has the potential for high engagement. Look for posts that are visually appealing, ask a question, or encourage interaction.
Examples include:
Posts with high-quality images or videos.
Polls or questions that invite opinions or discussions.
Posts promoting special offers or contests that encourage shares.
2. Access Meta Ads Manager
To start, head to Meta Ads Manager. Select the ad account you want to use for the campaign.
3. Select Your Objective
When promoting posts for engagement, the best objective to choose is Engagement. This ensures that your ad is optimized for getting more likes, comments, and shares.
Campaign Name: Choose a descriptive campaign name, such as “Post Engagement – October 2024.”
Engagement Type: Select Post Engagement to prioritize social interactions on the promoted post.
4. Set Your Budget and Schedule
When setting a budget for promoting Facebook posts, it’s important to balance between cost and desired reach.
Daily Budget: Start with a daily budget of $10–$20. This allows Facebook’s algorithm to gather enough data while optimizing your ad delivery.
Lifetime Budget: If you’re promoting a time-sensitive post (e.g., a contest), you can set a lifetime budget. For example, $200 over two weeks.
Pro Tip: Begin with a lower budget, monitor the performance, and increase it gradually once you’ve optimized your audience and targeting.
5. Audience Targeting
Targeting the right audience is key to getting engagement on your posts. Meta Ads offers various targeting options:
Demographics: Narrow down your audience by age, gender, and location.
Interests: Target users based on their interests (e.g., fitness, travel, cooking, etc.).
Behaviors: Target people based on their purchasing behaviors or online activity.
Custom Audiences: Upload your email list to create a custom audience or target users who have already interacted with your page.
Lookalike Audiences: Create a lookalike audience based on your existing followers or customers to reach new people similar to them.
Example: If you’re promoting a post about a new line of fitness products, you could target people aged 18–35 interested in health, fitness, and activewear.
6. Choose Placements
For promoting Facebook posts, use Automatic Placements or manually select Facebook Feed as the primary placement. You can also choose Facebook Stories and Facebook Marketplace for additional visibility.
7. Create Your Ad
Now that the basic settings are complete, it’s time to build your ad. Here’s how:
Use Existing Post: Select the existing post you want to promote from your Facebook page.
Call-to-Action (CTA): While you’re promoting for engagement, you can still choose a CTA such as “Like Page” or “Learn More” depending on your objectives.
8. Launch and Monitor
Once your ad is live, monitor its performance in Ads Manager. Keep an eye on these key metrics:
Engagement Rate: The number of likes, comments, and shares your post receives.
Reach: The total number of people who have seen your promoted post.
Cost Per Engagement: How much you’re paying for each like, comment, or share.
If your engagement is lower than expected, consider adjusting the audience, increasing the budget, or switching up the creative.
Budgeting Tips for Facebook Post Promotion
Start Small: Start with $10–$15 per day and test your audience and ad performance.
Scale When Ready: If you see strong engagement, consider increasing your budget to $50 per day for a broader reach.
Use a Mix of Daily and Lifetime Budgets: For posts with ongoing relevance, use a daily budget, but for time-sensitive posts (like contests or events), set a lifetime budget.
Best Practices for Facebook Post Promotion
Use Engaging Visuals: High-quality images or videos that tell a story or catch attention are essential for driving engagement.
Ask Questions or Encourage Action: Posts that ask users to share their opinions, vote in a poll, or take part in a conversation usually perform better.
Leverage Hashtags: While less popular on Facebook than Instagram, relevant hashtags can still boost organic reach.
Be Consistent: Promote posts regularly rather than as a one-off activity to keep your audience engaged and interested in your brand.
Example of a Successful Facebook Post Promotion Campaign
A clothing brand promoted a post featuring a seasonal sale with a strong visual of their latest collection. They targeted users aged 18–45 interested in fashion and online shopping, with a daily budget of $20. Within two weeks, the campaign generated 2,000+ likes, 500+ comments, and over 100 shares, leading to a significant increase in brand visibility and website traffic.
Conclusion
Promoting Facebook posts with Meta Ads is a great way to boost engagement and grow your online presence. With proper audience targeting, an engaging post, and a well-managed budget, you can significantly increase the number of likes, comments, and shares your posts receive. Start small, optimize as you go, and watch your Facebook page thrive!
