Using Facebook with Traditional Advertising Methods

Many small businesses simply don't have the budget for running outdoor ads, which include billboards, bus shelters ads, and other methods of advertising out-of-home (OOH). For those small businesses which do have the budget for it, there just might be some major benefits to conducting outdoor advertising campaigns in tandem with major promotions conducted on Facebook.According to Facebook executives, the widespread usage of smartphones and the huge visibility of outdoor advertising are a perfect match for using digital channels like social media. A Facebook survey has shown that approximately 38% of all adults surveyed in the U.S. contend that they have visited a Facebook Page, or have made a direct post to the platform, immediately after seeing an outdoor ad such as a billboard. In addition to this, another 25% claim to have posted something to Instagram directly after viewing some kind of outdoor advertising medium.

Examining the specifics

In order to determine the specific relationship between Facebook and outdoor advertising campaigns, a study was commissioned with Kantar and Accenture, in order to gain whatever insights might be there. The hope was to discover how Facebook might be used in tandem with outdoor ads as part of an overall strategic media mix, specifically monitoring users in Germany, France, and the UK.

The findings from this study were obtained by examining the results of specific campaigns which were run, and which aimed at popularizing specific products offered by a company. In a joint campaign conducted by Facebook and Danone, it was attempted to reach new buyers for Danone's organic French yogurt, which it was trying to promote among younger users. The yogurt company utilized television spots, outdoor advertising, and a number of Facebook ads as well for its strategic media mix.A number of different combinations were attempted with these several advertising approaches, and among them all, the one that worked best was using Facebook with outdoor advertising campaigns. The overall impact achieved by using the these two together achieved a significant 13% greater efficiency than anticipated by either company.This was deemed to be a major success, far beyond what was hoped for by Danone, and even more successful than Facebook thought possible. While it is certainly true that this approach would not be in the budget for a number of small businesses, it also seems obvious that for those who can afford it, there are some definite benefits to this advertising approach. One of the other surprising but important discoveries of the study, found that outdoor advertising is a key element in product discovery for a number of Europe's more youthful users.

Greatest areas of effectiveness

One of the most interesting insights obtained by this survey and others is the discovery that combining Facebook advertising with out of home advertising is most effective in promoting product awareness among younger audiences. Results from the study made it clear that European millennials and Generation Z members are more than twice as likely to discover new beverage or new food products via social media, compared to the rest of the population demographics.A related finding of the survey discovered that combining Facebook and out-of-home advertising had a far greater likelihood of penetrating into younger audiences than either printed advertising or television ads. This is a fairly significant discovery, because it means that any company wishing to reach younger audiences might have a clear pathway for doing so. By combining out-of-home advertising with Facebook advertising, it should be much more likely for any brand to reach the younger component of its audience, and generate interest in its products.

A natural combination

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising has evolved to the point where new technology is driving it to become a more powerful force, and that has allowed it to reach the point where it has become a very effective complement for other kinds of advertising channels, such as social media. By placing an ad on a billboard or a bus shelter, you can have a dynamic, real-time message, which marketers can use to reach audiences at virtually any stage of the purchasing cycle.

Since smartphones have become so widespread, and OOH advertising is so effective, it becomes a natural thing to marry the two, so as to achieve even greater results than either could achieve separately. European users aged 18 and above say that they notice out-of-home advertising at least once during every week, so by coupling that OOH advertising with social media advertising, it seems as though a brand's reach could be vastly expanded.The surveys which have been conducted thus far point strongly to the fact that using a combination of these two channels can significantly extend the reach of any advertising campaign, to include a much broader and younger audience. This in turn, can help brands reach their objectives far more quickly and far more effectively.

Value of combined advertising approaches

This should make it fairly clear that there are some definite benefits to be obtained by adopting a strategy which makes use of Facebook advertising as well as outdoor advertising. It appears that the impact might be greatest for food and beverage brands, especially in the discovery or awareness phase of the purchasing cycle. Because of the increased potential for exposure to all different demographics, combined with the ease of connection for social media, there is a clear advantage to the dual approach.It can help direct consumers toward important product offerings, and it can have the effect of significantly boosting awareness among audience groups discovering the advertising. This makes for some very interesting considerations with regard to your approach to advertising. If you can afford this kind of a strategy, you might well reap some considerable benefits from it.So when it comes time for your next marketing brainstorming session, you might want to keep this in mind. As mentioned previously, it's not for everyone, but for those businesses which have the resources, it could prove to be extremely advantageous as a means of increasing revenues.