We’ve all been victims of Instagram ads for products discussed over dinner with a friend that mysteriously make their way into your scroll alongside a bold, bright “Buy Now” button. No Youtube cooking tutorial is complete without an un-skippable pre-roll hit for the latest subscription box on the market, and every Google search yields at least one semi-irrelevant sponsored search result on page one.

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At Studio 8E8, we believe that an effective ad campaign in 2023 looks a little different. Let’s get into some “Do’s & Don'ts” of digital ads in today's online marketing space.

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🚫Don’t be spammy. 

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The quickest way to devalue your ad, or even turn away a potential patient, is to blow up their social feeds. Spamming your audience with high-volume ads every time they open their favorite apps can quickly turn a viewer away, and may even devalue your brand over time. These spammy ads are typically poorly targeted to a massive audience, with short, attention-grabbing copy but very little substance or a clear call-to-action. Always be sure to consider the space that ads occupy in the customer journey and write your messaging accordingly.

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 ✅ Do be intentional with your ad strategy. 

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Rather than presenting a cold audience with countless ads and hoping that the sheer volume will generate a few conversions, try to reach a warm audience with the right offer. Instead of pushing an Invisalign® ad to a million people on Facebook and Instagram hoping that some may need the service being advertised, we recommend targeting a small audience with remarketing strategies to prevent your ads from feeling like a digital cold-call.

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🚫 Don’t be tricky.

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Deceptive ad copy and clickbait-ey ads are often used to show quantitative success by generating large numbers of clicks and traffic, but rarely convert at a competitive level. Even when this type of ad does convert, it’s possible that vague or tricky ad copy may have led the viewer to believe the offer was better than it is. Too many experiences like this, and many prospective patients will start to lose trust.

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✅ Do consider the problem you’re able to solve when writing your ads. 

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Digital ads are an excellent way to meet your audience with a solution to an issue a person may be facing. Sure, a responsive Google Search ad stating, “Want better teeth? Click here”, will generate traffic. But an ad that says, “[Practice]’s dental implant services may be able to provide you with a fast and effective solution for missing teeth. Call today for a free consultation!” will meet a prospective patient with a clear solution to improve their smile.

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🚫 Don’t use stock photography if it’s avoidable.

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Stock images rarely reflect the brand you’ve worked so hard to build, and they lack the personal touch that will help your marketing strategy connect with individuals.

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✅ Do use original images!

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Here at Studio 8E8, we’re all about creating unique and beautiful images at your practice. Our thoughts on stock photography are well… watch for yourself! Use your position in the digital ad space as an opportunity to show off the features of your office and your team’s awesome personality with beautiful and unique images.

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🚫Don’t forget about the value of brand awareness as part of your multi-channel marketing strategy

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A great digital ad strategy can do more than sell services. By placing your brand and your message in front of your community in an authentic way, you can start to make your practice a household name!

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✅ Do be patient. 

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Digital ads are an investment into your brand, not an opportunity to make a quick ROI. The long-term value of maintaining a positive digital presence in your community will far outweigh the month-to-month return on your ads investment. Additionally, we’ve found that the first six months of a digital ad campaign typically see incredible month-over-month improvement due to ongoing optimizations and applied strategy. Give it time and trust that your ad dollars are going to work for your practice.

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Great paid advertising in 2023 is such an important part of an effective digital marketing strategy, but a bad campaign can show a low return on your spend and possibly even turn away prospective patients. 

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If you’re interested in running digital ads for your practice, consider Studio 8e8. We offer great solutions for ad management at differing spend levels. We’d love to help your practice grow online! Learn more about our digital ads services: https://s8e8.com/services/digital-ads

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