How to Combine Facebook Ads With Google Ads

Marketers in the United States are on track to spend over $200 billion on digital ads this year. Most of that budget is spent on Facebook and Google ads, though the market is expanding rapidly.

If you’re running ads online, what’s the best way to get the most “bang” for your bucks? For many, a combined ad strategy is paying off.

Discover how to combine Facebook ads and Google ads in one of the savviest, most cost-effective tactics to date. Then, learn how to leverage your momentum into a successful, omnichannel marketing strategy.

How to Combine Facebook Ads With Google Ads: Overview

Combining paid social ads on Facebook with a paid search ad strategy on Google is a surefire way to win.

Each ad tactic reinforces the other, creating an environment of mutual positive reinforcement. Get your strategy started in seven steps.

1. Set Up Google Ads Display in Facebook Attribution

First, set up Google Ads Display in Facebook attribution. To do this, follow Meta’s published guide. Facebook attribution is the better choice if you want to provoke searches of your brand.

2. Establish Meta (Facebook) Pixel On Your Landing Pages

The Meta Pixel is an incredibly useful analytics tool. You can leverage it to better understand users’ actions on your landing page—even if they get there via Google.

To set up the Meta pixel, follow these instructions. Before you do, make you have the ability to update your landing pages’ code.

3. Start With Google Ads Data

Google Ads data gives you the power to understand users. In your Google Ads, set up tracking parameters at the end of clickthrough URLs manually. This gives you UTM codes.

Pull these UTM codes into your Meta (Facebook) pixel. Then, use this data through the pixel to create custom audiences. These are audiences who are well-qualified to re-target on Facebook.

You can even take this a step further. Build a Facebook Ads dashboard in Google Data Studio.

4. Personalize Like a Pro

Use analytics data from both Google and Facebook to develop high-precision audience profiles. Tailor the messaging of your ads to target those audiences with a high degree of accuracy.

One messaging strategy is to use the key terms users were just searching for on Google to re-target them. Integrate these exact terms into new ad headlines.

Make sure each new, personalized ad leads to an equally personal landing page! Without it, all your new leads will just bounce.

5. Retarget Qualified Google Ads Leads on Facebook

Lookalikes retargeting and onsite retargeting methods empower you to market to Google-qualified leads on Facebook.

It’s easy to create a lookalike audience on Facebook. Use what your Google users were searching for as the basis of this audience.

Onsite retargeting uses the behavior of leads on your landing pages to develop targeted ads. The Meta pixel is critical to analyzing on-page behavior.

6. Remarket to Interested Facebook Users With Paid Search

Target the headlines of your Facebook ads as keywords on Google. Leverage paid search to deliver users answers to questions piqued by your ad.

If your ads in Facebook Ads Manager have UTM codes, bring those codes directly into Google Ads.

7. Cultivate Omnichannel Marketing Strategy

Facebook and Google are behemoth sites. But mastering them is just the beginning. Use this momentum to build an omnichannel marketing strategy.

Smarter Digital Marketing: BBT

Ready to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level? Big Bold Thinkers get results.

Maximize your brand’s online potential with sophisticated, personalized marketing tactics. Discover strategies that optimize Facebook ads, Google Ads, and branded content on all platforms. Discover BBT.

What can our experts do for your brand?

7 Tips on Maximizing the Impact of Events for Your Business

Did you know that the U.A.E. has one of the most vibrant events industries in the world? In fact, 76% of the companies in Dubai said that Expo 2020 Dubai helped to boost their growth.

Even though there are many event types, business owners don’t always know how to get the most out of them. And most of the time, this emanates from planning mistakes. The typical event organizing blunders include trying to do everything yourself and selecting the wrong venue.

However, these are issues that you can avoid and host spectacular business events. So, how can you maximize the impact of events every single time? Here are some of the best tips.

1. Get the Best Venues for Events

Have you ever wanted to attend a particular event but didn’t think its location was ideal? Unfortunately, you can easily put your target audience in the same position. As a result, some may choose to skip the event.

When planning a community event, you want to get the venue right from the get-go. Choose a location that is easily accessible. But beyond that, ensure that it’s big enough.

You will also want to consider the amenities, layout, and ambience. A popular location such as a renowned college or hotel can be an excellent idea. Attendees will not struggle with directions when trying to get to your conference.

Also, research your audience. You want to look at the age demographic, occupations, and preferences. Such information will help you determine a befitting venue for the attendees. Consequently, it will increase your chances of maximizing the impact of events.

2. Find the Best Business Event Themes

An event with a theme will undoubtedly be more memorable to the attendees. It stands out in several ways. First off, it doesn’t feel just like any other event.

The theme makes it feel more purposeful, and this is what your target audience will be looking for. If you want to create an impact with an event, focus on the decor, staff uniform, and dress code.

The objective is to ensure that everything matches your ideal theme. For instance, you could request men to wear three-piece suits and ladies to wear pencil dresses. Moreover, most people like to dress up for events.

Working with a corporate event checklist will help you avoid missing the fine detail.

3. Choose the Right Speakers

To have an impactful event, you want to choose the right speakers. Go for people who have immense experience in a particular business discipline. For instance, if you run an acting school, get a renowned actor to speak at your event.

If your target audience is in the medical field, invite a top surgeon or hospital director to speak. Remember, people will expect content that can help them grow their careers or businesses.

Event attendees are always looking forward to speakers. For this reason, you want to create a list of your keynote speakers. Ensure that you put it on the event posters and social media handles.

4. Work With Shorter Sessions

An event can be exciting at the beginning. But as time goes by, fatigue starts to set in, and the attention span of the attendees reduces drastically.

Nonetheless, you can work on your program to deliver maximum engagement. One of the best ways to achieve this is through shorter sessions.

You want to split your delivery into short and impactful sessions. Allocate one hour to each speaker. You will find that they will do their best to deliver maximum value within a short period. And this will, in turn, keep your audience engaged.

Moreover, your prospects will want to act. For example, the attendees will want to sign up if the event is marketing a particular subscription service.

5. Add Entertainment

Gone are the days when business events had no room for entertainment. Today, you will not have an impactful conference if it’s not entertaining. When planning corporate events, consider adding some entertainment sessions in between.

For instance, you can bring a comedian or singer on board. Give them some time on stage as the occasion progresses.

The ultimate goal is to keep your audience refreshed and energetic. Furthermore, there are many options for event entertainers. And you can always Google them and pick the best.

6. Look For Quality Production

As you set up your event, you want the production to be first-class. After choosing a venue, focus on the public address systems. Work with the best sound engineers.

Nothing annoys an audience more than inaudible speakers. They could deliver powerful speeches, but the attendees will struggle to hear.

Sometimes, the problem will not be the speaker. Instead, it could be the sound equipment. And this can tremendously sabotage the impact of your event.

So whether it’s lighting, screens, or audio, provide the best. While you are at it, ensure that you adhere to your business event budget.

7. Sharing Is Paramount

Always endeavour to host an event that will have an impact beyond your immediate audience. With modern technology, ROI-driving strategies work well for such occasions. Moreover, there are a lot of ways to leverage these opportunities.

As your event progresses, create bits of sharable content. You will get this from the speakers. But you will also need a team working behind the scenes.

The work of this team is to collect the information and package it into sharable and digestible bits. And as the end of the event nears, you can ask your audience to find these notes on your website.

Uploading the content, you generate from the event on social media can also be impactful. It can help pass the message to your social media audience. Some will share it with family and friends, extending your event’s reach.

Maximize the Impact of All Event Types

Regardless of the event types, always endeavour to get the most out of activations and business conferences. Leveraging the tips on this post can help you make a difference.

Are you looking to drive ROI with events? At Big Bold Thinkers, we help business owners like you to host impactful events. Contact us today, and we will be happy to work with you.

Google Analytics 4: Get to Know the New Standard for Data Analysis

Understanding the past is the only way you can shape the future. This is true even in technology where knowing and using your past data informs your future decisions. Such is the case with Google Analytics 4, the new version of Google Analytics that was released in October 2020.

There are things you’ll need to know about the new version in order to get the most out of it. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of this Next-Gen Analytics and how it’s different from its previous versions.

Keep reading to learn more about the new standard for data analysis.

What Is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a free web analytics tool provided by Google that monitors and reports website traffic. It’s the most popular web analytics service on the internet.

Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google Analytics. It is a complete rewrite of the previous versions and does away with your old universal analytics property.

What’s New in Google Analytics 4

The main difference between Google Analytics 4 and the previous versions is that GA4 is an event-based data model while the older versions were property and hit-centric.

This means that in GA4, data is collected as events. This gives you a more complete picture of your data and how users interact with your website.

Another difference is that GA4 uses a machine learning model to generate insights and predictions. This is in contrast to the older versions which used rules-based models.

The machine learning model is more accurate and allows for more customization. You can also use it to create custom reports and dashboards.

Lastly, GA4 includes a new suite of measurement tools that weren’t available in the previous versions. This includes things like conversion tracking, funnel analysis, and cross-device tracking.

Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking allows you to see how users interact with your website and convert into customers. You can track conversions at the page level, product level, and even at the keyword level.

This makes it easier to see which pages are converting well and which ones need improvement. You can also see which products are selling well and which ones need more exposure.

Funnel Analysis

Funnel analysis allows you to see how users interact with your website and where they drop off. This can be helpful for identifying areas of your website that need improvement.

Therefore you would want to start by looking at the pages with the highest drop-off rate. From there, you can try to improve the design or content on those pages to increase conversion rates.

Cross-Device Tracking

Cross-device tracking allows you to see how users interact with your website across different devices. This includes things like desktop, mobile, and tablet.

If one device has a high drop-off rate, you can try to improve the user experience on that device. For example, if mobile has a high drop-off rate, you can try to improve the mobile design or make it easier to navigate.

What Type of Data Does GA4 Collect?

GA4 collects the same type of data as the older versions. This includes things like page views, unique visitors, session duration, bounce rate, and conversion rate.

However, GA4 also collects a few new types of data. One is user-engagement data which tells you how users interact with your website. Another is event-level data which gives you more information about specific events that happen on your website.

Lastly, GA4 collects property-level data. This is data that’s specific to your website or app. It includes things like page load time and site speed.

What Are Some Events in Google Analytics 4?

Events in GA4 mean anything that happens on your website or app. This can be anything from a pageview to a click on a button. There are three main types of events in GA4:

Engagement Events

These are events that tell you how users interact with your website. They include things like page views, unique visitors, and session duration.

Conversion Events

These are events that tell you how users convert on your website. They include things like a purchase made, signup completed, and lead generated.

Custom Events

These are events that you create yourself. They can be anything you want. For example, you could create a custom event for when a user views a product page or add to cart.

Why Upgrade to Google Analytics 4?

There are several reasons why you should upgrade to Google Analytics 4 ASAP.

The main one is there will be no overlap in data collection. You will not be able to import data from the older versions into GA4. This means that to start collecting an archive of data, you will want to upgrade right away so you have a bank of info before the old version becomes obsolete in 2023.

Secondly, you will want to run both versions side by side during the transition period. This will allow you to compare data and see which version is more accurate.

You may find that some features are not yet available in GA4. This is normal and to be expected with a new release. Google is constantly working on adding new features and improving the existing ones.

Overall, Google Analytics 4 is a more accurate and complete picture of your website data. It’s the new standard for data analysis and should be used by all website owners.

How to Upgrade to Google Analytics 4

If you’re using an older version of Google Analytics, you can upgrade to GA4 in two ways.

The first way is to create a new property in your Google Analytics account. This will allow you to run both versions side by side and compare data.

The second way is to start from scratch with GA4. To do this, you will need to create a new Google Analytics account and add your website to it.

Once you’ve done this, you can start using all the new features GA4 has to offer.

Need Help Converting To and Understanding GA4?

Google Analytics 4 is an invaluable tool for all website owners. If you’re not using it to the fullest of its potential, you’re missing out.

Connect with us at Big Bold Thinkers for help with all things Google Analytics 4. We can help you convert to GA4, understand the new features, and make the most of this powerful tool. Send us an email today and let’s get your project started!

Brand Activation: What It Is, How It Works and Why Use It

Did you know that 100% of consumers will share any content they create at an event? This is a fantastic way to gain exposure for your company and its products. But how do you do this the right way and not go viral for all the wrong reasons?

This highly effective form of marketing takes some work, but the rewards are exceptional. Read on as we tell you how to utilize brand activation.

What Is Brand Activation?

Brand activation is any event, experience, or interaction between your brand and consumers. Its aim of it is to generate awareness of the brand itself and build a lasting relationship between the company and customers.

It is often confused with other elements of marketing, both physical and digital. However, brand activation is defined by an event or experience as opposed to other traditional and digital efforts.

Why Is Brand Activation Important?

Brand activation is important as it creates touchpoints, which are increasingly important in today’s marketplace. Consumers want to have a connection to a company or brand. With numerous faceless companies bombarding consumers with ads every day, they want companies they connect with.

This can be done in several ways. They may range from huge, grand galas at exclusive nightclubs, to sending surprise gifts in the post. Companies could also hold in-store events or virtual gatherings.

If you are a new company, it gives customers a chance to meet you and see the type of business you are. For existing ones, it can revitalize a marketing campaign and introduce you to a whole new audience.

Types of Brand Activation

Brand activation takes a lot of hard work, and is more akin to event organizing. However, when done correctly it will pay dividends. Below are the four main types of brand marketing events.

Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing focuses on creating feelings, emotions, and real-world experiences. Often referred to as engagement marketing, it is used as a vehicle to convey the organization’s values, sentiments, and core mission. It is one of the few brand promotions that seldom involve the products or services a company sells.

However, these experiences work best when they relate to the product in some way. For example, a car manufacturer may put on track days where people can come to race their vehicles for free. A fashion brand may organize a fashion show using members of the public, with their friends and family as the audience.

While there is often no replacement for physical interaction, digital and online events are starting to become popular. The use of VR and augmented reality often plays heavily in these.

Product Sampling

Unlike experiential marketing, this method of building brand awareness relies solely on the products a company sells. They have one simple aim which is to let potential customers try a product, in the hope they will return to buy it again.

To get a sampling campaign right you have to tread a fine line. A great example is a perfume provided as a sample in a department store or airport. This is often left for you to try at your leisure with no fuss.

Contrast this with an overeager supermarket assistant who really wants you to try a food you don’t like. This can leave a bad impression on a company.

These campaigns do not only have to be physical events. If you have customer data on mailing lists, you may be able to send them a sample through the mail.

Events and Shows

Trade shows and industry events are a great way to get interactive marketing going without the huge outlay and tasks involved in creating your own event. All you need is a great booth design and a unique proposition. They also introduce you to a new audience that has already displayed some interest in your industry.

You can also use these as a springboard for other forms of brand activation. For example, you may decide to use them alongside product sampling.

In-Store Retail

For anyone who has a physical store, or an online brand just opening one, then there is no better place for events than on their premises. Public launches are a great example, especially when the time-honored tradition of getting a celebrity or influencer to open one is employed.

Other factors can be the inclusion of in-store social media interactions. Augmented reality is making this extremely exciting and opening up new possibilities.

For those who don’t have permanent premises, a pop-up store concept is an option. As they are usually temporary, they also add a sense of urgency and exclusivity to drive the experience.

Tips for Effective Brand Activation

One of the top tips for successful brand activation campaigns is to surprise your audience. You don’t want to shock them, but surprising them can be a delightful experience.

Try to concentrate on what the audience wants. It is another fine line between giving something of value to your customers and producing a publicity stunt. The latter can be extremely annoying and put more people off than attract them.

As it is about interaction, you should listen to what your audience wants. Watch social media and ask them questions, or get their feedback from your customer service channels.

Planning Your Campaign

Now you know about brand activation, you can begin planning your campaign. Decide on a method that works best for you. If you have a wider plan, you can fit this in with your digital marketing efforts there.

Big Bold Thinkers are the experts in marketing. From activation event organization to digital marketing, we can be your one-stop shop. Click here to read our related article on how to build a brand identity that drives real growth.