There’s more to life than CPA’s and ROAS.

We all love measurability. Apply your budget, get results, adjust and repeat. With digital advertising it’s fairly predictable, reassuringly logical, and endlessly optimisable. In today’s hyper-competitive online landscape that’s an attractive proposition, but it’s very easy to get caught up in short-term metrics. There’s a danger that if you focus solely on CPA’s and ROAS your brand awareness will suffer and long-term, you’ll struggle to maintain growth.

Jess, our Performance Marketing expert, agrees that sales are vital; “There’s nothing like getting some immediate results!” she says, but “In getting those short-term gains, you have to remember the overall trajectory of your business. Brand building is really important for long-term growth. You need to be creating a positive image in the minds of consumers, and over time, building trust and loyalty.”

According to Jess, “In a noisy marketing landscape it’s critical to stay top-of-mind. So a good brand awareness strategy is one that makes consumers think of your brand first when they need your product or service, or when recommending brands to others.”

At Insight, we like to think of results-driven advertising, and brand building via content, as two sides of the same coin. By investing in brand building, you’re establishing a foundation for future success. By investing in immediate sales, you keep your business on track to actually reach that future. We also believe that by leveraging the particular strengths of both advertising and content marketing, you can do both. With the right skills and knowledge, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Establishing your brand identity

Social media is one of the most powerful tools we’ve ever had at our disposal to form relationships with customers that go beyond just selling things. A good feed with relatable content creates connections on an emotional level. It goes way beyond your product’s features and benefits. By communicating your brand’s character, what it stands for and represents, you build a strong perception in your customer’s minds making them more likely to choose your brand over others when it comes time to purchase.

Authentic and Meaningful Interactions

The trick is, to keep your audience engaged you need to provide value in the form of experiences. You might feel you’re spending money for nothing, but you’re investing in connection and community as well as providing information and engagement. That’s what people want and expect from social media, and it’s what keeps them coming back for more. If all you do is sell, you can count on your audience turning their backs.

Inspiration and Trust

Unlike traditional advertising which often tries to intrude on people’s lives, content marketing seeks to become a part of people’s lives. Through blog posts, videos, infographics, and memes, you educate, entertain, and inspire your customers. By consistently delivering high-quality content, you can establish your brand as an industry thought leader and build trust with your audience. This trust translates into long-term brand loyalty, word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat purchases.

Finding the Right Mix

While advertising obviously has its place in your marketing strategy, and metrics like CPA and ROAS provide valuable insights into short-term performance, the key is to strike a balance between advertising and engagement.

As social media experts, the Insight team can help you run the right mix of social content, brand building, and sales initiatives. We’re always keen for a chat so give us a call. We’ll talk about how you can hit your targets as well as how we can help you establish a strong foundation for sustained success.