📖 This post is part of a blog series overview of The Digital Marketer's Almanac 2021, an essential guide for every marketing professional. We will cover critical topics from this resource to help SaaS, eCommerce, and Lead Generation marketers think strategically about the year ahead.
Digital marketers never fail to flaunt their company’s Facebook page following, or the amount of people who view their stories, or the analytics from their Twitter dashboard. Look...we can’t blame them. This stuff is hard work. But the fact is, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are just three advertising tools in a sea of many. If you can't decide if the big ads platforms are worth your investment, it might be time to branch out.
As fast as the digital marketing trend toward social and search ads emerged the first time around, new trends are evolving at the same pace. We’re looking ahead to a time when it’s not only a few social media companies that rule the advertising scene—because that time is right now! Explore some of the emerging competitive ads platforms to keep an eye on in 2021. With the right marketing strategy, any of these could be used to amplify ads to your audience, and sometimes at a fraction of the cost.
Twitch
Twitch does not hold back in talking about the number of people currently using the live streaming platform. Twitch has 2,500,000 eyeballs at all times. The platform has influencers too. For a lot of users on Twitch it is an alternative to watching television.
Spotify
If you didn't use Spotify today, our guess if you're either living in a cave, or just don't like music. Everyone has a soundtrack, and your audio ad will probably fare better here than the radio. With its targeted marketing you can reach the right ears in the right playlists. It's an up-and-coming ads platform and chances are your competition has not penetrated this digital platform yet.
Hulu
Binge watching TV shows is the new Saturday night social for most folks…also your relax time after a long day at work...and during lunch break. Hulu is fast becoming the go to advertising platform for small and medium sized businesses seeking amplification through commercials. Even though the service is in beta you can still claim a spot on their waiting list.
RevContent
RevContent offers native advertising solutions that focus on quality over quantity. If you haven’t had success with the big names in native but want to give it another shot, this could be your next win.
Pandora
Since you already recorded an ad for Spotify, increase its utility and put it on Pandora as well. With excellent audio and brilliant visuals you cannot go wrong with conveying your message in a simple and impactful way.
TikTok
TikTok is officially joining the ad game. With the popularity it received in 2020, it is a no brainer that brands are clamoring to get a spot on this platform. If your brand does not shy from creative campaigns, this is definitely the platform for you.
Snapchat
This social media platform isn’t new, but it is continually growing. Snapchat taps into interactive possibility through filters and AR experiences that give marketers a chance to engage their audiences.
BuySellAds
BuySellAds' biggest selling point is their amazing SaaS tech focus. You’re not restricted to native ads either. The self-serving platform is aimed at scaling your audience and reach.
Reddit
The GameStop vs. Wall Street fiasco proved that Reddit is indeed one of the most popular sites online. Reddit audiences absorb the content and even act upon it making it an intriguing platform to build your marketing campaign around. Reddit is relatively affordable compared to most other platforms.
Quora
Anytime you type in a question in a search engine, a result from Quora is bound to pop. The best thing about the platform is that it is filled with people looking for a particular solution. With the right targeted demographics, you can easily show Quora users your product and offer them a helpful solution to their questions.
There’s more where that came from. We present to you the one good thing to come out of 2020 (😉): The Digital Marketers’ Almanac 2021.
Grab your copy below 👇