Most business owners and marketers know paid advertising is an effective way to get your message in front of your target audience. While there are many advertising platforms available, it can be challenging to know how many platforms to use as a new business. Especially as new platforms become available and more popular. I discussed the best advertising platforms to have on your radar in 2023 here. In this post, we’ll explore some factors to consider when determining how many advertising platforms to use to promote your business.

1. Budget

As a business owner, your paid advertising budget may not be as large as you’d like it to be. For this reason, it’s essential to determine how much you are willing to spend on advertising and how many platforms you can afford to allocate resources towards. Each advertising platform has its own cost structure, and it can be expensive to advertise on multiple platforms simultaneously. Not spending enough on each advertising platform can have grave results for your business. That’s why your budget is one of the main factors to consider.

2. Target Audience

Beyond your budget, it’s crucial to consider which platforms your target audience is most likely to use. The purpose of advertising to show marketing messages in front of your target audience. Advertising on a platform that your audience doesn’t use will be a waste of resources and money. For example, if your target audience is primarily on Instagram, it may not make sense to allocate a significant portion of your budget to advertising on LinkedIn. Having a presence on evey platform is not always ideal. Take the time to research where your target audience spends their time online.

3. Advertising Goals

Once you’ve determined your budget and areas where your target audience can be found, you have to consider your goals and how they align with the platforms of your choosing. Certain advertising platforms are better suited to accomplish certain goals. For example, if your goal is to drive website traffic, you may want to consider using Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising. If your goal is to raise brand awareness, YouTube might be more effective. Though all advertising platforms have “full funnel capabilities”, it’s a misconception to assume each platform has the same abilities to reach your business goals. Consider your advertising goals and the platforms that align with those goals.

4. Time and Resources

Managing multiple advertising campaigns can be time-consuming and require additional resources. It’s essential to consider whether you have the time and staff to manage multiple campaigns across multiple advertising platforms effectively. Starting with one or two platforms can help you focus your efforts and gain valuable insights before expanding to other platforms. Once you’ve gained some experience with one platform and have a good understanding of what works best for your business, you can consider expanding to other platforms. You should also consider the strengths of your team. If your marketing team is proficient in Facebook Advertising, investing in LinkedIn Ads could present potential pitfalls due to the lack of experience.

All in all, you want to make the most of your advertising budget. Deciding on how many advertising platforms to use can be a daunting task, but with careful consideration of factors such as budget, target audience, advertising goals, and time and resources, you can make informed decisions that align with your business goals. Remember that testing and optimization is an essential aspect of any advertising campaign, regardless of the number of platforms you use. Therefore, focus on delivering the best possible experience to your target audience and monitor your advertising results to optimize your advertising efforts over time. If you’re interested in learning which of these factors relate most to your business, feel free to reach out to me here.