TWITTER ADS VS FACEBOOK ADS: WHICH IS BEST FOR PROMOTION
In a world where the means of promotion has been revolutionised, every brand turns to social media platforms to promote the kind of services and products they provide. There are multiple platforms that come with their own strengths and weaknesses which help you boost your engagement and increase your followers. While many marketing agencies have used Facebook ads vs Google ads since they are the two most big marketing powerhouses. What they intend to ignore is that Twitter is equivalent to Facebook, if not more, in the domain of marketing and promotions. But, the larger question is how to compare and how to choose? What will help you gain Facebook followers and more engagement on Facebook? Read below to know more:
Know your Audience:
To know which platform is best for your promotion, you need to know who your audience is and where they are. Choose between Twitter ads and Facebook ads by analysing which platform allows you to connect with your targeted audience. Facebook is one of the most active social networks, but are they fit for the promotion of your services? Who are the users? Do they fit your intended audience criteria? Facebook is largely used by the senior population due to its accessible and easy to use nature while Twitter is the domain of the younger base ranging between 20-30 years age group. Moreover, you also need to know the intent of your audience because Facebook and Twitter are used for different reasons. Twitter is known for its fast pace and informal social connections where individuals can connect with anyone and everyone and discover new content and trending topics. While Facebook is more intimate and personal and allows more engagement. Thus, Twitter is amazing if you are looking to sell your pitch for your brand but if you are looking to reach out and engage with your audience, Facebook it is. Promote accordingly.
Ad Types
Secondly, to promote it is also important to see the types of ad that both the platform allows. While both the platforms provide you with multiple kinds of options with respect to video ads and text, Facebook offers several other ad types This includes: Instant Experiences(formerly Canvas Ads) which is very immersive and perfect for mobile users. Stories ads which deliver content in a full screen like Instagram in an immersive way. Offer ads that help you showcase timely discounts and promotions which will encourage people to shop. Thus, in this scenario Facebook offers more engagement and options when it comes to promoting.
Targeting options
Both the platforms- Twitter and Facebook have almost the same targeting parameters like demographics, geographics etc. However, Twitter has an edge as it provides you with unique keywords and audience targeting capabilities as well. It allows the advertisers to reach out to their targeted audience through the specific words or hashtags they might have used in their tweets. This will also help you target those who might have engaged with those tweets, this widening your reach. On Facebook, you might not be able to target by the use of keywords only topics. You can also reach out to your targeted audience with Tweet Engager Targeting which is a kind of remarketing to people who have seen or engaged with your tweet. You can also target users who follow specific accounts with the use of Twitter ads. For the purpose, use an analytics tool and download the list of every follower for any Twitter account and then use it to tailor and make a list of your targeted audience. While Facebook has customised audience but to reach out to them, you need to have the user’s email address and phone number.
Ad performance:
When you compare the ad performance of both the platforms, consider the following factors:
- Reach: When you analyse the total users (target audience aside), Facebook has an edge because they have more than 2.1 billion users as compared to Twitter’s 330 million users. More people, more reach. Less people, less reach.
- Engagement: As per the statistics uploaded by Rival IQ’s 2018 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report, Facebook has an engagement rate of 0.16% while Twitter has only 0.046%.
Cost
As per the AdStage Benchmark Report, Twitter’s cost is less than Facebook’s. The former costs about $5.93 while the latter is priced at $8.35. Twitter’s ads pricing is based on your allocated budget and bid for each campaign, in which there are bid options: Automatic, which is assessed by the algorithms based on the goal of your campaign. Maximum, which is decided by the highest amount you are ready to pay for a follow, click or interaction. Target, which is decided based on the amount you select to pay for a particular action. What you pay is determined by the campaign type which includes: Website Clicks campaign, follower campaign, tweet engagement campaign etc.
What is best about promoting on Twitter is that you pay only when you have achieved your desired goal. For ex: if you are aiming at website conversions, you pay only when you see the result. Facebook’s ad cost is decided by the price tag of other advertisers. Regardless, Facebook offers various pricing structures which is determined based on the ad types and goals. Bidding is also based on the amount you are willing to pay for a particular action.
The decision to choose between Twitter vs. Facebook Ads is premised on the brand and specific campaigns. Both will help you enhance your brand awareness and help you create leads and sales in unique ways. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses. You have to choose based on what is your need and what you want. Some brands have tried using a combination of both to maximise results. Choose wisely based on what you want to promote.
