Share your favorite inbound ads!

[#1]

Today’s platforms have evolved to solve for the individual user experience — individuals can see different things and have totally different experiences in the exact same place. The way they surface ads works similarly.

Platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Linkedin now surface ads that are appropriate and interesting to unique segments of their users. This is a key shift in advertising because it fundamentally changes the nature.

Ads can be helpful. Ads can be relevant. Ads can be inbound.

I recently saw a great example of a retargeting ad from the company Misfit Market. Last week, I visited their website to learn more about their subscription services. Today, the ad above appeared in my Facebook newsfeed.

Retargeting ads enable you to get in front of those viewers who are already looking for what you're offering. This retargeting ad by Marketing Misfit doesn't just show me what I'm on the market for (groceries, ha) — it aligns with my goals to save money and help stop food waste. 

Why This Ad Works

It's visual. The featured photo uses bold colors to draw my attention and get me thinking about what I could gain from purchasing the offer.

It's relevant. The ad called out that I was already looking at food subscription services and had even visited this exact website, so this ad is highly relevant to my search.

It's valuable. The value proposition highlights the benefits of service. 50% off my grocery bill? Who doesn't want that?

It has a clear call-to-action. The CTA is "Shop Now," which encourages me to click to purchase the produce seen in the ad's image.

What are some examples of great advertising you've seen in your across the platforms you use recently? Why did they resonate? What made them inbound? Let's get the discussion going!

[#2]

Love this! I see so many ads across Facebook & LinkedIn that I find so helpful. Just this morning I ran across this ad from Cotopaxi that I really loved.

I've been doing a lot research lately on backpacks. I'm going on a trip soon and need a new one. I love this ad for a few different reasons.

1) The testimonial is super helpful for me as I'm making my buying decision.

2) The picture of the ad doesn't do the creative justice. The ad has an amazing video of all the features this backpack has. After watching, I'm confident that this bag has everything I'll need when I go on my trip.

3) There is a clear CTA that brings me to a page where I can immediately buy. I've been doing research for a week or two now, and I'm ready to make a purchase. This ad lets me quickly get to the purchase page.

Ads like this are not only helpful, they enhance my experience on Facebook and LinkedIn.

[#3]

Funny you bring up Misfits Market because I just had my first box delivered today! 

Bringing up a related issue to inbound ads: attribution. 

Buyer's journeys can be complicated and when it comes to journey based advertising, last click attribution isn't going to accurately demonstrate the value of paid... Case in point for me, Misfits Market. 

I saw a video on Facebook, which I thought was interesting but I didn't take any action on the ad. Instead, I texted my wife and told her I thought this was neat and what did she think. She also was interested. The next day a friend of her's posted a discount code where she and whomever purchased would get a discount on the box, which she texted me. Finally, we broke down and discussed it in person, like in the real world, with words and everything...  We decided to go for it and I went directly to their website to make the purchase, so I'm forever attributed to direct traffic and there isn't a digital trail that leads back to the real driver for my purchase, a paid ad.

Of course, there is often a paid ad click somewhere in the mix and you can determine how much value that paid touch had in the overall process. 

To hammer home the point, I ran an Amazon ads pilot for a client recently and at the end, if you were to look at the numbers for the paid ads itself you would have thought that he was bleeding money. Big picture though, his Amazon sales were up by a really nice clip and there was nothing else that we could contribute the bump sales to except the paid ads campaign. We played around with the spend in the following month and were able to confirm that even though all of the metrics associated with the campaign were poor, the ads were pushing sales up.