Paid Social Media: The Fundamentals for Success

longshotmarketingl
Feb 25
3 min read

Paid social media is one of the most powerful tools for businesses looking to grow, but it’s easy to waste money if you don’t approach it strategically. Whether you’re boosting a post or running a full-scale ad campaign, the key to success is systematic organisation, clear targeting, and continuous optimisation.

At Longshot, we believe marketing should feel human. Your ads should never feel like intrusive sales pitches—they should connect with the right people at the right time in a way that feels natural. Here’s how to build a smart, growth-focused paid social strategy that works.

1. Get Clear on Your Goals

Before spending a penny, define what you want to achieve. Without clear objectives, your ad spend can disappear fast with little to show for it.

Common paid social goals:

Brand awareness: Get your business in front of new audiences.
Lead generation: Capture emails and build a sales pipeline.
Website traffic: Drive quality visitors to your site.
Sales & conversions: Turn browsers into buyers.

Choosing the right objective ensures your campaigns are set up for measurable success.

2. Know Your Audience (and Target Them Properly)

Paid social media gives you powerful targeting options—but only if you know how to use them. The better you understand your audience, the more effective your ads will be.

Key audience targeting methods:

Demographic targeting: Age, gender, location, job title.
Interest-based targeting: Hobbies, behaviours, and online activity.
Custom audiences: Retarget past website visitors or email subscribers.
Lookalike audiences: Find new customers who resemble your best existing ones.

Effective targeting ensures your budget is spent reaching the people most likely to take action.

3. Choose the Right Platforms

Not every social media platform will work for your business. Focus on where your audience is most active.

Platform breakdown:

Facebook & Instagram: Best for eCommerce, B2C brands, and visual content.
LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B, professional services, and thought leadership.
TikTok: Great for younger audiences and brands with engaging short-form content.
Twitter (X): Useful for real-time engagement and brand awareness.

Choosing the right platform ensures your ad spend is effective and reaches the right people.

4. Craft Ads That Convert

Even the best targeting won’t save an underwhelming ad. Your content needs to stop the scroll, engage, and drive action.

What makes a great paid social ad?

Eye-catching visuals: Use high-quality images or video to grab attention.
Compelling copy: Keep it concise, engaging, and focused on the benefit.
Strong call to action (CTA): Tell users exactly what to do next (Shop Now, Sign Up, Learn More).
Mobile-first design: Most users scroll on their phones—optimise accordingly.

Ads that feel native and valuable to the audience always perform better.

5. Test, Optimise, Repeat

Paid social isn’t a “set and forget” strategy. To get the best ROI, continuous testing and optimisation are essential.

What to test?

Ad creatives: Try different images, videos, and messaging.
Audiences: Test various targeting options to see what performs best.
Placements: Compare feeds, stories, and reels to identify the highest-performing ad spots.
Budgets & bidding strategies: Adjust spending based on performance insights.

Regular optimisation ensures your budget is always working as efficiently as possible.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Human

Paid social media is more than just running ads—it’s about reaching real people in meaningful ways. At Longshot, we help businesses create ads that don’t just sell but connect. With the right strategy, targeting, and optimisation, paid social can become a major driver of sustainable growth.

Ready to make paid social media work for you? Let’s chat. We’ll help you build a strategy that’s as effective as it is human.