Week 13A: Online advertising

After observing a few photographers/businesses like mine (for a decent amount of time) on social media, I noticed they all have some things in common when it comes to marketing themselves. It seems that most prefer to grow organically with little help from actual paid advertising. They prefer to let their work speak for itself and gradually gain a following over time as their skills progress. Some do sponsor posts on Instagram, buts that usually after a hiatus in order to spike engagement. Personally, I like this method of growth. I think its a better gauge of whether your work is up to par and reaching the intended audience. Almost all of artists whom I admire greatly have come from either me finding them or friends telling me about them, not from advertisement they put out. Using hashtags seems to be pretty effective and costs nothing, but you're still able to target a specific audience.

Although growing organically seems fitting for people in my field, that's not always the case for all businesses. I find that I favor advertisements that are brief, to the point, and usually have some sort of solid imagery to back it, whether it be still or video. A perfect example would be Nike. Their ads are usually simple, to the point, and visually striking. Their call to action 'Just do it' aims to inspire and evoke a response from its audience. It's a perfect recipe for success and has worked really well for them so far. However, there are those ads out there you see or hear every five minutes that truly grind the gears. I usually encounter these while listening to music on SoundCloud. Ads are such a buzz kill, especially when their up to 30 seconds long without the option to skip. And the worst part is that ads are pretty much after every song now, which wasn't how it was before. Its all a part of SoundClouds elaborate scheme to get you to upgrade to 'SoundCloud Go' which costs money. It's annoying and detracts from the overall experience.

Online advertising is no doubt where the future is headed. Traditional advertising is still has its merit but is fading out steadily. When I think about, I don't really encounter much traditional advertising anymore. I don't watch TV or listen to the radio, and its definitely been a while since I've picked up a magazine. All the advertising I'm exposed to is primarily through social media, and I know there are many more like me. In the end online advertising Is the best thing someone can do for their business, once you plug into the right audience, the sky is the limit.