The summer brings sunshine, family vacations, and…a drop in paid media ad performance? According to PPC, it’s normal for ad revenue to decrease during the summer. Summer ad performance tends to be lower than at other times of the year because people travel more and spend less as they prepare for back-to-school shopping (some people even start saving up for the holidays around this time). This leads us to the notable question: Is there a strategy to maintain paid ad performance throughout the summer months?
Although a dip in paid media ads results is typical around this time, there are still ways for your brand to work around the issue and achieve your social media advertising goals. Below, you’ll learn how to beat the heat and maintain paid media advertising performance during the summer season.
Don’t Stop Posting
The summer slump will likely cause a decrease in your online engagement. You might notice that your posts don’t get as many views, likes, or comments as they once did.
When engagement drops, it’s tempting to stop posting as often (or at all). Don’t do this!
If you stop posting, you’ll lose favor with social media algorithms and have an even harder time getting attention online — which will prevent you from reaching your advertising goals.
Stick to a consistent posting schedule during the summer months, and don’t let a short-term slow-down get you down.
Plan Summer Promotions in Advance
You might find yourself short-staffed at certain points during the summer as your employees go on vacations or take time off to spend time with their loved ones. To combat potential shortages, plan your summer content in advance.
Brainstorm post ideas for different holidays and events throughout the season. Factor in the latest paid media trends as well. Then, create content and schedule it, so you know you’ll have something to share even when your staff is out of the office.
Keep Content Short and Sweet
You should keep posting throughout the summer season. However, this generally isn’t the time to share long-form content that requires a lot of your audience’s attention.
People are busy in the summer, and they need content that is short, sweet, and easy to understand. Focus on brief videos, infographics, and other simple posts that get your point across without taking up too much of your followers’ time.
Share Summer-Specific Content
When planning your content, in addition to making it concise, you should also focus on summer-specific topics when you can.
Show people how they can include your products in their summer vacations or cookouts, for example, or promote specific services to help your followers prepare for their next beach trip.
It also helps to provide solutions to summer-specific problems.
What issues might people be dealing with now that their kids are out of school and the temperatures are rising? How can your products or services help them?
Summer-specific content will help you boost your relevance online — especially when you incorporate summer-related hashtags and keywords in your captions.
Plan a Summer Clear-Out Sale
If you find that your ads aren’t generating as many clicks during the summer and you’re struggling to sell products, consider hosting a clear-out sale.
A summer sale can create a sense of urgency and encourage people to buy your products while they still can. Decreasing prices will also help to drive more people to your website and nudge them to engage with you online.
Let people know that you’re clearing out your summer inventory to make room for the fall collections and are offering discounts on specific items. Highlight some of the best-sellers or must-have products on your social media pages, too.
Focus on Mobile Marketing
People are out and about more often during the summer. Because of this, it’s the perfect time to level up your mobile marketing strategies.
Focus on text message marketing, for example, to reach people directly on their devices and let them know about new deals and upcoming sales.
You should also keep up with social media advertising — whether they’re at the beach or in the mountains, people will likely still take time to check their Instagram and TikTok feeds.
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, too. If people can’t easily see your products or list of services after finding your brand on social media, they’re unlikely to actually buy something.
Collaborate with Brands and Influencers
The summer is a great time to spice up your content and collaborate with brands or influencers. Reach out to a brand that offers products or services that complement yours and ask if they’d like to partner on an upcoming video series or do a profile takeover.
You can also connect with social media influencers whose niche aligns with yours.
For example, say you run a health and fitness apparel line. Maybe you can connect with influencers and ask them to discuss some of your products on their page.
Host Contests and Giveaways
Nothing boosts your social media profiles like a contest or giveaway.
If you want to get more eyes on your profile and more engagement on your posts, give away some products or offer a contest winner a discount on a service of their choice.
There are lots of ways to run contests and giveaways on social media.
For example, you can give people an entry for each person they tag in your comments section. You can also allow people to enter by sharing a picture of themselves using your products.
Whichever approach you choose for your next online event, be sure to follow platform-specific rules. Each social media platform has guidelines you must abide by for giveaways and contests, and if you don’t follow them, your account could be penalized or even taken down.
Work with a Social Marketing Company to Maintain Paid Ad Performance
There’s still time to plan your summer social media marketing strategy. If you’re confused about where to start, though, invest in social media advertising services.
Hiring a social media company or advertising firm can help you learn more about your target audience, analyze metrics more effectively, and create more engaging content.
Not sure how to choose the right social media agency or marketing firm? Visit their websites and look for social media marketing examples in their portfolios.
It also helps to contact the marketing company you’re considering and schedule a call or consultation. Talking to a representative allows you to learn about pricing, packages, and other vital factors that will influence your decision.
Maintain Paid Ad Performance with Socialistics Digital Marketing Services
The summer season can be challenging for brands that use social media in marketing.
If you utilize the tips and tricks discussed above, you’ll have a much easier time creating effective social media ads and avoiding the summer slump.
Do you need more help with your summer social media marketing campaigns? If so, Socialistics is here for you.
Contact us today to learn more about our B2B and B2C social media services or book a free consultation.
