Which paid media channels should we use?
Choose paid media channels based on where your audience can be reached, how people discover and buy your offer, and what you can measure. Paid search can capture expressed demand; social, display, and video can introduce or reinforce an offer. Start with a clear role for each channel rather than spreading a limited budget across every platform.
Key facts
- A platform's popularity does not prove it fits your audience or offer.
- B2B and B2C campaigns may need different targeting, messages, and success measures.
- Evaluate channels as part of a customer journey, not only by isolated last-click results.
Map the audience and buying process
Identify who decides, what triggers demand, what questions buyers ask, and how long decisions take. Check whether people already search for the offer or need education before they are likely to act.
Match the channel to the work it must do
Use search to test relevant demand where it exists. Consider social, video, display, or programmatic when audience reach, education, or reinforcement is part of the plan. Each needs suitable creative, controls, and measurement; no channel automatically fills only one funnel stage.
Prioritize a testable starting point
Select a small set of channels you can fund, supply with creative, and manage well. Define a business outcome and an evidence-based review plan before expanding. Add another channel to answer a specific opportunity, not because a competitor uses it.
Frequently asked questions
Do B2B brands have to advertise on LinkedIn?
No. LinkedIn may fit some professional audiences, but search, other social platforms, video, and other channels can also be relevant. Decide from audience access, economics, and measurable outcomes.
Should we advertise on every major platform?
Not necessarily. Limited budget and creative capacity can be more useful in a focused plan than fragmented across channels without clear roles.
Is retargeting a separate platform?
No. Retargeting is an audience approach available across different channels, subject to platform capabilities, audience size, and applicable consent requirements.