How Much Should You Budget for Ads and How Long Should You Run Them?
When it comes to advertising, small business owners often ask two main questions: “How much should I spend?” and “How long should I run my ads to see results?” These are both crucial factors in creating a successful marketing strategy, especially with so many options like social media, print, and digital ads. Let’s simplify the process so you can set a budget that fits your needs and discover how affordable and effective outdoor and geofenced mobile ads can be for your business.
Finding Your Advertising Budget
A good rule of thumb is to allocate about 5-10% of your monthly revenue to marketing and advertising. The exact amount can vary based on factors like your industry, business size, and growth goals. If you’re new and focusing on building brand awareness, you might lean toward the higher end (around 10%), while established businesses can stick closer to 5%.
- Start Small: Test the waters with a smaller budget initially and track your ad performance. Adjust your spending based on what works best.
- Flexible Spending: Cidewalk’s digital outdoor and geofenced mobile ads allow you to start as low as $10/day, so you can manage your budget easily and scale up or down without long-term commitments.
Why Choose Outdoor & Geofenced Mobile Ads?
Outdoor and mobile ads are ideal for small businesses because they’re highly visible, target specific areas, and create immediate brand awareness. With Cidewalk’s platform, you can quickly put your business in front of potential customers in specific locations.
- Affordable Options: Digital outdoor ads can be surprisingly affordable, starting at just $10/day with no contracts or hidden fees.
- Local Targeting: Whether you’re running a coffee shop, boutique, or service-based business, reaching nearby customers is key. Cidewalk’s geofenced ads let you target customers within specific areas, like a mile radius around your location.
- Simple Management: Cidewalk’s user-friendly platform allows you to design ads, set budgets, and track performance all in one place, giving you more time to focus on running your business.
How Long Should You Run Your Ads?
The key to seeing results is consistency. Advertising works like planting seeds—it often takes time before you see the fruits of your efforts. Even if the initial impact is limited, keeping a steady presence helps build brand recognition and customer trust.
- Run for a Few Weeks: Consider running your ads for at least a few weeks to gather meaningful insights. This will allow you to test what resonates with your audience.
- Continuous Presence: Pausing or stopping campaigns too soon can create gaps in brand visibility, making it harder to regain momentum later. Continuous ads help maintain awareness, making your brand more familiar and trusted over time.
- Adjust & Optimize: If results aren’t as expected, explore options like refining targeting, changing ad creatives, or tweaking your budget.
Getting Started with Cidewalk
Ready to make your advertising easy, effective, and affordable? Cidewalk’s digital outdoor and geofenced mobile ads are designed for businesses of all sizes. You can start with a budget that makes sense for you, design your ads, and track performance—all without the usual advertising hassles.
Give it a try at www.cidewalk.com and see how simple it is to grow your business with as little as $10/day.
