Paid ads guide
Paid Advertising Guide: Search, Social, Geofencing and OTT
How paid search, paid social, geofencing and streaming TV ads actually work, and how to set up, target and measure each one without wasting spend.
Every ad channel finds its audience differently
Paid advertising means paying a platform to show your message to a chosen audience: people searching on Google, scrolling Meta apps, carrying a phone through a place you fenced, or watching streaming TV. Each channel decides who sees an ad in its own way, and each one reports results differently.
This guide breaks that work into hands-on articles. Start with how geofencing and OTT advertising work, then move to Google Ads and Meta ads setup, targeting, creative testing and measurement. Each article explains the mechanics using the platforms' own documentation, with no invented benchmarks. If you'd rather hand it off, our in-house ads team runs paid search, paid social, geofencing and OTT campaigns.
Common questions
What do I need in place before I run paid ads?
Three things. A clear offer, so the ad has a job to do. A landing page that matches the ad and makes the next step easy. And conversion tracking, so you can see which ads produce calls, forms or sales. Without tracking, platforms that bid automatically have nothing reliable to learn from, and you can't tell good spend from bad.
How much should I spend on ads to start?
It depends on the channel, how many people you want to reach and how long you need to run to learn anything. Spreading a small budget across too many campaigns, places or audiences usually teaches you very little. We cover how to set a starting number in our post on the minimum ad budget, so this guide doesn't repeat it.
Should I run paid ads or invest in SEO first?
They do different jobs. Paid ads can put you in front of people quickly, but the traffic stops when the spend stops. SEO builds slowly and keeps working without paying for each click. Many businesses run both, with ads covering the gap while organic search grows. We compare the two in SEO vs paid ads.
Can anyone guarantee results from paid advertising?
No. Ad platforms run auctions, decide who sees each ad from many signals, and change their systems often. Google's own location targeting help says its targeting is a best effort and that full accuracy isn't guaranteed. Be wary of anyone who promises a fixed number of leads or sales. An honest partner can promise a clear plan, clean tracking and regular reporting.
Is geofencing advertising allowed?
Geofencing is a widely used ad method, but it relies on location data, which regulators treat as sensitive. Platforms set their own limits, such as minimum areas and stricter rules for housing, jobs and credit ads, and some places, like medical or religious sites, should never be targeted. Check the rules for your platform and industry. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I get a quote for a paid media campaign?
Tell us your goal, the audience or places you want to reach and the channels you're considering, through our contact form. Paid search, paid social, geofencing and OTT campaigns are custom-quoted, because the right setup depends on your market and goals. We'll get back to you with a quote within 24 hours, and the creative and campaign work are both handled in-house.
Creative that earns its spend
Paid search, paid social, geofencing and OTT, run in-house, custom-quoted. Quote within 24 hours.
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