Paid social is paid advertising on social media platforms, with precise targeting based on interests, behavior, and demographics.
The difference between SEA
Where SEA responds to an active search intent (someone types in a search term themselves), reaches paid social People who aren't actively searching yet but are part of the target audience. This calls for a different approach: eye-catching visuals and brand recognition instead of keyword-based text ads.
Targeting Options
Platforms such as Meta and TikTok offer highly detailed targeting: interests, demographic characteristics, behavior on their own and linked apps, and lookalike audiences—audiences that are statistically similar to existing customers, built from a customer list or website visitor data.
Creatives are the deciding factor
At paid social The creative (the image or video itself) has a much greater impact on success than in SEA, where text and keyword matching dominate. A campaign can be technically perfectly targeted, but without an ad that grabs attention within the first few seconds, the results will fall short.
Do you want to run targeted ads to exactly the right audience on social media? Check out our Social Media Advertising Service or Schedule a strategy meeting.
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