Beyond Google and Facebook Ads, Try These Platforms for Foreign Trade Website Promotion

Most foreign trade website owners that Naiba has encountered primarily choose Google Ads and Facebook Ads for their advertising campaigns. However, if you're choosing them, your competitors likely are too. This leads to high ad costs and intense competition. We can also consider other advertising platforms. Here are some international ad platforms you can use for promotion.

Microsoft Advertising

Bing is also a search engine. While its domestic market share might not be huge, that doesn't mean its international presence is insignificant. Therefore, we can leverageMicrosoft Advertising(formerly known as Bing Ads) to run ads promoting your website and products. Microsoft Advertising runs ads not only on Bing but also on two other search platforms: Yahoo and AOL. Here are some statistics about the total audience you can reach with Microsoft:

• 116 million users daily
• 5.5 million desktop searches per month
• Accounts for 36.2% of the overall US desktop search market

Microsoft also offers various advertising objectives to help you grow your business. Using the platform, you can:

• Generate more phone calls
• Increase ad engagement
• Drive traffic to your local store
• Sell products online
• Increase conversions

Additionally, Microsoft provides various advertising products, including:

• Ad Extensions
• Shopping Campaigns
• Dynamic Search Ads
• Conversion Tracking
• Shared Budgets

Therefore, if you are familiar with the typical features offered by Google, you will find it easy to transition to Microsoft Advertising.

Quora

Domestic Zhihu is the equivalent of Quora abroad, where people log in, ask a question (virtually any question), and then other knowledgeable users provide answers. Multiple people can answer, but typically one answer is highlighted as „best,“ making it easier for others to find the answer. Part of the challenge when starting a business is immediately attracting people who need digital marketing services. Quora enables you to do this by placing ads in front of people who are asking questions about online marketing. For example, if someone logs into Quora and asks, „Which advertising platform is best for an e-commerce website?“ you can display an ad to that person. Quora also offers sophisticated targeting options similar to other platforms, such as lookalike audiences, website-matched audiences, and list-matched audiences. You can also target Quora users based on their historical activity on the platform.

AdRoll

AdRoll's platform employs a solution called IntentMap, which tracks 1.2 billion shopper profiles andtrillionsof intent data points, making over 80 billion AI predictions daily. It is designed to attract potential shoppers most likely to convert. You can also use AdRoll to create the ultimate cross-platform experience for people in your market. Run online ads, email marketing campaigns, and website promotions to guide people through the customer journey. You will also gain access to robust reporting features, including multi-touch attribution. If you run an e-commerce store, AdRoll integrates with some of the most popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.

Amazon

You might think your product is unique and that you can effectively compete with Amazon by setting up a virtual store, but what you might learn is harder is that it actually won't work. When this happens, you need to use Amazon's platform to sell your products. Then you also need torun ads on Amazon.Why do you need to run ads? Because competition on Amazon is brutal. There are too many players in the game. The bad news is that when you sell and advertise on Amazon, your profits will take a hit. Therefore, you may have to make some adjustments to your business model. However, if you are looking for a way to increase brand awareness and generate more sales, Amazon is still an ideal landing point. Amazon also offers targeting features and a robust reporting system, so you can adjust your strategy.

Taboola

Taboolastands out among other advertising options because it is anativeadvertising platform. If you are unfamiliar with native advertising, it is a method of promoting content on other people's blogs. The ad format resembles the content on the hosting website. Oh, there is usually some kind of disclaimer that makes it clear to attentive observers that the content is an ad. But this disguise still works. Taboola recently announced a merger with Outbrain, forming a powerful force in online advertising choices, which will help you target the right audience, gain more exposure, and provide reports that enable you to adapt your strategy. Taboola also allows you to use various creative formats, including video, social, or content ads. There is also a smart bidding feature, so you can automate optimization strategies.

Reddit

Redditis an online forum for user-generated content. People who like the content posted by others will „upvote“ by clicking the upward arrow next to the content title. People who dislike what they see will „downvote“ by clicking the downward arrow. Unsurprisingly, content with a lot of upvotes tends to rise to the top of people„s feeds. What kind of content can you find on Reddit? The answer is everything. Seriously, Reddit offers forums (called “subreddits„) for virtually every imaginable topic. It also provides some things youcannotImagine a forum for themes. But that„s a topic for another article. Reddit allows you to create your own posts on the platform and then run them as ads. Of course, it will display an “Ad„ disclaimer next to it, but people will still see it. If your title is attractive enough, people might check your content. If your content is worthwhile, then you might attract more customers. And, to avoid the misconception that Reddit is just an advertising platform for eager, emerging marketers, remember that well-known brands like Audi and L“Oréal have effectively used the platform. By the way, Reddit is another one of those platforms that made significant improvements to its feature set in 2019. You will appreciate the results.

BuySellAds

BuySellAdsis a self-service platform that allows you to target developers, designers, and niche technical audiences. In other words, if your business model involves attracting high-tech talent, you should include BuySellAds on the shortlist of alternative advertising platforms. One of the platform's more attractive features is that it allows you to use a variety of ad formats to reach users, including:

• Native Ads
• Content Ads
• Podcast Ads
• Display Ads
• Email Ads

The company's website features success stories from brands like Hello Sign, Rollbar, Circleci, and Storyblocks. Storyblocks used the BuySellAds platform to identify designers when they were looking for inspiration and resources. This way, the company can attract audiences at the lower end of the sales funnel.

Info Link

If there's one word that defines theInfolinksadvertising platform, it's this one: smart. With Infolinks, you can reach your market where they are most likely to convert. It uses sophisticated algorithms to do this, showing relevant ads only to web users. You can also use the platform to reach an international audience. Infolinks has a billion users worldwide. Furthermore, the tool enables you to:

• Choose from various ad units
• Select from advanced targeting options
• Optimize strategies
• Track results
• Run search and display ads

The platform's clients include Digitas, Starcom Mediavest Group, Mediacom, McCann Worldgroup, and MEC.

LinkedIn

If you are in the B2B field,LinkedIn Adsare practically a cost of doing business. In short: there's no easier place online to find business owners and leaders who belong to your potential customer base. As of now, there are about 630 million active professionals on LinkedIn. Among them, 180 million are senior influencers, 63 million are decision-makers, and 10 million are C-level executives. In other words, the people you want to reach are there. With LinkedIn, you can choose from several advertising methods, including:

• Sponsored Content
• Sponsored InMail
• Video Ads
• Text Ads
• Dynamic Ads
• Carousel Ads

Additionally, the platform offers many features you'd expect to find in the latest advertising solutions, such as:

• Conversion Tracking
• Contact Targeting
• Website Retargeting
• Lead Generation
• Audience Network

Companies such as Lenovo, Marketo, Intel, AIG, and American Express have successfully promoted their brands using LinkedIn ads. Finally, remember that LinkedIn is now owned by Microsoft. Therefore, when you advertise on LinkedIn, you gain the advantages of Microsoft's big data platform and the targeting possibilities that come with it.

Pinterest

PinterestAnother platform that has significantly improved its advertising products this year. If you haven„t checked out its rich feature set recently, you should take a look. This is especially true if women are an important part of your target market, as they make up the majority of Pinterest users. Additionally, if your brand highly values visual marketing, Pinterest is a great choice because it“s all about sharing images. Remember: Your „ads“ on Pinterest will be Pins. So, you first upload an image that can promote your business, then turn it into an ad. You can choose to pay for engagement or website visits. In either case, you only pay when people show interest. Pinterest also provides a robust tracking platform, so you can see which strategies make a difference.

Snapchat

If a significant portion of your target audience skews young, you should consideradvertising on Snapchat.This is because over 70% of Snapchat users are between 18 and 24 years old. According to Snapchat's advertising page, over one-third of the app's user basecannotbe reached by Facebook and Instagram. Therefore, you can gain market share through Snapchat ads. The platform allows you to choose one of three advertising objectives:

• Website Visits
• Local Store Visits
• App Installs

Additionally, Snapchat's self-service platform makes it easy to launch and run ads within minutes. Finally, the tool provides tracking capabilities, so you can evaluate and optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.

TikTok

TikTok is a short-video platform (the overseas version of Douyin) with over 1.5 billion users worldwide. Over 60% of these users are between 16 and 24 years old. So, if you want to reach a young demographic, this is where you want to be. Unlike Vine, TikTok alsooffers an advertising platformthat can reach people in over 20 markets globally. The platform also provides a way to create ads in multiple formats with extensive targeting features. Guess Jeans, Universal Pictures, and Clean & Clear have used TikTok ads to promote their brands.

YouTube

„In an average month, U.S. adults 18+ spend more time on YouTube than on any TV network.“ That„s the statement you“ll read when you visit theYouTube Ads homepage.It„s a compelling reason to consider advertising on the platform. YouTube Ads offers a targeting platform called “Find My Audience,„ which allows you to reach only the viewers most likely to become customers. You can go beyond simple demographics to identify people by habits and interests. Like other advertising options, YouTube Ads also allows you to create custom intent audiences and affinity audiences, further expanding your reach. This is where YouTube TrueView ads surpass traditional TV commercials: you only pay when someone watches your ad for at least 30 seconds. Of course, you have to invest some funds to produce a high-quality video ad. This is an additional cost you need to discuss with your accountant. Finally, YouTube provides excellent analytics tools, so you can track the performance of your campaigns and get the most out of your investment.

Outbrain

You can reach people in your target market through website lightboxes or TextLink withPropel Media.The platform employs a „DeepIntent“ algorithm designed to discover high-value audiences in real-time. How does it work? According to the company„s website, it combines AI with natural language processing to understand the relationships between 300 million people, places, products, and events. The targeting technology can engage your next customer through lightboxes, TextLink, and pre-roll video ads. Here“s another selling point: the company has partnerships with streaming brands Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. These platforms give you access to people who might not be found through traditional network advertising. Finally, Propel Media even offers local advertising options for both domestic and international audiences.

Revcontent

Revcontentis another native advertising platform that offers the benefits you'd expect from any native ad service: granular targeting options, real-time reporting, and flexible creatives. One thing Revcontent provides that other platforms might not is dedicated account management. This kind of expertise can make the difference between a profitable campaign and an unprofitable one. Revcontent is used by many well-known brands, including Forbes, Ziff Davis, Bank of America, Wayfair, and Nasdaq.

Spotify

If you want to reach people in your target market in a way your competitors might overlook, consider using audio ads onSpotify Ads.Audio ads might cost a bit more to produce than traditional image ads, but the Spotify ad platform has features for creating your own audio ads, including voiceovers. So, it might not be expensive at all. Beyond that, the potential to engage your core audience shouldn't be ignored. Millions of people use Spotify to discover their favorite music and listen to their favorite podcasts. Spotify Ads also enables you to target potential customers at unusual times, such as when they're exercising, commuting, relaxing, cooking, or cleaning.

Pandora

Pandora is a competitor to Spotify, soadvertising on the platformoffers similar advantages. Pandora has 118 million listeners. You can target a portion of these people using the platform's first-party data as well as third-party data provided by Pandora. First-party data includes segments such as:

• Basic demographics (age, gender, etc.)
• Music preferences
• Location
• Listening Time

Third-party data includes offline habits, such as shopping behavior and media interests. When combined, first-party and third-party data provide you with laser-like targeting capabilities, allowing you to reach only users who are likely to be interested in your brand. With Pandora, you can choose to run ad slots of 10 seconds, 15 seconds, or 30 seconds. The platform also includes the „Audio Everywhere“ product, which seamlessly integrates your message with the listener„s preferred experience. You can even launch a campaign that combines your audio ads with persistent visual components running on web and mobile platforms.

Summary

For corporate SEM promotion, it's essential to consider multiple directions. Browse the list of other advertising platform options above, and then choose the one you think is most suitable for your business. For example, if you run a B2B store, you might choose LinkedIn. Then, follow common-sense methods to place ads on that platform. Run ads that highlight your brand's strengths. Conduct some split tests so you can optimize your campaigns. Double down on what works. After successfully adjusting your strategy on one platform and achieving a positive ROI, select a second option from the list above and begin the same process on that platform. Continuously try new advertising platforms to obtain greater advertising returns.