logo Le Studio LaBonHeure
Archived Blog Headerpop

Too many ads on social networks?

Communication on social networks is not easy, ads, ads and more ads end up being boring and the figures confirm it. So how can you get your messages across to your audience without assaulting them with advertising injunctions? Here are the easiest solutions to put in place.

The business model of social networks is built on advertising revenues. Advertisers sponsor their content and the platform gets rich by selling visibility. In addition, content creators/influencers are also remunerated through commercial partnerships and participate in this progressive shift towards increasingly commercial content.

Is this advertising stranglehold on social networks a good thing? Not really… the public as well as the creators are indirectly victims of this system which favours big advertising budgets and sponsored content to the detriment of “natural” messages.

So how do you use social networks to promote your brand in this context? How to choose the right advertising investments? Here are a few avenues to explore together…

Innovate in ad formats and content

As a communications professional, it is impossible to avoid social media advertising for the time being. The relatively captive audience, the ease of use, the accessibility, the profitability, the variety of content to share, etc., are all elements that are widely appreciated by brands. All these elements are widely appreciated by brands.

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par Le Studio Labonheure (@labonheure.com)

First of all, you can develop a strategy according to the advertising channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or even Linkedin). But this is not enough!

Indeed, the rejection of advertisements by the social network audience (see the France Info study on this subject) is causing a profound change in the messages transmitted. Advertisers are starting to create other types of ads, more “natural” (see our article on authenticity), more adapted to the desires of the network audience. As an advertiser, we can therefore try to vary the formats, create “series” of ads with a progression in the messages, take care of the storytelling, entertain and interest. It is necessary to imagine clever devices to limit expenses and obtain the most convincing results. To do this, you have to test, test, test… and see how the algorithm and the audience behave in order to adjust and improve your advertising content.

The message should not force people to buy, but inspire them. An inspired customer is much more likely to be interested in the product. We avoid injunctions (click here, buy now, subscribe) to instil messages on the real values of the brand and encourage discovery (I participate, I want to see!, I discover).

Le Studio Labonheure campaign for Visit Ardenne
  • Create authentic advertising content (photo shoots, testimonials, video clips).
  • Be 100% transparent about the intrinsic qualities of your brand and share common values with your audience (work on these recurring messages as soon as you build your editorial line).
  • The message should not force a purchase, but inspire the audience enough to want to know more.

The Ordinary skincare brand has built its image around the transparency of its offer and its excellent value for money. Indeed, the brand hides nothing, its open and precise discourse is a source of confidence and leads to purchase.

Nombreux échanges sur le produit présenté, entre la marque The Ordinary et son public sur Instagram

Creating successful collaborations

Advertisers are also investing in collaborations, with content creators or personalities who benefit from the public’s enthusiasm. However, the multiplication of Brand/Influencer partnerships also has a negative effect on the trust of social network users. The audience no longer knows who to believe and many collaborations sound false. We have seen recently, on social networks, everything and anything in terms of partnerships. Some of the actions discredit both the brand and the influencer…

Nevertheless, the relationship between influencers and their audience is always strong and, most of the time, built on real affinity. If the influencer is creative enough, they bring a world to their audience that appeals to them. When an influencer talks about their favourite object or place, the subscriber receives the message as a tip from a friend. This aspect helps build an engaged community. 

Influencers must therefore be qualified according to their themes, messages and creative universe in order to be as close as possible to the brand’s natural environment. To do this, it is necessary to take the time to discuss with the influencer the various possibilities of collaboration. You must propose several devices to find the best one together. Collaborations that do not make sense for the brand (even if the influencer has millions of followers) should be avoided at all costs.

Le Studio Labonheure accompanied the collaboration between Visit Ardenne and the YouTube channel Riding Zone, specialised in extreme sports. In the video, we discover a new vision of the Ardennes, much more sporty than we might expect! Extreme sportsmen and women are at home in this region, and they show us the region in a natural and fun way.

Combining online and offline

For some years now, advertising budgets have been invested primarily in online strategies. Indeed, offline communication offers less visibility on the returns on investment since it is less traceable than online advertising. But the public wants more direct contact and trust is more easily gained outside social networks. It is therefore best to mix online and offline offers.

Some ideas for off-line advertising to be combined with digital actions (web and social networks):

  • Sponsor an event
  • Set up a partnership with a print, radio or TV media
  • Creating a viral poster campaign
  • Distributing samples on the street or conducting a survey
  • Set up shop in a pop-up store for a while

It seems a bit old-fashioned as a type of campaign. However, it is time to give yourself the means to meet your audience. For tourist destinations, there are more offline contact points. It is even easier to set up mixed actions.

For example, Le Studio Labonheure has produced podcasts for Land of Memory, a memory tourism destination. These online podcasts retrace the events of the First and Second World Wars, but they also highlight historical sites to visit in relation to each theme. So we’re going offline! Conversely, a poster campaign in the museums of the Land of Memory territory (offline) redirects visitors to the podcasts (online).

Episode 1 : Life in the trenches

Episode 2 : Women in conflict

Episode 3 : Artists and the war

Episode 4 : The battle of Verdun

Episode 5 : The exodus of 1940

Episode 6 : Liège, a city of resistance

Episode 7 : The grand duchy of Luxembourg and the resistance

Episode 8 : Battle of the Ardennes

Episode 9 : General Patton and the american army

Episode 10 : Schuman, a european vision

An idea, a project? Our team imagines campaigns that enhance your brand and its universe. Do not hesitate to contact us 🙂

Also to be read

Authenticity is in

Woofing: changing your life for the holidays

Too many ads on social networks?

Follow us