The answer will not be a big surprise – it depends. From what? First of all, the industry in which we operate, the promotional budget and the target group we want to reach. Of course, we also have to consider what exactly we want to achieve through advertising. We have a lot of possibilities to conduct campaigns on the Internet. Below, we briefly present the most popular of them.

Google Ads – not just advertising on the search network

One of the effective ways to promote your brand on the Internet is a Google Ads campaign. The giant from Mountain View offers users a system with which you can advertise not only in Google products, but also on many websites of its advertising partners. Examples of such formats as:

Text ads in the search network – this type of promotion is also known as sponsored links. They appear at the top or bottom of the search results page and are labeled “ad”. In addition to headings and descriptions, you can put various types of extensions in them, e.g. links to other subpages of your website, explanations, location or information about promotions. As a result, the link to our website not only appears on the first page with results, but also occupies a large area, so it attracts the attention of the audience.

Advertising on the Google advertising network – this type of advertising campaign on the Internet has a graphic form and is displayed on the partner websites of the giant from Mountain View. It is a very broad network, ranging from small to huge portals, industry sites, blogs, local sites and many other sites on a variety of topics. Ads can take the form of banners appearing between paragraphs of articles or on the side of the page, in the background (behind the main content), full-screen or pop-ups. The advertising network can also provide dynamic ads, the elements of which are automatically selected depending on the user’s preferences (based on his previous behavior on the Internet).

YouTube Ads – Video campaigns may or may not be skipped and may appear before, after, or during your videos. Bumper Ads, i.e. six-second ads that are highly effective, especially on mobile devices, are also very popular.

Product ads – they contain a photo of a specific product, its name and price and lead directly to the subpage where you can buy it. They appear on the search results page and in Google Shopping. To create this type of campaign, you must have an account in Google Merchant Center and implement the so-called Product feed, i.e. a file with data about the products we offer. The ad data is automatically drawn from the feed. This is an excellent format for online stores, as the user immediately has the key information when making purchasing decisions.

Why is it worth using Google Ads?

Google Ads is a system that gives advertisers a wide range of promotion opportunities that are not provided by traditional advertising on radio or television. The most frequently mentioned advantages of the system include:

Advanced targeting options – with our message we can reach a strictly defined group of recipients, which gives us the best chance for conversion. We can set a group, taking into account the interests of users, their place of residence, age, life situation (family, children, renovation, buying a house, etc.), reach people who have contacted our website or simply place advertisements on websites about specific topic. We can also freely set the ad schedule and territorial range or modify the rates depending on various parameters (e.g. device type).

Payment for the effect – in the case of campaigns in Google Ads, we do not have to pay for the mere display of the ad. The budget will be used only when we achieve the assumed goal, i.e. when someone clicks our ad or watches a promotional video (depending on the selected billing model).

Full control over the budget – at any time of the campaign, we can check how much we spent and increase or decrease the expenses.

Quickly visible results – an ad in Google Ads can be launched at any time without leaving home and it becomes visible almost immediately on the web (you have to wait for verification, but it usually doesn’t take long). Thanks to this, the effects can be seen much faster than, for example, in positioning.

Constant access to statistics – we can check which of our ads have the best results, identify keywords generating the most conversions, etc.

Raising brand awareness – our advertisement is displayed on the first page of search results or on the websites of Google partners, so even if the user goes to our website, he may remember the company name, logo or special offer.

Google Ads – who is this online advertising campaign for?

Google Ads advertising is a good way to promote almost all brands. It works well for both online stores and service businesses. However, you need to know that such campaigns, in order to bring profits, should be regularly optimized, and optimization is not a simple task for a layman. Therefore, when choosing this type of campaign, it is worth learning more about Google Ads or using the help of a specialist.

Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads – when is it worth it?

Facebook’s advertising system has a tremendous amount of information about social media users – especially when it comes to their interests and preferences. It is on FB or Instagram that we follow fanpages, talk about our hobbies, participate in discussions, inform about relationships and their ending, baby births, new animals, we even mark where and what we eat. That is why the Facebook advertising platform gives a good chance to reach those recipients we care about. In this system, we can advertise both the post itself (it will appear on the users’ board, even if they are not fans of our profile) and the entire fanpage, or direct traffic directly to the website. We currently have the following ad formats on Facebook:

– image – graphic advertisement in which we can present our products, logo, information about the offer, photos from the headquarters, etc.
– video – this format allows you to promote short movies or slide shows.
– carousel – this is a type of advertisement in which we can present a maximum of 10 images or videos – each with its own link. This allows, for example, to show several products covered by the promotion or new products on offer within one advertisement.
– instant material – a format designed for mobile devices. If a user clicks on our ad, a full-screen environment appears in which you can show images, videos, products or place a form.
– collection – an advertisement that opens as an instant material, used to show many products. As part of the advertisement, recipients can conveniently browse products on mobile devices and make purchases.

In the case of Instagram Ads, we can also use the graphic, video and carousel format, and additionally choose whether we want to display the ad in News or Insta Stories.

Advantages of advertising on Facebook and Instagram

An online advertising campaign conducted with the help of Facebook has similar advantages as in the case of Google Ads. It is a relatively cheap advertisement in which we pay for the effects, enabling precise selection of the target group and remarketing. This system also gives access to a large number of statistics and allows you to control expenses at every stage of the campaign.

What is particularly worth paying attention to when using the Facebook advertising platform is the option to select the target group Lookalike Audience. Thanks to it, we do not have to choose what features the users who will see the ad should have. The system will do it for us, selecting recipients as similar to our current customers as possible. So if we already have a certain group of recipients, it is a simple way to get more.

Who are the ads on Facebook and Instagram for?

Such an advertising campaign on the Internet is also very common and for good reason – it can give great results in many industries. However, it should not be forgotten that users enter these platforms mainly for entertainment. So it is a place where advertisements for cosmetics, clothes, cafes, hotels or an aquapark can be great, but not necessarily funeral services. The same applies to all industries that provide emergency services – such as roadside assistance, locksmith, plumber, electrician, etc. – there is little chance that users will be looking for them on social media. In these cases, a text ad on the Google Ads Search Network with a dial-in extension will perform much better.

Internet advertising campaign – LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn is the only platform with a lot of data on the education and career of Internet users. Thanks to this, it is an ideal place to establish B2B contacts, look for employees, partners and create a professional image of the company. We can choose from such formats as:

– advertising with a single photo – a format in which we can insert a photo and a description into it. It appears in the news,
– carousel advertising – allows you to place several images with assigned links,
– video advertisement – type of advertisement in which we present the video material on the news board,
– event advertisements – within this format, you can promote the event we organize, e.g. a webinar, in the news,
– text ads – contain a headline, description and image. They may appear in different places, for example at the top of the page or on the right side of the screen,
– sponsored messages – this type of ads appears directly in users’ inboxes – just like messages from their contacts,
– Follower ads – they encourage you to follow a given profile on LinkedIn. They are dynamic – this means that in addition to the logo and name of our company, they also include a photo and the name of the user to whom the advertisement is displayed,
– Spotlight ads – they direct you to our website or any other landing page. They are also dynamic and adapt to a specific recipient,
– job advertisements – another dynamic format, but thanks to it you can promote offers by reaching potential candidates.

Who is LinkedIn Ads for?

Ads on LinkedIn work well in very specific cases, when we want to target the message to people with specific professional experience, from a specific industry or in specific positions. Despite the fact that the platform is becoming more and more popular, there are still representatives of only some industries, in particular from the IT and marketing industries.

Or maybe website positioning?

Positioning of websites is probably the most commonly known method of promotion on the Internet. Despite the excellent recognition of the term itself, there are really few customers who know what it actually means. Positioning of pages are activities aimed at raising our website in organic results for a given phrase. It includes a number of activities – optimization of the website itself to be robot and user-friendly, as well as the issue of linking or delivering high-quality texts to it. However, the most important thing in positioning is the fact that it must be treated as an investment. While Google or Facebook Ads offer quick and repeatable results, positioning will start to bring results only after a few months. In the long term, it is the cheapest method of acquiring customers and building a reputation.

Other advertising channels on the Internet

Of course, this list does not include all the channels in which we can promote ourselves among network users. Online stores can also use, for example, Amazon Ads, with which you can increase the visibility of your offer on these platforms. There is also more and more talk about ads on TikTok or Pinterest, which are an alternative to more popular advertising channels. Is it worth taking advantage of these opportunities? This should be determined by the analysis of where our target group spends their time.

What is http?

Http stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which is a protocol that allows data to be transferred to the Internet. It is responsible for communication between the client (browser) and the server where all the files that make up the website are stored. In practice, thanks to it, it is possible to display the requested page to the user.

The http protocol has been used for this purpose since the 1990s. It has been extended in such a way that it is possible to simultaneously send large amounts of data based on various parameters. Thus, it has also become possible to create and display more complex websites. HTTP communication is based on a fairly simple process of sending data between the client and the server. The client sends a query to which the server responds by sending this data to the person concerned.

What is specific to the http protocol? First, it does not store previously transmitted data. This means that they must be downloaded from the server each time the website is accessed, which delays the entire process, but at the same time avoids overloading the servers. That is why a system of cookies (so-called cookies) has been implemented, which collect data and allow pages to load faster. Furthermore, http does not define how information is transmitted from the server to the browser and therefore risks intercepting sensitive information.

What is https?

Https is short for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. The addition of the last word means that it is simply http protocol with added security. In this case, the data sent between the web browser and the server are encrypted with an SSL or TLS certificate. This means that they are protected against hitting the wrong hands. Thus, the https protocol protects information about the website owner and its users, preventing their interception or change. Its use is therefore particularly important wherever personal data, payment data etc. are transferred. Currently, however, the https protocol is used more and more often and is becoming a standard for all types of websites. Online security is considered a priority. Thanks to this, users can use various types of services that require data entry without fear of their leakage into the wrong hands.

https – why is it worth it?

Any website owner can go from an address prefixed with http to the one with https in the beginning. It is connected with the necessity to implement the SSL encryption certificate – it costs several dozen dollars a year. For the certificate to work properly, you must also configure the website files and the external tools used, and use appropriate redirects so as not to lose the earned position in the search engine. It is best to entrust all this work to an internet marketing agency that will ensure a smooth and comprehensive process.

But is it worth it? Of course. The current emphasis on data security is not a temporary trend, but a tendency that will not only continue, but even deepen with the development of new methods of data protection. This is something that Internet users pay attention to more and more often. There are more and more aware people, so it is definitely not worth lagging behind. At the same time, changing the protocol to https confirms the credibility of the website and the entire company and has a positive effect on its reputation. It is worth emphasizing on your website the care for the safety of customers to gain prestige and trust. It is also information for business partners or investors who will be much more willing to do business with a company that attaches importance to high security standards.

https and Google – does encryption affect positioning?

The largest search engine in the world, i.e. Google, does not hide its concern for the security of Internet users’ data. Algorithms take into account factors such as credibility and quality of the domain, and this is also related to ensuring the security of users. This means that implementing the https protocol can have a positive impact on the positioning of your website. Thus, it is a profitable investment that will help you get even more customers. It’s also worth knowing that currently Google warns users trying to enter a site that should be using the https protocol (as it collects sensitive data), and it doesn’t!

Of course, the mere use of the https protocol is not enough to get the website much higher in the search results, especially since it is now becoming a standard and more and more companies use encryption certificates. However, this is certainly an important factor that will allow for greater effectiveness in terms of positioning and credibility building activities.

http vs. https – what to choose?

In view of the information presented above, the matter is quite clear: switching to https protocol is a low cost, but many benefits for the website and the entire enterprise. It allows you to make sure that the website will work properly in every browser and will not be blocked by filters ensuring the safety of Internet users. It also allows you to improve your position in search results and increases the prestige and trust in the brand, which is appreciated by both customers and business partners.

The e-commerce industry is developing dynamically, and the number of people who decide to buy online is growing every year, and the pandemic has only accelerated this process. Clothing and accessories are among the goods that we buy most often on the Web. This is good news for you, but you also need to remember that along with the demand to buy outfits online, so does the supply. That is why it is so important – apart from an interesting, unique offer, good prices or well-thought-out brand building – an effective advertisement for an online store with clothes.

Advertising of an online clothes store – what does it consist of?

The world of on-line advertising is extremely vast. That is why there is a lot of tools waiting for you with which you can promote yourself. What can you choose from? The key solutions are:

… And therefore advertising conducted mainly in the Internet search engine. If you are not on Google, you do not exist. If you want to increase your reach quickly, you can invest in advertising on this site. Its key aspect is the so-called sponsored links, i.e. those displayed to recipients above the organic search results, at the very top of the page.

But that’s not all. The Google advertising platform also gives you the possibility of conducting campaigns on external portals – a link to your website will appear there in the form of a clickable banner.
A hellishly effective form of advertising clothes is also Google Shopping – a tool that gives you the opportunity to run product campaigns directly on the search engine page. When the customer enters the name of the product you have in your assortment, your store’s offer – with a photo of the product – will be displayed directly to him, along with the price. It therefore increases the likelihood of conversion.

Advertising of the online store with clothes in social media

Fashion is a topic that arouses wide interest among Internet users. That is why it is worth reaching them, for example, through promotion on Facebook or Instagram. First of all, use the basic and free promotion tools – run your store profiles in key social media and present interesting styles there. You can also actively contribute to groups related to fashion topics. This way, you will increase your organic ranges step by step.

Paid advertising tools offer equally many interesting options – in social media, just like in Google, you can precisely define the target audience and the purpose of advertising. Regardless of whether you want to increase the visibility and awareness of your brand, or support a specific promotional campaign and increase conversion – you can choose the form of communication that will bring the best results – e.g. remarketing.

Content marketing

Content marketing will work especially in the context of image advertising and website positioning, but also as a supplement to other promotional channels. For example, by running a blog on your e-shop’s website, you can present your own valuable content on social media profiles, and at the same time support long-tail positioning. But that’s not all. It is also worth remembering about sponsored articles – posted on fashion portals will allow you not only to build valuable links with references to your e-store, but also increase the visibility of your offer.

SEO

Activities related to increasing “organic” visibility in search engines are a complement to classic advertising campaigns and one of the key elements of effective e-store promotion on the Web. In this context, it is worth taking care of the optimization of the online store for search engines – i.e. supplement it with valuable descriptions of categories, subcategories and, if possible, the products themselves, or build a strong link profile and optimize images.

Effective advertising of an online clothes store, i.e. what?

Just learning about the tools with which you can promote yourself on the Web is only the first step towards making your online clothing store advertising a real success. It is important both where and how you run the campaign.

It is worth remembering that:

Clearly define the target group to which the advertising message will be directed. It will depend on what clothes you offer – e.g. women’s or men’s, youth-style or rather business-style. It is worth outlining specific customer personas so as to personalize the messages prepared for them.

Clearly define the purpose of the conducted advertising campaign – the ultimate one is, of course, the improvement of sales results, but … the marketing funnel is much longer. Therefore, image-building campaigns that build brand awareness or aimed at acquiring leads also work well – e.g. in order to be able to run a mailing campaign later.

Configure ads correctly – although advertising panels on Google or Facebook seem quite easy to use, in fact an inexperienced user may set the campaign parameters incorrectly, and as a result – waste the communication potential. The subsequent optimization of the campaign is extremely important in order to invest money as effectively as possible.

Observe the results of ongoing promotional activities on an ongoing basis – monitoring with the use of analytical tools will allow for possible corrections or drawing conclusions for the next campaign.

This article, of course, only generally answers your question about the preferred forms of advertising for an online clothes store. However, take a look around our blog – you will find here a lot of inspiration and knowledge on various areas of marketing that will allow you to make an informed decision.