Introduction to Digital Advertising

Traditional advertising relies on mass reach through TV commercials, newspaper ads, billboards, or radio spots. However, these methods are expensive, broad, and lack precise audience targeting.

Digital advertising, in contrast, allows marketers to target audiences based on:

• Demographics (age, gender, occupation);
• Location (country, city, or even neighborhood);
• Interests and behavior (purchase intent, browsing patterns, lifestyle choices).

This precision targeting ensures that campaigns reach the right people, at the right time, with the right message, improving both effectiveness and cost efficiency.

Buyer's Journey & Sales Funnel

The Three Stages of the Buyer's Journey

Awareness Stage

At this first stage, people are just realizing they have a problem or need. They’re not looking for a specific product yet — only general information or inspiration.

Typical user behavior:

• Reading blogs or beginner guides;
• Watching educational;
• Browsing social media for ideas.

Effective strategies:

• Brand-awareness campaigns;
• Social media promotions;
• Display or video ads.

Primary objective: Generate interest and visibility.

Best channels: Social media ads, YouTube, display ad networks.

Consideration Stage

Here, users understand their problem and actively compare different solutions. They’re researching, evaluating brands, and looking for helpful information.

Typical user behavior:

• Comparing products or services;
• Reading reviews;
• Downloading guides or joining webinars.

Effective strategies:

• Retargeting ads based on past behavior;
• Lead generation campaigns (eBooks, demos, guides);
• Email nurturing sequences.

Primary objective: Encourage deeper research and engagement.

Best channels: Retargeting, content marketing, email campaigns.

Conversion (Decision) Stage

This is when people are ready to act: buy, sign up, request pricing, or commit to a solution.

Typical user behavior:

• Checking quotes or pricing;
• Reading guarantees and testimonials;
• Adding items to cart or initiating sign-ups.

Effective strategies:

• Personalized offers or discounts;
• Strong testimonials and social proof;
• Clear CTAs and an easy checkout.

Primary objective: Drive purchases and measurable actions.

Best channels: PPC ads, optimized landing pages, checkout optimization.

The Role of Targeting in Advertising

Unlike traditional advertising, where ads reach broad and often irrelevant groups, digital platforms use targeting and segmentation to ensure that the right message reaches the right people at the right time.

Targeting Approaches

• Interest-Based Targeting: targets users based on topics, pages, or content they follow or engage with online. If someone frequently watches fitness videos or follows wellness influencers, the platform identifies these interests and delivers related ads.
• Behavioral Targeting: uses user activity data to reach people based on their online actions — such as:
  • Websites they visit;
  • Products they browse;
  • Ads they click or engage with.

Advanced Targeting Options

• Custom Audiences: allow advertisers to reach people who have already interacted with their brand. This includes past website visitors, app users, or previous customers.
  It's especially effective for retention and reactivation campaigns;
• Lookalike Audiences: use machine learning to identify and target new users who share key traits with existing customers. By analyzing data such as age, interests, and purchase history, Meta Ads can expand reach efficiently while maintaining relevance.

Effective targeting ensures that every marketing dollar contributes to meaningful engagement.
Instead of hoping the right audience sees the ad, modern algorithms deliver messages precisely to those most likely to respond.

Key Advertising Metrics and KPIs

Core Advertising Metrics and Their Meanings

Conversion Tracking and Attribution

Conversion tracking measures specific actions that indicate success, such as purchases, form submissions, sign-ups, or downloads.
This data shows which ads directly contribute to achieving marketing objectives.

Attribution Models

Attribution determines which ad or interaction deserves credit for a conversion.

• First Click: the first interaction that initiated the conversion journey gets full credit (e.g. a user clicks a blog ad first, then converts later — credit goes to the blog ad);
• Last Click: the final ad interaction before purchase receives full credit (e.g. a user sees multiple ads but buys after clicking a discount ad — credit goes to the last ad);
• Multi-Touch: credit is distributed across all contributing interactions (e.g. a user clicked three ads before purchasing — each gets partial credit).