How often do we see various ads on social media? Always. These include ads for products, services, personal pages, specific posts, videos, events, and much more. And at some point, every online marketer starts wondering whether it's really worth using paid promotion services on social networks, especially with so much competition. Will it actually bring any value?
You know, if each of us had just one or two dollars and considered the benefits of paid services, then… honestly, we’d already be using them. To the untrained eye, paid Facebook advertising, Instagram, VK, and other platforms may seem like a waste of time. But even small investments in brand, website, or company promotion can significantly enhance a marketing strategy. These effects are noticeable, and the data from such campaigns are great for analysis and planning. So yes, it’s not that simple.
Why are social media ads and promotions in such high demand that even experienced online marketers rely on them? That’s exactly what we’ll explore in this article.
Pay Less – Get More
Social networks are among the most cost-effective methods of paid advertising. Got a big event coming up? You can launch an ad instantly and reach a massive audience. And you don’t pay just for the ad being shown—you pay to target the right audience, those who are more likely to view and click on your content. That’s what really matters.
Let’s compare different types of ads for clarity (based on search data):
The choice is pretty obvious for many reasons—audience reach, platform popularity, and more. But earlier, we mentioned that social media ads have specific audiences. So let’s explore that further.
Targeting, or Knowing What You Want
When it comes to personalized marketing, nothing beats social media. Marketers can target audiences by interests, age, location, life events, and much more. You can even create separate ad campaigns for each specific segment or user group.
These features are available on nearly every major platform—VK, Facebook, Twitter. Say you’re promoting a local café website. That doesn’t mean you should ignore social media ads. In fact, it’s smart to target by location, food-related interests, or even launch a separate campaign about kids’ parties or a children’s menu at that same café. The key is to avoid dumping all ads into one pile. Tailor them to your audience's specific interests, and your return will be much higher.
Facebook Pixel
You might think the role of paid ads ends there: the user sees your product/website/café and immediately rushes to buy or visit. But in most cases, no. However, they will almost certainly visit your site. And that’s when another layer kicks in—something we’ve often discussed in our online marketing and web design articles— user engagement and follow-up email campaigns, and… more ads.
Speaking of targeting, how often do we, as marketers, follow up with visitors who came to our site? Usually only if they made a purchase, left a comment—or not at all. That’s why we should mention a tool like the Facebook Pixel.
This extension helps track which users from your target audience have already visited your site, and then includes them in future ad targeting. It tracks:
And this kind of interaction is key—most users need more than one brand interaction before making a purchase or taking action. But with Facebook Pixel, they don’t just visit your site once and forget it. Instead—bam—they’ll see your brand again with a personalized offer that just might hook them. We won’t go deep into how the Pixel works—Facebook’s own help section covers it well. The point is, not enough marketers actually use or consider it.
Content Optimization
No, we’re not talking about site content, but ad content specifically. The beauty of social media campaigns is that—unlike billboards, TV, or radio—you can tweak and adjust anything at any time. Change targeting, messaging, or even the duration of a campaign as needed.
Now imagine a brand running multiple campaigns. Each one can be endlessly refined and improved. You can A/B test everything, compare ad versions across platforms—whatever helps maximize results.
What’s the point? Not just attracting users and leads, but tightly monitoring ad spend and ROI. You can find areas to cut costs, test new ideas, or launch extra promotions.
You Can Never Know Too Much
Despite all the perks of paid social media ads, one thing matters most—the ability to collect massive amounts of juicy data. No traditional advertising can give you this level of analytics. And even though new personal data protection laws are in effect, most social networks still offer unique insights. For example, LinkedIn gives data on household income, demographics, work history, interests, and spending habits. Meanwhile, Facebook lets you segment users by ad impressions and engagement. Women aged 25–34 may see the ad more, but women aged 45–54 click more. Why? Targeting. Fine-tune it further.
These insights aren’t just numbers—they’re actionable marketing intelligence. And you can use it outside of social platforms, too. Great for shaping email marketing and newsletters. According to Smart Insights, only 19% of marketers actually use social media data to guide their overall digital brand strategy.
That’s why successful online marketing depends heavily on how well a marketer knows their audience—their goals, interests, and habits. This allows for stronger strategies and bolder brand moves. Your boss and clients will be thrilled, because everyone wants to be at the top of search results and trending in social media. But with so many “stars” out there, you’ll need to break through. And social media gives you that chance. Why not take it?
Reaching the Podium
Some might argue that free ad campaigns (outside social media) also generate data, users, and results. But ask yourself: what kind of results? Are they good enough for you, your boss, or your clients? Or are they already looking for another marketer with more creative ideas?
Honestly, paid promotions on social media hold more potential. The real question is whether the marketer or agency will invest time into deep analysis and brand development. That’s beyond the scope of this article. But the bottom line is: paid social ads work—and they work well.
Going back to the title: “Are they worth the investment?” — the answer is yes. And we've tried to show why. In short: analysis and comparison are the key steps that define the success of any campaign.