Top 10 Google Ads Alternatives for B2B Business

Google and Facebook are the undisputed giants in the field of paid advertising. However, businesses aiming for greater reach often explore different types of Google Ads alternatives. Diversifying your ad spend can unlock new audiences, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, and Microsoft which cater predominantly to professionals. While Google and Facebook are powerful, expanding to Google Ads alternative platforms can enhance your ad’s visibility and engagement.

The modern online buying journey demands multiple touch points, sometimes 10–20 reminders, before a purchase. Thus, advertising across varied channels boosts your chances of reaching potential buyers. Moreover, spreading your ad budget mitigates risks. Both Google (especially YouTube) and Facebook have faced brand safety issues. By diversifying, you’re better positioned to reallocate resources when one platform faces controversies or technical hiccups.

Types of Google Ads Alternatives

Here are the 10 Google Ads alternatives for B2B businesses:

1. Microsoft Advertising

Kicking off our top Google Ads alternatives, Microsoft Advertising, previously Bing Ads, stands out. Despite Google’s 92% market share, Bing’s 2.5% still reaches a vast 935 million users, including those from Yahoo’s search engine, powered by Bing. With many advertisers focused on Google, Microsoft’s platform offers 33% cheaper CPCs due to reduced competition, making it particularly appealing for budget-friendly search ads. Ads feature across Bing, Yahoo, Microsoft devices, and partner sites. It boasts tools for automated bidding, keyword planning, and ad previews. Target by location, time, and demographics. Their ad types include responsive, dynamic, and product ads, alongside Microsoft’s native, multimedia, expanded text, and app install ads.

2. Quora Ads

The millions of active users on the leading question-and-answer site Quora are constantly researching new information. By investing in Quora advertising, companies may build credibility as industry leaders and raise awareness of their products and services. Brands may reach people who are actively seeking solutions by placing ads in threads about certain topics. By narrowing their advertising efforts, Quora has become a formidable competitor to Google Ads.

3. Facebook Ads

With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook advertising is a strong contender to Google Ads. Facebook, which launched in 2004, is a B2B and B2C advertising powerhouse, second only to Google. Its sophisticated targeting based on factors like geography, demographics, behavior, interests, and connections is useful to advertisers. In addition, the Facebook pixel makes it possible to precisely target visitors who are interested in your ads through retargeting. Its ad manager can tweak campaigns for maximum brand recognition, interest, and ultimately, sales. However, due to the platform’s strict ad regulations, users may find their accounts suspended without warning. Images and videos can be shown directly in the feed, in a carousel, in a collection, or even in Messenger through direct advertisements.

4. Amazon Ads

If you’re looking for a cool way to get your products noticed, you might want to consider advertising on Amazon. It’s kind of like a big spotlight for your stuff, especially when you’re up against other sellers on there. Apart from the usual ads, Amazon’s got some extra types like display, video, and audio ads that they show on a bunch of different sites they’re linked with.

Now, when we talk about expenses, we can safely say that advertising on Amazon usually doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket like Google and Facebook might. Like, the average price you pay for each click on shopping ads? It’s around 40 cents. If you’re thinking of Google ads alternatives, Amazon’s a solid choice, especially for online stores. Most folks on Amazon know exactly what they want to buy and are almost ready to hit that ‘purchase’ button. Makes it a sweet spot if you’re into selling stuff online.

5. LinkedIn Ads

If you’re looking for solid Google ads alternatives, you might want to check out LinkedIn. You know, with over 660 million professionals on it, it’s like THE place for businesses, especially if you’re into B2B or SaaS. The cool thing? You can get right in front of the big decision-makers. In fact, leads from LinkedIn are about 220% more likely to say “yes” compared to those from Facebook. But, just a heads up, it’s a bit pricey with an average cost-per-click around $5.

So, if you’re in it for the long haul and your customers bring in like $3-5k over time, it’s totally worth it. You can get super specific with targeting, like by their job or industry, and there’s even retargeting. Plus, they’ve got a few different ad types: standard text ones, direct messaging ones, and sponsored ads which can even include videos. Honestly, for B2B folks, LinkedIn’s the top thing in advertising, known for its awesome lead generation game.

6. Native Ads

Native ads seamlessly blend with site content, enhancing the reader’s experience. Taboola, for instance, taps into an audience of 1.4 billion monthly unique visitors. Native advertising is versatile, benefiting e-commerce, SaaS, small businesses, and more. A highlight is its vast reach, with platforms like Taboola even surpassing Facebook in desktop reach.

Some top native ad platforms include Taboola, Outbrain, Yahoo Gemini, MGID, Revcontent, and Dianomi. They offer targeted options based on location, interests, and devices. The average CPC is roughly $0.40 for desktop and $0.60 for mobile. Ad types range from text, images, and videos to carousel ads. However, mastering native ads requires learning, so consider our comprehensive course to bolster your ad strategies.

7. TikTok Ads

In 2021, TikTok boasted 1 billion active users, becoming the go-to platform for short-form videos since its 2016 debut. Perfect for B2C ventures, especially those aiming for the 18–24 demographic, it also appeals to the 25–44 age bracket, which forms 26% of its user base. Unlike other platforms, TikTok ensures higher engagement, as evidenced by influencers achieving 18% engagement rates. However, its advertising costs can be steep, starting with a $500 campaign budget and a CPM of around $10.

TikTok advertising offers varied options: in-feed ads for budget-conscious businesses, premium brand takeover and TopView ads, interactive branded hashtag challenges and effects using AR, and Spark ads leveraging user-generated content. For more insights, explore our detailed guide on TikTok campaigns as a Google Ads alternative.

8. Twitter Ads

Twitter, with its 211 million active monthly users, stands as a compelling Google ads alternative for both B2C and B2B businesses. This microblogging platform is adept at reaching diverse audiences and catering to a range of advertising objectives, such as awareness, consideration, and conversion. Advertisers can benefit from targeted campaigns using keyword and hashtag targeting, a distinctive feature owing to the platform’s hashtag-centric culture. Costs for Twitter ads range from $0.50 per action to a daily cap of $200,000, contingent on the chosen ad type. Advertisers can opt for promoted tweets, seamlessly integrating into feeds; promoted accounts, enhancing brand visibility; or promoted trends, though pricier, spotlighted in users’ “trends for you” section.

9. Reddit Ads

With over 430 million monthly active users, Reddit stands as a leading online forum and a viable Google ads alternative. Suited for diverse B2B products and services, it allows companies to reach their audience through targeted advertising in specific subreddits. Reddit provides ad placement based on location, interests, and device, ensuring your message reaches the right people. Moreover, with a modest starting budget of $5, it’s an affordable option for those exploring new ad avenues. Advertisers can choose from promoted posts, which appear as pinned in selected subreddits, or display ads placed within the sidebar, though the latter tends to be pricier.

10. Pinterest Ads

With an impressive audience of 444 million monthly users in 2021, Pinterest stands out as a prime Google Ads alternative for e-commerce businesses, especially those in interior design, food, and arts and crafts. The platform thrives on content discovery, aligning brands with users’ passions and interests, notably impacting the early customer journey stages. In fact, a staggering 85% of weekly US users have bought a product after seeing a branded pin. Advertisers can leverage various ad types on Pinterest: promoted pins (regular pins appearing in feeds), buyable pins (with direct purchase options), promoted video ads, and app install ads, which promote direct app downloads.

Conclusion

In conclusion, venturing beyond just Google Ads can truly enrich your marketing tapestry. By weaving in more channels into your everyday advertising approach, you’re not only reaching out to a broader audience but also crafting a more dynamic sales funnel. Think of it as casting a wider net—from search engines, app stores, and marketplaces to display and social media platforms, you’re ensuring touch points everywhere online. So, if you’re on the hunt for Google Ads alternatives, remember, that there’s a vast digital world waiting to be explored!

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