Social media advertising works very differently from traditional marketing, and this isn’t going to change anytime soon. Why? Because platforms have cracked the formula. They figured out how to get attention—and once they have that attention, they sell it to brands like yours and mine. That’s how they win the game of business.
Let’s break down how social media advertising works, why it’s so powerful, and how you can take advantage of it right now (and for decades to come).
Want to follow along? Here’s a full video!
The Two Types of Social Media Advertising
There are two main types of advertising on social media: interruptive marketing and search-based marketing. Understanding the difference is key to maximizing your ad spend.
Interruptive marketing is when you’re trying to get people interested in your product or service, even though they might not need it right now. It’s their first point of contact with your brand. The best part? It costs significantly less to generate a lead on Facebook than on Google. In fact, for every one Google lead, you could get 20 leads on Facebook. That’s a 1:20 ratio!
Why Is It Called Interruptive Marketing?
Think about how people use Facebook. They’re scrolling, looking at posts about their favorite sports team, family photos, or memes. Then—bam!—your ad appears in their feed. That’s interruptive marketing.
For example, let’s say I’m browsing Facebook, and I see an ad from Reddit. It says, “46% more likely to trust brands that advertise on Reddit—sign up today.” I wasn’t thinking about Reddit ads before, but now I’m intrigued. Maybe I even click the offer, open a new page, and start exploring how to advertise on Reddit. The ad interrupted my browsing, planted an idea, and introduced me to an opportunity I hadn’t considered.
This is exactly how social media platforms work. They show you something you didn’t know you needed. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Search-Based Marketing: The Power of Intent
Now, let’s talk about search-based marketing. This happens on platforms like YouTube and Google, where people actively search for information. If someone searches for a topic related to your business, you want your content to appear at the top.
For example, if I search “metabolism” in Spanish on YouTube, my company dominates the search results. My father’s videos pop up, along with some ads from Shopify and other brands. This isn’t by accident—we planted our flag early on YouTube, so now, when people search for metabolism, it’s almost impossible not to find us.
YouTube and Google are discovery platforms, but the discovery is based on search intent, not interruption. That means the audience is already interested in the topic, making them a highly qualified group of potential customers.
Why This Matters for Your Business
With Google AdWords, you can place ads in front of people actively searching for terms like “weight loss,” “energy,” or “plumbing services.” These people already have a problem they need solved, so they’re more likely to convert.
On the other hand, if you’re running ads on interruptive platforms like Facebook, your approach needs to be different. You can’t just say, “Buy my product!” Instead, you should focus on value first—educate, entertain, and inspire. Give people a reason to pay attention to you.
When you do this consistently, you build a digital footprint. And here’s where things get exciting: you can retarget people who engage with your content and introduce them to your products and services later. Over time, this creates Google-level quality leads—but at a fraction of the cost.
Want to make sure you get the most from the traffic you generate? Here’s a full, in-depth guide on how to create the perfect high-converting landing page in 20 minutes or less. Check it out here.
The Opportunity Is Still Huge
Advertising on social media is still incredibly affordable. And while big brands are throwing money at ineffective ad campaigns, savvy business owners (like you) can step in and capitalize on the opportunity.
If you understand how to leverage both interruptive and search-based marketing, you’ll put yourself ahead of the competition—and stay there for years to come.
Ready to take that leap? My bestselling book Marketing Magic has everything you need to do so. This is the true story of how I used social media marketing to successfully build a $300+ Million dollar business without spending a dollar on advertising…and how you can too.
