Tips For Running Paid Media Campaigns In Highly Regulated Industries
Highly regulated industries can be difficult to advertise on digital channels -- but not impossible. Here's what you need to know to be successful.
Published January 31, 2025.
Running paid media campaigns can be challenging in any industry, but it's especially complex when operating in a highly regulated space. Industries like healthcare, finance, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and gambling often have strict advertising guidelines to protect consumers. Navigating these rules while maintaining an effective paid media strategy requires careful planning, compliance with regulations, and a deep understanding of your chosen advertising channels.
We asked our best paid advertising agencies about their take on running paid ads in regulated industries, and here's what we learned.
Just for clarification: what is paid media?
Paid media refers to any kind of advertising or promotional effort where you pay to get your message in front of a specific audience. These campaigns typically involve paying for ad placements across various platforms like search engines, social media, websites, and display networks. Unlike organic efforts, where visibility is earned over time, paid media directly accelerates visibility by putting your content in front of targeted audiences.
Paid media is often essential for businesses to grow their reach quickly, drive traffic, and generate leads. Whether you’re boosting a post on Facebook or running a Google Ads campaign, paid media allows you to gain visibility in competitive markets.
Paid media vs earned media
To fully understand paid media, it’s helpful to distinguish it from earned media. While both play a role in marketing, they are fundamentally different.
Paid media involves direct payment for ad placements, such as social media ads, search engine ads, or display ads. These campaigns are often highly targeted and designed for quick results.
Earned media refers to organic exposure gained through word-of-mouth, media coverage, or online engagement. Examples include customer reviews, social shares, or articles written about your brand.
The key difference lies in the effort and cost. Paid media requires a monetary investment, while earned media relies on trust and organic promotion.
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Best practices for your paid media strategy
A well-executed paid media strategy can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and ROI. However, it’s crucial to adopt best practices to ensure your campaigns are effective, especially in highly regulated industries. Below are the core best practices for optimizing your paid media strategy.
Choose your channel wisely
Not all advertising channels are created equal, and the success of your campaign depends heavily on selecting the right platform. For instance, social media platforms like LinkedIn might work best for B2B industries, while Instagram or YouTube are better suited for highly visual brands.
Research your audience demographics and habits to determine where they spend their time. Focus your efforts on platforms that align with your industry and target audience. In regulated industries, some channels may have stricter rules than others, so always review platform-specific guidelines before launching your ads.
Adjust your content
Your content should not only resonate with your audience but also comply with industry regulations. Avoid making exaggerated claims or using misleading language, as this could lead to your ads being flagged or penalized. For example, healthcare brands should steer clear of promises that sound unrealistic or unproven.
Tailor your content to fit the platform you’re using. For example, short and punchy copy works well for social media ads, while detailed descriptions are better suited for search ads. Always incorporate clear disclaimers where required.
Invest in your media mix
Don’t rely on a single channel for all your campaigns. A strong media mix—using a combination of platforms like social media, search, and display ads—helps ensure you’re reaching diverse segments of your audience. This is especially important in regulated industries where certain platforms may restrict your ad content.
Experiment with different formats, such as video ads, carousel ads, and native ads, to see what performs best for your target audience.
Set your goals
Define clear and measurable goals for your paid media campaigns. Whether it’s increasing website traffic, generating leads, or driving sales, your objectives will guide your strategy and help you track success. Use specific KPIs such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, or cost per acquisition (CPA) to measure performance.
In regulated industries, compliance may be an additional goal. This means ensuring your campaigns adhere to legal and ethical standards while achieving marketing objectives.
Decide on a budget
Paid media requires careful financial planning. Determine how much you’re willing to spend on each channel and campaign while keeping ROI in mind. Allocate your budget strategically, focusing on high-performing channels and campaigns.
Keep in mind that some channels, like LinkedIn or Google Ads, may have higher costs per click or impression compared to others. Monitor your ad spend regularly to ensure your campaigns remain cost-effective.
The main players in paid media
Understanding the key players involved in paid media campaigns can help you better navigate this space. Here’s an overview of the primary entities in paid media:
Businesses: These are the brands or companies running paid media campaigns to promote their products or services. In regulated industries, businesses must ensure compliance with industry and platform guidelines.
Advertisers: Advertisers are the marketing agents or professionals responsible for creating and running campaigns on behalf of businesses. They often manage campaign strategy, ad design, and performance monitoring.
Demand-side platforms, ad exchanges, and supply-side platforms: These are the tools and technologies that facilitate the buying and selling of ad space. Demand-side platforms (DSPs) allow advertisers to purchase ad inventory programmatically, while supply-side platforms (SSPs) help publishers sell their ad space. Ad exchanges act as a marketplace connecting DSPs and SSPs.
The best paid media channels in 2025
Several paid media channels are available, but the best ones depend on your target audience and industry. Below are some of the top channels to consider for your campaigns.
Social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter are highly effective for running paid media campaigns. They offer advanced targeting features, allowing you to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Pay per click
Pay per click (PPC) advertising, such as Google Ads or Bing Ads, is ideal for driving traffic to your website. These ads appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) and are triggered by specific keywords, making them highly targeted.
YouTube
YouTube is a powerful platform for video advertising, offering broad reach and high engagement. Video content can be especially impactful for storytelling and demonstrating products or services.
Display
Display ads appear on websites within a network of publishers, using visuals like banners or pop-ups to attract attention. They’re great for building brand awareness and retargeting users who have interacted with your site.
Out of home and digital out of home
Out of home (OOH) advertising includes physical ads like billboards, while digital out of home (DOOH) uses digital screens to display ads. Both formats can be effective for reaching local audiences or building widespread brand recognition.
How to run paid media campaigns in regulated industries
Running paid media campaigns in regulated industries requires extra care to ensure compliance while achieving your marketing goals. Below are strategies to help you succeed.
Make sure you know your industry guidelines
Before launching any campaign, familiarize yourself with the advertising regulations specific to your industry. For example, healthcare ads may require disclaimers, while financial ads must avoid promoting unrealistic returns. Review both industry guidelines and platform policies to avoid penalties.
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Plan well ahead of time
Regulated industries often involve lengthy approval processes for advertising content. Build extra time into your campaign planning to account for internal reviews, legal checks, and platform approvals. This will help ensure your campaigns launch on schedule.
Document everything and use templates
Maintain thorough documentation of every step in your campaign, including copy, designs, and compliance checks. Having templates for common ad formats can save time and ensure consistency across campaigns. Documentation also provides a record in case you need to defend your ads during audits or disputes.
Approve all variants at once
If your campaign includes multiple ad variations, submit them all for approval at the same time. This reduces delays and ensures you have multiple options ready to go, even if some ads are rejected.
Use pinned headlines and descriptions
Many platforms, like Google Ads, allow for dynamic ad formats that rotate headlines and descriptions. In regulated industries, you may want to pin specific headlines or descriptions to ensure they remain compliant and consistent with guidelines.
Always review automatic optimizations
While automated features like AI-driven optimizations can improve performance, they may inadvertently lead to compliance issues. Regularly review automatic adjustments to ensure they align with your industry’s regulations.
Appeal for support when needed
If your ads are rejected or flagged, don’t hesitate to appeal the decision. Many platforms allow advertisers to request a manual review, which can help resolve misunderstandings or errors in the approval process.
Conclusion
Paid media campaigns are an essential part of modern marketing, but they require careful strategy and execution, especially in highly regulated industries. By understanding the nuances of paid media, selecting the right channels, and following best practices, you can create effective campaigns that drive results while staying compliant.
Whether you’re planning your first campaign or refining your strategy, the tips outlined in this guide will help you navigate the complexities of paid media in regulated markets. With clear goals, thorough preparation, and a focus on compliance, you can ensure your campaigns succeed without sacrificing integrity.
Need help with your paid media campaigns, regardless of industry? We've vetted the best paid media experts and agencies at Mayple, and we're ready to match you with the best one for your needs and industry (yes, even the most regulated ones.) Contact us today and let's talk!
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