At some point, someone will tell you, you should run Facebook ads, or you need to be on Google Ads, or you should get featured in a wedding magazine. It's easy to feel lost and wonder what's actually worth your time and money. The honest answer is: it depends on where your business is right now, who you're targeting, and how comfortable you are measuring results.
Advertising: paid, fast and measurable
Advertising is paying to be seen. For photo booth businesses, this usually looks like Google Search Ads for high-intent searches like photo booth hire your city, Instagram or Facebook ads targeting engaged couples or event planners in your area, and paid listings on wedding directories where couples are actively searching.
Ads can work brilliantly when your website is ready to convert visitors into enquiries, you know who you're targeting, and you track results and know your cost per enquiry and cost per booking. Ads tend to waste money when your website isn't converting, you don't measure results, or you're not sure who you're trying to reach.
PR: free in cost, slower in results, powerful for credibility
PR is about getting featured on platforms you don't pay for, because what you're doing is genuinely interesting or valuable. For a photo booth business, that might mean a feature in a local wedding blog or magazine, a real wedding with your booth being shared on a venue's Instagram, or a mention in an event industry newsletter.
PR usually takes longer to land than ads, but the impact can last for months or even years, because you're borrowing the trust and audience of that publication.
The winning combination
You don't have to choose one or the other forever. Many successful businesses use advertising to generate consistent, trackable leads and PR to build a strong reputation. Think of ads as the tap that keeps enquiries flowing, and PR as the reputation that makes those enquiries easier to convert.
Key takeaways
- Before running any ads, make sure your website can convert visitors with strong photos, a clear CTA, and an easy enquiry form.
- If you try ads, start with Google Search Ads targeting your service and city, they're high intent and measurable.
- Track every ad: spend, enquiries, bookings, and cost per booking.
- For PR, pick three local blogs or publications and pitch a real, specific story about your business.
- If an ad doesn't pay for itself in bookings, pause it, learn from the data, and try something different.