Once considered cutting edge, online advertising is now a staple in the modern-day marketing mix. Immediate, interactive and effective, online advertising is an affordable alternative to traditional -- and typically more expensive -- advertising vehicles such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and direct mail. For many companies advertising on the Internet, old media is out and new media is most certainly in.
Advertising on the Internet is about more than being innovative, though. At its core, online advertising is also about being relevant. Sure, advertising online will earn your business a gold star in technology, but that's just the beginning. At its best, online advertising has numerous benefits that will help you set your business apart from its competitors both online and offline. Among those benefits:
1. While online advertising attracts new customers, it also builds loyalty among existing ones.
2. Highly targeted, online advertising is ideal for reaching niche audiences with specific and actionable messages.
3. Because it's interactive, online advertising is especially suited for up-selling.
4. Advertising on the Internet allows you to collect and analyze results in real time.
5. Advertising online exposes you to new markets; you don't have to find them because they'll find you.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Build your online advertising base with banner ads
Among the oldest type of online advertising, banner ads come in many shapes and sizes and are useful in building online brand awareness and driving Web site traffic.
I recommend: Vendors like
GW WebDesign,
WebPencil.com and
Hey Banner Banner specialize in banner ad design and offer affordable Internet marketing services. Once designed, consult Business.com to find
banner ad placement services through which to buy space for your ad.
Extend your online advertising reach with e-mail marketing
E-mail marketing is ideal for companies that want to engage in one-to-one advertising on the Internet. Fast, affordable and personable, opt-in e-mails in the form of promotions, newsletters and informational updates offer a direct route into your customers' inboxes.
I recommend: Silverpop,
Bronto and
SubscriberMail are examples of popular e-mail marketing firms that can be helpful when advertising on the Internet.
Use search engines with online advertising of the PPC variety
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising consists of text ads that appear next to relevant results within popular search engines. A good option for businesses with limited online advertising budgets, you only pay for ads on which customers click.
I recommend: Google AdWords and
Yahoo! Sponsored Search are leaders in the PPC online advertising service space.
Benefit from free, targeted online advertising when you use SEO
Because search engines are at the front lines of all online advertising campaigns, search engine optimization (SEO), which can improve your company's search engine rankings with relevant keywords and search terms, is critical.
I recommend: While you can hire SEO consultants like
Customer Magnetism,
Pepperjam and
BlueTent Marketing to optimize your website for you, there are dozens of free optimization tools on sites like
KeywordDiscovery.com and
WordTracker.com that facilitate your online advertising SEO efforts.
Recruit online advertising partners via affiliate marketing programs
Affiliate marketing programs allow companies that are engaged in targeted online advertising to market themselves on other people's websites; those websites, also known as affiliates, earn a commission for every click they send your way.
I recommend: For targeted online advertising, tap into existing affiliate networks such as those offered by
RocketProfit,
IncentReward and
CommissionSoup.
Kick your online advertising up a notch with rich media
Rich media includes dynamic online advertising that features moving animation and video. Not your average banner ad, it's ideal for companies that want to create eye-catching, high-performance display ads.
I recommend: Learn more about rich media, and locate rich media vendors for your online advertising, via iMedia Connection's directory of
Rich Media Services.
Instead of advertising online, consider engaging online
The future of targeted online advertising is not in hard sells, but rather in subtle value adds; consider devoting less of your online advertising budget to traditional Internet marketing services, therefore, and more to investments in emerging, content-driven media, including blogs, podcasts and social networks.
I recommend: While social media veterans like
MySpace and
Facebook are still popular among online advertisers, consider newer players like
Twitter and
Second Life when advertising online.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Behind every successful online advertising campaign is a strong Web site; a good ad is worthless without an attractive, professional Web site for consumers to click through to.
- Before you buy online advertising, educate yourself on its cost structure; online advertising is typically sold via CPM (cost per thousand), to advertisers who want to pay for exposure; CPC (cost per click), to advertisers who want to pay for traffic; or CPA (cost per action), to advertisers who want to pay only for results.
- Avoid advertising online via unauthorized spyware or adware; not only is it unethical, and potentially illegal, but it leaves a bad taste in your customers' mouths.
- Online advertising is all about trial and error. If your Internet marketing services don't produce results, don't give up; instead, tinker with your ads' wording, change their placement and pursue new markets.
- Use meta tags-coded descriptions of your Web pages that only search engines can read-as invisible online advertising for your business.
The official source of Online Advertising is the Online Advertising page at Business.com
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