Online Advertising

While traditional offline advertising is used by many companiesto drive customers to their websites, many businesses are tryingonline ads (such as banners, pay-per-click ads, pay-per-call adsand pop-ups) in e-newsletters, on compatible websites, on searchengines and in online versions of newspapers and magazines as a wayof reaching people who use the internet for shopping or to gatherinformation.

While online advertising is still new to many, you can takeheart in the fact that the same design and content requirements andguidelines translate well from traditional advertising to onlineads. In fact, your newspaper print ads can simply be duplicated inthe online version of the publication you’re advertising in as longas you include a link to your website. Color, fonts, the size ofyour ad(s) and your message will all play the same critical role ingetting your ads noticed and, more important, responded to. No onewants to have to wade through too much text to understand an ad’smessage. So present your message concisely and clearly, and relateit to an emotion or a situation shared by the consumers you’retrying to reach.

Many businesses seem to think that a company logo on a banner adis enough to get people to click on it. But it’s not. A messagethat “rings a bell,” makes a promise or asks an enticing questionis much more likely to get someone to want to know more. Think ofit as “What’s behind door #1?” Hang something on the “curtain” thatmakes someone want to see what’s behind it. Remember that an onlinecustomer is already engaged and focused–unlike a radio listener oreven a TV viewer, who may only be half paying attention or out ofthe room when an ad appears. You want to take advantage of thatfocus while web surfers’ fingers are on their keyboards.

As with traditional ads, online ads must be placed where theright people will see them (“right people” meaning the consumersyou want to reach). So choose your placements according to age andgender, interests, hobbies, and all the psychographic (income,education, hobbies, etc.) information you use when you’re buyingads in television, print or radio. It’s especially easy to do thiswith newsletters and online versions of popular magazines becausethey’ll each have a particular audience to deliver, as do websitesthat cover particular hobbies, careers, medical information,vacation spots and so on. Remember, no matter what you sell, youhave to find sites that are complimentary or closely related toyour products. If you sell dishes, for example, you might look forsites about entertaining, decorating, homes and gardens, flowerarranging or distinctive glassware.

Focus groups can help you determine the look of your ads so theyattract the consumers you really want to reach. Attracting the eyecomes first–keep in mind that what they see reflects directly onyour company. Be sure that when they get to your site or call you,they’re not disappointed with that “next step.” Your site must loadquickly, be easily navigated, and not require too many forms tocomplete or entail too many steps to get to the final order orcheck out or call. People answering your phones must be informed,helpful, quick and able to accurately capture information, takeorders and offer information on other products or services you haveavailable.

Pay-per call ads are new, but think of how appealing this is fora consumer or prospective client who needs an answer now or needsto make a purchase now to be able to make a quick call and takecare of their pressing need, rather than clicking on a banner andbeing led to your website where they may need to fill in aregistration form and then send you an e-mail and wait for areply.

Pop-up ads have become more hated than calls fromtelemarketers–and like “remove my number” efforts, more and morepeople are purchasing pop-up-blocking software to minimize theaggravation. If you use this form of online advertising, you riskthe transfer of the distaste people feel directly from your ad toyour company. Why would you want to do that? The best way to decidewhat type of online advertising to do is to consider your ownexperiences with online ads. Which ones made you want to throw yourstapler at the monitor? Which ones did you click on?

And be sure that any sites you advertise on have a goodreputation themselves and aren’t selling ad space to unsavorycompanies you wouldn’t want to be associated with. Don’t forgetthat your branding efforts extend to your online advertising, andevery contact with the public either builds your brand or tears itdown.

And make it easy on your customers: It’s essential that youallow anyone to easily opt-out of any e-mail marketing you do soyour efforts don’t turn into spam. It’s also essential that youprovide ways for people to return purchases, either to abrick-and-mortar location or through shipping it back to you.Answer complaints promptly and make consumers happy, wheneverpossible, with a speedy apology, a refund, a discount on futurepurchases or an exchange. Not everyone shops online; many stilldon’t trust it as a form of legitimate commerce. Like any emergingvenue, online shopping must prove itself to each user, and whereyour online ads take them is where it all starts.