Ten years ago I founded NetMediaReps, Inc., an advertising agency
for online companies, specifically online newsletter publishers
trying to find advertisers for their publications. My decision to
found my own company grew out of my frustration in trying to
obtain agency representation for my husband's company.
After calling more than 25 ad agencies, I discovered that most
agencies charged exorbitant commissions and were only interested
in representing large companies with deep pockets. As a new
startup, my husband's company fell under their radar and follow
up was minimal to nil.
Back then, the internet was just emerging as the new frontier of
business and it was apparent that small and medium-sized
businessses needed effective marketing representation to compete
in this new marketplace, to receive the broadest possible
exposure and to find other companies which could help facilitate
their growth.
My thought was that these companies had an even greater need for
a marketing platform than larger companies to be competitive in
the growing online commercial market. I decided to fill that
niche and started by signing contracts with several online
publishers who needed assistance in selling their ad inventory.
The rest is history - NetMediaReps.com was born.
Knowledge of how to do business, and advertise, on the internet
has grown significantly over the years and data tracking of take
rates, website conversion rates and ROI have become increasingly
sophisticated, helping online businesses to better target their
advertising dollars in a successful and productive way.
Despite these advances in knowledge and technique, there are
still a surprising number of individuals who display a remarkable
naivety regarding advertising and who ask questions that indicate
the lack of a well thought out marketing plan or a basic
understanding of the advertising mediums available to them
online. Below are some examples of not so uncommon questions we
receive and our responses to them:
Question: Your publisher mails to a list of 500,000 subscribers
so I should get 500,000 responses - right ?
Answer: An online publication using a mailing list is like a
newspaper. Recipients don't always feel like reading or looking
at the publication on a given day. They may be busy, on vacation,
disinterested in the topic, or otherwise indisposed. And, like a
newspaper - just because they see your ad doesn't mean they want
to buy from you - at least not at that given moment. It is,
however, a good idea to advertise in publications that archive
past issues or editions providing advertisers with permanent or
semi-permanent back links and the opportunity of receiving
trickle through clicks and sales at no additional cost.
Other factors that can affect response rate are:
The number of links in a publication. Newsletters typically
run 1 to 2 web pages in length and are comprised of several
sections all of which contain a few to numerous links. As a
result reader interest and click activity is diffused across the
newsletter rather than focused on a particular ad or link.
Ad clarity. A concise, definitive statement describing what
your company is selling and how it benefits buyers is essential
as is an unequivocal call to action.
Ad Uniqueness. An ad that stands out generally performs
better.
Spam triggers. Generally, words and phrases that are the most
effective in evoking reader response are also the ones that
trigger spam filters both at the ISP level and the reader's
Inbox. Blatant commercial message subjects and ad copy rarely do
well.
Message Subject. Shorter subject lines are usually more
effective than longer ones. More imortantly, large web-based mail
services like Yahoo! Mail, MSN/Hotmail and AOL truncate message
subjects that are greater than 38 - 47 characters.
Question: (After receiving ad specs, including dimensions and
file sizes.) Will my 700 x 300 pixel ad be accepted?
Answer: Most publishers will strive to assist you in placing your
ads but are restricted by their newsletter templates from
accepting ads that don't conform to the specs provided.
Submitting an incorrectly sized ad simply delays the start of
your ad campaign.
Question: Why should I advertise when we are obviously in a
recession? Does that make any sense?
Answer: McGraw-Hill Research analyzed 600 companies and their
marketing spending from 1980 to 1985. After 1985, the facts
showed that the firms which had kept or increased their
advertising budgets during the recession in '81-'82 boasted an
average sales growth of 275% over the next five years. The
companies who cut their advertising? They experienced paltry
sales growth over the next five years of just 19%.
So, when is the right time to market your business? All the time.
Question: I noticed my competitor in your publications - can you
tell me how they did, so I can decide if we want to use you?
Answer: Sorry. You wouldn't want the details of your campaign provided
to your competitors. Our advertisers have an expectation of
privacy and confidentiality in regards to performance criteria
such as click-through rates, sales and ROI. Ad agencies and
publishers have an ethical obligation to keep campaign results
confidential.
Even if such information was made available, it would not be that
useful. Campaign results can vary significantly depending on the
product/service offered, price point, message subject, ad copy
and numerous other variables.
Any questions?... e-me !
Karin Gamble is the CEO of NetMediaReps, Inc., an online advertising agency
specializing in ad sales for newsletter publications and web
sites targeting a webmaster audience. Karin can be reached by
email at [email protected] or by telephone at (204)254-1750.
