Advertising for E-Commerce Back to Table of Contents

Advertising for E-Commerce The Basics of Building an Online Brand Advertising Your Web Site 2 Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-1 Section 15-2 Chapter 15

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-1 Why It’s Important It’s not enough for companies to simply create products and make them available to customers. Creating positive feelings about their products and nurturing relationships with customers can ensure brand success and longevity. Businesses use a variety of methods to determine whether or not their brands are selling successfully, and what customers are interested in buying. 3Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-1 Key Terms brand branding sticky content dynamic content unique visitors site traffic exit page 4Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce Branding A brand is much more than just a name. brand a name, design, symbol, or other feature that distinguishes one company’s products and services from those of other companies 5Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce Branding As with every element in the marketing mix, branding is all about your target market. branding establishing a positive personal relationship between the customer and the company providing the product or service 6Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web As consumers become more tech-savvy, businesses must work harder to grab their attention. 7Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Sticky content keeps customers’ attention. sticky content information or features that entice visitors to stay for long periods of time and return frequently 8Section 15-1 It helps to keep them on your Web site long enough to make a purchase.

The Battle for Attention on the Web 9 Ways to Make Your Site Sticky Section 15-1 chat rooms localized weather reports personalized news games user reviews 3-D content frequently updated products promotions

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Another way e-commerce companies create sticky sites is with dynamic content. dynamic content Web site information that frequently changes or is updated 10Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Customers want sites that are easy to navigate, easy to find, and meet all of their needs. Since those needs change over time, they also want a site that can change with them. 11Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web When a visitor connects to a Web site, the host server records log files that contain information about the visitor. You can use log files to improve design and functionality, as well as determine the best places for advertisements. 12Section 15-1

The Battle for Attention on the Web 13 Information in Log Files Section 15-1 unique IP address computer platform browser type and version time of connection referring URL page views cookies

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Knowing the number of unique visitors gives you a clear picture of how many people visit your Web site. unique visitors the number of individual IPs connecting to a site 14Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Calculating the number of unique visitors shows: 15Section 15-1 whether people are visiting and buying. whether the site needs more content to make visitors stay longer. what customers are most interested in when they visit.

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web You can use the number of unique visitors to track spikes and dips in site traffic. site traffic the total activity on a site 16Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Log files can also reveal patterns, such as the most common exit page. exit page the last page visited by a customer before leaving a Web site 17Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce The Battle for Attention on the Web Strategic use of the log files will help you respond to customer needs, making it possible to offer the right design and content to attract visitors and keep them there. This, in turn, will help you build a strong brand. 18Section 15-1

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-1 Review What is branding? Why is it so important to businesses? Why must Web sites adapt quickly to changes in market conditions? Why are Web sites concerned about how many unique visitors they have? What is “dynamic content”? What is an example of this type of material on a Web site? Section

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-2 Why It’s Important Businesses face unique obstacles when advertising on the Internet. While direct online advertising is vital to a business’s success, there are other methods companies employ when attempting to reach customers. Section

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 15-2 Key Terms spoof banner ad skyscraper banner opt-in opt-out online coupons interstitials Section

Advertising for E-Commerce Web-Site Promotion Promoting your e-commerce site is perhaps the most important factor in determining the success or failure of your business. 22Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Online advertising can only reach people who have access to a personal computer and an Internet connection. Therefore, online companies need to include radio, television, and print advertising in their promotional campaigns. 23Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Some consumers believe that online advertising violates consumer privacy, and that advertising can carry computer viruses. 24Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Another problem is spoof . spoof in which the sender’s address is forged to appear as if it came from a legitimate source 25Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Spoof usually contains an urgent warning for the customer to update credit-card or other personal information, with a link provided to a “trusted” company site. When customers click the link, they are taken to a fake page where identity thieves wait to steal their private information. 26Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Online advertising has advantages over other advertising media. It is quicker, easier, more flexible, and interactive, and it enables businesses to respond to problems much more quickly than with traditional media. 27Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising When you click on a banner ad, you are taken to the company’s Web site. banner ad a small graphic designed to promote a product, service, or company; when users click the banner, they are taken to the company’s Web site 28Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Banner ads are one of the most effective types of online advertising. Microsoft reports that banner ads increase traffic by nearly 40 percent. 29Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising A skyscraper banner is a banner ad that stands tall like a big-city tower. skyscraper banner an advertisement that is aligned vertically on a Web page 30Section 15-2 According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, skyscraper banners are 25 percent more effective than traditional banner-size advertisements.

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your customers. However, because of the tidal wave of spam drowning consumer inboxes, this option is also loaded with risk. 31Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising To avoid offending customers, follow marketing best practices. This means you must gain permission, keep permission, and always give customers a way out. 32Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising You must provide an opportunity to opt-in to lists, newsletters, and promotions. opt-in when customers check a box granting a company permission to send marketing messages 33Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Opt-in is more ethical than opt-out. opt-out when customers must specifically request not to receive marketing messages from a company 34Section 15-2 With opt-out, customers may accidentally grant permission without even knowing it.

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Confirmed opt-in is a higher standard for permission marketing. With this method, customers receive a confirmation with a link that allows them to unsubscribe. 35Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising The highest standard is double opt-in, in which customers receive a confirmation message requesting an immediate response. If they fail to respond, they are never subscribed to the list. 36Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Even when people initially grant permission to receive , they may change their minds later. Therefore, every message should contain information about how to unsubscribe. 37Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising An online coupon is a paperless discount offer that usually takes the form of a short code that customers enter at checkout. online coupon a digital coupon 38Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Some people find interstitials annoying because they “pop-up” on their browsers. interstitials online advertisements that automatically open a new browser window; also called “pop-ups” because of the way they burst onto the screen 39Section 15-2 Interstitials can be designed to be inviting instead of annoying.

Advertising for E-Commerce Types of Online Advertising Sweepstakes and giveaways can be used to tap into wider markets, attract new customers, and create excitement about a new product or service. They can also create immediate positive feelings toward your brand, since customers associate your name with prizes and having fun. 40Section 15-2

Advertising for E-Commerce Section 14-2 Review What advantages does online advertising have over other media? Why is a double opt-in message considered to be the highest standard in marketing? How does this type of marketing message work? How can online contests and sweepstakes help a business’s sales? Section 15-2

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