Online Advertising & Marketing

Internet Advertising in the Marcom Matrix

New Media Websites Marketing Instant Messaging Social Networks Vertical Networks Widgets Pod Casting Blogging Online Video Desktop Apps Mobile Ads Online & In-Game Buzz Marketing Online Display Organic Search Paid Search RSS Feeds Virtual World

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO seeks to increase a site’s visibility in search engines and enhance its value to visitors through topical page design, consistent HTML tagging, and focusing content on core keywords.

Who is the largest online retailer of shoes? Nike? Footlocker? Payless? Timberland? Answer - Zappos.com In 2006 zappos.com sold more than the online sales of all these well known brands, combined. WHY?

Basics of SEO Relevant, well written copy Proper Website structure (table list design, css, etc...) In-bound links (Quality over Quantity) Smart & Descriptive Page Titles Meta-Keywords are Over-rated Create Link Bait (blogs, online videos, whitepapers, etc...) Know Google’s WebMaster Guidelines

The Case for PPC In what medium can you spend under $400, in advertising a year and as a direct result of that advertising get a consistent 212% ROI? Pay-Per-Click (PPC) can be an incredibly effective advertising medium or it can be a huge liability. I’m not even particularly good at it but I’ve decreased our advertising costs by 50% while maintaining our Volume.

Basics of PPC When Click-thru Rate (CTR) goes up Cost Per Click (CPC) goes down Always, Always split test your ads Never, Never bunch keywords together in one huge group Keep looking for keywords that others haven’t discovered yet 1st Position isn’t always the Best Position (in fact it rarely is)

Marketing Never ever be in doubt where the recipient came from (this means DON’T BUY LISTS). Take the time to build your own Don’t even think about sending an unsolicited . Use a reputable and proven marketing company Subject line is the key that opens the door Keep the important stuff above the fold Have a clear call to action

AIM how and where can we best reach currnt and potential AIM users? If you are placing any significant amount of your budget on traditional media you’re wasting your money and time Stop thinking that display advertising (banner ads) is going to do anything for you. Stop, seriously, stop. Only do those on Time-Warner owned sites where it might be FREE. ( I don’t care how cool you think it will look, just don’t do it) Social Networks are so cool aren’t they? Just look how much of our target they reach! True, but in order to catch their attention you have to offer something they can’t resist. Whatever that is has to be free, easy to do/use/setup, different than anything anyone else is doing, etc... Perhaps your promotion can be used here. We have such an amazing idea! Oh yeah? What will the blogs say? Will they love the experience you provide? UGC - You’re greatest success or your worst nightmare? Hey you advertisers we know how smart and creative you are, but those public relations people can make or break you. Use them, believe them, love them, pay them. Need something to fill up your creative section that won’t cost you much money? Try a widget. They’re delicious.

AIM Cont. Go Viral. Everyone else is, think “simpsonizeme.com” that cool Optimus Prime voice thing or that over-worked, over-used chicken. It’s good for a laugh and some positive reinforcement. Don’t have a desktop app yet? It’s a bit cheesy, possibly pointless, but done right it can certainly bump those frequency numbers up. Less is definitely more here. Think pimped out widget. Remember those AOL music sessions? Do they still do those? Is there a promotion there for chatting with the artists? Maybe that’s a dead horse. Does that horse have a cousin I wonder? When do questions get excessive? If you absolutely have to use traditional media at least make it worth it by focusing on your promotion. Your target market doesn’t care how cool your ad looks or how clever you can be. They want to know “What’s in it for me?”. As David Ogilvy once said “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.” If one Ogilvy quote wasn’t enough how about this one “Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.” Say something that’s worth saying. Seriously, if you wouldn’t want to read your ad then what makes you think someone else would? Okay this is the last one “Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.” You’re welcome Sister Hendricks.