Do you have a cookie-cutter marketing plan, something that looks as if it’s taken right off a shelf? I doubt it. No two marketing plans are exactly alike — especially in the age of the Internet.
Websites and search engines provide a variety of potent marketing tools that companies can use to more specifically target the customers they want. Some of the most commonly used vehicles are banner ads on high-traffic websites, pay-per-click advertising on search engines and ads on social networking sites like Facebook.
Banner ads and other display ads probably are the most familiar and easy to understand form of Internet advertising — almost every major website has them. Some have static images, others feature moving images. What they all have in common is the ability to “click through” to the advertiser’s website, frequently a page with information about the specific product or service advertised.
Avoid the temptation to be overly fancy with your banner ads. Keep them clean and elegant. As with traditional advertising, such as newspapers and radio, do your research. What is the site’s number of visitors? How many times will your ad be seen? A good banner ad on the right website can be a powerful tool.
Pay-per-click advertising, also known as keyword advertising, is a way to super-target the Internet for potential customers by paying to have your sponsored link at the top of search engine results. A developer in Middletown selling new condos, for example, might pay to have a sponsored link displayed when someone searches Google for “Middletown condominiums.”
This approach is especially powerful because you are reaching people who are actively seeking your product or service with a precision that can’t be matched by any other form of advertising. Also, you pay only when people click on your ad; you pay for results, not the mere promise of results.
Facebook is an awesome way to reach people based on demographics and lifestyle. For example, I recently posted a picture of a sports car on Facebook. The next day, my Facebook home page started displaying ads for products and clubs associated with that type of car. It’s almost as if they knew what might interest me. Facebook advertising allows you to market specifically to people with special interests, which delivers more impact for your advertising dollars.
Many marketing executives and business owners overlook the potential for online ads to precisely — and cost-effectively — target consumers. Don’t make this mistake. Make Internet advertising a component of your overall marketing mix.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a leading Hudson Valley advertising and public relations agency. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com or 294-3342, ext. 303. Read his blog at www.advertisingandpr.com.
