Smart Thinking in Online Advertising
SECTIONS
A SHOTGUN APPROACH
Show it to everyone and someone will be interested. This is the language of Old Media. Old media exchanges user relevance for the widest reach possible. It doesn't make a difference if only 1% of your audience is interested in your ad if that 1% justified millions in ad spend.
DISPERSED AUDIENCES REQUIRE MORE SOPHISTICATED THINKING TO REACH
There are new rules now. Audiences are fleeing the mainstream media channels in droves. The interactive nature of the web on allows customers to act on your message in real time should they so choose. Therefore, the more relevant your message is the more chance of you have to get your audience to react.
Online advertising two goals:
| 1 | Brand awareness creation or reinforcement |
| 2 | Consumer action |
Since creating and sustaining brand awareness is generally what most individuals know, this is mostly what happens today on the web. Currently, consumer action is incredibly low ranging from 0% to 7% for online marketing. What if you could get the right eyeballs on the right communication? Imagine what the results could be. The good news: It's possible.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CURRENT EQUATION?
Simply put, a lot of new media is just old media in new clothes. Online behavior tracking methods half-heartedly attempt to understand what consumers or groups of consumers do online and delivery semi-relevent messages accordingly.
The future introduction of the semantic web may help to significantly understand what and why users do what they do in a way that is not currently understood. But how does that help you in terms of getting your message across?
The mere fact that an individual shows more interest in one area over another does not necessary meaning he is willing to listen to your specific communication. The bad news, if users don't register your communication, the chances that they act are zero to nil.
A GOOD THING ABOUT GETTING ONLINE
Most users get online for a particular predefined reason. Given the nature of the web and the unfocused nature of human behavior in general, often the original intention gets side-tracked and evolves into something different than originally intended.
This is a good thing for advertisers who can use this to their advantage and attract cus-tomers through their natural evolution of moving through the web.
THE TOOLS YOU HAVE REQUIRE SMART USAGE
The usual lineup of culprits includes PPC, Paid Search, SEO, Banners, Email Cam-paigns, Blogs, White Papers, Viral Campaigns, Emerging Technologies. While each has it merits, each has it's limitations as well. It is crucial to know what to use when in order to reach your audience focussed around your organizational constraints.
SOME QUICK RULES TO FOLLOW
- Consider why you are doing what you are doing online and understand the impact this will or will not have
- Build a water tight business case based on what you think you should be doing online
- Set clear objectives of what you are hoping to gain from your online efforts
- Realize what you don't know and seek advice where necessary
UNDERSTANDING HOW PEOPLE BUY
Although the procurement process is different online, the reason people buy is the same regardless of where it happens. Market research shows that people buy following an order of priorities:
| Product | Do I want or need this? |
| Price | Is this a reasonable price? |
| Time | Should I buy it now? |
| Place | Is this a good place to buy from? |
| Time | Do I need it now? |
| Brand | Is it a name I trust or know? |
| Perceived Value | Do I think the overall deal is a good one? |
| Need to act | What happens if I wait and find something better? |
| Ability to act | Can I afford it, is it essential? |
| Fulfillment | Is this the best place to buy it? |
| Post-Sales | If I later decide I don't want/need/like this, then what? |