Re: Advertising Within Content Areas

From: Carmen Paulino <clpsf_at_sirius.com>
Date: Wed 19 Apr 2000 10:29:55 -0700

DONNA STRYK WROTE:
> you would obviously have to get some idea of the
> site's editorial schedule to know how to tie the ad in
> with the current topic. Do you feel that sites will
> offer that information?

Ask each publisher's account rep to connect you with
his company's editor. Then ask for a copy of their
editorial calendar.

> My question is, how would you go about negotiating
> this type of deal? How can you estimate what the link
> will be worth, especially on a site that has never
> offered this placement?

There are sites that offer content-centered banner ad
placement. Results vary - here are two examples of our
experience. We convinced a publisher (highly targeted
audience) to let us place a banner ad for our client
right in the middle of the home page. The home page
format and layout were compatible with our idea, so it
was acceptable to the publisher. We made sure the color
contrasted with the rest of the offerings on the page.
This banner generated 3% CTR and more consistently over
numerous months. For another client, we placed a banner
ad within the content (above the fold) of another
high-profile site, very targeted audience as well, and
the results were not as satisfactory. But this had
something to do as well with the fact that IT-focused
sites - of which this was one - don't always yield
great CTR's, though they'll often perform well where it
counts, in acquisitions.

How much would you pay for this? First, look at the
site's rate card . That's only a point of reference and
is usually quoted in terms of <<gross>>, that is, it
usually includes at least a 15% markup to cover the
cost of ad agencies' commission. If the publishing site
has never tried a mid-content banner ad placement, ask
for it and make an offer (but insist on getting your
banner placement above the fold). Publishers' reps will
work with you, especially if you're making a good buy,
if they believe you will renew with them, and if you're
fair in your expectations - essentially, leave them
some margin for profit. They'll certainly let you know
if your offer is unacceptable. There are a few other
elements, like time of month, etc. that you can factor
into your price offer equation. Publishers are always
looking for good ideas to serve their clients. One tack
you can take is to run a short-term test at an
acceptable flat fee, or ask for a cost-per-action (pay
only for clicks at a rate you and the publisher agree
on; this can depend on how targeted the page is), and
so forth.

Stay on top of performance - for this it's best to deal
with publishers who have online tracking and reporting
or who will agree to send you a report daily (less
preferred - not too many can live up to their promises.
Too many things not in their control). If performance
isn't going too well, consider that the banner itself
may need adjusting, perhaps the color, the message,
etc. Look for other clues for poor performance, such
as, are there a lot of links within the content above
the banner that may be taking viewers away from the
page or generally distracting them from your ad?

Best regards,

Carmen Paulino
Xaphon
Interactive Advertising
www.xaphon.com




Received on Wed Apr 19 2000 - 12:29:55 CDT