How will we know when we're there?

From: Matt Mickiewicz <matt_at_sitepoint.com>
Date: Sun 25 Nov 2001 09:36:44 -0500

MAURICIO MACEDO <mauricio_at_iron.com.br> WROTE:

>we don't know exactly what is the best way to transmit
>a message in online advertising.

I don't know how TV got to define its 30 seconds commercial
and 45min of content/15min of ads ratio, but I know it
wasn't a model they chose at the beginning.

We started with 468x60 banners in 94. Maybe the solution is
DHTML, Java, Flash, bigger banners, text banners, more
banner real space, interstitial, or even banner sequences
per user session (if you see five pages in the site, you
will see 5 complementary parts of a message from the same
advertiser).

This crisis is making sites try other formats, like
pop-unders and pop-ups, so with some luck we will find
out the best format soon.<


My question is: How will we know when we find the ad
format(s) that truly work?

Though I'm inspired by all the creativity that has been
conjured up in recent months (anybody seen the mega-Flash
banners in Yahoo Mail or the Java-video ads on NYTimes.com ?),
what metrics will be used to judge when a new format is
effective.

The branding awareness that the format generates?

Its ultimate cost-per-click?

The cost-per-sale for product/services promoted using a
particular format?

The ad interaction rates?

Recall?

What happens if we get the right format, but we mess up
the metrics we use for judging success or even worse, get
the pricing wrong and throw off everything else?


____________________________________

Matt Mickiewicz (matt_at_sitepoint.com)
SitePoint - Master The Web
Reach a captive audience of web developers. Read our case
study of how we made 80 cents PROFIT per clickthrough
for a $35 product using our own ad space:
http://www.ecommercebase.com/article/598
Media Kit: http://sitepoint.com/mediakit/

____________________________________




Received on Sun Nov 25 2001 - 08:36:44 CST