NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> If you list me, I'll list you ..
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> If you list me, I'll list you ..
Kevin Leathers (kevin.leathers_at_obgyn.net)
Fri, 12 Sep 1997 13:33:44 -0500
As I pull my foot out of my mouth, let me respond to Steven Heath's
comments.
Steven Heath wrote:
>>Who are you to say that not by linking will spell the death of my
>clients site?!?!?!?!?!?! I just love the amount of "advice" kicking around and
>what "Internet Culture" is. Well, I have been on the Net since early 93
>and in fact I
>am a pioneer in Canada/North America in some of its aspects (ask for my
>resume if you doubt it).......As very few of you even know who my clients are
>let along what _their_ objectives are. 90% of the current debate is a
>waste of electrons and
>CPU cycles.........However, for people to say that "Sites that do not take
>advantage of the web by hyperlinking to other relative sites become DEAD
>END SITES"
>while knowing nothing about the site is like me saying:....."People that make
>broad sweeping >comments with out knowing anything about the client, its
>site or objectives provide as much >value to our industry as pile of
>dirty socks"
Absolutely. As a matter of fact, many of us deal with different types
of web sites (Steven's company , I think, builds and markets sites for
companies, where as my site is more like a publication that a company
would advertise on) and have totally different goals. Hense the
difference in opinion. There is a huge difference between company web
sites and major networks/online communities. I should have qualified my
comments as to which type of site I was refering to. There is surely not
one response that works for everyone.
Company web sites should be concerned with their message and
communication with their audience and not necessarily concerned with
sending visitors to other sites, unless they endorse or lend credibility
to their products (Consumer reports, test, comparisons or testimonials).
Major web site networks within individual market segments, on the other
hand (much like our site for Ob/Gyn's and Women's Health) that strive to
be the home page for that audience in relation to that area of their
lives can benefit by adding links to other sites. By filtering and
catagorizing valuable sites on the internet, as well as associations,
discussion, publications and vendors, etc., visitors find that all their
needs are being met at one site. The reason we did this was because our
audience told us to. When we first established a group of doctors to
advise us, we asked them: "if there was one place on the internet to go
for all your needs, what would it consist of:?". They agreed that
linking to other sites was necessary.
Now the point that this distinction brings up is that their are many
people out there that don't know the difference between the two (I'm in
an industry that is not considered high tech, so many companies are
still new to the internet). You would not believe how many times I have
heard the response: "we are going to build our own web site instead of
sponsoring another one". The truth of the matter is that sponsoring a
web site with out developing a web site for the companies message would
not make much sense, the two go hand in hand. Network sites are not the
product they are the community. Company sites are not the community they
are an individual companies message. It is more cost effective to feed
off of someone elses community/audience than it is to try to duplicate,
manage and market a site that provides services and resources that keep
visitors comming back. Much like constructing a booth to display at a
trade show or developing a print ad to place in a publication,
developing the material and reaching your audience with it are two
seperate elements to an ad campaign.
It seems that I hit a nerve with Steven, and want to express that my
comments were not meant to be a personal attack. If they came off that
way, I appologize.
>Now that I have that off my chest lets talk about ROI and how it
applies to
>websites. How do others try to measure it?
Again, not meant to be a personal attack, but when I saw the letters
ROI, I thought of how topical that is to our industry (pharmaceutical
advertising), related to vehicles other than the internet. I agree that
the internet may prove to be one of the best way to determine ROI (along
with direct response), but every major publication and company discuss
ROI as if it is new concept. It just seems to me that accountability
should have always been a requirement.
--
Kevin Leathers PH:(512)451-2842 FAX:(512)377-5626
Director, Sales & Marketing OBGYN.net <http://www.obgyn.net>
Austin, Texas USA 78756 mailto:kevin_at_obgyn.net
ONLINE MEDIA KIT: <http://www.obgyn.net/advert/advert.htm>
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