NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Mass Medium? Targeting?
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Mass Medium? Targeting?
Mark J. Welch (markwelch_at_ca-probate.com)
Sat, 20 Jun 1998 11:26:04 -0700
(Ad reps, networks and brokers should read this message
completely because at the end, I am asking for a sales
pitch for a specific webmaster-targetted campaign.)
Keith Pieper wrote (in part):
> In particular, I must take take issue with a comment made by
> Jupiter analyst Evan Neufeld: "It's a mass medium without the
> mass, and it's a targeting medium that can't target."
> Hmmm. At first glance I would take a strong disagreement position with Evan.
> 40-60 million seems pretty massive - that's bigger than the New York market,
> and New York is considered a mass market. Targeting based on SIC codes,
> states, zips, and whatever else we do seems pretty precise.
The internet is certainly a mass medium, but I must jump in (again)
and disagree with claims that targetting is actually available based
on SIC codes, states, zips, or anything comparable. In fact, with the
sole exception of a handful of sites that require registration (such as
the New York Times), targetting on these criteria is available only
for the tiniest fraction of available inventory. And when you do this
kind of targetting, the media stops being "mass" because of the huge
excluded (non-registered) portion of the larger audience.
I have been trying for two years to buy demographic targetted
advertising to promote my law practice. (See, e.g., my outline
http://www.markwelch.com/bannerad/baf_webadv97.htm).
I want to reach people in one or two dozen zip codes in the East
Bay area of Northern California, and I'd compromise by accepting
all zip codes from 94501-94598. The New York Times couldn't
even tell me how many years it would take to use up its minimum
$12,000 ad buy on such a narrow target. The local newspaper site
(http://www.hotcoco.com) can't target by zip code, and sells
only broad sponsorships without any accountability. (Sites like
Planet Out or Match.Com can't deliver enough adviews within
my targets to make a buy worth doing.) For any national
or worldwide web site or ad network, slicing out this
narrow demographic is usually IMPOSSIBLE (because they
just can't do it) and in any event if it could be done, the new
targetted subset would turn out to be AT MOST a few thousand
adviews this YEAR.
When I start describing the REAL target audience for my
estate planning law practice, demographic targetting that
is available in direct mail (homeowner status, age, net
worth, kids in home, grandparent status, or niches like
"blended family" status, second marriage, or gay/lesbian)
simply aren't even worth asking for in the online advertising
market.
Now let's switch to a different and perhaps more appropriate
marketing effort.
To promote my July "Web Advertising Forum,"I just tested
a campaign using PostMaster Direct (which sends
email to opt-in lists compiled by a variety of list owners).
I targetted a variety of webmaster lists and limited the list
to zip codes 940xx through 959xx (Northern California).
I ended up with 1,088 names. I paid $309 to mail to that
list and received ZERO responses. (I've decided to run
a second test this coming week to a slightly larger pool.)
Being able to target based on INTEREST and ZIP CODE is
what I wanted, and "direct email" was the ONLY way I could
find to reach that targetted market. (And of course, I did
not and will not ever consider sending unsolicited
commercial email -- the above lists are opt-in or
"solicited commercial email" lists.)
I am also spending about $300 per month through
ClickTrade and another $300 per month on FlyCast;
these campaigns are focused at webmasters but do
not provide any geographic targetting.
I'd love to hear any suggestions as to how I could
better do internet marketing to the "Northern California
webmaster/web publisher" audience, as proof that
this really is a "mass medium" that allows "targetting."
(Please send your replies by private email to
mailto:brainstorm_at_markwelch.com and I will summarize
the results in a follow-up post to the list.)
Oh, yes, keep in mind that my total budget is quite
small, less than $5,000 (with $1,000 already spent)
for promoting the July seminar.
-- Mark J. Welch mailto:nospam_at_markwelch.com
-- Web Site Banner Advertising http://www.markwelch.com/bannerad/
-- Web Ad Forum July 98 http://www.markwelch.com/welchmtg.htm
-- Web Ad Discussion Lists http://www.markwelch.com/lists.htm
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