In today’s increasingly digital world, online marketing must
be a component of a successful branding strategy. Yet we’ve all heard the
complaint that “no one clicks on online ads” and that they fail to engage
prospects. In this post I debunk these notions and describe factors that characterize
an effective online ad strategy.
The right objectives.
Online ads are just like print ads in that they are primarily branding vehicles. Branding vehicles are
inappropriate as primary lead-generation
tools, but they can support efforts
such as white papers and Webinars that are
designed to capture leads. With this in mind, it’s important for a marketer to
define the desired objectives for an online campaign. While number of clicks
may be the measuring stick, I believe impressions (basically, the number of
eyeballs viewing an ad) are a better yardstick for an online ad—i.e., a branding
campaign.
Call to action. I’ll
admit it; most marketers—and their bosses—will measure results in terms of
clicks. Yet too many online ads have no “call to action” or reason to click
through. “Click here for more information” is an ineffective call to action.
“Click here to receive our free white paper,” however, “rewards” Web site
viewers for their action and, consequently, will lead to a greater number of clicks. Subsequently, the ad should take viewers to the desired destination, not the home
page where they have to search for the promised resource (as they won’t).
Relevance. Successful online ads address their intended
audiences. All too often a treatment center will target professionals with a
message such as, “We are here to help you get clean and sober.” This message is
targeted at the consumer, not professional, community, and a message like this
will not lead to a high number of clicks on a professional Web site. The ad
will promote brand awareness, but a better branding message in this case would
be “We are your partner in your clients’ recovery.” Even better: "View how our patients use XYZ therapy to improve outcomes."
Good design and rich
media. Online ads need as much thought and creativity as print ads—perhaps
even more so given online ads’ smaller footprint. Don’t expect an online ad
assembled in five minutes to be a huge traffic driver. A clean design that
carries through the brand’s overall theme yet communicates a strong call to
action will yield better results. Ads using rich media, such as welcome mats,
push downs, footers, etc., consistently generate higher click-through rates
because they interrupt the reading experience and command attention. Of course,
many people find them irritating, so a site should have them open no more than
once per day. When used properly, rich media ads lead to more clicks by
directly engaging readers with a compelling message.
In summary, online ads can be effective traffic drivers to
your Web site, but only if they are engaging and have a strong call to action.
When considering an online ad campaign, review your objectives and make sure
your message resonates with the target audience. And always insist on metrics
(including site averages) so you can evaluate your results. If your ad campaign
is targeted to your objectives and employs a strong call to action, a relevant
message, and a good design, you will see results.
