Online advertising is a form of advertising that uses the technology of the internet, in order to spread your marketing message across a network of different channels. Online advertising offers some significant advantages over more traditional media, particularly in it’s immediacy, and lack of geographical limitation.
An ad designed for the purposes of online advertising can be launched anywhere, at any time, by the online advertising agencies charged with disseminating the advertisers marketing message. In addition, by careful selection of the form your online advertising takes, it’s possible to make it more likely that the right people will be exposed to it.
Advertising-Online: Spoilt For Choice
Online advertising takes many forms, and the ones you use will usually depend on your target market, and where you’ll be placing the ad. Contextual advertising, in which the advertisements that users are exposed to depend on the terms they’re searching for are familiar sights on the internet. Behavioural advertising is similar, but uses automatically detected information about the users online habits to display ads that relate to those habits.
Banner ads, online classified advertising, online advertising sites and the increasingly popular rich media adverts are less focused, in that they are visible to everybody who visits the site on which they’re placed. Judicious selection of those sites however, (usually by the online advertising companies managing online campaigns), can help ensure that they’re ones which are regularly visited by your prospective target market.
Social network advertising has become increasing popular as social networking trends continue upwards, but, in my opinion at least, it’s a method of Online advertising that requires careful use, and in which credibility is essential.
Finally, (for the purposes of this article, since there are some methods I have not mentioned), there is the still effective e-mail marketing campaign. This is based on emailing your advertisement to a pre-existing list of recipients.
In order to differentiate this form of advertising from the huge quantities of spam, and perform it as an ethical form of online advertising, agency advertisers should offer opt-in and opt-out options, to ensure that only people who request the email receive it. Not only does this prevent complaints of, (and sometimes penalties for), spam, but it also ensures your audience interested in, and engaged with, the theme of your product or service.
Getting Your Message Out With Online Advertising
Online advertising rates vary according to the specifics of the campaign you’re planning, and can range from minimal fees for some types of “pay per click” contextual advertising to large amounts for the rental of internet “real estate” that is considered very valuable.
However, it’s quite possible to benefit from effective online advertising without having to spend more than you’re willing or able to. The best bet is to speak to an Online advertising expert, and let them help you plan the most effective campaign.