Saturday, March 24, 2007

Adsense Gets An Upgrade

By Eric Hartwell Platinum Quality Author

Many people will have heard of, or actually use, Adsense. It is an efficient way to advertise and to generate income from targeted traffic. Google has had problems with its ad scheme is recent years, with its program Google Adsense. The program lets advertisers pay Google in exchange for Google allowing website owners to place the code on web pages. It is a money triangle between advertiser, webmaster, and the middle man Google.

Recently, however, there have been troubles with the system. Advertisers have been complaining that traffic they paid for is fraudulent- meaning that the people clicking the ads didn’t do so because they were interested, but because they had motive to credit the webmaster’s Adsense account with another click.

Now, Google has apparently found the answer. They have reportedly put a new system into testing- pay per action ads, instead of the general pay per click. The system will pay webmasters only when an action is taken. For instance, if the visitor to the website clicks the ad and registers on the website, this could be such an action needed to credit the webmaster with money. It is expected that webmasters will make much less money, unless advertisers are willing to shell out a few extra dollars for the program.

The system is likely to be integrated lightly, as to not upset the faithful webmasters and advertisers, and those who prefer the pay per click scheme. Either way, Google is looking into all of its options to keep everyone happy- something it will most likely learn to be quite a task.

Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on advertising and business and visit our associated site articles for free

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell

The Death Of Adsense?



Friday, March 23, 2007

PPC search engines: In search of quality traffic? Here it is.

Solid targeting, flawless click-fraud detection, exclusive traffic sources, and good customer service! All this and more from our Pay-per-Click services! - www.ppc.abcsearch.com

"Over the next five years, we estimate the paid search industry will grow at a 37-percent CAGR [compound annual growth rate] to more than $33 billion in 2010, and Google is expected to capture the lion's share of that revenue and grow faster than the market as a whole," Rashtchy wrote in a Google research note.

There is so much to search engines than just Google.

The top PPC search engines:

Google AdWords
Overture
ePilot
SearchFeed
7Search
ABCSearch.com
Search123
FindWhat
Kanoodle
PageSeeker
Enhance Interactive
Any company or organization needing to generate cost-effective leads or sales online finds PPC search engines as a way to generate the traffic. Hitting the bull"s eye in paid search is a daunting task and doing this right is the underlying challenge for both big and small PPC search players alike. Many marketers say that nothing matches the control, measurability, and ROI they get from paid search marketing campaigns. There are a few PPC search engines ruling while others take a back seat. What"s the difference? It mainly attributes to the quality of clicks from PPC than quantity. The "click to conversion" traffic is what really counts.
What is it to search engines?
PPC Advertising is the sole revenue model for all top search engines and is the advertisers" key to targeted visibility and great ROI. They have a steady flow of income for partners or affiliates and have the best model for focused search strategy which translates to quicker results. On the whole, paid search now accounts for 50% of all online advertising spending.
Market Share of Searches: August 2006

The chart below shows the percentage of searches done by US web surfers in August 2006 that were performed at a particular web site or a network of web sites:


What is PPC with www.ppc.abcsearch.com?

With industry leading quality control, ppc.abcsearch deals with over a thousand direct advertisers and a thousand distribution partners that syndicate or partner to. The company comes across around 15,000,000 queries a day on its network. The search marketplace is constantly changing and progressing. More and more issues are witnessed with click fraud in paid search and the key to overcoming this is by identifying and blocking the fraud with state-of-the-art technology, which ppc.abcsearch.com is currently implementing. This is precisely where their patent-pending click detection solution "ClickShield" comes in. It captures the sources of traffic and helps understand that this traffic is valid or not. User behavior patterns, monitoring Ips, search to click measures, etc are well monitored. Its mechanism completely eliminates the clicks an advertiser really shouldn"t be paying for.


It taked trusted partnerships to deliver quality leads to advertisers. Ppc.abcsearch.com"s credible partnerships foster the best targeting and visibility to your brand. Example: blogsearch.com represents the current panacea among the net surfers of the blog craze. This means the very potential traffic from the field is to be of quality. Likewise, partners represent sometimes a certain sect of focused target audience or a variety of related audience who could be your immediate prospect. The result - high quality traffic.

PPC: Wise doubts

Understanding how much priority to place on paid search
The budget
Key campaign settings: budget settings, ad rotation, geo-targeting, and more
The sector search seasonality, trends in purchase behavior
Bid Strategy - bidding to ROI, to establish position, competitive jockeying and bid management, etc.
Combating Click Fraud: Main sources of click fraud and seek the leading tactics for discovering and eliminating
Landing Page Testing, Site Architecture, and Conversion Rates. The best practice of conversion rates from a click to a sale
Contextual Advertising: What to Avoid. Knowing contextual ad programs, and settings to control, measure, or opt out of bad traffic, etc.


PPC.ABCSearch.com: The Credentials
The PPC.ABCSearch.com advertising program allows advertisers to list their websites as search results across their network of smaller search engines and strategic partnerships. Advertisers choose keywords that are relevant to their websites while selecting the precise amount they wish to pay for each click on their listings by a consumer.
Site listings on ABCSearch are ranked and determined according to the highest bidders. Signing up for the PPC.ABCSearch.com advertising program does not guarantee that any or all of the search terms submitted will be accepted by ABCSearch.com or that such search terms will generate any traffic to Advertiser's site. ABCSearch.com reserves the right to reject and/or remove any search terms submitted by Advertisers.
Clickshield: The unique click fraud detector
In 2006 at least $500 million in pay-per-click online advertising expenditure was wasted through click fraud.
By 2008, Click fraud is estimated to grow to $1.6 billion, an increase of over 45%.
Corrupt affiliates of ad networks account for 85% of all click fraud.
What is ClickShield?
ClickShield was developed to aid Pay-per-click search providers to end the threat of click fraud.
It is important to us that your advertising dollars go towards converting traffic, instead of being wasted on fruitless clicks. By monitoring network traffic patterns, we block the traffic that we know you should not be paying for. Period.
ClickShield optimizes all ABCSearch network search traffic automatically, ensuring all clicks are free of fraudulent symptoms. each click gets scrubbed against natural user behavior patterns among other proprietary statistical methods. All you have to do is...well...nothing!
Click fraud has been a part of the PPC advertising scene since the earliest days of the Internet. The simplest type of click fraud happens when a publisher accepts PPC ads on his site, then clicks on them himself or has others do the dirty work. This can be one of the hardest types of "insincere clicks" to spot, especially if it"s kept to low levels. It isn"t always, though.
Therein lies one of the biggest hurdles in the battle to eliminate - or at least effectively deal with - click fraud. The companies that manage PPC advertising - Google, Overture and other search engine companies - have a clear conflict of interest in resolving disputed clicks. This conflict sometimes even extends to the terminology used to refer to fraudulent clicks in either community. Google, for instance, collects from advertisers for 'actual clicks' and pays publishers for 'valid clicks'. That's led to speculation that Google may be collecting from advertisers for some clicks for which they don't pay publishers.
If quality leads is your aim, then quality search engines have the answer!




Thursday, March 22, 2007

Ready - Set - SELL! Preparing Your Home to Sell in a Buyers Market

Sluggish. Slow. Decreasing. Those are words that are being applied to the recent housing sales markets. If you"re planning to sell, the news is nowhere near as bad as the doomsayers are making it sound. The problem is that there are so many people trying to sell their homes right now. The number of choices on the market encourages buyers to be choosy and to hold out for the perfect home at the best price. Any Realtor will tell you, though, that homes are selling - and when they sell, it"s because the prospective buyer fell in love at first sight.

The homes that sell are those that "wow" buyers from the curb and woo them all the way through to the back yard. So how do you turn your hearth into a new buyer"s heart throb? The same way that you"d attract a new beau - freshen up, put on a little makeup and sport the most attractive outfit you can find.

Five Steps to Wow Them at the Curb.
Curb appeal is the real estate equivalent of sex appeal. That first view of your house may not break a sale - but it can definitely make it.

1. Get rid of clutter in the yard. Don"t kid yourself that the bikes and Big Wheels tell buyers a home is well-loved and family-friendly. Stow the stuff - the kids" toys, the gas grill, the rake leaning against the porch - and not in the garage. You"ll want that to look nice and clean, too.

2. Make any cosmetic repairs that the house needs. Clogged gutters? Hanging drainpipe? Shutter off kilter? Spend a weekend doing all those little things you"ve been saying you"ll do for the last three years.

3. Freshen up your house"s face. If you can, give it a new coat of paint. If your house is sided, this is the time to rent a power washer and give it a good hose down. Don"t forget to wash the windows and hang pretty window treatments inside, too. While you"re at it, make sure that mini-blinds are all at the same level in the windows facing the street. You"d be surprised what a difference, symmetry makes.

4. Mow the lawn, trim the shrubs, get the tree guy out to lop off those overhanging branches. Fix cracks in the driveway, dig up the moss in between the paving stones. The keyword is manicure - everything should look very, very well taken care of.

5. Wrap it up with a bow. You can"t exactly put a ribbon in your house"s hair, but you can do the next best thing. Flowers offer instant appeal. Hit your local garden shop for a few flats of colorful, in bloom annuals and put in a flower beds along the walkway, or encircle a palm with a bed of impatiens.

Five Steps to Woo Them All the Way.
Give the inside of your house the same attention that you did the outside. Here"s how to turn attraction into love.

1. Get rid of clutter. Take down family photos, remove those report cards from the front of the fridge, tuck away the cherished collection of knick knacks. When you"re done, you should have clean counters, clean tables and clean shelves.

2. Clean. Clean. Clean. The key word is spotless. Scrub down walls, wash windows, get rid of the gray fingerprints around doorknobs and light switches. Clean your grout especially in the bathrooms. Shampoo carpets. Added bonus - you"ll have to do far less deodorizing.

3. Pare down furniture to the essentials. Sofa, chair and tables in the living room. Bed, dresser and lamps in the bedroom. Engaging the services of a professional home stager is a very worthwhile investment.

4. If your budget allows for it, go for one or more of these high-ROI home improvements.
-Repaint your kitchen and bathroom walls. Choose a warm neutral color.
-Replace worn carpets.
-Update your kitchen.
-Update your bathroom.

5. Try a few psychological tricks. Hang a mirror on the wall opposite your front door. Invest in fresh flower arrangements - but be sure to keep them fresh. Wilted flowers are NOT inviting. Play classical music - softly - when the house is being shown. And a favorite quick-pretty-up trick - toss a clean damp towel and fresh scented dryer sheet in the dryer about half an hour before a showing. Clean laundry smell is even more appealing than chocolate chip cookies or apple pie baking in the oven.

Designing Yellow Page Ads For A Living Doesn't Make You A Professional!

By John Morana Platinum Quality Author

There are hundreds of people on payrolls who crank out Yellow Page ads for a living. But assembly-lining ads simply turns a designer into a seasoned hack. Being held accountable for results is the experience that counts.

You see, Yellow Page ads are a form of direct response advertising. Meaning people either respond to the ad by picking up the phone, or the ad is a failure - there’s no chalking up poor response to “creating awareness” or “building the brand.” And in direct response ads, small subtleties often create vastly different response rates. Changing two or so words or replacing a graphic element can often double – or, if you do it wrong, halve – your response rate!

This is why the design of your Yellow Page ad is more important than its size or the use of color. And why design-by-numbers, or by template, can be fatal. What works depends on context: your market, your competitors’ ads, your business itself, etc. And if the subtleties of your Yellow Page ad are wrong, you’ll be stuck with a year’s worth of wasted advertising dollars.

Has your ad design “professional” been held accountable for making telephones ring? For how long? Without five year’s experience, you might as well write the guy a check for design school. ‘Cause your ad dollars will only be financing his education in what doesn’t work.

And the same thing goes for his “help.” A lot of so called Yellow Page advertising professionals routinely outsource the design of your Yellow Page ad to "general" freelancers. But expertise in manipulating the subtleties can’t be outsourced. Without an in depth knowledge of your specific situation, any one element in this kind of “assembly line” production could contribute to producing a low-response ad. If your next Yellow Page ad isn't going to be developed from "start-to-finish" by a true Yellow Page ad design professional, look elsewhere.

John Morana is president of MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design. Make no mistake, your next Yellow Page ad will be developed (start-to-finish) by a top-flight Yellow Page ad design master with over 30 years experience. Isn't it about time you made your phones jump like fish out of water? Call 800-726-7006 for a FREE ad evaluation or visit http://www.max-effect.com to view samples and client testimonials.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Morana

The A to Z Guide to Getting Website Traffic



Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The Internet And Small Business Collaboration - Increasing Revenue Growth

By Michelle Hill

The Internet brings many opportunities and advantages to small businesses but these firms are not grasping the concept of how and why to use the Internet to increase sales. Many small businesses use word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers, which generally reaps local revenue. In most cases, due to limited revenue generation, prices of products and services from small businesses are higher compared to larger competition. This in turn can further decrease sales due to customers looking for products that fit within their budgets. Small businesses such as consignment shops, shoe stores, and consumer product firms are failing to see the potential in using the Web for advertising their existence and selling their products and services.

There is a large consumer base that prefers receiving information via the Internet and will most likely be exposed to a firm due to a website or affiliate link than a phone book. Such customers most likely does not even own a phone book or yellow pages because the Internet in an online directory itself that provides much more than just a phone number and an address for a business but detailed information that leads to more company awareness. When individuals are too busy to travel to malls and other shopping centers for products, they turn to the Internet for advertisement information and to potential buy products as to less the constraints on their free time that can be garnered from traveling to stores, physically searching for products, and waiting in longs lines. Small businesses that do not have store websites are missing out on potential sales because they are not factoring in the manner in which many consumer purchases products and services or at least become familiar with local business through information presented on websites that can satisfy their needs.

Most small business owners tend to stay away from advertising and selling online to keep the mom and pop feel and their uniqueness but these owners are not understanding the demographics and purchasing trends of their existing and potential customers. Today’s society warrants more time to accomplish multiple tasks and the Internet provides such a luxury for very busy individuals. Small business owners not exercising the advantages of their own online presence will continuously be upstaged by the larger competition that are accessible 24 hours 7 days a week for information sharing or purchasing. Many of these small business owners that are not using the Internet are older and do not feel the need to learn such technology or find it frustrating but there are ways around this such as hiring someone to create the website and manage its functionality. The biggest advantage of using the Internet is to increase awareness of one’s business so that sales can increase as well and if there is the option to buy online, these firms will see revenue generation from two models of business: the traditional and e-Commerce structures.

The following are some strategies for small business owners to examine to determine if a web presence is the correct tactic for them:

1. Research statistics of a website’s influence on increased purchases due to additional advertising that reaches numerous individuals

2. Determine who their customers are from those that buy within the store or who they want their customers to be based on their products or services to indicate if these individuals use the Internet for information gathering and purchasing

3. Ascertain the cost effectiveness of owning a website by conducing a cost/benefit analysis between how much the website and its maintenance will cost compared to the potential increase in revenue generation

4. Evaluate the competition’s web site to evaluate their strategies for delivering information and selling techniques and examine how to benchmark themselves against these firms

As small businesses determine the best methods to increase their operations, the Internet should not be discounted. This vehicle can translate into higher traffic for physical stores if websites are information based and into higher sales if the website has a purchasing function. When businesses are first established, there is the notion that the owner would want to be prosperous and have longevity. Small business owners need to utilize all applicable methods to bring awareness to their stores, especially in a society that is immersed in technological tools to make their purchasing experience much more rewarding. Business owners must stay abreast of the trends in their industries to fully have access to the techniques that will generate prosperity and steady expansion. The Internet is such a tool that will assist in the continued existence and growth of any firm that choose to use its structure for advancement and competitive advantages.

Copyright © 2007 Michelle Hill

Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.

Michelle T. Hill is a business instructor and Doctorate of Business Administration student at the University of Phoenix focusing on studying issues relative to women and business and writing articles pertaining to marketing, advertising, and business relationships and development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Hill

Long Yahoo, Short Google: Why I Think This Contrarian Idea Will Work



Tuesday, March 20, 2007

A Brief History Of Postcard Marketing

By Michael Reid

The first postcards

The first postcards really weren’t postcards as we know them at all. The idea came from envelopes that featured printed pictures. The first card sent post in the United States was privately printed and copyrighted in 1861. It certainly didn’t have anything to do with postcard marketing. Indeed, many postcards first evolved as sort of greeting cards. It wasn’t until 1870 when the first postcard as we would recognize it, was printed. And it was more of a historical issue for the Franco-German War. But marketing is a powerful force, and it only took three years for postcard marketing to get its start.

The dawn of postcard marketing

Postcard marketing got its official start in 1872, when a postcard advertisement appeared in Great Britain. These first advertisement postcards appeared in black and white, or with only one color. It wasn’t until 1889 that a multi-colored postcard was printed. And even then, because of the expense involved, postcard marketing did not embrace multi-colored postcards.

Early hindrances to postcard marketing

Postcard marketing did not take off immediately in the United States. It took a while to develop because early postal regulations made it difficult to create attractive advertisements on postcards. Happily, nearly all of the obstacles to cost-efficient postcard marketing have been overcome. Some of the hindrances to postcard marketing included:

The expense of quality color printing

Could only print the message on one side of the postcard (the side with the picture or illustration)

An undivided back for addressing only

Cost the same as mailing a letter

Required a long and prohibitive identification phrase on the back

Changes that encouraged postcard marketing

As countries in Europe changed the regulations and design of postcards, the United Stated gradually followed suit. And this is when postcard marketing began truly developing into the inexpensive and effective advertising medium that it is today. A divided back that allowed for a message as well as an address, and no longer requiring the identification phrase helped create more room for a sales message. And, the postal service decided that privately printed postcards could be sent for less postage, making them more cost efficient. And don’t forget about technological advances! The changes to the quality of paper used and the decrease in price for multi-colored postcards combined to make postcard marketing one of the most cost-efficient advertising methods available.

What postcard marketing offers businesses today

Today, postcard marketing has evolved into an efficient form of advertising that allows for inexpensive production and mailing. It is possible to create attractive postcards for very little (http://www.designsnprint.com offers them for as little as $170 for 5,000 postcards), including full color cards that grab attention. Postcards can be strategically included in both offline and online marketing campaigns to boost quality business leads and increase sales. High quality graphics, photos and lettering can be included in postcard marketing, and postcards offer other advantages as well:

Small size makes it easy to carry

Postcards are easy for recipients to pass along to family and friends

Convenient reminders of your business

Perfect for informing customers of your Web address, and encouraging them to visit your business Web site for more information

Postcards look more friendly than more in-your-face advertisements

For the last century postcard marketing has become more cost-efficient. Now anyone can take advantage of one of the most effective advertising mediums around.

Michael Reid – marketing/promotions Small Business Promotions, Inc http://www.designsnprint.com

you can redistribute this article freely but you must keep my contact information including my website address.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Reid

Adsense Alternatives



Monday, March 19, 2007

Benefits on Using Catalogs

Catalogs can translate to a large increase in the market of any business. A customer is usually aware of only a portion of his distributor"s products and catalogs are the best way in getting him informed of all the other available items. This can be given to customers on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

Catalogs can encourage customers to purchase items they don"t usually need. Images that catch attention and brief description of the uses of the products and their benefits can urge the customer to purchase the product. Catalogs can create the need for the customer by encouraging them to purchase a product they don"t really need.

A lot of people who are living fast paced life like married consumers, middle-age individuals and educated people rely on catalogs to shop. They use catalogs in looking for something that they need and then use the phone or the web to purchase. Catalog shoppers are usually more comfortable with modern technology and invest more on stocks and bonds.

Pages of colorful materials coupled with enticing descriptions of the products inside would attract a reader to purchase the product even without a need. With the benefit of increase in sales, what company would not want to use a catalog as a tool for advertising?

This is the reason why businesses should invest time and money as well in catalog printing services. The benefit that they can avail from a finely produced catalog would help them boost their sales and gain more customers as well.

Most catalog printing companies already have modern catalog printing machines that will give businesses the kind of printing results that they need. A lot of catalog printing companies also have online printing quotes and catalog prices for every catalog printing service needed from them.

A lot of software has been developed as well to every catalog design that a business might need. Businesses can use programs such as Word, Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, Publisher and more to create catalogs that would better represent them.

Consistent quality with every output is a necessity in producing an effective catalog. The use of glossy paper and four-color printing would produce the wanted quality in each product.

Professional skills and prompt service should also define the catalog printing company that would be handling your business catalog. These are necessary to create progressive innovation together with expert printing standards to meet every demanding personal and corporate needs of any business.


How to Advertise in a Magazine

By Sage Dean

So you would like the public to know of your company and services and/or products? A magazine advertisement is an excellent way to get noticed, but it is not so easy. This marketing strategy takes some effort and planning on your part in order to fully take advantage of the medium.

Which Magazine?

Magazines can be an excellent source of advertising, but you have to know which one. Besides choosing a magazine with readers that will be intrigued by your products and/or services, you most likely want to choose a magazine with a large readership. Determining the level of readership for the magazine should be one of the first aspects looked into, but sometimes the reports of readership can be misleading.

A magazine may tell you that over 100,000 people will be exposed to your ad. That sounds great but the magazine only prints about 60,000 copies. You have to consider that a decent proportion of the magazines they produce are going to dealers and newsstands meaning that a good number of magazines may never be opened at all. Also, publishers may conduct surveys to gain a sense of readership that could be misleading to the advertiser. For instance, a publisher may ask an office subscriber how many people work in the office, so the publisher will count all of the people working in that office as readers (though they may not be so). Publishers do the same with single subscriptions delivered to a library.

There is a huge difference between readership figures and distribution figures, and to their own benefit, publishers will do their best to blur the difference to advertisers. An advertiser has to get a sense of how often a potential reader will generate a potential sale. You want to get a number of paid subscribers instead of distribution numbers because paid subscribers are most likely going to be your target market and the ones that are more likely to read the magazine all the way through (looking at the advertiser’s spread).

Media Kits

When contacting a magazine about possible advertising, ask them to send you a media kit. The media kit will contain useful information and will provide you with a better outlook about the company. The kits include: - Sample issue of the magazine
- A rate card which explains the advertising rates, allowable discounts, positioning, etc.
- Advertising specifications
- Circulation information

The media kit will give you a better view of the readership and the benefit of placing your ads with the magazine. Some information may show intricate numbers into demographics and the socioeconomic status of readers.

Newsletters

Advertising in newsletters is another excellent source of advertising. Most people who subscribe to them will read the entire newsletter through and therefore will definitely see the advertisements. Prices vary greatly for running ads in newsletters usually depending on the popularity of the newsletter. Some publishers will charge a very high amount for running an ad, but your ad may be the only one in the newsletter. Other publishers will charge less money because advertisements on the newsletter are in abundance.

Keeping Tabs on Sales

When making a sale in relation to your service or product, it is important to find the reason for the consumer’s interest. If their road to you was paved by ads in a certain magazine, then you know that it is beneficial to your company to continue advertising through that avenue. A company that is experiencing success may not think about ‘where’ the attention is coming from, but keeping track of advertising should be of high importance regardless of success rates. For instance, some companies may find that a great amount of revenue is generated through word-of-mouth. This is great for the business because then they can not spend so many extra dollars on advertising through billboards, newspapers, magazines, etc.

It is always good business to assess how well your conversion rate is doing in relation to dollars spent advertising and sales made. Most likely, you will want to do this at least twice a year (if not more). Figure out how much you are spending on each thoroughfare of advertising and if it is worth it to continue on with the process. For instance, if a lot of revenue is not generated from advertising with a magazine, consider either lowering the frequency of your ads, decreasing the size of the ads, or not advertising in the magazine at all.

Ad Size

Ad sizes differ and the prices differ as well. It is suggested to start small and see how well the ad is attracting consumers. A well worded and graphically intriguing ad will always be better than a dull but big ad. A good idea would be to look at the other advertisements in the magazine and see what the majority is doing. You may want your ads to ‘stand out’ from other ads, so you may choose to go bigger or smaller to mark a sense of differentiation. This is something you will either want to assess for yourself or by getting some advice from a third party. You do not want to seek the consultation of the magazine because they will obviously tell you to go with the bigger size which will mean more money for them.

Ad Placement

Just as size matters, placement matters as well. Your ad’s effectiveness may be contingent on it being in the front, middle, or back of the magazine. This is another reason to get a familiarity with the magazine before placing ads within it. If the magazine is in the habit of putting their most intriguing (cover) articles in the middle of the magazine, then it would be logical to assume that most readers will be perusing through that portion of the magazine and will most likely see the ads placed there as well.

Unfortunately a lot of magazines usually call the shots as far as placement goes; or, if an advertiser wants to have more of a say, it means they will have to pay more money. Regardless of the size of your ad, it may be good to see if you can get it juxtaposed to text. A lot of readers grow anxious when confronted with a block of text and their eyes naturally begin to wander for some other stimulation. A lot of publishers will block advertisements together. This creates a break from text, but most likely readers will not look at every single ad on a page full of ads. Usually, a really enticing headline or out-of-the-ordinary coloring will make an ad standout. This idea will work great in the midst of the magazine, but will not be necessary in other sections. If the magazine usually runs ads in the back and readers know this, they will already go to the back to make a possible purchase anyway. In this scenario a solid advertisement will serve you well, but it doesn’t have to be as overt because the consumer is already looking to make a purchase (they are looking for you instead of vice versa).

Rates

Depending on the popularity of the magazine, rates will vary. The good thing is though most rates may be standard, they are not set in stone and exceptions do apply. For instance, if you are a first time advertiser the publisher may offer you a discount to make a good first impression or to assuage any anxiety in spending money with them to begin with. The frequency of your ads and the size of each will play a part in how much money you will spend with the magazine. If you make a long-term commitment with them (say over the next couple of years) you will most likely get a discounted rate as opposed to an advertiser that is fickle in their nature with working with them.

Folio is the magazine source for the magazine industry. We are a multi-channel, multidimensional information source, using print, online and face-to-face delivery to bring actionable information to the publishing community and encourage a richer dialogue between buyers and sellers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sage_Dean

Targeting Online Advertising



Sunday, March 18, 2007

Newsletter as A Marketing Tool

By Billie Ray Briones

Trying to think of a way to promote that new product or service that your company recently introduced? Why not try to use a promotional newsletter? Sure a lot of businesses already use it. But it is still a great marketing tool for that new product or service you want everyone to know. You just have to think of a new way on how to introduce that product to your prospective customers and loyal customers.

A promotional or marketing newsletter is used by businesses who wants to promote a product or service they just introduced. Newsletters are typically sent by mail or are placed inside the store where customers can just pick up a copy.

Newsletters normally use grids, content and photos for design. Newsletter design cannot survive without these three. A good content plus a colorful grid and a striking photo would help present the newsletter in an effective package.

A large nameplate showing the name of the company, a body text using catchy phrases and a prominent headline would be just enough for a simple marketing newsletter.

However, the key to an efficient newsletter design would be consistency. You should not try every available font that you can use for a single newsletter. And avoid placing every photo you have available and unnecessary clip arts on your newsletter. You may be able to find a better use for that space like a clip and return questionnaire or a calendar of events.

Avoid turning your newsletter however in a great big ad for your business. Your newsletter should also include information of interest to the one reading it whether they buy your product or avail of your services. Also involve your customers on your newsletter by letting them contribute to the newsletter experiences they might want to share on using your products and availing your services.

Newsletters can be printed on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually basis. This is why in looking for a printing company that will be handling your newsletter printing you should already choose the best in the business because you may need their services more than once.

Choosing a printing company that will handle your newsletter printing would be very important in order to have an effective newsletter. They will be the one in charge already of the output, the one that you’re customers are going to read. The printing company should be able to reflect in your printed newsletter everything that you want to appear in it.

So remember that the key to a successful newsletter is to keep it neat and simple yet elegant.

Please visit Los Angeles Printing Service for more information on Newsletter Printing and other Printing Services

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billie_Ray_Briones

Tactical PPC advertising in action