The Internet is a relatively new media, yet it has introduced new business models that
shattered long-standing ones. Books, CDs and practically anything that can be packaged
and shipped may now be sold online. Publishers create online versions of their newspapers
and magazines then sold online advertisement to companies targetting the audience of their
publications.
How can online advertising help my business? Isn’t my website enough?
The most important thing in online advertising is targetting your market. You can’t just
have your ad displayed on millions of users in Facebook for example and expect a significant
sales increase if you don’t target the audience properly. For example, if you are a luxury
resort or hotel operator in Panglao, Bohol, you probably should target US and Europe users
from age 30 to 60 who are professionals or businessmen and not users below 20 who are in
developing countries.
If you offer services targetted to OFWs or balikbayans, then online sites of local publications
or radio (like www.dyrdam.com or www.boholnewsdaily.com) would be the ideal websites
for your ad placements. The reason for this is that these websites are being viewed
regularly by Boholanos around the world with the largest group from California, USA. If
your ads appear regularly on these sites, then the users will have much better recall of your
services when they go to Bohol for a vacation. Or if you offer flower delivery service in
Bohol, these users will click on your ad when someone’s birthday in Bohol is near.
When advertising online, as with any other media, a one-time placement is not enough
for you to see the results. You should run your ads for a few months at least. Users may
need to see your ad several times before they take action and click on the ad and visit
your website. The good thing with online ads is that it is not expensive, especially if you
advertise on local websites. You can pay for impressions (the number of times your ad
is displayed) or clicks (the user actually clicked on the ad). Impressions may cost from
PHP100 to 1000 per thousand impressions, depending on placement and size of the ad.
Or it could be between Php5 to Php100 per click or even higher depending on the ad
competition. The ads on the top, top-left and top-right are the most expensive sections and
of course, the larger ad space would be more expensive.
If you want recall more than you want your target audience to look at your website, then
you should go for impressions. On the other hand, if you need your users to go to your
website and pay only if that happens, you should pay for clicks. This would be the case if
you want them to buy something on your website when they go there.
Would the Internet replace print, radio and TV as advertising medium? Most likely not.
The Internet is just another medium where you are given a chance to communicate to your
target clients in a new way. These media in conjunction with each should be utilized by the
advertiser to reach the target market more effectively.