I applaud Abbey Klaassen and other digital columnists for continuing to push marketers to think beyond the last click. This notion isn't really NEW news-- we've seen digital advertising analytic companies jump on this for at least a year. However, one thing I seem to be seeing over and over again is that cetain web site analytic companies (Google Analytics namely), seem to hold near and dear to the "There is one true click" mentality/reporting.
As much as we'd like for digital to either branding or DR, it becomes clearer and clearer to me that digital advertising still holds many of the principles of traditional advertising. While this medium is certainly more complex as you're likely leading them down a more defined path, its not always best to define the medium solely by the measurement tools that aren't always perfect.
TG Madison has found that it's best to use a mix of advertising and site analytic tools to help look at the campaign from at least two perspectives. Additionally, it's helpful to use branding surveys to see what impact the digital campaign had even if it didn't drive an immediate action.
Interested in learning more? Please contact me.
Showing posts with label TG Madison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TG Madison. Show all posts
2/23/09
2/9/09
Digital Ad Impact
So I've been reading a bit here lately about what is being called a problem for digital advertising - why consumer's can't recall online advertising.
Obviously, I'm in the industry and while I can call some creative that I've liked... I've got plenty more examples from other media. So should digital advertising consider more impactful ad units, i.e. - one ad unit per page?
I like the idea, but something seems odd to me. I grew up in a time when people freaked over how certain songs sounded when you played them backwards. Have we lost the idea that working into someone's subconscious is just as desirable as making them sing our jingle?
Hey don't get me wrong, I totally agree that it's absolutely silly to think that someone who doesn't even scroll down enough to see the ad is anything but a wasted impression. But just because I didn't play the ad's game or clicked the ad, does it mean I wasn't impacted?
Instead, I think the larger problem is two fold
For awareness driven campaigns, it's often difficult for consumers to understand what the ad wants you to takeaway. The pages which are usually targeted for awareness campaigns often aren't pages that people rest on for more than mere seconds. Off the top of my head, two ideas come to mind:
Display often gets a lot of knocks but when you think of it as a process instead of an instantaneous push, it's much easier to create a successful campaign.
Obviously, I'm in the industry and while I can call some creative that I've liked... I've got plenty more examples from other media. So should digital advertising consider more impactful ad units, i.e. - one ad unit per page?
I like the idea, but something seems odd to me. I grew up in a time when people freaked over how certain songs sounded when you played them backwards. Have we lost the idea that working into someone's subconscious is just as desirable as making them sing our jingle?
Hey don't get me wrong, I totally agree that it's absolutely silly to think that someone who doesn't even scroll down enough to see the ad is anything but a wasted impression. But just because I didn't play the ad's game or clicked the ad, does it mean I wasn't impacted?
Instead, I think the larger problem is two fold
For awareness driven campaigns, it's often difficult for consumers to understand what the ad wants you to takeaway. The pages which are usually targeted for awareness campaigns often aren't pages that people rest on for more than mere seconds. Off the top of my head, two ideas come to mind:
- Create simple, 5-second ads for these types of ads
- Push publishers to retarget users who only saw part of the message until they are given time to digest the message
Display often gets a lot of knocks but when you think of it as a process instead of an instantaneous push, it's much easier to create a successful campaign.
1/21/09
Update: Google Feeling the Pinch
Well, who didn't see that Google investing in newspaper sales wasn't maybe the brightest strategy? I mean in THEORY it's a cool idea -- using codes in newspapers to track to eventual sales, but in a medium that is feeling the pains, it's smart for Google to cut it's losses.
Unfortunately, that's not the only area that's effecting Google's ad revenue.
Due to the economic climate's effect on the way marketers are looking at media's need to be accountable, one would think that Google of all places would see an increase in CPCs (money out of branding and into DR means more demand = higher bids). As it turns out, not so much. Reportedly, this is due to marketers moving to less expensive terms that still produce results. Google ad spends, like the rest of advertising, are feeling the pinch.
Compacting the effect the economy has in this field is the fact that marketers are seeing that Search Engines alone aren't the end all be all. In fact, Search Engine usage has actually fallen a bit over the past few years.
Will people's use of Google products tumble?
Likely not.
Sure, consumers may shift to favor social network learning, but Google won't die. People will still need a 3rd party to help give us unbiased, factual information. We as consumers may be prompted to explore something by our friends, but we still feel the need to be the leader of our own research.
We may see more people lessening their use of SEARCH part of learning, but this will likely not hurt nimble companies like Google - keep in mind that Google/Yahoo have an extensive network of partnerships with content based sites and we'll still their ads. Additionally, YouTube is one of the most heavily "searched" sites on the net and they're owned by Google.
With that worry out of our minds, it brings up a larger issue. We're afraid that one of the "best" products we've grown accustomed to showing "success" may not be invincible.
Today's marketing isn't "media is the message" or "creative is the message" it is.. your customer is the message.
With the market ever changing it's easy to get hung up on the tactics instead of the idea. Search doesn't stand alone, display doesn't stand alone... WOM while several instances are EXTREMELY cool doesn't stand alone. Each media tactic works in tandem.
The key take away I have been feeling over the past few years is that there's a need to impact people no matter where they're researching (across this fragmented market). This means that we as marketers need to focus in on why/when our message would be most impactful. For instance, imagine it -- an ad network that puts your ad in front of someone who's looking to find out about your specific product. Selling a Dried Bean product? Imagine marketers targeting search/display/conversations about bean soup recipes. Or targeting consumers who are looking for projects to keep their kids entertained on a rainy day. Who is that optimum customer - not how old are they, but who are they and why would they care about your product?
Today's new model is shifting from telling why your brand is important to demonstrating how this product is a part of the consumer.
Unfortunately, that's not the only area that's effecting Google's ad revenue.
Due to the economic climate's effect on the way marketers are looking at media's need to be accountable, one would think that Google of all places would see an increase in CPCs (money out of branding and into DR means more demand = higher bids). As it turns out, not so much. Reportedly, this is due to marketers moving to less expensive terms that still produce results. Google ad spends, like the rest of advertising, are feeling the pinch.
Compacting the effect the economy has in this field is the fact that marketers are seeing that Search Engines alone aren't the end all be all. In fact, Search Engine usage has actually fallen a bit over the past few years.
Will people's use of Google products tumble?
Likely not.
Sure, consumers may shift to favor social network learning, but Google won't die. People will still need a 3rd party to help give us unbiased, factual information. We as consumers may be prompted to explore something by our friends, but we still feel the need to be the leader of our own research.
We may see more people lessening their use of SEARCH part of learning, but this will likely not hurt nimble companies like Google - keep in mind that Google/Yahoo have an extensive network of partnerships with content based sites and we'll still their ads. Additionally, YouTube is one of the most heavily "searched" sites on the net and they're owned by Google.
With that worry out of our minds, it brings up a larger issue. We're afraid that one of the "best" products we've grown accustomed to showing "success" may not be invincible.
Today's marketing isn't "media is the message" or "creative is the message" it is.. your customer is the message.
With the market ever changing it's easy to get hung up on the tactics instead of the idea. Search doesn't stand alone, display doesn't stand alone... WOM while several instances are EXTREMELY cool doesn't stand alone. Each media tactic works in tandem.
The key take away I have been feeling over the past few years is that there's a need to impact people no matter where they're researching (across this fragmented market). This means that we as marketers need to focus in on why/when our message would be most impactful. For instance, imagine it -- an ad network that puts your ad in front of someone who's looking to find out about your specific product. Selling a Dried Bean product? Imagine marketers targeting search/display/conversations about bean soup recipes. Or targeting consumers who are looking for projects to keep their kids entertained on a rainy day. Who is that optimum customer - not how old are they, but who are they and why would they care about your product?
Today's new model is shifting from telling why your brand is important to demonstrating how this product is a part of the consumer.
1/8/09
What Are You Doing Online?
Media Post published the Fall 2008 top online activities as reported through MRI.
Some things of note BESIDES their callout to the rise in video watching/downloading:
Some things of note BESIDES their callout to the rise in video watching/downloading:
- Not so suprisingly, a rise in those seeking jobs online. Additionally, recipe sites also saw a strong lift.
- Blog visitation continues to rise-- honestly, this 11% of pop stat worries me. I'm not sure everyone knows they're going to a blog. Sure, the # isn't off by much, but I do think it's a bit soft.
- 20.5% made personal/business travel plans (up slightly)
- 19.9% of consumers obtained medical information online (again up slightly). This is a great stat to look at as most other studies ask if someone gathered health information (@ 80% of the online population does this activity), which can cover anything from dieting to researching heart disease.
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