Tourism Internet Marketing U

Productive Online Advertising: Why Banner Ads Sell

The world of banner advertising is changing rapidly. In the early days when banner advertising was in vogue, visitors were clicking through, good banner space was hard to find, and prices were rising. Then we saw the big decline, click-through rates were poor and, as a result, advertisers were looking at alternative online advertising mediums. We saw banner advertising prices decline significantly. Quality space was not difficult to obtain and banner advertising was being used primarily to meet branding objectives. Over the last few years we have seen more and more pay-per-click targeted advertising opportunities, and this type of advertising is now on the rise. I have chosen to discuss the two types separately.

Despite all the doom and gloom and bad press, traditional banner ads can still be an effective advertising medium if the banner ad is properly developed and is placed on a well-chosen site. We are starting to see a shift toward ads using rich media. Advertising on-line provides visibility – just as offline advertising does. You must develop a banner advertising strategy that works with your product, your marketing objectives, and your budget.

Concerning productive advertising online, we’ll discuss the following topics:

• Your online advertising strategy
• Advertising opportunities on the Web
• Banner ad design and impact on click-throughs
• Banner ad sizes and locations
• Placing classifieds
• Tips to creating dynamite banner ads that work
• The cost of advertising online
• Measuring ad effectiveness
• Banner ad exchange networks
• Using an online advertising agency
• Sources of Internet advertising information

Stick around for more great information about online advertising, or pick up a copy of my book! 101 Ways to Promote Your Tourism Business Web Site.

-Written by Susan Sweeney