Why do advertisers, who were so effective offline, not know what to do online? Because tricks they developed over years to ensnare consumer do not work online. They do not work because environment has changed drastically. Before vendor was in control; today, online, consumer is in control. Before vendor could play on emotions of more or less "captive" consumer; todcay consumer has an infinite number of choices. Before ads were effective by themselves; today you must get consumer to do something - click.

In other words, consumer is boss. Advertising, like everything else on Net must be helpful to consumer. Using wile to catch consumer will not work. Annoying consumer with spam messages, or even with opt-out messages, will not work. Stealing "context" from competitor sites decreases consumer trust, and will not work.

Informative Advertising

Let us get back to advertising that works. What Google and other search engines do is sell ads related to keywords. When your chosen keyword is picked by a user, your website message appears on right side of results page under Sponsored Links. Other search engines list them under Preferred Sites or similar headings.

These successful ads are characterized as follows:

> They do not try to ensnare you

> They do not try to interrupt you

> They do not try to hurt others

> They are obviously ads

> They are related to your current interest

> They are INFORMATIVE

The last item is key:

> THEY ARE INFORMATIVE!

Good online advertising is INFORMATIVE ADVERTISING. It does not try to manipulate visitor in any way. It earnestly tries to be helpful. It earnestly tries to build trust. It earnestly tries to steer consumer to a site, but only if advertiser feels site may be helpful to consumer.

Of course context is important. Context is one way advertiser knows he may be helpful to visitor. But context is not enough. The important consideration is how you use context: to exploit or to help.

Everyone agrees that newsletter advertising works. Why? Not merely because context is right, although this is important. Newsletter advertising works because, for most part, it is Informative Advertising.

Summary

The old-fashioned advertising, which culminates today with "contextual advertising," or as I call it "contextual stealing," is dying. The best type of advertising - today on Net, but tomorrow off Net, as well - is informative Advertising. Informative Advertising is part of an integrated marketing strategy called Helpfulness Marketing.

Cant write ads? Spend some time learning, practicing, honing: this is probably THE best investment of your time that you can make.

5. Use your own URL

Similarly, if your ad has same URL (just different numbers) as everyone else promoting same "program" people will instantly recognise it, know they've seen it all before and not bother. Use your own ad in combination with your own URL and you are much more likely to hit inquisitive nerve.

What you really should be doing here is to get a domain - all of $13.50 per year from http://000domains.com and build your own site - with useful content. Then even if you are promoting a "program", let's hear why you use it, what is good about it, why we should believe YOU and join it on your recommendation. The standard "free website" just ain't gonna cut it.

Put yourself in shoes of reader. If you see an ad and/or URL that is same as next and a million others, which one will you choose to click? Since it will give impression, whether it is true or not, that it is just another mass-produced program-in-a- box solution, do you really think anyone will? If they do, it will only be luck and you may as well just play lottery!

You must also use your own URL and so that there is less chance of your affiliate number being knocked off end by cheaters who do you out of your referral commission. Good enough reason?

6. Don't try to sell in ads

This has got to be one of top mistakes that people make in ads. Ads too long, trying to get sale on first attempt are never going to be effective and is more likely to scare people off than attract them. Keep it short, sweet and to point. Your task in an ad is to create only just enough interest for someone to want more information.

Give 'em BENEFITS! You know, old "What's in it for me?" - a reason to click. They don't care who you are, so that's a line saved! Don't tell them your product has XYZ widgets, tell them it will make them more sexy (or whatever, so long as it's truth). Then do your selling in follow-up.

Follow these few simple rules, do your homework on ones you need to learn more about and watch your ad responses and your income rise!