http://ezine-tips.com/articles/management/20010316.shtml

In an earlier article by same author, (Janet Roberts, associate editor of "List-Universe.com") many articles by online writers are labeled "advertising in disguise".

I'll buy that definition in many cases. I'll buy it in this case. I'm advertising my weekly newsletter and my web site by offering opinion and insight on web. And it works! I've written openly and widely that content I provide is just like an ad for my web site and my business.

http://www.workz.com/content/1680.asp

Advertisers pay to have their ads appear in my newsletter and on my web site. You might say that my "advertising in disguise" attracts advertising to support my advertising if you want to see that advertising as inherently wrong.

But I'll also ask then why is it that my articles are well read and syndicated across many networks of web sites and ezines. I run a business content distribution service called "Free-Content" at:

http://yahoogroups.com/group/Free-Content

Over 500 well respected writers and publishers subscribe to that list and publish articles distributed there. I'm about to expand that service into additional topics and expect all to be just as successful as business content list.

It's not advertising, it's content, it's free and I am a professional. What does that all mean? I leave it to you to decide.

And now for a word from our sponsor.

4. Getting creative right. This is not easy. Having spent many years working in advertising agencies, I can tell you that few creative people really understand Internet. They end up creating online versions of billboard advertising. Since majority of billboard ads are about branding and image, not direct response, difficulty is clear.

I recently ran a banner campaign for a web site which showed up-to-the-minute financial data on budget day. Banners were tactically placed on news and current affairs sites, using clear, unambiguous copy. No flashing lights or animations, just a simple, appealing message. The click-thru rates were between 5% and 8%. The server was overwhelmed.

Recently, I have seen reports that banners that are designed specifically for site they appear on - so that they blend in and look like part of site - have achieved click-thru rates of over 10%.

In summary, here is my top ten pointers for making your banners work well above average:

Audience --------

1. Aim at right people

2. Be relevant. Make sure your main offer is 'in tune' with what site's viewers are thinking about.

Research --------

3. Keep testing. Instantly drop any banner that isn't pulling.

4. Know how much you can pay. If you are averaging $2 per click and one in fifty buy from you, then you had better make more than $100 profit on each sale, or you will go bust.

5. Before you spend any money on a site, talk to other advertisers. If they say that their response stunk, (and their ad seems reasonably okay), bear this in mind when you negotiate price.

Design ------

6. Make your banner intriguing. If they don't care, they won't click.

7. Tell them what's in it for them. If you show or imply a really great benefit that they will gain from your site, they are more likely to click to see more.

8. Consider disguising your banner. If you make it look like part of site, more people may have confidence to click it.

Price -----

9. Don't buy cost-per-thousand impressions unless you really have to - and price is low enough.

10. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Never take first price offered. Always ask for (and expect) a discount on price, or a bonus on top of what you are buying.

Achieving valuable CTR's can be done, but not by blindly following sheep. Successful advertisers do things a little differently.