New Internet Marketing Report Offers Powerful, Cost-Efficient Online Advertising Tips When SEO, SEM, PPC and Social Media Tactics Just Aren't Enough

Online, August 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - West Palm Beach, Florida - August 2, 2010 - Using no cost online marketing tactics, like search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), pay per click (PPC), article marketing, and social media marketing (SMM) are all good strategies, but they'll only get a marketer or business owner so far. And these tactics won't create the voluminous traffic needed to really see substantial results, fast.

Wendy Montes de Oca, MBA, recently finished a much anticipated eBook titled, Muscle Media: The Complete Guide to Buying Online Ads for Less.

When asked about the need for online advertising in the current economy, she replied, "Any successful online marketer will tell you that the key to a balanced marketing mix is having a variety of tactics that fit your budget and business objectives ... from no cost SEO and SEM ... to paid advertising with banner ads, blogs, text ads, display ads, newsletter sponsorships, email marketing and more."

She added, "Plain and simple: When you really want to increase your Web exposure ... and sales ... you need to cast a broader net using targeted online advertising. But the question is, how do you leverage this powerful platform without spending a fortune? The answer is learning the 'insider secrets' to buying online ads for less."

In the process of putting together an online media buy (or "insertion order"), marketers will be required to analyze many proposals from different website, blogs or ad networks. They will need to ascertain if the rate being quoted is cost effective and comparable to industry rates. They'll also need to know that many drivers can influence that rate.

According to Montes de Oca, "there are many online advertising "must know's" that internet marketers and business owners alike should be aware of before doing their next online media buy or dealing with an account executive." The following are a few:

•Seasonality. Most Web traffic typically drops during summer months as well as major holidays. Use this knowledge to your advantage and try to get lower rates during these times. You can also pause your ad if it happens to be running during a holiday and have it turned back on after the holiday.
•Exclusivity. Find out if the online ad is getting 100% of the rotations or is sharing that ad space with other advertisers. For instance, one banner ad on a website may rotate and have 5 different messages each time you refresh. This is known as being "fixed ad placement" or "shared ad placement". If it's a shared placement, find out how many actual impressions will be for your ad.
•Site Targeting. Will the ad be ROS (run of site), by channel, or by page? Typically, online ads can be drilled down to a specific page on a website in order to match the right message with the target audience. But the lower you drill the more you will pay for that targeting. The higher you go, the less you pay. ROS is the highest level, so it's usually the cheapest. Next is usually ROC (run of channel), that is, running an ad within targeted sections of a website. Then there are also specific pages or demographic targeting. Your goals and budget will determine which placement is best for your needs.
•Remnant Space. Check with the account executive to see if they have any remnant space (space that they're having difficulty selling for any reason) or last minute specials. With more popular and high traffic websites, you can get some great deals on remnant space. Make sure to find out the Terms and Conditions.
•Termination Right. Make sure the insertion order has a "termination right" or "out clause" (typically 24 - 48 hours). This way, if you see after a week your ad isn't performing, and you tested other ads, you can end the campaign without penalty and only pay for impressions served.

Montes de Oca concluded, "The key to a successful online media campaign is knowing what to buy, where to buy it, how to gauge performance, and ultimately how to get the best rate that suits your budget. The big misconception by many marketers and small business that online advertising is expensive. That is not always the case -- especially if you're educated about the entire media buying process. So get informed and don't be afraid to test online advertising. With the right ad in the right place ... you're poised for optimum results!"

For more information on proven tips and tricks for powerful online advertising, please visit http://musclemarketing.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html.

For press inquiries, please contact Jose Montes de Oca at [email protected].
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