Lets face it, all to often the advertisers we sell to know only one thing, the business they run. So, expecting them to understand your Web statistics and how they apply to their business is like asking a fifth grader to grasp the importance of personal hygiene. First, they don’t really care and second they really don’t see why it is important to them personally. (The rest of us sure know.) For these two reasons alone you need to carefully consider your strategy when building your online media kit.
I often hear business owners and publishers say, I don’t have enough Web traffic to sell anything. This could not be further from the truth. Give me one page impression and I’ll sell it! It’s all in the presentation. How do you think some guy got rich off the Ronco Onion Chopper. Was it because it was the best onion chopper in the world? Nope, it was all in the presentation.
Web statistics are boring to most, unless you’re a geek like me, then these numbers get you excited. Why, because I know what they mean and how they can be used to make money. But, all to often, that excitement can get lost in gorgeous graphs and lists of numbers. Unique visitors versus total pages viewed and on and on and on. Unless your advertiser pool is mostly agencies, then you need an approach that is kindergarten in nature. Meaning, simple beyond simple.
There are truly only three things I want to know from a Web site manager. How many unique visitors are coming to your site each month? How many total pages are viewed in any given month? How many ads are on each page? This is not all the data I need, but it is the important meat to present in your buffet of offerings to the public.
The presentation of this data needs to be done in such a way that the end user will understand it without analysis. For example… You are the publisher of Auto Mechanics Monthly. Your Web stats are the following; 20,000 pages viewed, 1,000 unique visitors and you have 3 ads on each page. Excellent, a very good start. Now, how can we present this in such a way that it makes our numbers seem big and our traffic seem vibrant. First, consider your advertiser audience. Let’s assume they are mostly tool manufacturers. Rather than present these numbers in a graph, I would use a more visual approach. Each month more people come to AutoMechanicsMonthly.com than you could fit in 10 Greyhound buses! These users are captive on the site and look at over 60,000 ads. Just imagine if you were the driver of that bus? Then, show the buses lined up for visual effect. Another example. Each month more people come to AutoMechanicsMonthly.com than you could fit in 500 full size SUV’s! These users come to the site for a reason, to read our rich content and while there they look at over 60,000 ads online. Are you running an ad with us? Then, show them 500 SUV’s in a huge parking lot to further enhance your point.
These examples show you how you can present your data in ways that the end user, your advertiser, will understand. It is a fact that 9 out of 10 people need visual stimulation to fully grasp your point. A four star chef once told me that presentation is half the score in winning a guests affection for your food.
Need some help with your online strategy? Want to make money from your Web site? Contact Ryan Dohrn and the Brain Swell Media team today. ryan@brainswellmedia.com or 803-634-3886.
http://www.RyanDohrn.com or http://www.BrainSwellMedia.com
About this blogger: Ryan Dohrn ( http://www.ryandohrn.com ) is President and founder of Brain Swell Media, an internet consulting firm that helps business owners and publishers make money online. http://www.BrainSwellMedia.com or FreeAdvice@brainswellmedia.com
