I have said it once and I will say it again, banner ads work on magazine/newspaper web sites. Why? Magazine and newspaper sites have a specific purpose. Users come to the site for a reason. So, if you can match ads to the users in even the most basic way, you will have a winning situation. So, if you have limited web traffic, what can you do to increase the number of ad units you can sell.
Idea #1: Turn old ad sizes into new sizes. For example, one of the oldest sizes is the 160 pixel wide X 600 pixel tall skyscraper ad. This ad is very Web 1.0 and needs to go away. Replace it with two 300x250 box ads or two 300x300 box ads. This will take one ad unit and turn it into two.
Idea #2: Add a duplicate ad to the bottom of your web site. Many publishers do not have an ad unit at the bottom of their web site as they feel no one will pay for it. Perhaps, not, but add it anyway and double your ad impressions for that unit size. Tell advertisers up front that they are not paying for it and it is just a bonus. What they do not know is that time and time again, online research has proven that users do indeed click on bottom ads.
Idea #3: Add a three block ad unit of 200x200 ads or an additional 728x90 to the middle of long pages. If you do this in a section… you will have the lead story for the section and then a set of three ads next to each other in a table. Or, insert the 728x90 half way down the page. Be careful to not junk up the page. Web users have become use to this approach and it is much less invasive than you might think.
Idea #4: Use top level peel away ads. These are ad units the peel away from the top left or top right of the web page to expose an ad unit. These are fancy ads and are well received by both advertisers and users.
Overall… you just need to be creative. The web is a new frontier and the biggest challenge to your team will be stopping. Meaning, you need to know when enough is enough. When the page starts to look like a wacky blinking Christmas tree, back up three steps and consider the obvious.
About this blogger: Ryan Dohrn 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
Ryan R. Dohrn
President/Founder
Brain Swell Media LLC
http://www.BrainSwellMedia.com
803-867-3769
Follow me on Twitter.com/ryandohrn for daily tips and advice.
Brain Swell Media, LLC is an interactive media consulting firm. We focus on five key business areas; online strategy consulting, website development, search engine optimization (SEO), video production and online sales training. We provide business owners and publishing companies with the tools and resources they need to optimize their presence on the Web and boost revenue.
