How to Buy Advertising on the Web

Internet-based advertising can be a boon to your business or Web site's growth. But online ads are like any other form of advertising. You need to think about your target audience and set clear objectives on what you want the ads to do. Here's the scoop on how to get started.

Things You'll Need

• Ad network
• Target audiencs
• Ad agency
• Designer

Instructions

1. Find where to buy online ads. An ad network--one of about a hundred firms that sell ads across a number of online sites with a single purchase--is the easiest place. Other options include advertising agencies, national newspaper sites, e-mail newsletters, search engines and sites that specialize in reaching a technology audience.

2. Determine who your target audience is and where they are most likely to spend time when online. Those are the sites where you want to be seen. It is worth spending more to reach the people who will actually become customers.

3. Learn how effective each type of ad is. Banners--the advertising boxes that appear on a Web page--are the most common, but have become less and less effective. Interstitial ads pop up on a page or interrupt between pages, but can be much more expensive to produce and place. The key is targeting a specific audience like parents, home owners or dog lovers.

4. Hire an ad agency or designer (see How to Hire a Graphic Designer) who specializes in Web advertising to design an ad for you. Pay careful attention to the wording, message and how your company or service is branded. Make sure it is consistent with your overall marketing so you reach the appropriate audience, and they don't click off of your site once they find you.

5. Shop aggressively. The market is competitive, so look around for the best prices and a deal that meets your needs. Advertising sales people expect you to negotiate prices.

6. Choose the price structure that works for you: If you choose per impression, you may pay a CPM (cost per thousand) each time your banner appears. Per click-through, you'll pay for each hit your ad gets. Per lead, you may pay each time you get an online registration or a request for a catalog. Per sale, you pay each time someone buys something you've advertised. Rates are highly variable.

7. Review your results and make adjustments as necessary. Changes can usually be completed and integrated within days. Check to see if you met your goals once the campaign is done. If not, give some thought to revamping your campaign or choosing another form of advertising.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider the issue of timing. Make sure your ads will appear when your target audience is most likely to see them.

• Try a test campaign first to see what results your ad brings. Once you find a winner, broaden your campaign.