Monday, 22 Feb 2010
Many of us in the online advertising world were very fortunate in 2009.  Unlike most industries in the United States, online advertising was somewhat sheltered from the economic bust.  In fact, AskUbu saw incredible growth over the last year.  I think we can partially attribute this to business owners becoming more engaged with the success of their advertising campaigns, viewing the Internet as an inexpensive way to gain new business.

The rush to online advertising brings incredible opportunity, but it has also causes a great deal of confusion.  These 4 simple tips are intended to help clear the haze and help advertisers concentrate on the most important factors in getting the best returns on campaigns. 

1.  Make New Friends
Trying to forge your way in the online advertising world alone is not only daunting but also simply misguided.  Gaining relationships with other advertisers and marketers opens your sphere of potential growth.  In fact, most online advertising revolves around these affiliate relationships.  Your new friends might be bloggers, publishers, affiliates, business partners, affiliate networks and more.  What do they all have in common?  They are trying to monetize web traffic.  Once you have the connections, incentivize them to send some of their traffic your way and reap the benefits.   

2.  Pay for Performance
Traditional CPC and CPM advertising models are great for getting volume to your site, but depending on it for sales can be a little scary.  It is perfectly acceptable to pay affiliates for actual leads, sales, and conversions.  This takes away most of the risk and allows you to take more time experimenting.

3.  Optimize your Campaigns
Numbers always speak the truth, which is why you should not be running your campaigns on a hunch and a game of chance.  Create campaigns that can be tested in the real world and optimized for geographic regions.  Next week, AskUbu will be releasing an Ad Manager™ that will help you and your affiliate partners do just that.  A robust ad serving platform like this can mean the difference between success and utter failur.

4.  Create an Advertising Network
Take control of your own campaigns and your own numbers.  There is no reason why you should sit back and blindly trust affiliates, publishers, and other networks that you will reap the best returns.  Stay engaged with each of your campaigns by tracking your own offers on your own advertising platform.  AskUbu is a great solution for both seasoned affiliate networks and advertisers that are new to the game.

Keeping each of these tips in mind will not only help you manage and control your budget but will also boost your sales dramatically.  Connecting with the right people, giving them solid offers to advertise, paying them for actual returns, and keeping your eye on the whole process is a guaranteed recipe for success.   

ABOUT ADAM NETTLEFOLD
Managing Director - AskUbu
Adam specializes in SEO, PR, Account Management, Marketing Management, Social Media, and many other online marketing related subjects. His duties at AskUbu range from online marketing and partnership development to product and brand development.