Everyone knows there’s a world of information and services on the Internet. So what does that mean for your business? Are consumers who are looking for a particular product/service that you offer able to find your business? The answer might be a big “NO” for you. Just like us, you may have placed an advertisement in newspapers and magazines and the results were not as good as expected. Once we placed an advertisement in a magazine that claims to have over 1.5 million subscribers nationwide. We spent nearly a thousand dollars for the ad and only got a few responses. What went wrong? The answer is very simple! Our ad was buried among over two dozen other advertisements and was not targeted to the right audience. Now we are getting smarter, after having tried Ezine advertisements that have produced excellent results.
Businesses are finding that when shopping around for the best publication for advertising, the Internet online newsletter, or Ezines, often provides the best results. Similarly, Internet businesses find they can communicate with customers and market their services more efficiently via online publications. A key advantage of Ezine advertising is that it’s more targeted and much more cost- effective.
What are Ezines? Ezines are content-rich and informational online publications that are delivered to subscribers with permission through email. Most Ezines are free to subscribers. An individual Ezine may focus on a particular topic or subject. For instance, our own B2B Ezine covers news and latest trends on business-to-business markets in cyberspace. Each Ezine usually displays classified ads or feature advertising placements. More and more businesses have come to realize the importance of advertising through Internet Ezines and newsletters. Here are some of the main reasons why you should focus more of your budget towards Internet Ezine advertisements:
Cost-efficient
Print publications such as magazines and newspapers usually charge $15 to $25 dollars per word for classified ad or $200 to $300 per inch column. Needless to say, they are very expensive to small business operations. Most Ezines are able to deliver at much lower cost because of their low cost on production and delivery. In a print magazine, you will see full color glossy ads that were produced for thousands of dollars. In Ezines, even feature advertising can be found between $300 to $800, which is much cheaper than traditional advertisements.
Instant delivery
Most Ezines are published on a daily or weekly basis. When you place an ad with your favorite Ezine you can always expect to see it in circulation next day or within a week. With traditional advertising, you will normally wait up to two or even three months to seeyour advertisement in print. A good Ezine will have advertisement information just a click away. An because your ad is hyper-linked to your website URL, Ezine subscribers can simply click on your URL or email address and get your information within moments.
Less competition
A print magazine usually has over three dozen ads whereas an Ezine only has about a dozen. Would you rather compete with three dozen advertisers or a dozen?
More targeted
Almost every Ezine has an opt-in mailing list. People who subscribe to a particular Ezine are wanting to receive it. Therefore, Ezines are more targeted to those who share similar interests and will eventually read your ad.
Global audience
Ezines are one of the very few ways to truly reach people all over the world. Even though I live in central Illinois, my B2B Ezine reaches subscribers from over 24 different countries. It doesn’t cost me a penny to send the Ezine directly to them. If your services are available globally you need to consider advertising in Ezines.
If you are looking for a cost-effective alternative to print advertising, Ezines are one of the most efficient ways to reach people who may be interested in your products or services. However, designing a proper and effective ad is another important task. The following rules will assist you in maximizing your advertisement’s effectiveness.
Highlight buying incentives like free bonuses and money back guarantees. One of the most effective ways to draw in traffic is to offer something FREE. People like to know about free offers. The message will encourage them to click on your website link.
Use short sentences and attention-grabbing keywords. Make your subject line short, straightforward, and to the point. Grab readers’ attention in the very first sentence.
State the benefits and features of you product or services. Ad content should focus on providing information rather than forcing sales.
Include a hyperlink to your website and email address.
Finally choosing an Ezine for your advertisement requires some home work. First evaluate your marketing needs and set a budget. Determine who your target market is and then search for an Ezine that caters to that market. Always ask about the demographics for the Ezine and any special offers that they may be having. The more questions you ask the better change you have of saving money. Some Ezines may offer special last minute rates.
Brian Su is a senior consultant of http://www.SmarTechLab.com – an
Illinois-based consulting firm that specializes in e-business
development and marketing strategy. He also manages a popular
microportal at www.DollarTemplates.com that provides pre-made
e-commerce and portal web templates to webmasters and net
entrepreneurs around the globe.
