All Ads Include . . .
One banner or copy design, guaranteed minimum number of clicks, ad metrics control panel,
two tracking ID methods for your analytics and reporting, and exposure of at least 100,000
page views in a year or less.Page
Top Banners
Due to the extended exposure resulting from our page top design, our page top banners are
our top performers. It is not because they are at the top of the page, but rather because
of the photo tour above them. Click-through rates run well above 1.2 percent, some over 2
percent. The average within the Online Advertising Industry is one-half of one percent, so
we're well above industry average. You can have up to four different banners for your
business rotating through one spot.
We recommend page top banners for those who want advanced banner
campaigns. This means changing banners for seasons, special events, using advanced serving
options, and using advanced ad tracking with the 2Cooleys Ad Metric Control Panel.
Horizontal Mega Banners
The click through rates for these large banners runs between 0.75 to 1 percent. Some run
much higher click rates, it all depends on what is offered. These banners are best for
showing two or three concepts all at once. Megas are sold in 50% exposure levels. Buy 50%,
or buy 100%. We recommend mega banners for operations who are not highly interested
in advanced banner campaigns but still need a lot of exposure.
Square Banners
There are two square banners on the right side of the home pages. These ads are our
economy ads. While they do not perform as well as our other banners, they still pay for
themselves and then some. We recommend them for operations who don't want to spend a lot
of money, and don't need high click through rates. The square banners are slow performers,
but they do produce over a year's time.
Vertical Mega Banners
Performance wise the verticals fall in between the horizontal mega banners and the square
banners. They perform better than the square banners, but not as well as the horizontal
mega banners. The verticals have enough room to promote two concepts. We recommend
verticals for operators who need a little more performance than a square banner, but don't
want to spend for more expensive ads.
Classified Ads
The advantage of classified ads, and the main reason we offer them, is they reach a large
market segment that banners don't. Many people who ignore banners will read a classified.
Classified work well for presenting a specific detailed offer. You can rotate up to four
different classified ads in one spot. All four ads must promote just your business.
Classifieds produce mixed results. Some are super performers, others
just bump along. In the end they pay for themselves and them some, but they do not perform
as well as our page top banners. They produce at about the same level as a vertical mega
banner. We recommend classifieds for those who do not wish to spend much but want a front
page presence. For those running multiple banners, we recommend adding a couple of
classifieds to further support the banners. Classifieds are especially effective when you
are also running a horizontal mega banner.
Ad Run Times
It is relatively common to run banner ads for a month or other time frame less than one
year. However, the banner needs 20,000 to 25,000 views per month or more for short run
times to pay off. It takes a tremendous amount of exposure to make a banner pay. While the
2Cooleys sites have the highest level of readership among all area tourism sites, we still
don't run enough monthly page views to justify short run times.
Another major consideration is that banners can get a high level of
clicks one month, and the next month get hardly any at all. It depends on weather and
other unpredictable factors. Your banner needs to be there when the action suddenly ramps
up.
How To Increase Any Banner's Click
Rate
The least effective way to run any banner ad spot is to not change the banner, and to not
fine tune and test. Banners need to change with the seasons. You can run banners for a
future season, but not for a past season. For example, in February, March, and April, run
a spring-themed banner. In May, June, and July, run a summer theme. In August, Sept, and
October, run a fall theme. What does not work well is running a summer or spring ad in the
fall.
However, if you have good summer bookings, and you want an early
start on fall business, then run a fall banner in summer. But the trend is for people to
book much closer to their arrival time than it has been in the past.
Getting the most out of your banner effort requires effort, thought,
and planning. You will not get good results just from "stickin' one up and see what
happens". You need to try different banners, watch the results, and retry a new look.
Many times all you need to change is small elements, you normally do not need a major
re-design.
The reason our ads come with such a feature-rich ad metrics control
panel is for the fine tuning and testing process. Effective banner campaign results can be
"grown" into even better results. But you can't guess your way through the
process. While the methods are not complex, they do take a little time. You'll need to
spend about 10 to 15 hours per year on your banner efforts. I explain this process in
detail once you become a customer. |
