Yes, you read that right. I love online advertising. What's not to love? It's targeted, trackable, timely and it drives traffic. In a word, it's terrific. (Using the word 'terrific' didn't win me much respect around the office, I can assure you, but I'm a fan of alliteration. Tremendous just didn't have the same oomph.)

If you want to reach mothers ages 25-45 who read Real Simple and live in Chicago, online advertising gives you the power. What could be cooler than reaching your exact market? You can hone in as you please, by demographics (age, gender), psychographics (hobbies, interests) and geography. Used correctly, this sort of targeting yields a much more efficient and cost-effective schedule.

Online advertising allows us to answer our favorite question: "How do I know it's working?" Besides impression and click-through reporting, we can use analytics telling us what site is referring consumers to your site. We know where they came from, how long they stayed, how many pages they viewed. This trackability lets us show more precise ROI for our clients' online adverting dollars.

The lead time for magazines can be months. Online advertising is quick, nimble and ready to change on a dime. Having a sale this weekend? With willing media partners, you can change your ad today and get the word out. While a print message may be out there for months with no chance for freshening up, online is the opposite. It's ready to catch up with your current marketing message with no long lead time. With flexible options such as buying by impression or sponsorship, your online campaign can be as long or short as you need.

Can you tell me what's easier than a click? I can't think of many things. Your site is just a click away with your online ad campaign. No typing in a long URL or searching for the right content. It's right there—your name, your message, your site, in just one click. And more clicks means more traffic… more traffic can only mean great things for your business.

Do you need more evidence that online advertising is terrific? Don't even get me started on the creative possibilities. Really? Well, okay, there are companion ads, expandable ads, corner peel ads, rich media ads, floater to fixed ads, video capability, sliding billboards….

Oh yeah. The best part. It's affordable and absolutely, 100% customizable to your needs and budgets. If you need more convincing than that, you'll just have to call me.

-Alison Campbell

Labels: advertising, media, online