How to Develop More Effective Ads

By Allan Pulga

Advertising is no longer simply about exposure – it’s about returning profits.

That’s the initial message in a Forrester Research report entitled "Advertising Campaigns That Drive Web Traffic." Interestingly, the report’s author, Peter Kim, notes that offline advertising tactics are required to build awareness and drive site traffic. Thus, his suggestions pertain to both online and offline businesses alike.

"At the height of the dot-com bubble, millions of marketing dollars were spent on high-profile ad campaigns to drive web traffic," writes Kim. "When the bubble burst, many of the big spenders did as well. Today most marketers look back and are determined not to repeat past mistakes."

The mistakes he’s alluding to are as follows:

• Delivering quantity, not quality. Just because the masses are visiting your site, doesn’t mean they’re buying anything. Kim described the case of Pontiac, with its 2004 advertising ploy to give away 276 of its new G6 sedans to audience members of the Oprah Winfrey Show. "Although the event created a massive spike in web traffic, it failed to spur significant sales," he concluded.
• Leaving consumers stranded. The campaign may attract visitors to your site, but leads must be captured and sales converted to complete the equation.
• Mistake entertainment for engagement. "Advertising, however entertaining, should drive sales," wrote Kim. He used the example of a Carl’s Jr. Restaurants campaign – targeting 18 to 34-year old males – that featured Paris Hilton. "The ad, and the related controversy, increased traffic by 15 times average to a microsite that included ‘too hot for TV’ video, a restaurant locator and a coupon download." But in the end, the ensuing sales were disappointing and stock price closed down 20 percent on the year.

• The call to action pinpointed prospective buyers. When Pontiac launched the Solstice on NBC’s "The Apprentice," it featured 30-second spots that urged viewers to read up about the product and be eligible to be one of the first buyers of a limited release. "The clear call to action weeded out the merely curious and the resulting high-quality traffic moved the campaign closer to its desired business outcome," wrote Kim.
• The customer activity was mapped from start to finish. Pontiac followed up with supplemental ads to create awareness, Yahoo ads and search terms, as well as a microsite that allowed visitors to print out a voucher to bring to the dealerships to reserve one of the first 1,000 cars. "Pontiac identified the channel integration points – across TV, online, and dealerships – and ensured a seamless cross-channel experience was co-ordinated."
• The campaign entertained, educated, and engaged prospective buyers. Product placement on The Apprentice featured contestants competing to create a promotional brochure to showcase the launch of the new car, turning the hour-long show into a promotion that engaged Pontiac’s target demographic under the guise of entertainment.

1.Clearly identify – and understand – the target audience. Know who you’re going after: what they like, what they’re watching and listening to.

2.Plan a comprehensive end-to-end experience. Design your campaign to take customers from awareness to investigation, to purchase.

3.Focus on tangible business results. Increased web traffic doesn’t mean increased sales. Keep an eye on profits; those are the real results.