The Top 5 Critical Components of a Successful Online Advertising Program

Defining success in the online world of advertising is very different from the definition used to measure the success of traditional print advertising. Without some critical components, the transition to a digital program and its success can be hampered. The five factors below create a solid foundation for an advertiser to embark on or improve their digital efforts.

1. Establish Engagement Goals

The value of online advertising often is measured by return on investment. The “return “, however, varies greatly by advertiser. Sales revenue, product orders, registrations, video plays, forum participation, lead generation, blog comments, number of unique visitors to a particular page – the criteria is endless. Understanding how customers engage with your company is essential to establishing your engagement goals and the corresponding engagement triggers on your website. Assigning statistic goals for each of the engagement points creates a benchmark for program success and for measuring the effectiveness of optimization efforts.

2. Develop a Content Strategy

Content strategy, in a digital world, applies not only to your banner creative and assets, such as documents and videos, but, also the experience that your customers and prospects will have on your website once they click-through from the materials posted on external sites. Without compelling content on external sites, customers will not take the first step to learn more about your company or act on your call to action in the messaging. Without compelling content on your site, visitors are unlikely to spend time understanding why your solution or product might be the best option for them or trigger any of the engagement points that mark success for your program. A content strategy also is crucial to ensure optimization is effective. A roadmap of messaging and material creation will ensure that you can swap out material that is not compelling for material that is and also refresh content so that your company stays top-of-mind throughout a buying cycle.

3. Acquire Tools to Analyze Data

Digital advertising allows you to control content delivery and measure success in real time (or close to it) using web-based tools such as third-party ad servers. Third-party ad servers, such as Doubleclick’s DFA or Atlas, streamline online creative trafficking and management and create consistent data reporting from media partners that use a variety of different analytics tools. Without a tool to analyze data in a consistent manner, the ability to optimize in any kind of effective and timely manner is severely limited.

4. Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

Digital advertising allows an unbelievable amount of flexibility and nimbleness. Two different sets of materials can be tested simultaneously, adjusted and tested again and again, until the creative performs at the highest industry levels or delivers against your engagement goals . Optimization is the key to getting the most out of a digital investment. Stats must be analyzed and interpreted frequently. Adjustments should be made to both external materials and the landing pages to which visitors are directed to continuously further engagement.

5. Secure a Strategic Agency Partner

Online advertising has increased the level of proactive attention and speed required to develop and deliver messages and to analyze and interpret data on a frequent basis to help make solid, strategic advertising decisions based on customer behavior and actions. Most often, advertisers not only do not have these capabilities in-house but they also do not have the tools required to serve materials and track data in the most efficient and effective manner. An agency partner that truly understands optimization, the importance of audience behavior and has the ability to analyze and interpret data is a crucial to success.

M/C/C is a leading Advertising Agencies in Dallas. They also offer social media, SEO, and PR services. For more information on online advertising be sure to check out Advertising Agency Today.

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