The digital age has given rise to a new form of advertising that has the power to reach highly targeted demographics with greater accuracy than ever thought imaginable with traditional advertising, making digital display an incredibly effective marketing tool.
This is why so many new digital vendors have emerged; but are they all created equal? Here is a list of Questions and Answers that will help you identify the best digital provider for your digital advertising campaign.
Where on the page will my ad appear?
Research shows that there is a drop in visibility of 84% between ads that appear above the fold and those appearing below the fold. Some digital vendors buy the cheapest inventory available, which means that in order to see your ad, a potential customer need to scroll to the bottom of the webpage.
We only buy inventory located “above the fold” meaning your customers will see your ad BEFORE scrolling down to the bottom of the webpage.
Do you track “View-Through Impressions” as well as clicks?
Just because someone doesn’t click, does not mean your ad didn’t make an impact. A “View-Through Impression” tracks how many people are coming to your site after seeing your ad but have chosen to open a new tab and type in your URL instead of clicking. Make sure your digital advertising company is tracking total engagement with your ad (not just clicks) in the form of a “View-Through” tracking pixel.
Do you track conversions?
What do you want your potential customer to do when they come to your website? Do you want them to purchase? Download information? Fill out a form? Print a coupon and go to your store? Whatever it is you want them to do is called a conversion. If you want to track your return on investment, your digital advertising company should provide you with a conversion tracking pixel so that you know exactly how many people are converting.
How transparent are the reports I will receive? What is included in the reports?
One of the best things about digital advertising is the wealth of tracking information and reporting available. If you are getting reports that only show impressions, clicks and click through rates and not receiving detailed reports showing you exactly what is and what is not working, they may have something to hide and you should go with a different vendor.
Hold your digital vendor accountable. Your reports should show which ads are getting the most clicks, how many conversions and “View-Throughs” are occurring, what devices your impressions are appearing on, which geographic areas are performing the best, and on which websites your ads are appearing.
How do you optimize my campaign?
A good digital advertising provider will be able to explain your reports in detail and then offer suggestions and modifications to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck. Optimization is done by people not robots. If your digital provider works under the philosophy of “set it and forget it” then you are missing some great opportunities to optimize and make adjustments along the way. Make sure you have access to people and the ability to talk through your campaigns regularly, and that questions or concerns you have are noted and discussed.
Do you have targeted ad networks? How do you target customers beyond geography?
Utilizing digital display Ad Networks allows you to show your ad on websites with content targeted to specific demographic categories you want to reach. Matching your ad to the right audience is crucial and it is important to have options to choose from.
We have 80 different display ad networks to choose from. Each of these networks contains hundreds of websites that index high for the person you are trying to reach. Do you need to reach a Spanish speaking audience? Our ad networks can also be set to Spanish. Pay attention to the number of options and the quality of the ad networks your digital provider has available to you.
Do you provide behavioral targeting?
Behavioral categories are groups of consumers with defined interests and needs as well as people who have already demonstrated an interest in your product or service. Behavioral targeting allows you to show your display ads to specific consumers based on their previous online behavior.
We have a list of 1,400 behavioral categories to choose from. There is a category for just about every behavior out there. If your digital salesperson is not talking to you about targeting specific behaviors in addition to geographic targeting, in combination with ad networks, you are missing out on a lot of potential consumers.
Do you provide keyword targeting?
Keyword targeting is showing your ad to specific users based on the webpages they visit that contain keywords important to you. Using keyword targeting puts you in front of consumers while they are researching your product or service and it is an excellent alternative to pay per click.
We can target up to 500 keywords for you, including your competitors.
Can you reach individual households?
Direct to Consumer (D2C) targeting is like direct mail for the internet but without all the waste. D2C targeting uses a patented technology to match IP addresses to a database of names and physical addresses so your ads are shown to the same customers you would traditionally mail a printed piece to but instead they receive your message when they access the internet. Using D2C targeting as an alternative to direct mail has many advantages such as: zero wasted impressions, a dramatic increases the number of times you are able to reach your target, no cookies so your ads never get deleted or blocked and D2C targeting can be utilized to target any specific location.
We have incorporated these digital tools, and many others, into our integrated media platform to assure our advertising partners get campaigns that are tailored to their exact needs and are targeted at their ideal consumers.
Manning Media is the answer to your advertising questions. To get more answers please call one of our two local offices and we will be happy to help you. In Frederick Call 301-620-7700 or in Hagerstown Call 301-733-4500. You can also fill out our online request form by clicking HERE!
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Digital Advertising Vendor
