Getting Started with Online Advertising

Getting started with an online advertising campaign can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be when you know the tips and ways to begin. Many online resources and consultants will encourage you to spend a lot of money getting started by promising huge returns and massive amounts of traffic. But not all online advertising investments are created equal.

If you’re just getting started with online advertising, think small and build your advertising strategies as you learn more about Internet marketing and what works best for your business. You can always increase your financial investment in online advertising as your business grows.

Just don’t fall prey to false claims of incredible traffic growth and new sales transpiring overnight. Steady growth through advertising is key and being able to handle the increased traffic volume and potential sales is also critical.

Let’s start with some do’s and don’ts about online advertising:

Start out with a few strategies and be sure you have a process in place to evaluate their effectiveness. By starting with only a few advertising techniques, you can quickly see what works and what doesn’t. You can refine your strategy as your advertising plan unfolds.

Increase your knowledge of the multiple methods of online advertising and build on your experience and knowledge. The more you know about options, the more effective your campaigns will be to your online business. Keep up with technology and advancements in online advertising options. Who would have thought about advertising on social networks years ago? The Internet world changes rapidly.

Measure your advertising effectiveness as a cost per response or cost per conversion if possible. This let’s you know exactly how much your advertising efforts are costing you and you can adjust accordingly. A good mix of strategies is important, but it’s just as important to be able to measure their impact on your business. This may provide you with data that will help you price your products more effectively or adjust your advertising budget.

Take time to create unique and engaging advertisements regardless of the method you use to display them. For example, your design should be creative and easily understood whether it’s a banner ad, sponsored ad, contextual ad, or any other type. It should be clear what you are advertising and how visitors can reach your website with a single click.

Articulate your objectives for advertising before you start. Of course, you ultimately want to increase sales. But advertising can serve multiple purposes. You can generate leads, create awareness of your brand or website, generate a direct response to your ad, and increase your exposure across the Internet. There may be immediate sales, but don’t discount the value of lead generation and future potential sales from today’s advertisements.

Focus less on the technical aspects of your products and more on the ‘how to’ and ‘what we can do for you’ aspects. Be very direct and clear with your message and give your readers information that is relevant to their area of interest, professionally written, and easily digestible. Emphasize customer benefits and improved outcomes they will experience.

As you approach online advertising for your business, paying attention to the basic guidelines to get started will save you time and money in the long-term. You’ll have a better idea of where you are going and how you plan to get there. You will also capitalize on advertising opportunities that allow you to optimize your advertising dollars.

Start slowly and build up your advertising strategies – before you know it, you’ll see traffic increases and higher conversions.