Written by: Greg Robinson
No, we haven't started selling advertising space on the Informz dashboard, though some might think it's a good idea. With increasing scrutiny placed on your marketing budget and ROI (return on investment), offering advertisement sponsorships in your email newsletter might be worth consideration.
With the proper planning and approach, providing space for advertisements in your email campaigns can be a great opportunity to help cover some of your marketing costs. It could even turn a profit! Wouldn't it be nice if someone ELSE paid for your email-marketing campaigns?
Certain organizations might approach newsletter advertisements differently, but here are some things to consider:
1) Where can I put ads in my newsletter? The best approach would be to examine your existing newsletter design and look for appropriate space to fit ads (let's say 100x100 pixels or less). The bottom-left corner of a 5-scroll newsletter probably won't be very appealing to an advertiser. Prominent ad space is good for the advertiser, but you must be careful to not let it dominate your newsletter. Redesigning the current newsletter might be necessary if you don't already have a good space for ads.
2) Who determines the ad size and content? You do. Don't put yourself at the mercy of the advertiser; it's your newsletter! Before offering advertising space you should do the following:
- Determine the maximum size (for noth image and text ads)
- Choose the format in which the ads are supplied to you
- Make clear deadlines for the completed ad to be supplied to you (don't let your thursday newsletter go out on saturday because you were waiting on an ad)
- Consider whether or not you are willing to turn down an ad if it doesn't meet your approval. Let's face it, some ads are ugly or too cheesy. "You're a winner - CLICK HERE!!!!!!" - Do you really want that in your newsletter?
- Think about creating a standard form/template for advertisers to supply information to you. This way you won't spend time trying to decipher the information they send. It should be a smooth and simple process.
3) What should the ads be comprised of? Image and text is best and should link directly to the advertisers website. Not everyone knows they can click on the image in an ad, so putting text with the image can be beneficial. Don't forget a text version of the ad as well. Though they aren't the majority of recipients, you don't want to make the mistake of ignoring those who view the text version of your newsletter.
4) Who might want to advertise in my newsletter? This could very well be subscribers who already read your newsletter! They probably have some connection to your industry and may have an existing business relationship with you. Your newsletter may be the avenue through which you find advertisers for the very same newsletter you send. Consider adding a small sponsorship section to your next newsletter in an attempt to find those who might be interested in advertising with you. You could even go a step further and segment the mailing, choosing a target group who might be most receptive to your offer rather than just sending to any and everyone who reads it. Think about who you send your newsletter to and why they may or may not be interested in purchasing ad space. Do they have anything to offer other readers?
5) How many ads should I run in one newsletter? No single number that applies to all, but I can say less is sometimes more. Too many ads may result in fewer clicks on each ad, which devalues the ad space. It may also cause recipients to unsubscribe or opt-out since they are seeing more ads in the same amount of content. Be sure to maintain the delivery of relevant content as the primary focus of your newsletter efforts, supplementing this with your ad(s). People know when they are being sold to, so don't send the newsletter to a larger, more generic target group just so the ad reaches a few more people.
6) How can I show potential advertisers the value of the ad space? You may want to consider using a low-priced ad, or even one of your own ads to get started (it's not like you have to pay for printing, so there isn't a significant cost involved). Informz has a tool specifically designed for advertisements. Here you can create and maintain your ads, but the biggest benefit is our reporting. The advertisement reporting will give you metrics to share with potential advertisers, showing them the benefits of placing an ad with you. The initial ad can be your guinea pig to see how receptive your subscribers are to advertising in the newsletter.
7) Should I sell ads for each individual newsletter? I would recommend trying to sell ads over a longer time period and offering a discount for those who take advantage of this offer. A long-term agreement will get your more money up front and reduce the amount of administrative work involved. Perhaps you would offer quarterly, semi-annual, and annual discounts.
Advertisements aren't going to have the same effectiveness in every newsletter or target group, but they are worth considering. The costs of testing them are minor, but the benefits could be significant if they're successful. Whether you turn a profit or simply reduce some of your marketing costs, the ad revenue you generate is beneficial to you and your organization as long as it doesn't detract from the quality of your existing newsletter. Do a little research and bring it up at your next marketing meeting. Be sure to tell everyone it was your idea, not mine! And, as always, contact your eMarketing Advisor if you have questions or need assistance in planning your campaigns.
If you are a non-profit organization, be sure to discuss selling advertising with your accountant before moving forward. Nothing to fear, but you need to track things in a specific way and may be liable for income taxes on the revenue you collect.
Posted by: Jeremy Johannesen | May 20, 2009 at 08:47 AM