Internet advertising is growing by leaps and bounds in popularity due to ROI (Return On Investment) tracking.
Several methods of contracted Internet advertising have come along, running from cheap to expensive. A website owner/operator will have to decide which method will work best, based on their expectations, as well as the size of the budget that’s been set aside for advertising.
Pop-up Internet Advertising
Pop-ups are the most expensive form of Internet advertising—and quite frankly, visitors find them so annoying they’re likely to close windows without even bothering to find out what’s being advertised. Fly ads are a derivative form of pop-ups which visitors also find irksome.
Podcasts as Internet Advertising
A podcast is a pre-recorded audio program that’s posted to a website and is made available for download so people can listen to them on personal computers or mobile devices. In sum, a podcast is to the Internet as broadcast is to TV.
Podcasts are not growing as quickly as other Internet advertising methods but can be a powerful tool to reach and engage niche audiences. However, podcasts do offer the potential for good ROI, so they are at least worth a look.
Paying Search Engines as Internet Advertising
This is tantamount to paying cash to rig the outcome of a visitor’s search, but it ensures effectiveness. When someone types in a keyword related to a website owner/operator’s content, their URL is automatically included in the first page of the top results. Fixed payment for the search engine allows just that. It is expensive, but payment to the big boys at the Google and Yahoo! search engines can ensure site success.
This Internet advertising method is associated with a related method: the PPC (Pay-Per-Click) system, in which advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases, through such services as Google AdWords, relevant to their target market. Advertisers pay the search engine only when their ad is clicked, in a similar fashion to the way PPC ads are used on websites. It is still expensive but cheaper than paying a search engine directly.
Blogging as Internet Advertising
Blogging is as cheap as it comes because it costs nothing to blog about a website. It is one of the most popular methods at the moment—and will at least spur some outcome. All a website owner/operator has to do is sign up for a blogging account and begin posting.
Paying Smaller Search Engines as an Alternative
This Internet advertising method is both affordable and dependable. By submitting a site to smaller search engines, there is a greater chance to receive increased ROI. Search engine giants such as Yahoo! and Google can overlook a site easily, lowering initial risk while providing small receivables.
Text Links as Internet Advertising
The only cost for this form of Internet advertising is a little bartering. Website owner/operators can band together and exchange favors by putting up text links to each other’s websites.
Articles
Search engines use keywords to sort articles and other website content, so articles plus keywords equals an enhanced chance of your website being noticed. Whether you outsource the writing or invest a little of your own time, writing articles drives more traffic, especially if you submit those articles to an article directory.
Affiliate Marketing
Perhaps the fastest and easiest way to get started, affiliate marketing is a form of Internet advertising in which advertisers pay affiliates only for results. If the concept works properly, the advertiser pays commissions only to website owner/operators who are able to successfully sell products or services. Now that’s affordable website marketing made easy.
* Originally published on Suite 101 October 12, 2010
