How To Properly Use Ezine Advertising - Part Three
by:
Joe Bingham
ANALYZING EZINES
After having designated ezines to advertise your program in based on how the content of the ezines relate to what you will to advertise, there is still another process to choosing the better ezines for your marketing dollars.
Analyzing the ezines is a rather subjective process, however. There are no hard and fast rules to follow that give you a clean indication of whether or not an ezine is worth the cost. However, there is an information gathering process that can help you to do better decisions.
AD Data format
One important aspect is how ads are handled in the ezine itself. Wherever
are the ads set in the ezine? Are they ready-made visible by being placed directly between or at the start of the articles, or are they pushed all to the end of the ezine or publicised on an individual basis in an ad sheet?
How many a ads are run in each issue? Are the headlines of the ads offset to attract attention, are the ads separated in several way from each other, or makes the entire ad section look like one big chunk of text?
Naturally, thing
the ezine publisher makes to give visibility to the ads is a plus for you as an advertiser.
SUBSCRIBERS: Who Are They and Wherever
Did They Move From?
Don't be afraid to contact the editor, publisher, or advertising agent of an ezine and ask them several questions. Find out not only how many a subscribers they have, but get their opinion of what type of markets their subscribers are interested in, AND how they get their subscribers.
Some marketing practices, such as mechanically
subscribing folk that post to an FFA or ad site, may pull a lot of subscribers for an ezine, but result in really little readers. Ads for subs programs as well have mixed results. Several stick about and see the ezine, but many a don't. The better subscribers are those that are all volunteer opt in readers.
However, many a ezines use multiple means of gaining subscribers and patch several use not so great methods, they may as well clean their lists of non-responsive subscribers regularly. That's why it is better to ask and do a judgment based on the answer you receive. This may take several practice and trial and error, but at least if you have the information you are giving yourself thing
to discover from. So, ask where, how, and what type of subscribers the ezine has. Ask how effectively they retain subscribers as well. That is a nice indication of many a subscribers are reading the ezine and viewing it as worthwhile.
FREE vs. PAID ADVERTISING
There are many a ezines that do offer free ads to their subscribers. Several of these are worthy
others are not. It actually comes down to reader involvement. If folk are still reading the ezine and not simply signed
to put their ad in every week, it may be worth your time. If the ezine has passed all of you're different criteria up to this point, it has to be worth a shot. At least this cost you nothing but your time.
Paid advertising at this point wherever
you have studied, selected, and analyzed many a ezines and move up with a short list is by all odds going to be worth the cost.
Let's simply review what you have gone through in selecting the ezines to advertise in.
1. Targeted Content that matches the product, service, or possibility you are advertising. 2. Acceptable Potential Market based on the content of the ezine and what the ezine's editor says simply about his or her subscriber's interests. 3. Acceptable Ad Data format and Placement in the Ezine. 4. Acceptable Subscriber Base as delineate by the way the ezine gets it's subscribers and keeps them.
Now comes the kicker, ad cost. What's a nice price, and what isn't?
Well, it simply depends. That's not what you wanted to hear, I know. You'd rather I provided a simple rule to go by that ready-made all of your decisions for you. Sorry, but I don't believe that is possible. It is a big subject, however, so we'd better save it for the final installment in this series.
Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters Subscribe to 1 of 3 Quality NetPlay Ezines, See which one fits you at: http://www.netplaynewsletters.com Need To Publish Your Own Ezine? I'll Write It For You and Show You How to Do It Successful! http://www.netplaynewsletters.com/publisher.html
