JOHN SUMSER,
E D I T O R
S P O N S O R S
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The advertising
industry is on
the verge of
being shattered
into a thousand
fragments due to
the knowledge explosion
and the proliferation
of new technologies.
There are no
more grand theories
that hold sway
over the entire
industry.
Michael Strangelove
Advertising is
one of the minor
arts, so don't
be intimidated
by it. Try
not to lose
your sense of
playfulness.
Keep it fun.
Robert Bly
Reality
is more
complex
than
it seems.
John Gall
The System
is its own
best
explanation.
John Gall
It's better to
do a few things
really well than
than to do
a lot of things
badly.
If you can't
make the necessary
commitments of
time and energy
to your
electronic
marketing
efforts
scale back
your plan.
John Sumser
Suggestions?
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September 05, 1997
Wrinklies Online?
To the surprise of many who travel the information highway, the over 50 age
group is the fastest growing segment of the population getting Internet
connections and are fast emerging as the group most likely to lead the way
to the promised riches of Internet commerce.
Not only are seniors on the Internet, people aged 50 and over are the most
likely to buy online, according to a recent Baruch College-Harris Poll
commissioned by Business Week Magazine.
The survey found 42% of those 65 and over have purchased something online,
followed closely by the 50-to-64-year-olds, 39% of whom have made an online
purchase.
The typical profile of the over 50 Internet user is a 57 year old
grandparent who owns a car, has a higher than average education and has
yearly household income in excess of $60,000.
The survey also found 19 percent of Internet users are 50 and over. This
compares with only 13 percent just 8 months earlier.
Keith Gardner, spokesperson for the newly launched SeniorsSearch, only says, "It's not
the least surprising that
older folks are taking to the new information age technology. After all,
this generation has readily adapted to more changes in technology than any
group in history.
"In the coming
months, consumer-electronics heavyweights including Philips Magnavox, Sega,
and Sony will spend millions on ads to promote their new inexpensive TV/Web
set top box products that will bring the information age and World Wide Web
to millions of consumers everywhere and move the Internet revolution
currently in its infancy, into high gear.
"Seniors are a prime target market for these new set top box products and
once they get connected, there will be no stopping them," says Gardner.
"How are you going to keep them on the Home Shopping Channel, after they
have seen the World Wide Web?"
Whoever woudda thunk it? --John Blower
September 04, 1997
Got those Search Engine Blues?
Here are some hints as to how to increase your visibility:
Meta Tags
Meta tag use can easily result in your site being listed in the top 5 - 10
on 3 major
search engines. Secrets include pluralizing words (games vs
game, for example), multiple occurrences of words in both upper AND
lower case, and a
well worded, descriptive statement describing the site.
Titles - creatively composed - can have an enormous effect on placement.
Be prepared to experiment.
Rotating Graphics
Rotating graphics attract attention. In
addition to placing items like the date or the last time the site was
updated, consider rotating graphics. This
feature allows you to create a unique look everytime someone returns to
the site. It is a very
simple but effective tool that is often underutilized.
Partnering with others
Consider allying with mailing and discussion lists associated with the theme
of your site. Partnering
can result in clients from the mailing/discussion list visiting your site and
vice versa. If you are running a business site and are
looking to expand, search out mailing lists related to the product or
services you provide and consider joining forces.
Referrer Logs
Building a high traffic site means getting to
know who is coming to your site and how they are finding you. Access your
Referrer Logs and regularly use these to track how people
are finding you. The benefits are that you can modify your meta
tags and keywords to include words people use to find you.
After determining who links to you, send thank you notes and
ask for additional ideas on how you might work together. Be creative
and out going.
Developing a Gameplan
Develop a gameplan and share
with site visitors what direction you are going. Don't be
afraid to ask where THEY want to see the site go. Feedback from site
visitors can allow you to provide maximum content
and value. This accomplishes two very important opportunities - repeat
visitors and referrals. Nothing is more satisfying than polling
visitors and finding out that most heard about your site from a friend
or relative. --John Blower
September 03, 1997
Seven Laws of Online Advertising
In the Spring 1995 issue of American Advertising, there appears, as
a side-bar in a very good Ron MacLean interview with Kevin Wells of
Ziff-Davis Interactive and Leslie Laredo of AT&T Interchange Online
Network, the "Seven Laws of Cyber Advertising" by Leslie Laredo. They are
worth repeating:
- Exposure
Pepper the cyberworld with multiple signposts - but don't put these
signposts just anywhere. Position them adjacent to content that is relevant
to your audience. Messages found in context are always of more value and,
therefore, are likely to be sought out and remembered.
- Frequency
In cyberspace, message frequency is a function of user control. Get the
user to come back by making your messages appealing, attractive and useful.
- Time
Be sensitive to delivery time and how fast information is retrieved.
Realize that even a nanosecond delay may prompt a consumer to think about
going elsewhere - or worse, to think about the cost of being online.
Remember that graphics take longer to download. Use them sparingly, where
they enhance a story - not where they simply look good.
- Space
Space is virtually unlimited online. Don't be afraid of raw volume of
information. Make information accessible in layers. It should be easy for
the consumer to find what s/he is looking for and skip the rest.
- Customer Service
Online users love e-mail and use it frequently to express their opinions.
They will tell you (and others interested in your brand) what they think
and what they want. They'll also expect a response from you. Use your
infospace not only to sell, but also to provide post-sales support. This
will build lifetime customers.
- Feedback and Research
Use your online space to collect user information. Measure feedback for
usage patterns. Then use it to refine the content and organization of your
ad. Don't be afraid to solicit feedback via surveys or electronic
"suggestion boxes." Remember, the online user expects to be involved in a
way that other consumers don't.
- Tapping the Global Village
Online often means global viewership. Your communication strategy cannot
ignore worldwide reach. Make sure your internal organization is prepared to
respond quickly to a global community of users, their orders, their
advocacy (both positive and negative) and any new marketing opportunities
that arise.
--John Blower
September 02, 1997
Sex Sells
Sexually explicit Web sites are accessed by
employees at nearly three quarters of organizations surveyed,
ON Technology
reported in announcing the results of its survey
of organizations that used ON Guard Internet Manager
software to monitor employee Internet usage.
In addition, the organizations reported frequent access to other
non-business sites including sports (one in 6 organizations),
music (one in 7 organizations), and TV/radio/movies (one in
10).
The survey examined Internet usage for a range of industries
including manufacturing, services, education and
government/military. Respondents monitored Internet usage
with the ON Guard Internet Manager, a software program that
captures all network traffic to Web, FTP, Telnet and Gopher
sites.
Adult entertainment is the number one income generator on the Internet
according to a recent study.
The study showed that sex is the most
frequently entered criteria in search engines despite the relatively small
amount of domains providing adult entertainment. In a panel discussion
during the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, it was
remarked that Internet sex offers information and education while being a
perfect medium for human interaction for the socially challenged.
Are we surprised at these findings? No.
We are reminded of an article in the premiere issue of WIRED by
Gerard Van Der Leun, in which he argued - very persuasively - that
demand for sexually explicit material has been the driving force behind the
expansion and development of all new technologies from the printing press
on.
Maybe we're in the wrong business... --John Blower
September 01, 1997
Standards Guide
Nua is a respected internet
consultancy and site developer based in Dublin, Ireland.
Based on their experience in designing and maintaining large
corporate sites, Nua has developed a standards guide, The Nua Guide.
The Nua Guide offers concise guidelines on
- Site maintenance and promotion;
- Design and graphics;
- HTML editing;
- Email.
Webmastering covers the various skills needed to maintain and promote
your site - making it a valuable piece of your marketing effort.
Design covers the production of graphics, suggested file sizes and making
your site navigable by the widest variety of browsers.
There is a section detailing the correct use of HTML tags
and applying common layout standards across a website.
The email section contains information on getting the best out of this
under used tool to promote your company and services.
The Nua Guide will be available from Sept 1st for IRP1000
per year and will be password protected. --John Blower
Take a look at the Archives.
We've indexed all the past issues with topic pointers.
Check out the Archives....130
Weeks of Back issues including:
|
August 31, 1997
- Press Releases
- Design Criteria
- Online Seminars
- Internet Myths
- Narrowcast
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August 24, 1997
- 7 Cs of Successful Websites
- Whisper It Not Aloud
- Relationships
- Real Call
- More Email
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August 17, 1997
- PIU
- Another Search Engine
- SOHO
- Dancing with the Gorilla
- Deep Throat
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August 10, 1997
- Internet USA
- Nation of Spammers
- Lifetime Values
- ENode
- Tovarich
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August 03, 1997
- Too Good To Be True
- Who's Pushing Whom
- A Recent Poll
- Sidebars
-
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July 27, 1997
- Talking The Talk
- Modest Proposal
- eMail Ads
- HEITML
- Mark Me Up
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July 20, 1997
- Silence
- WordsWork
- Ugly
- Video Banners
- Virii
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July 13, 1997
- Some Print Resources
- Security Breach
- Bits and Pieces
- Domain Confusion
- Caxtonian Thinking...
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July 06, 1997
- Not Rocket Science
- Money for Junque
- Slow, Quick, Slow
- WEBTV?
- Cookie Cutter
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June 29, 1997
-
- Interoperability
- Marketing Resource
- Confereces
- Industrial Strength Ideas
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June 22, 1997
- Promote One
- Europa
- Design Resource
- Media Kits
- Style Sheets
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June 15, 1997
- Using eMail
- New Morality
- Odds 'n' Sods
- Fast Modems
- Which Search Engine
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June 08, 1997
- Events
- Hard Copies
- Banning Junque
- Another Survey
- Networds
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June 01, 1997
- Shop Til You Drop
- Coffee Time
- Jaundiced
- Push To Shove
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May 25, 1997
-
- Microscope
- Gadfly
- Marketing Your Site
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Complete Indexed Archives(24 months of marketing and design)
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Complete Indexed Archives(24 months of marketing and design)
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All material on this site is © 1995, 1996
by IBN (The Internet
Business Network), Mill Valley, CA 94941
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