Australian media consumption habits are always in flux, and the heavy shift towards the Internet suggests you may want to review your business’s marketing strategy.
Polls show that Australians in the 18-to-34 age bracket who go online spend more time on the Internet than they do watching television. It is not surprising. Most of them grew up with computers and find the Internet to be second nature.
So, whether or not you already have an online advertising strategy, it’s a good time to step back and reassess. You may want to start taking or bolstering a cross-media marketing approach that includes the Internet to help capture this group of technologically astute, affluent and trend-conscious consumers.
Many experts see the Internet as the advertising wave of the future. If your company hasn’t yet fully tapped into the online ad universe, here are five steps to help set up and maintain an Internet presence.
- Determine what percentage of your target consumers has access to the Internet. You want to reach consumers where they are and the same principles apply to the Internet as to buying a page in a magazine. Where do your company’s profits come from? If more than a third are from people with Net access, you’re likely missing out on a big opportunity without a strong online strategy.
- Spend a small amount on Internet marketing and compare the results with other media outlets. Then, experiment with the mix. A rule of thumb: Generally, online advertising should take up 10 per cent to 15 per cent of your total ad spending.
- Integrate the online element. To be most effective, you need a strategy that integrates the online and offline elements of a campaign from the day of its launch.
- Take solid accurate metrics. The widely accepted critical measurements of Internet advertising are ad impressions, clicks, visits, unique measurements and page impressions. Be cautious with click-throughs. This percentage of people exposed to an ad that actually click through to your company’s Web site is a key metric, but its importance fades if your company isn’t actually selling anything online. Consumer perceptions may be a more important metric. And even if you do sell online, one in ten may not click through but those other nine may come back later. Studies consistently show that many of those who don’t click through will likely come back to your site to make a purchase.
- Focus on building brand awareness or perception, not on unique online factors such as interactivity. Online, print and television advertising each has specific elements you can exploit, but they should not be the point of your campaign.
When it comes to buying, today’s consumers think the way they did a decade ago. So offline and online advertising is subject to the same principles. Target consumers by deciding whether an online, newspaper or television ad will do the trick. The major point is to allocate your media mix and spend accordingly.
Compelling Reasons to Add Internet Marketing
- Increased coverage – Your company can more efficiently reach hard-to-get consumers who are increasingly surfing for information and entertainment.
- More effective campaigns – Online advertising reinforces traditional media messages and boosts brand awareness.
- Value – Online advertising has not only value, it also can be cost-effective.
