Micro Advertising

Micro advertising is relatively new to the Internet ad space. First appearing on Google (Google Ad Words), micro ads are characterized by a low barrier to entry, both in cost and in the number of impressions that must be purchased. What also makes them unique is that they are fully automated self-placement and payment systems that makes it easy for advertisers to create and schedule an ad. As an added bonus for publishers, micro ads can actually lend informational, value-added content to the user’s experience.

Are Micro Ads for You?

Built for Internet advertising pros and novices alike, micro advertising systems have several benefits for both the advertiser and the publisher. Here are a few:

First, getting an ad up is quick and hassle-free. The self-managed system does not rely on advertising sales reps and does not require the production of graphic banner or button ads. An advertising process that might have spanned a week or more can now be handled by a single person in less than a hour.

Micro ads are also convenient and simple for advertisers to use. Early adopters like Google use simple text-based ads. The restricted format of the ads levels the playing field — Citibank’s ad looks no better or worse than the mom & pop e-tailer. Instead, success is predicated upon relevancy, not eye-popping graphics. To set up an ad, all you generally need is your URL, a short title, and some brief ad copy.

Micro ads offer great low-cost targeting without breaking the bank. Publishers have low minimum commitments, and make it easy to get involved. Advertisers can use their savings to test (or buy) more.

Looking to avoid more paperwork? Micro ads Web-based payment methods (credit card or PayPal) means that you’ll also avoid another invoice.

From the publishing side, micro ads require a change in business model: from having a few major advertisers to having many smaller ones. Micro ads can be an effective way to turn readers into paying advertisers, while at the same time keeping sales costs low. A successful micro advertising strategy will free up more time to focus on content and marketing, rather than sales.

Pricing

Micro ads are generally cheap. On the low end the advertiser can expect to pay a $2 CPM; on the high end, a successful site like Google will charge up to a $14 CPM. The minimum impression threshold is generally only in the low thousands — this translates into ad costs of only several hundred dollars per month!

Who’s Offering Micro Ads?

Companies that are adopting micro advertising are either very innovative (i.e. Google) or are somewhat “fringe” sites that reach a specific audience (i.e. Blogger.com). Because of the influence of content relevancy, micro advertising makes especially good sense for search engines, and we expect more to follow in Google’s footsteps. It’s also a good option for smaller sites that want ad dollars but don’t have the resources to generate them. Here’s a short list of some companies currently offering micro advertising options:

• DayPop
• Google
• MetaFilter’s TextAds
• FuckedCompany
• Blogger

Finally, if you’re looking for help in purchasing, managing, and serving micro ads, check out a company called pyRads.

Related Links:

Google AdWords - Search Engine Advertising That Makes Sense https://www.paypal.com/affil/pal=hollis%40webadvantage.net

 back to top