How to Advertise on the Internet

How do you know which advertisements are really working for you? This is the beauty of Internet, which lets you track the public's interest in each individual advert. Here are a few tips to get started with your next campaign.

Start by making a shortlist of potential websites that your potential clients may visit. You can ask current clients which sites they visit and conduct searches on the Internet in your field. Also, find out where your competitors advertise.

Next request prices, media packs and rate cards from these sites. Check to see how many impressions your advert or the page (if your advert is fixed to it) will get, then calculate the cost per impression (CPM) and the cost per click (CPC) before comparing quotations.

From there you can use web statistics - either your own hosting statistics or advertisers' reports or Google Analytics - to trail and test monitor the traffic your publicity is really getting and then decide whether or not to modify your strategy.

In this way you can develop a cycle of trial periods, testing, modifying strategy and either continuing or dropping your advertising.

For more information, view this Internet Advertising Presentation.

Chris Chaplow is Managing Director of Andalucia Web Solutions and Andalucia.com. He is available as a guest speaker to explain Internet advertising in greater detail. For more information, send an e-mail to info@andalucia.com.