Customer Preferences in Online Advertising-Part 1 of 3

 Online consumers have given some very explicit
information regarding their preferences when it comes
to advertising. According to research conducted by
Jupiter (www.jup.com), a worldwide authority on Internet
commerce, there are several things online business people
need to be aware of in order to increase their advertising
effectiveness.

I have created this 3-part series of articles as a
commentary relating to the results of Jupiter's study
entitled, "Inside the Mind of the Online Consumer". It
will help you understand what the information means
to you. Taking heed to the recommendations Jupiter
reveals will most certainly improve your advertising
response rate.

Customers Use the Internet for Information

Forty-eight (48) percent of consumers online use the
Internet primarily as a utility device, not an entertainment
device. This means they are using the Internet as a
tool, not a toy. Because of that fact, consumers are
primarily looking for information, not games. This is
not a new revelation. However, how this fact relates
to advertising is new.

Customers Want Information-Based Ads

According to the customers in Jupiter's survey, they
respond to advertising that compliments their online
activities. Forty (40) percent said they respond more
readily to online ads that are informative rather than
entertaining. This would include new product
developments, benefits-oriented ads and those focusing
on service issues.

Notice that one of the categories listed is "product
benefits". This is where the majority of online
advertisers fall to pieces. It is simply imperative that
online advertising copy be filled with benefits. Online
consumers are looking to answer the question, "What's
in it for me" over and over again. They are seeking
information and the advertising you give them should
fill that need.

How to Build An Information-Oriented Ad

So now that we've learned that customers are ready
and waiting for us to provide them with information-
based advertising… how do we do it? Does that
automatically mean you have to go with long copy?
No, not at all.

According to Jupiter, "Advertisers that are marketing
high-consideration products, which require a more
informed purchase process, should focus more exclusively
on consumers' online information needs. Advertisers
that are marketing low-consideration products - for which
consumers require little information in order to complete
a purchase - have more leeway to take a less informative
and more entertaining approach to their advertising."

It's just as I've stated for years. Let your target market
lead your decision to use long or short copy. Those
seeking information on affiliate programs, MLM programs,
high-investment products or services, etc. are going to
be seeking more information than someone in search of
a new bathrobe. For more detail in this area, visit http://www.ktamarketing.com/articles_longcopy.html.

Here are some suggestions you can use to help build a
successful information-type ad:

1.Include statistics - When you make a sales
claim, back it up with information, including statistics.
You might say, "Our saucepans have a non-stick coating
that's guaranteed for life. In actual, in-home testing,
food did not stick to our saucepans 98.3% of the time."

2.Include targeted benefits - You must include
targeted benefits to make your message hit its mark.
Let's take the saucepan example a bit further. "Our
saucepans have a non-stick coating that's guaranteed
for life. In actual, in-home testing, food did not stick
to our saucepans 98.3% of the time. You get omelets
that come out of the pan whole. You get sautéed
chicken that makes a beautiful presentation on the
plate. You get less waste, less burnt food and more
healthy cooking because you use no oil." Now those
are benefits any chef would think are important.

3.Provide content on your site that backs up
your claims - As you surf the Web take note of
information that supports your advertising claims.
Surveys, research, reports, testimonials, etc. can all
provide valuable information that could move a
customer from the point-of-decision to the point-
of-purchase.

4.Submit articles - Customers looking for
information are much more likely to respond to a
URL listed in an article than a bold-faced
advertisement. Because articles provide information
in a non-threatening way, they work along the same
level as endorsements and referrals. Write articles
relating to your area of expertise and submit them
to article archive sites and Ezine publishers.

5.Offer a free report - Give away information
free with a purchase or subscription to your newsletter.
Since information is what surfers are looking to receive,
it will work as a big incentive.

Next in the series will be a focus on ads that are avoided
and shunned by online customers… and how to be sure
yours isn't one of them!

About the Author

Karon is Owner and President of KT & Associates who offers
targeted copywriting, copy editing & ghostwriting services.
Subscribe to KT & Associates' Ezine "Business Essentials" at
BusinessEssentials-subscribe@topica.com or visit her site at
http://www.ktamarketing.com

 Karon Thackston

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