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Part 2: Top 10 Ways To Maximize The Performance Of Your Localized Rich Media Display Ad Campaign

Posted on 12 November 2008 by Patrick FlanaganNo Comments

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Part 2: Here are the last 5 best practices to consider when trying to optimize your localized rich media banners.

(to read the first part of this post, please go to page 1)

Integrate The Ad Unit Into Your Dot Com Site As Much As Possible. Since rich media ads are essentially micro-sized versions of web sites packaged up into expanding banner ad, the ability to carefully weave the in-ad experience and the destination web site together is very feasible. The two must consider integrations are a store’s channels – online and in store – and maps and driving directions. A classic non-integrated approach would be to drive all maps clicks off the ad to a non-branded Google Maps page. Rather, these clicks should be sent to the retailer’s store finder and maps pages so as to keep the flow and branding as consistent as possible.
Notice the maps and view weekly ad links These are always dynamic deep links that are specific to that exact selected location
Provide Calls To Action That Recognize The Local Nature Of The Sought After Behavior. Everyone is familiar with the ‘Click For More Info’, ‘Buy Now’ and ‘Learn More’ but all of these calls to action are trying to trigger a click-thru to another web site. If the action that the ads are trying to stimulate in-store shopping, drive actions that help this cause. One vehicle that has been helpful is using a in-store printable shopping list as a conduit for a direct ‘buy online’ conversion.
Here is a collection of items that a user found interesting when browsing the content within this rich media ad unit
Pick & Choose Your (messaging) Battles. This seems so obvious, but the real temptation when working with rich media is to do too much. The technology enables literally any interaction, screen flow or UI/UX imaginable. But asking a user to do more than one or two things is not realistic. There should be a primary and possible a secondary goal. No more than 2 is the rule to follow.
Notice the 10 percent off button in the bottom left hand corner. This was the secondary goal of the ad unit and note, there was not a thrid level goal
Show Where The Ad Content Comes From. For example, one of the most drawn from sources of localized promotional information is the print circular. Yes, that print ad that is inserted into your Sunday newspaper every week. Most consumers are familiar and aware of this type of advertising, and typically have a pretty high degree of trust for it. So showing a user that yes, in fact the contents of this online rich media ad are from a familiar source, then that is one more barrier that the advertiser can break down.
Simple messaging with a great visual to help reference the source of the content contained within the ad unit
Create A Sense Of Urgency. All advertising is trying to prompt action. So most local based rich media ads are promoting limited time promotions, sales and deals. Make sure to bring this messaging forward in the design of the ad so that the limited time nature of the promotion is understood by the users.
Notice below the items that there is an expiration date listed of when these deal end