Jim explains how insertion orders developed in online advertising. The sites want you to use theirs, but they aren't always fair for you, the agency, ...
View articleAs a comic-book aficionado, Jim came across plenty of "alternative reality" scenarios in earlier years. So here's a mental exercise: What if Webvertis...
View articleSome surprises you just don't need -- nor does your client. With publishers going bankrupt on a regular basis, take a look at a site's financial stabi...
View articleLike many other Internet media companies, Disney erred with GO.com by investing in a presence without investing in research. It's time to prove the me...
View articlePositioned between the media andtechnology suppliers on the one hand and the spenders on the other, an ad agency is like a middleman, aware of the mot...
View articleIt isn't easy to create viral marketing promotions. Sometimes, they just happen. Here's what it takes for an effective viral campaign today. Read More...
View articleThe year doesn't quite feel over till the Super Bowl takes place. Fans yelling encouragement! Players celebrating touchdowns! Dot-coms blowing money o...
View articleThe first quarter of the year has always been a soft one for advertising, even long before the Internet. CPMs are still coming down, and Jim tells you...
View articleYes, click-through rates have been declining, but they've stabilized over the last 18 months. The industry is maturing, and the first metric to demons...
View articleNetworks aren't the only alternative to dealing with dozens of sites to make a buy. There are also site-specific rep firms. And though they focus on f...
View articleIn a year when accountability has made a comeback, there's no time like the present to start measuring. If you don't, you won't know if you measure up...
View articleThe key to online media planning is to achieve a long-term slow-money strategy rather than use an aggressive short-term approach. It's wise to negotia...
View articleWe all understand the value of an incentive program in driving sales or other conversions. And we know how well viral marketing works online. Want to ...
View articleLast year Jim shared some predictions for the online advertising industry. This year he does a brief recap and offers a dim-sum plateful of new ones f...
View article'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, a media planner was stirring with the click of his mouse. Read More...
View articleWe've been waiting for it to happen for a couple of years now, and lo and behold, the web is finally growing up and being considered a legitimate medi...
View articleEvery advertiser has an ultimate conversion goal. But different conversions require different levels of commitment. After all, few would buy a big-tic...
View articleSolid content providers with a real audience are being forced out of business because the integrity of their CPMs cannot be preserved. Maybe we got it...
View articleImagine you go into a department store to buy a sweater. You're told you can buy one at 30 percent off, but you can't see it or try it on. That's a to...
View articleSearch engine keywords are now getting one percent CTR. In a world of ever-decreasing response rates, does this level of performance justify the rates...
View articleIn the offline world, audience demographics drive media-buying decisions. But online, pricing usually trumps other considerations. What gives? Simple:...
View articleE-commerce posted gains for the last three quarters, so yes, the Internet remains a viable medium. The use of shopping sites with advertising opportun...
View articleAs unglamorous as search traffic may be from a creative perspective, paid links (especially performance based) continue to offer more options to adver...
View articleInteractive advertising needs to work in concert with other media to benefit the client rather than be an independent operation just selling space. Ji...
View articleDot-com start-ups generally don't have the time to wait for a deal to turn around; they need to show results right away. Consider employing a buy cycl...
View articleClients can have unrealistic expectations about what advertising can deliver in a short period of time. Here's what to do if after running a campaign ...
View articleIs media a commodity or not? Are price and service the only distinguishing factors that a buyer should take into consideration when putting together a...
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