The web can be a powerful way of supporting television and outdoor advertising campaigns because it offers greater depth and engagement. The tactic of ‘drive to web’ is one of the most common ways the internet is integrated into advertising campaigns. Television commercials, outdoor media and press advertising call out the phrase ‘go online for more’, because brand websites can have limitless depth and richness – a volume of information that would be impossible to fit into those classic channels directly.

This tactic allows marketers to achieve several benefits. Their brand websites can:

• Reinforce the message a consumer is exposed to through television and other classic channels
• Take the consumer deeper on the journey of discovering a brand’s story
• Achieve activation through consumer participation, maybe using the website as a way of gaining email addresses and filtered leads

For high ticket items like a car, home or a new job, the web has become an indispensable tool for consumers, giving access to the right information to let them make an effective purchase decision. This technique was developed by online marketers in the late 90s and has become one of the foundations for the use of the web among those sectors.

Why drive to web works for low-ticket items

But the model of drive to web is no longer confined to items where the consumer needs to be online to make an effective purchase decision. For any consumer package good – from a bar of soap to a soft drink, ‘drive to web’ can work brilliantly. The trick is making sure there’s a really strong reason for the consumer to act and a strong benefit when they get there.

Typically consumer package goods brands can benefit by:

• Boosting brand image through engagement on the brand website or webspace
• Recruiting consumers into relationship marketing programmes to maintain ongoing dialogue with medium and high value consumers
• Creating discussion about the brand by providing social currency – ideas and content that generates discussion between consumers

Getting the marketing model right

In markets where the majority of people do not have access to the internet, or where their volume of use of the internet is still small, the model for how the web fits with other channels can be quite different from its role in the technically advanced markets of Europe, the Far East and North America. In those countries online advertising can sit alongside television and other classic channels as simply another consumer touchpoint.

But because different markets and countries are at different stages of adopting web technology, there’s no single model that can work for any one sector worldwide, or all sectors within any one country.

Rethinking audience reach

The reach of online can be deceptive unless looked at through the eyes of an experienced digital marketer. For example, in Mexico where pay-TV has a reach of only about 45%, the combined reach with TV can push the cross media potential to 70%. With print channels there’s a similar pattern: a 69% reach of newspapers and magazines leaps to 83% when the internet is added.

The effect is even more pronounced among the 18-34s, so for brands trying to reach those consumers the web is becoming indispensable in large parts of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, as well as the technologically more advanced markets.

Delivering more impact than classic media

All media impacts are not equal. Because the web is a ‘lean forward’ medium, it means the channel has even greater impact. When consumers are engaged with content they are alert and leaning into the media channel, taking in and processing messages, taking part in the activity – quite a contrast to television or radio. This is one of the reasons why the impact of marketing through digital channels can be so strong.

There’s a big cultural shift in the perception of the roles different media channels play and some brands still hold back from doing anything more than minor tests in online media. Yet consumers are increasingly tuning out of other media – zapping between channels during the television commercial breaks and not reading newspapers or magazines the way the previous generation did.

Digital Action Plan – for brand marketers

Internet access in Venezuela is on the rise and during the last three years the connections have become the norm for office workers. At home, the Realty consumers are meeting connected and the era of slow narrowband connections is being replaced by faster broadband connections that, in time, will deliver high quality video programming over the web.

For information about the developments in this market ask the team at Digital. Data and background includes:

• How large is the internet audience in Venezuela today
• What are the demographics
• How fast is it growing
• What are the key changes

The way brands use online doesn’t mean simply taking the model from North America and re-applying it, but finding the right mix of media channels for reaching today’s audiences here in Venezuela.

El acceso a internet en Venezuela está en el punto más alto, y durante los últimos tres años las conexiones a internet se han convertido en normas para todas las empresas. En casa, los consumidores de Realty se localizan por medio de la red, y la era de la conexión lenta (de banda delgada) ahora dicha conexión ha sido reemplazada por banda ancha, que en poco tiempo, permitirán una mejor calidad de programación de video en la red.

Conforme el negocio de la comunicación ha ido adoptando los correos via e-mail, una nueva cultura ha surgido, una con mayor eficiencia y conocimiento de cómo funcionan las empresas. Hay un “Punto crítico” en camino, y el acceso a internet pronto se convertirá en medio masivo. Dentro de los próximos años el acceso crecerá al par con el incremento del uso de PC’s. Las escuelas utilizarán la red para mejorar sus métodos de enseñanza y el acceso a internet desde teléfonos celulares aumentará y se convertirá en un modo masivo de comunicación.

¿Qué tan grande es la audiencia de Internet en Venezuela?
Se estima que de cada 100 habitantes, 20 de ellos se suscriben a internet diariamente. La telefonía fija local presentó un incremento de 24.83% entre el II trimestre del 2007 y del 2008.

¿Cuál es la relación entre redes móviles contra mensajes de textos enviados?
El trafico en minutos de la navegación móvil, en minutos, es de 27.91%, mientras que el número de mensajes de texto enviados se incrementó en 46.01% en el mismo lapso de tiempo.

¿Qué tan rápido está creciendo el número de usuarios de internet?
Para el II trimestre del 2008 el número de suscriptores aumentó un 41.01% respecto al mismo periodo del año 2007. El número de usuarios creció un 30.53% (estimados) desde el II trimestre de 2007.

¿Cuáles han sido los mayores cambios demográficos?
El tráfico originado en las redes de telefonía fija y móvil ha cambiado significativamente durante estos últimos años. El tráfico, en minutos, de telefonía fija no ha cambiado mucho entre el periodo de 2005 y 2008, ha tenido altas y bajas de manera continua pero permanece en un rango menor a 4,100. Por otro lado, el tráfico en telefonía móvil ha aumentado de manera significativa, el I trimestre de 2005 estaba en 2.787 y ahora se registro en 7.845 (II trimestre 2008). Lo que nos indica que la telefonía móvil como medio está aumentando continuamente debido a su eficacia.

La manera en la que las marcas usan los medios en línea no simplemente significa tomar un modelo de América del Norte y aplicarlo nuevamente, sino encontrar la manera adecuada de mezclarlo con otros medios para alcanzar un mayor número de audiencia aquí en Venezuela.

Publishers can earn significant revenue from Google’s AdSense tools, but simply placing AdSense on the site is only part of the story – getting the search engines to create revenue for publishers means optimising the search marketing placement for best result.

Placement on news sites

• The right hand column top right in the standard Skyscraper position is likely to give the best results.
• Running AdSense in the main content column at the base of an article works well, but remember to keep the ads above the comment sections and any bottom of the page navigation. Google also produce customised ad units that fit any environment.
• The new generation of image adverts remind publishers how far the Google business has developed, with banner graphical formats easily deployable by website publishers.

There’s always a challenge for publishers in striking the right balance between integrating advertising into the content of a web page and not interrupting the experience of the user so much that it detracts from their enjoyment of the publication, but these tips are sound and well researched.

More information about how publishers can maximise their advertising revenues are available through the Digital Publishing Strategy Academy.

En las campañas que vemos hoy en día por televisión, el mensaje que se quería dar a conocer era pasajero, lo veías un minuto y al otro desaparecía por completo. El legado que dejaban era el cambio en el comportamiento de los compradores (si es que había alguno), pero los materiales terminaban en alguna bodega, las revistas en algún rincón guardadas y los videos utilizados para grabar otras cosas sobre ellos.

El contenido de la red, blogposts, foros u otros medios sociales masivos tienen la capacidad de retener la información por demasiado tiempo, esto siempre llega de improvisto para los organizadores de dichas campañas. El lenguaje escrito aun sigue en uso, ha mejorado a través de los años pero aun es uno de los mayores medios de expresión, esto siempre resulta una pesadilla para políticos y un reto para los publicistas.

El problema que muchas campañas de publicidad están afrontando es la falta de un plan a largo tiempo, falta de planeación de duración de campaña y objetivo de dicha larga duración. En la sociedad de trabajo en línea, la mercadotecnia necesita ser planeada como un proyecto a base de capas que necesita de tiempo. La campaña de la siguiente temporada debe de surgir de la que está en curso, tomando en cuenta los puntos fuertes y las críticas.

El auge repentino de los foros en internet, páginas personales, blogs, y redes sociales como el –facebook-, ahora amplían el problema. Estos ambientes crean conexiones entre consumidores, pero a la vez, alcanzan una longitud que los organizadores de la campaña no tenían considerado, o se afrontan con preguntas o problemas creados por los consumidores para los cuales no tienen una solución.

El éxito que han tenido algunas marcas dentro del Facebook aun son consideradas la excepción en lugar de la norma, pero aun siguen siendo solo una forma de perjudicar el producto.

Existen varias complicaciones que debemos tomar en cuenta para el producto y la campaña:

Escuchar primero
Empezar con una audiencia de los mensajes que ya han sido puestos en el mercado, para así ver la relación en la comunicación entre el consumidor y la marca.

Pensar a largo plazo
Buscar ideas para la campaña que se extiendan periodos mayores que los establecidos

Evaluar modelos
Revisar varios modelos de campañas y ver si todos simplemente comparten el mismo mensaje, o si métodos como “drive-to-web” (inducir al consumidor a visitar el portal de internet acerca del producto) ayudan a crear lazos entre el consumidor y el producto al ir guiándolo paso por paso.

Comprender las plataformas
Explorar las plataformas en mercadotecnia que puedan trascender la relación con los consumidores

Crear conversación
Buscar modelos de campañas en las que los creadores hayan considerado un espacio para entablar contacto con los consumidores

Embellecer la cultura
Escribir la contribución de tu producto para la cultura, la accesibilidad y lo trascendente que será

La mercadotecnia digital puede tener un efecto positivo en los productos, pero estos nuevos y cambiantes ambientes traen riesgos y recompensas al par, uno de los mayores beneficios es que durará para siempre.

Meadows-Klue es el jefe ejecutivo de www.DigitalTrainingAcademy.com, co-fundador de Internet Advertising Bureau en el Reino Unido y Europa, y fue el editor del primer periódico de Inglaterra www.Telegraph.co.uk. Él ha enseñado mercadotecnia digital en más de veinte países y más de 40,000 personas han asistido a sus lecturas y cursos de entrenamiento.

The promise of behavioural targeting is to create more relevant messaging to consumers, increasing the media efficiency of campaigns, and giving a better deal to advertisers.

The first behavioural advertising technologies were deployed back in 2000, but it wasn’t until 2006 that behavioural targeting really established itself as a mainstream tool in north America and Western Europe.

Yahoo was a pioneer of behavioural targeting and when they first started exploring how consumers buy products, they quickly discovered smart ways to apply the targeting technology. For example, someone interested in mortgages and home loans may be ‘in market’ for the products for many weeks (45 days was the average in one of their studies) whereas for a decision about a car the time period is much shorter. For a simple purchase like flowers for a gift it may be no more than two days, and digitally savvy media planners can use these insights to build up targeting models that really harness the full potential of behavioural tools and technologies.

Behavioural targeting may not automatically be the right solution for a brand and marketers will need to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the behavioural profiles available in the market. Here at Digital we began working on simple guidelines for marketing teams in 2004 and these are available from our team.

But does behavioural targeting work for FMCG (CPG) firms? The answer is both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ because it relies on a relevant profile being identified. For financial services it can be easy to develop because a prospective customer might search for the terms or view content about those types of financial products.

For FMCG brands it may appear impossible to do this, but this is where traditional demographics and lifestyle insights can play a part. For example, if a drinks brand knows there is a strong relationship between its consumers and a sport such as football, then media planners can harness behavioural profiles that are built on ‘football’ and be confident of a good result.

The relationship may take more work to figure out, but it’s a powerful way to ensure the brands message both reaches the right customers and avoids falling into the lower grade ‘run of site’ media buys that would mean high wastage and some audiences completely outside the target market seeing the material.

For more tips on media planning and the use of internet advertising targeting, see the Digital Media Planning Academy

Many web publishers have unsold space and fail to get the most value of it. Danny Meadows-Klue reflects on a few ideas Digital’s team have found that work well for publishers. They are only a start, but are designed to show ways to get more value from online inventory.

Look for ways to use the unsold inventory to drive traffic or awareness of different sections of the site or between you and a partner website who are exchanging banners. Treat contra advertising and house advertising as if it were paid for space; really invest in high quality advertising with a large range of executions to promote different aspects of the site in different ways. Remember that the house advertising influences the consumers’ experience of your site and your brand – this should showcase what you do.

2. Run a research campaign

Use some of the spare inventory to run a research campaign to prove the power of online advertising. If clients in your market do not yet believe online advertising can work to build brands (as well as drive response), then run a research survey to prove the point. The technique was first run in Europe in 1998 and involves surveying consumers for their awareness of a brand (or their perceptions and image of the brand), and then surveying them after the campaign has run. It’s the same technique used in print and television advertising effectiveness studies, and can test purchase intent, advertising recall and any aspect of brand effectiveness. The methodology can involve surveying pre and post the campaign or by looking for the differences between the group exposed to the campaign and a control group.

3. Introduce new advertisers

Look for firms who don’t use online at all, or who are just starting out in their online advertising journey. Use blocks of thousands or even millions page impressions as a way to bring non-advertisers into the business. Set up a structure for inviting advertisers to come into the business through a trial programme like this.

4. Harness sales networks and affiliate programmes

Try affiliates for bringing in additional revenues but test with small volumes of inventory first. Use this to explore whether the value will be significant. Examine which types of deals and which types of content create the most value for the advertiser, and bring the most revenue to you as a media owner.

5. Find one CPC partner; learn how to use this channel

Look for one online business that you can work with to explore CPC deals with. Work directly with the brand to generate clicks and leads for them. Find out what works, how, and why. Test your ideas and use this space to learn about how you can monetize some of the unsold inventory. Keep the learnings with just one client and use this to explore the way your business behaves.

In this summer's edition we track why rain on the high street accelerated the growth of online retail, how China emerged as the country with the largest internet population, Russia as Europe's fastest growing digital nation, and the BBC iPlayer continued to enjoy success as it crosses tipping points in new markets with new features.

The team here at Digital for years have said 2009 would be the year mobile advertising really takes off, and several new forecasts are aligning with us: we're expecting to see big rises from the acceleration now underway. And if you ever thought you were spending too much time online, then spare a thought for "extreme gamers" who according to new research are clocking up more than 45 hours on the web every week.

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In the traditional channels of television, press or outdoor, advertising came and went, and the presence of messages evaporated with the end of each campaign. Their legacy was a switch in consumer behaviour or attitude, but except for commercial breaks archived on dusty video cassettes, or full page ads buried in a pile of glossy magazines by the sofa, the physical assets of a campaign were gone without trace.

The problem is that much marketing thinking is still campaign-centric; transient. Whether for a week, a month or a year, campaign-based approaches expose brands to risks if there isn’t a longer term strategy. In the digital networked society, marketing messages need to be designed as layers that build over time. Next season’s campaign should grow from this season’s, drawing strength from what the brand and its consumers said before.

The explosive rise of social media – forums, then personal home pages and blogs, then social networks like Facebook – now amplify the problem. These environments may build consumer connections, but many brands create content they never anticipate maintaining, or release messages consumers manipulate without preparing a response. The successes like Marmite on Facebook are still the exception rather than the norm, but they truly harness the environment and build real engagement with the brand.

There are strong implications for both brands and their agencies, and a clear need to think differently:

• Listen first
  Start with an audit of the messages already layered in the strata of the web, so the archaeology of communications from the brand and the consumer is clear
• Think long-term
  Look for campaign ideas that stretch over much longer periods
• Evaluate models
  Revisit the marketing model and question whether each channel simply echoes the same message, or if approaches like drive-to-web can help brands get more value from media by building affinity at each step in the customer journey
• Understand platforms
  Explore ‘platforms’ in marketing like Nike’s Run London that can transcend media and entrench engagement with consumers
• Build conversation
  Search for models where the brand creates space for consumers’ conversations, the way STA Travel achieved cut-through with the Off-Exploring blogging platform
• Harness the culture
  And write the content of your own brand websites with the culture of the digital networked society front of mind; accessible, forwardable, and for the long-term

Digital marketing can have a transformative effect on brands, but these new and changing environments bring risks and rewards in equal parts – one of the greatest of which is that today will last forever.

Danny Meadows-Klue is chief executive of www.DigitalTrainingAcademy.com, co-founded of the Internet Advertising Bureau in the UK and Europe and was the publisher of the UK’s first online newspaper www.Telegraph.co.uk

The social media charts: top 10 UK social networking sites

Marmite on Facebook

STA Travel become the backpackers journal

While marketing budgets across the board are feeling the pinch the IPA's latest data shows that online remains the only sector experiencing positive growth. In addition, revised forecasts from ZenithOptimedia now expect online to take 10% of this year's global advertising spend.

This month has also seen further evolutions in digital convergence - a trend we have been tracking in Digital Intelligence from the very beginning. Soon both Sony and Microsoft will have video-on-demand services for their various multi-function gaming devices, and both firms are now bringing in content partners to widen their offerings.

As consumers we're now used to the idea of things being connected and able to fulfil many roles - so it was no surprise this month to see that Facebook now takes over 45% of the UK's social networking traffic. Perfect timing then for us to tell you about a little Facebook app we've built to send you our latest news and headlines.

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Most online advertising can work much harder than it does. Banners can work better at building brands, search engine listings can generate more leads, brand microsites can deliver richer customer connections. The challenge is knowing how to achieve this.

• Orientation: For newcomers converting into digital from classic media and marketing (normally less than 6 months digital experience)
• Advanced: Marketers with 6 months to 4 years experience of working with digital channels
• Masterclass: For digital professionals with 5 years or more experience

We began developing these digital marketing and management coaching programmes in 2003. They have helped thousands of people and firms achieve much more for their brands and in their careers. The way we do this is by providing industry experts who can join your team for short in-company courses structured around the specific needs of your business and the challenges you face. The strategy team in London develop the course structures and models and centrally manage your team's learning. In many countries we run public access programmes that invite groups of marketers and digital specialists to work together in a collaborative training environment. Online support is available as well, but there's no substitute for being face to face with your team.

The web should be your most powerful lead generation tool, but is it doing the job properly? We've worked with thousands of marketers to help them increase the volume of leads they get and decrease the price they pay. Most search advertising, search engine optimisation and web customer acquisition programmes can work much harder - if only you know what to do, or what to ask of your agency. The challenge is knowing how to achieve this.

• Orientation: For newcomers converting into digital from classic media and marketing (normally less than 6 months digital experience)
• Advanced: Marketers with 6 months to 4 years experience of working with digital channels
• Masterclass: For digital professionals with 5 years or more experience

We began developing these digital marketing and management coaching programmes in 2003. They have helped thousands of people and firms achieve much more for their brands and in their careers. The way we do this is by providing industry experts who can join your team for short in-company courses structured around the specific needs of your business and the challenges you face. The strategy team in London develop the course structures and models and centrally manage your team's learning. In many countries we run public access programmes that invite groups of marketers and digital specialists to work together in a collaborative training environment. Online support is available as well, but there's no substitute for being face to face with your team.

The web and email may be some of the most powerful channels marketers have, but sadly most digital budgets are poorly used. Many firms waste a third or more of their digital marketing by failing to get the model for lead generation or consumer connections right. Briefs to their agencies can be weak, the consumer insights underpinning the strategy can be poor, and all to often the execution is far from what it could be.

That's where digital coaching comes in. It changes the way marketers behave, unlocking a step change in their performance. That could simply mean better results for the same budget, or it could mean a radical change in direction for the whole firm's marketing or publishing. The coaching programmes cover 40 digital disciplines and are set at three distinct levels:

• Orientation: For newcomers converting into digital from classic media and marketing (normally less than 6 months digital experience)
• Advanced: Marketers with 6 months to 4 years experience of working with digital channels
• Masterclass: For digital professionals with 5 years or more experience

We began developing these digital marketing and management coaching programmes in 2003. They have helped thousands of people and firms achieve much more for their brands and in their careers. The way we do this is by providing industry experts who can join your team for short in-company courses structured around the specific needs of your business and the challenges you face. The strategy team in London develop the course structures and models and centrally manage your team's learning. In many countries we run public access programmes that invite groups of marketers and digital specialists to work together in a collaborative training environment. Online support is available as well, but there's no substitute for being face to face with your team.

Keeping on top of digital marketing and publishing is tough. Most agencies suffer from serious under-staffing, and the wage price inflation for digital skills means they can't afford the talent they need. That's why investing in building the knowledge and skills of their team is the key to maintaining the edge.

Poorly thought through strategies waste masses of agency time as well as risking long term client relationships. Get the model for lead generation or consumer connections right and a brand or publisher can undergo a transformative leap. But typically briefs to agencies can be weak, client teams lack the right consumer insights, the business struggles with where to fit digital in, and all to often the agency team don't have the right level of insight and skill to deliver what's needed.

That's where digital coaching comes in. It changes the way marketers behave, unlocking a step change in their performance. That could simply mean better results for the same budget, or it could mean a radical change in direction for the whole firm's marketing or publishing. The coaching programmes cover 40 digital disciplines and are set at three distinct levels:

• Orientation: For newcomers converting into digital from classic media and marketing (normally less than 6 months digital experience)
• Advanced: Marketers with 6 months to 4 years experience of working with digital channels
• Masterclass: For digital professionals with 5 years or more experience

We began developing these digital marketing and management coaching programmes in 2003. They have helped thousands of people and firms achieve much more for their brands and in their careers. The way we do this is by providing industry experts who can join your team for short in-company courses structured around the specific needs of your business and the challenges you face. The strategy team in London develop the course structures and models and centrally manage your team's learning. In many countries we run public access programmes that invite groups of marketers and digital specialists to work together in a collaborative training environment. Online support is available as well, but there's no substitute for being face to face with your team.

How many websites have been built that no one ever visited? How many banner campaigns that didn't achieve a single increase in sales? How many search listings that were so far down in Google they never got a single click? It's sad to reflect that most digital strategies fail. Since 1994 our directors and associates have been helping firms get digital channels right. Originally they did it as specialists within media firms and brands, and then in 2000 set up this consultancy practice.

We've worked with thousands of marketers to help them increase the efficiency of their online advertising, online marketing and digital publishing strategies. Efficiency gains of 20-30% are not unusual - if only you know what to do, or what to ask of your agency. The challenge is knowing how to achieve this.

That's where digital coaching comes in. It changes the way marketers behave, unlocking a step change in their performance. That could simply mean better results for the same budget, or it could mean a radical change in direction for the whole firm's marketing or publishing. The coaching programmes cover 40 digital disciplines and are set at three distinct levels:

• Orientation: For newcomers converting into digital from classic media and marketing (normally less than 6 months digital experience)
• Advanced: Marketers with 6 months to 4 years experience of working with digital channels
• Masterclass: For digital professionals with 5 years or more experience

We began developing these digital marketing and management coaching programmes in 2003. They have helped thousands of people and firms achieve much more for their brands and in their careers. The way we do this is by providing industry experts who can join your team for short in-company courses structured around the specific needs of your business and the challenges you face. The strategy team in London develop the course structures and models and centrally manage your team's learning. In many countries we run public access programmes that invite groups of marketers and digital specialists to work together in a collaborative training environment. Online support is available as well, but there's no substitute for being face to face with your team.