An online advertising system is any system or program that allows you to place electronic advertisements for your company's goods and services on the Internet. Many businesses choose more than one platform or system, and some choose to work with cross-media systems that coordinate ads between sites. When choosing the best online advertising system for your business, your primary considerations will probably be functionality, exposure and cost.
The functions available from an online advertising system can vary. In general, all allow you to create your ad and view it live. You might also be able to run reports that show how often your ad was viewed or clicked on, change your ad's art work or change strategic details such as keyword triggers and the schedule on which your ads run. Some systems allow you to perform these actions at any time from your product desktop or dashboard, while others require someone at the advertising company to make the changes for you.
Exposure is a broad term that refers to three main things: on what pages will your ad appear, where on the page will it be positioned and how often it will appear. It is extremely important that your ad be placed on pages viewed by your primary target market. For example, if you sell used cars, your ads should ideally be placed on websites for auto shoppers. Likewise, such pages would be a wise location for auto insurance ads. Ads for educational toys, however, might be better placed on a different type of page.
Positioning on the page is another exposure factor to consider. In some cases, an online advertising system will allow you to choose a permanent position. In others, positioning is determined by the relevance of your keywords, the frequency with which people click on your ad, or a combination of these factors. Ideally, you will want your ad to be placed "above the scroll." This means that viewers do not need to scroll down on their screens in order to view your ad.
The frequency with which your ads appear is important when choosing an online advertising system. Some systems allow unlimited appearances while others allow a set number of views within a specific time period. If you choose the second option, you will want to make sure that your ad is displayed during the times when your target audience is most likely to be online.
All of these factors affect price. You will want to investigate a number of systems to find out which one offers the features you need at the price you are willing to pay. Remember that there is no one best online advertising system. The one that is most effective for your business is the one that's best for you.
