How to write text ads that generate leads
30.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: English Content, Featured Stories, Sales, Webmarketing
In school we have learned how to write a summary in 5 sentences max. Isn’t this exactly what we need to create (newsletter) text ads that are meant to generate leads? Let’s see…
The last nine years working with customers on silicon.de, we have seen hundreds of bookings for text ads in our newsletters. In most of the cases these were meant to generate leads as we say. Now sure, leads is a powerful and impactful term ensuring the future of business, sales opportunities and save the job of responsible decision makers in marketing or sales departments.
Lead generation can be seen as collecting addresses (contact generation), profiling customer needs for products and services (interest generation), or using the direct offer for real sales or bargains (lead generation). For this post we make no distinction on the three different categories and just want to focus on the 5 sentences formula.
Headline
The number one…
The one-sentence headline is the door-opener, the eye-catcher, the first impression on your customer and your access to lead opportunities – and revenue in the end. If you fail there, the rest of your text ad will be deleted immediately in front of your customers eyes. An effect we call the ‘Skip this ad’ view…
As customers -hopefully- spend some time reading your headline (remember that this is a gift customers hand over to your business…), you should give them some kind of benefit in return from the start. So my advice is, find successful openings to create a basis for your lead generation idea from the start.
The offer. This must be written in clear words and addressing the customers needs, desires … or purse.
Examples: Get your free paper… Use 25% offer… Profit from money back…
The rhetorical question. All things that appear to be clear to customers but raise attention and/or curiosity. In Twitter days, we realized that people with rhetorical text messages generate big interest. My most-read post ended ‘… future of the business, or business of the future’. Using oxymoron is just fabulous…
Example: Don’t you want to win the lottery? Don’t you think firewalls are necessary? Don’t you think washing hands saves your health?
The advice. The world is full of questions and everyone is eager to get more insight in tools, tactics and trends which leads to even more questions. The more valuable ‘coaching effect’ we offer, the better our reputation becomes – and with that our convergence. ‘How to’ is the answer to those questions… and the reason for the headline of this post.
The ‘buzz verb’. Indicate with the first words what the (potential) customer is intended to do and what your business expectation is. This is a direct approach which is most often used for real lead generation.
Examples: Read now…, Buy now…, Follow up…, Enter data…
The ROI view. Especially in times of recession everybody is looking for better profitability. If there are ‘easy-to-receive’ options, people are open to use those and leave their data with your business.
Examples: Become more productive…, Save money by…, Increase sales with…
Body text
Sentence two to four (max.)…
The body text outlines the benefit and explains the customer how and why using the offer is desirable and makes sense. In my theory this should be done with the following 3 sentences, or optional as main ideas for your body text. Addressing the customer that is already leering to the point-of-sale (POS) …
Problem. Customers who see their responsibility have more urge to get in touch with your offer and business benefit than those who are just tangent to the issue as a tiny part of a (business) system. Target the people you are interested in by describing problems, duties or responsibilities your target group wants to get rid off or find an ease in – and which are on an open plate in public (business) talks.
Examples: How your live can change…, How your sales can benefit…, How your wife is happier…
Opportunity. Use stats or testimonials that your customers can identify with. These should illustrate your problem statement. In case you haven’t invented a complete new product, offer a comparison which puts the benefit in pictures like a metaphor.
Example: People that have used this have lived 3-times longer than…, People that bought this product, saved 25% off their time…
Scenario. The conclusion of the previous explanation, leading to just one intention. Wanting to ‘own’ the product, service, etc…
Example: Seeing these facts, you have the proof why…, Reading this you have not many options… (not ‘no’ option – no teacher mode!)
PS: The body text framework is also a successful structure that works for Google text ads.
Call-To-Action
Last sentence, number five…
Don’t leave the user in the scenario mode. Tell the (potential) customer what he/she needs to do now. Take him/her by the hand and push their eyes with ONE sentence to ONE action point (=URL). No confusion, just conversion!
Example: Click here…, Download now here…, Save now with one click….
Spot On!
Generally speaking: One break per ‘block’ (headline – body text – call-to-action). The shorter the message, the more open customers are to have a glance at it.
PLUS: A text ad is not a branding tool! Mentioning products more than once is useless. Trademark as well as copyright signs have no right to exist in text ads. Please use banners if you are after branding and awareness.
Brevity is the soul of wit. And if you need help, just let me know…
News Update – Best of the Day
30.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Daily Top 3
Social networking is a challenge. If you need some inspiration, read the 12 stories by David Spark, and you know how to continue and professionalize your social networking efforts.
Did you know that web 2.0 is over? No, check it out at Geek and Poke…
Do you need extraordinary emoticons for your mails? Well, according to the Official Gmail Blog there seems to be a need for some people…
PS: Did you ever try Twitter in real life? Believe me, this can be quite amusing…
News Update – Best of the Day
29.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Daily Top 3
Online Reputation is becoming more and more important for brands and for the individual – but how can you have an overview where you are registered and where you should be registered. Brian Solis explains a new tool for brand management and online reputation called knowem, and explains the special service it offers for brand managers. And we are all brand managers, aren’t we? And if it’s only about branding ourselves in persona…
Now, online reputation from an individuals point of view is going hand in hand with personal branding. Dan Schwabel, who has written the popular book on personal branding Me 2.0, was speaking about his special topic at the Social Media Breakfast in Puma City on Monday. Listen and learn from him…
Good commenting is not easy when there is the personal wish to establish a strong online reputation. Brett Borders has thought about it and comes up with some great advice for efficient tools and how to build an effective comment strategy.
Study: Twitter used as a learning tool – not for ego-boosting
28.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: English Content, Featured Stories, Social Media
According to a recent study by the research firm MarketingProfs in early and mid-April, the main intention to use Twitter is learning in more or less real-time, then comes social networking benefit or pushing the ‘digital ego’.
The results of the study revealed that almost…
- 100% of the respondents said they value “getting information in a timely manner” and “I find it exciting to learn new things from people”
- about 80% like to be connected to lots of people.
- 70% answered “I find it gratifying to have people follow me,” and “I want to generate new business.”
The question that divides the Twitterati population is if a large number of followers makes you more respectful, or not. On this statement…
- 39,9% strongly or mildly agree
- 45% strongly or mildly disagree
Seeing the large number of followers as a perception of intelligence was tested with the question “People who have a large number of followers are smarter than those who don’t”…
- 81,7% strongly or mildly disagree
- 5.9% strongly or mildly agree
In the eyes of Evan Williams, CEO of Twitter, the benefits are …
“Twitter lets people know what’s going on about things they care about instantly, as it happens” (…) “In the best cases, Twitter makes people smarter and faster and more efficient.”
And yes, Twitter is turning around the media world if we look at the eMarketers summary ‘Twitter tally’.
Spot On!
But, hold on… One question makes me think about these results of the MarketingProfs study in combination with the authenticity of the answers and the first idea of the micro-blogging tool. The question “I feel bad when I tweet something and nobody responds” was answered as follows…
- 52,7% strongly or mildly disagree
- 24% strongly or mildly agree
- 23,3% neither agree nor disagree
Now, if Twitter is like a mobile phone for text message dialogues, meant to communicate with followers we like and rate, is this communication not going back to being a monologue then? So, are we really sending out some kind of information just for the sake of informing others? Don’t we await an answer if we send a text message with a mobile phone? If we tweet ‘I am in the tube’ or ‘Just got breakfast’, then probably nobody expects anything. But not if people are writing scientific papers of 500-750 words – and then tweet the headline and the link. In my opinion Twitter is moving from a communication tool to some kind of personal branding tool. Otherwise, we might ask: Why do people spend an average of 2¾ hours per day on Twitter (average using time for Twitter according to study!), instead of being productive, picking up the phone or meeting up with clients for lunch or in the bar? This is real communication, and not limited by 140 characters. And if someone has written the scientific paper it is on the web, it’s public, so if people are interested, they will find it. But Twitter spreads the word much faster. And is not this the reason why people love and use Twitter?
News Update – Best of the Day
27.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Daily Top 3
Are you a CEO and want to become a blogger? This eBook from Shift Communications gives some help why you might start blogging – and offers valuable business examples of companies that have set up successful social media activities.
Last week, I shared some insight in a webinar on lead generation. There I was asked how it is possible to generate leads via Facebook landing pages. Adnan Ali did an interesting case study which illustrates how it is possible to get engaged with your customers on Facebook.
Coke wants agencies to be more profitable …for Coca-Cola Co. – and pushes them towards a value-based performance. How this is meant to work describes AdAge…
“Traditionally, defining the value of an assignment has been the job of the agency, which tells its client how many people and how much time it’ll need to accomplish a given project. Under its new model, Coke will determine the value of assignments based on a range of factors including the work’s strategic importance, the talent involved and whether other agencies could duplicate the work — if they could, it’s worth less.
After those factors are used to set the value of a project, the agency’s performance and the business results that follow determine what, if anything, the agency deserves to be paid beyond its upfront costs (which, in practice, are sometimes inflated). If all targets are hit, the agency could make as much as 30% on a project; if all targets are missed, the agency won’t make any profit at all.”
Dead or alive? Some philosophy on the future of blogging…
27.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: English Content, Featured Stories, Social Media
Last week, there was a lot of talk on the future of blogging, online – and offline at ‘online-minded’ events. The coincidence crossed my way that last week some of my closest friends (no bloggers by the way) were sitting together, discussing heavily on why blogging is the future of media – and obviously micro-blogging as well. The conclusion we came up with can be found in the ‘Spot On!’ at the end of this post.
Let’s give the word to the blogging experts and their thoughts first…
A kind of an ‘inner circle’ had dinner at TheNextWeb09 and was brainstorming in a relaxed atmosphere on the topic if blogs are dead. Now, Andrew Keen shares this controversial conversation with us and quotes on his blog Hermione Way, founder of Newspepper: “Blogging as we know it is dead”. The co-founder of Wordpress, Matt Mullenweg, sees more of a different new approach for blogs and the way people will handle blogging in the future…
“Blogs will become aggregation points” (…) “They will become our personal hub. Places where we store all our personal media content such as our flickr photos and Twitter posts.”
Especially when we think of micro-blogging, this seems to be the state of mind for a lot of the Twitterati – and some also do it vice versa in a (sometimes self-referential) cross-promotional way.
But, are Mullenweg’s thoughts not interfering with the business model of bookmarking sites, websites such as Mister Wong, Digg, StumbleUpon, Technorati or others, someone may ask? So, is the future of micro-blogging a mixture of bookmarking with the positive effect that you share personal or follower content with friends and followers?
And finally, let’s listen to the words of David Tokheim, Six Apart Media, top manager of an American blogging service provider…
“The lines are becoming blurred between a standalone blog that might be created on TypePad or Blogger or WordPress and blog content that’s created by The New York Times.”
And eMarketer defines blogging today this way…
“…today’s (blogs) are about two-way conversations that take place on many fronts: independent, standalone blogs; social networks; e-commerce and mainstream media sites; and micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter.”
Obviously, times for blogs are changing. The former definition of blogging as a personal expression using an easy self-publishing tool has gone lost on most of the blogs. It seems that blogs are becoming mainstream as a modern format of publishing in the meaning of creative thought sharing … So, we may be asking ‘Why?’.
Spot On!
Now, reading all these opinions, my answer and view on blogging is more a conclusion that goes in the direction of Richard Jalichandra, CEO of Technorati: “You’re also seeing mainstream media coming in the other direction by adding blog content”.
Being an online publisher for more than 10 years now, there are coming different memories to my mind that bring my vision on the future of blogging to you. Memories from past days where the following “unwritten editorial manifest” counted, using the good old editorial questions (and old silicon brand slogan) …
… who cannot write professional is meant to leave the pen in the bag, better stop expressing opinions open wide and keep their mouth shut. – Now, most of the blogosphere has forgotten pens exist, publish excessive, express great visions and are not even physically meant to keep the mouth shut.
… what intelligent brains cannot control in their minds or ’scribble’ in books was not worth to be mentioned as it lacked the only format of intellectual value proposition: print. – Now, the web is crowded with blogs (and will be even more in the next decade) offering more intelligent content output in not more than 500-750 words but hundred times more trendsetting, enlightening and progressive than some theses.
… when choosing the ‘right’ content management system (cms) was key for the success of online publishing. – Now, there are content management systems, called blogging tools, comparable to former publishing cms systems, leveraging an individual’s mind to the status of a well-rated publishers level.
… where long, grey-haired editors with black, stand-up collar long-sleeves or flashily-dressed outfits were the only valid authority of the written word. – Now, we have casual-dress code at Tweetups, meet calling cards of the blogosphere in jeans giving advice on stage to white-collar professionals and suits. University education turned upside down…
… and why the individual, the economy and the industry is not publishing? Media experts were doing it much better, more professional, well experienced and with heart and soul. – Now, the world is overwhelmed how complex, creative and informative individuals, employees and companies find ways to be heard by the world, their target group and their customers – just by (micro-)blogging.
The glory of blogs has just been brought to life. Blogging is alive – different from its beginning, sure. But the future of blogging has not even started being perceived as the leading new format for digital portals, magazines, newspapers, custom-publishing, or even digital TV broadcasts. And there will be companies and individuals becoming new famous publishers with their blogs that we don’t even know yet.
This is my take on the future of blogging and I love to hear other views…
News Update – Best of the Day
24.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Daily Top 3
The outlook for online advertising in the US is not as good as expected. According to the IDC’s Ad Report Model predicts that U.S. online advertising will decline by 6% for full-year 2009 (9% in the first quarter already). For Europe the European Internet 
Advertising Association (EIAA) predicts more hope. In their Marketers’ Internet Ad Barometer 2009 they state that 70% of all advertisers will increase their spending in 2009.
Are you an expert on cloud computing? Well then, you are not alone if not… Mary Jander gives a great overview on the status on products for cloud computing and how far IT and business decision makers are in their minds seeing the benefit. And don’t forget to read the comments…
Is traditional media advertising dead? If we listen to the CEO of Vitrue, a social media company, then we acknowledge from his point of view why companies should ‘Stop Advertising. Start Socializing’…
News Update – Best of the Day
23.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Daily Top 3, English Content
Companies still don’t know whether to ignore Twitter or being aware of a Twitterstorm might save the brand’s value. David Sarno and Alana Semuels show good cases why major brands learn they’d better respond quick – focussing on Amazon, Skittles, Domino, Coca-Cola and Hasbro.
How to explain the social web to your parents? Obviously, all of us who engage in the social web world have faced this problem. In May, I have decided to speak at the Webinale on ‘career 3.0 – split between productivity and personal branding’ which will give some insight how successful companies might work with the social web of the future. Jeremiah Owyang did an excellent storyboard explanation on the social web and compares the industry with a ‘Social Reef’.
“…see this space like a reef, a complex ecosystem that has so many variables and changes, each day is different.”
Still thinking on how to behave on Facebook the right way? No worries, here is the answer and a wonderful advice by YourTango and their film ‘Facebook Manners’.
Internet keine Konkurrenz für klassischen Journalismus
22.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: Featured Stories, Webstrategie
Eine aktuelle Studie des Instituts für Kommunikationswissenschaft der Universität Münster besagt, daß das Internet für den Journalismus mehr als Ergänzung denn als Mitbewerb oder Konkurrenz gesehen werden muss. Im Rahmen der Studie wurden 183 Internetredaktionen aus Deutschland interviewt, womit sich 44% aller ermittelten Redaktionen an der Erhebung beteiligt haben (nach vorheriger inhaltsanalytischer Auswertung von rund 1.200 Internetangebote).
Schon lange stellen sich die klassischen Medienhäuser die Frage, inwieweit Weblogs, Twitter und soziale Netzwerke die traditionelle Medienwelt beeinflußt. Früher konnten Redaktionen von Presse, Rundfunk und Fernsehen exklusiv die ‘Medienmache’ ihre Expertise nennen. Inzwischen wird der Medienmarkt durch Firmen oder Privatpersonen zusätzlich mit verschiedensten Plattformen bedient. Inwieweit das Internet den Journalismus verändert, wurde in einem zweijährigen Forschungsprojekt am Institut für Kommunikationswissenschaft der Universität Münster untersucht.
Laut Studie lässt sich das Ergebnis auf die folgende Formel bringen: „Ergänzung statt Konkurrenz”. Noch dominieren die Online-Angebote der traditionellen Massenmedien. Weblogs und Nutzerplattformen stellen insgesamt 5% der als journalistisch identifizierten Internetangebote – eine noch niedrige Zahl. Dennoch ist die erweiterte “Partizipation” und die “Technisierung” (Automatisierung der Nachrichtenauswahl durch Google News und andere Suchmaschinen) inzwischen deutlich sichtbar und beeinflußt den modernen Journalismus. Der beruflich ausgeübte Journalismus werde deshalb aber nicht verdrängt, ziehen die Studienverantwortlichen den Schluss.
„Weblogs und Redaktionen beobachten sich gegenseitig, sie übernehmen Themen und kommentieren einander”, beschreibt Prof. Dr. Christoph Neuberger, der Leiter des Forschungsprojekts, die Beziehung.
Zur Recherche nutzen rund drei Viertel der Internetredaktionen Weblogs und 99% die Enzyklopädie Wikipedia vorwiegend als Nachschlagewerk (83%). Ihre Zuverlässigkeit schätzen sie als hoch ein.
Spot On!
Der traditionelle Journalismus ist dennoch in einer schwierigen Transitionsphase. Auf der einen Seite müssen Medienhäuser sich im Internet engagieren, andererseits fehlen zukunftsträchtige monetarisierende Geschäftsmodelle. Die heutige Aussage von Fried von Bismarck überrascht nicht, kostenpflichtige Inhalte als Businessmodell zu evaluieren – trotz hoher Reichweiten und der Vorbildfunktion von Spiegel Online.
Allerdings muß man auch die Kehrseite der Medialle sehen: Der Nutzer ist aufgrund seines Einflusses wichtig für den Input und somit die Qualität des zukünftigen investigativen journalistischen Outputs. Muß der User Zahlen, ist fraglich, ob der User generierte Input weiterhin so zahlreich bleibt, oder schwindet. Denn: Wenn die von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft finanzierte Studie zeigt, daß viele Redaktionen mit den Möglichkeiten der Web 2.0 Nutzerbeteiligung experimentieren, ist das ein klares Zeichen der Wichtigkeit, des Einflusses und Zukunftsträchtigkeit der modernen und sozialen Medien für den Journalismus. Hierbei profitieren Redaktionen laut eigener Aussagen von Kommentaren (20% lassen diese bereits zu) sowie von eigenen Weblogs, Videologs oder Podcasts (55% setzen diese ein).
UK: Internet users love browsing social media – less shopping
21.04.2009 von Martin Meyer-Gossner
Kategorie: English Content, Featured Stories, Social Media, Visionen, Web 2.0
A recent study by Hitwise reveales that UK Internet users are spending more time browsing online media than ‘going’ online shopping. In March 2009 9.8% of all UK Internet visits were directed to social networking websites and 8.6% to online retail websites. Compared to 2008, the figures turned around (online retailers 9.7% – social networks 8.2%).
In the passed year, online retailers sawe a downsize in traffic from paid search like sponsored or paid for links on search engines (i.e. like Google, Yahoo!, Live and Ask) – 2009: 8.9% and 2008: 10,1% of visits to online retailers came from a paid search listing.
“The growth of social networking, online video and the continuing popularity of news websites has meant that an increasing proportion of consumer’s online time in the UK has been devoted to online media,” commented Robin Goad, Hitwise’s Director of Research.
The traffic that Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and the likes generates for online retailers increased in one year from 5.2% to 7.1%. And social networks now generate 58.3% more traffic than webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and GoogleMail). The best performing categories in 2009 were Auctions, Fashion and Department Stores.
“Social networks are a relatively small but fast growing source of traffic for online retailers,” commented Goad. “At present, only a minority of retailers pick up a significant amount of traffic from social networks, but many of those that do have seen a positive impact on traffic. For example, fashion retailer ASOS has a strong presence on Facebook and in March received 13.3% of its traffic from the social network. Another example – in a very different market – is online bookseller Abebooks, which currently receives a quarter of all its UK Internet traffic from social networks, more than it gets from search engines.”
Spot On!
Is this showing a trend that people are willing to buy products in social networks? In the UK, it sounds possible. It could be the next step. We all know that the easy purchase process is a winner – for companies and customers. Thinking of the future of social networks, companies should consider engaging with customers much more on social networks while also integrating ‘light’ e-commerce opportunities in their Facebook Fan pages or in their company profiles at XING. Or at least indicate and lead the way for customers to some good offers or marketing activities. And re-thinking efforts on big spendings for paid search is definitely something that needs to be thought about…
