Advertising is about delivering brand messages as well as stimulating action - right away, or in the future.
It would be nice to pay for publication only if advertising "worked" - that is, a reader responded. But mostly things don't work that way, except for a handful of publishers with poor context.
Getting context right is vital to achieving results from your advertising - both in brand banner ads, and in calls to action.
Context refers to the frame-of-mind of the reader when s/he views the ad.
Right context is precious.
Many advertising opportunities have low contextual value for lawyers and other professionals - it isn't a reader in the right frame of mind who's likely to see the ad.
Some publications provide good quality context for an advertisement because the right kind of reader will see your ad. at a time when s/he is making a decision about purchasing professional services, is about to embark on a transaction, or needs help to deal with a financial decision.
The best context for professional services advertising is at the point that your prospective consumer is looking for information from a trusted source.
This makes some publications "naturals" - ideal contexts for advertising - and puts a whole lot more in the "hit and miss" category.
And, context applies to timing, too: day of week, holidays, coincidences with major sporting events or holiday periods, for example.
Think context when selecting publications for advertising placement.
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