Reg,

When you ran all those display ads, were all of them connected to a landing page so you could in some fashion monitor public feedback?

When you ran all those ads, did you ever use "humor" to attract attention? For example, did you tell a joke and provide a landing page with the answer? Or, was the classified ad simply a straight-forward announcement of a product or service?

My take on this is that the simple announcement of a product or service does not work. It does not matter if the ad is classified or display in appearance. If it does not do something to resonate with the reader...if there is no "call to action," it's a waste of money.

If you are selling toilet paper and you say, "Toilet page $2.99 per roll," nobody cares. But, you say, "Please don't squeeze the Carmin'." Suddenly, you are telling the public Not to do something. You've drawn a line in the sand and told the public not to cross it. Nobody even cared that there was this line in the sand until you announced that no one should cross it. Suddenly, everybody wants to know, "What's the big deal with this line in the sand? What do you mean I should not squeeze the Charmin'?" With that silly little statement, you have gone and changed the behavior of the public. And,that is what a good ad does. It changes public behavior. It's not really so much the number of people who see the ad as it is the number of people who care about it. And, people do not simply care because you place something in front of their face. They have to be convinced.

Question: Can anyone be convinced of anything with just 25 words? I don't think so. But, I do believe you can be enticed. I do believe 25 words can entice a person to visit a landing page. Once that person arrives at the landing page that person can be enticed further to take action.

I am not saying that writing a 25-word classified ad and linking it to a landing page is always going to produce stellar results. In fact, I think the exact opposite is true if it is not enticing folks to visit a landing page for more information. However, I do believe it can be done. I do believe it is a cost-effective advertising option that is particularly beneficial when done with numerous businesses through a single ad that is linked to a landing page showcasing those businesses. After all, variety is the spice of life. Why not WOW your audience with its presentation?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901 (new win)