Succeeding in Stormy Economic Times
From Jarvis Coffin, CEO, Burst Media
The advertising world - online and offline - will continue to face significant headwinds from a stormy economy throughout 2009. For Burst Media, this will be our second recession and experience tells us that the recovery may take a while. Fortunately, as before, we are thankful to have a strong financial position, strong infrastructure and technology, experienced people and - most of all - great customers. With our three business units, we feel confident in our ability to withstand and respond to changing market circumstances, and continue to serve the needs of our web publishers.
Our two media units, Burst Network and Burst Direct, are well positioned to serve the spectrum of online marketers' needs. Burst Network is the premier online vehicle for brand advertisers who require highly customizable, fully transparent advertising solutions. Burst Direct, our direct response network, is specifically designed for performance marketers who have compelling offers and aggressive online acquisition goals. These two solutions promote the high value of our web publishers' inventory and fill it with quality brand or performance campaigns.
Our adConductor™ division continues to support the needs of publishers who seek to grow and manage their online reach by building custom ad networks with affiliated high quality publishers that complement their core media property. This growing trend of affiliating with, rather than acquiring, additional media inventory is a key strategy for many large and mid-size publishers.
In 2009, we will build on the substantial work we did in 2008:
- For Brand Advertisers. Burst Network launched 16 vertical audience networks ranging from Moms and Baby Boomers to Cooking and Trendsetters. These networks - hand-picked selections of sites with like content or audiences - show great ROI for advertisers seeking a strong brand impact. Additionally, and thanks to your help, we have introduced a number of unique creative offerings, including the Unicast VideoCube, and the Panraven StoryAd. These creative units run at high CPMs, and we hope you'll agree are fun for your audience and great for your bottom line. In 2009, we plan to refine and grow our vertical networks and implement additional high value creative units.
- For Performance Advertisers. Our Burst Direct division has emerged as a strong contender in the direct response business. In 2008, this meant better fill rates for our Burst Direct publishers, with the same commitment to quality advertising you expect from Burst. For 2009, we will continue to grow this part of the business as many advertisers redouble their performance-based efforts.
- For Advertising Management. In 2008 we began work on important upgrades to adConductor, our ad management solution for single- and multi-site publishers. These changes will become more visible over the course of the year as both user interface and underlying technology enhancements are rolled out. Most important to this is the launch of our Inventory Exchange™, which allows publishers and media buyers to gain access to additional high-quality inventory on an as-needed basis.
The economy will make 2009 a challenging year, but we regard these economic times as a period of opportunity for our company. We look forward to being one of your most trusted and reliable sources for online advertising solutions in 2009 and beyond. Thank you for your partnership.
Regards,
Jarvis Coffin
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adConductor Inventory Exchange and the Instant Network
By Sean Keaveny, Managing Director, adConductor
In the online ad world, the more reach you have to an advertiser's target audiences, the more campaign dollars you can recognize. Building a vertical network is one way to gain reach. However, building a network and establishing affiliate publisher relationships is a complex process that involves recruitment, contracts, and campaign management.
How do you gain access to immediate reach while building a network business for the long term? Our solution is the adConductor Inventory Exchange™, which gives you instant and easy access to high quality brand-safe inventory.
You're minutes away from virtually unlimited reach
adConductor Inventory Exchange connects you to the brand-safe, content rich sites advertisers demand. There are no publisher negotiations and no risk. Our team of Network professionals will pull together the targeted inventory that your advertisers want - with accurate and transparent forecasting - in minutes.
Here's what you get with the adConductor Inventory Exchange:
- Access to thousands of web publisher
- Extended reach beyond your owned and/or affiliated sites
- Advanced demographic and geographic targeting capabilities
- Access to an international audience
- Expanded audience pools for remarketing/retargeting
- The ability to set campaign parameters such as frequency caps and campaign filters
- A dedicated team of campaign experts to forecast inventory, optimize campaign performance and pay publishers in a single, easy transaction
- Data accuracy and systems certification by IAB-approved BPA Worldwide
If you're already an adConductor client, using the Inventory Exchange couldn't be easier. Simply contact your Network Specialist to get on the Inventory Exchange. If you're not yet an adConductor client, contact us or simply send us a request for an inventory forecast. No contracts, no minimums - only an IO is needed to get started.
Contact: Sean Keaveny, SVP Sales
inventoryexchange@adconductor.com
781.852.5231
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Top Tips for Performance Marketers in a Challenging Economy
By Rick Noel, VP, Burst Direct
Performance marketers are efficiency marketers - checking the numbers, pacing their spend, and closely measuring ROI to make sure there is a dollar or more earned for every dollar spent. Are there any other smart ways for efficiency marketers to work?
The answer is yes. There are a few tactics that marketers can employ in this economy that will help them achieve short term and long term objectives:
- Use brand and performance advertising together to yield results. Savvy marketers are starting to recognize the need to invest in campaigns that include both brand impressions and performance metrics. This strategy presents a powerful blend of premium, awareness-building impressions and low CPM, action-based reach.
- Buy media placements from a trusted source. Many media companies have emerged to put their twist on performance advertising. Some of these networks exist solely to arbitrage media across exchanges and other networks. The potential danger in working with these companies is that your advertising message could appear in content that's not appropriate for your brand. When purchasing media, work with networks that provide high quality inventory. Surrounding your message with high quality content can lead consumers to put greater trust in your message and be more apt to choose your offer.
- Focus on Long Tail sites to yield better results. A recent study on online advertising indicates that most web visitors to large online portal sites and general interest web properties do not notice online advertising. The research also points to long tail, interest-based sites - like those represented by Burst Media's ad networks - as a much more receptive place for an advertising message. A study by Advantage Media for YouGov found that 73 percent of visitors to specialty content and niche web sites recall ads on those sites, vs. 12 percent on general interest sites.
- Trust the experts. The trick to being an efficient marketer is to assess, adjust and add value every step of the way. Working with experienced account executives and campaign managers can mean the difference between simply running a campaign, and actively managing a campaign to maximize performance. Performance marketers need to continue to select their distribution partners wisely and be sure that they can trust the people who dedicate time to making their campaign succeed.
Email us today for more information on how Burst Direct can add value to your online performance marketing efforts.
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BlueKai Intent Data Powers True In-Market Targeting Across Burst Media's Ad Networks
By Rowena Toguchi, Marketing Strategist, BlueKai
The Internet is the only medium where shoppers leave reliable and accessible clues as to their intent to make a purchase. Intent data is qualified based on actions such as searches on e-commerce or comparison sites. Intent data is also gathered from respectable and top tier sources including online travel agents as well as auto and retail destinations on the Internet. At BlueKai, we are building the world's largest database of consumer intentions by aggregating valuable shopping and research data from these sources. Advertisers who are new to this valuable tool should be aware of the differences between user data that qualifies as “intent” and user data that is “non-intent.”
Many behavioral targeting technology providers claim to compile “intent data,” but their data is actually “non-intent.” Non-intent data is comprised of general user surfing activities, which may include reading blogs of interest, visiting corporate web sites, or even searching a forum. The way this data differs from actual “intent data” is that it does not show consumer motivation to purchase a product. A user reading about a topic related to a product shows “interest”, while another consumer who is comparing prices on travel packages or searching for availability of a vehicle by make and model qualifies as having specific and actionable “intent”.
Our pure intent data-only model enables us to partner with Burst Media to leverage BlueKai data and offer true in-market audiences across its networks. Because the data is aggregated from across the Internet, it provides the last piece of the targeting puzzle: campaign scale. So when you buy a campaign that uses our data, you can reach a large pool of active buyers in an efficient way.
The advantage of BlueKai-powered segments lies in the ability to control and target very specific in-market buyers across the travel, retail and auto verticals. As a marketer, you can target auto buyers by make and model, travelers by destination city, travel date, or retail intent consumers by a product or brand name.
The depth of segmentation is unprecedented for in-market targeting and the possibilities are endless for delivering the right message while minimizing media waste.
Contact Burst to learn more about BlueKai-powered audiences across Burst Network at news@burstmedia.com.
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Online Insights: Online Privacy Still a Consumer Concern
By Chuck Moran, VP of Marketing, Burst Media
Summary: Online Privacy is a Significant Concern for Web Users
Burst Media conducted an online survey in December 2008 which took a closer look at consumers understanding of online privacy. The survey of over 4,000 adults 18 years and older found that a vast majority (80.1%) are concerned about the online privacy of personal information such as age, gender, income and web surfing habits. The survey also found:
- Three out of five (61.9%) respondents say it is likely that a web site collects non-personally identifiable information - such as a visitor's geographic location or type of Internet connection.
- Less than one-half (44.5%) of respondents say it is likely that web sites track personally identifiable information about web users, one-fifth (20.2%) say it is unlikely, and one third (35.3%) are unsure.
- Three out of five (62.5%) respondents say it is likely that a web site they visit collects information on how they navigate and interact with it.
- Based strictly on the description "advertisements more relevant to interest", only one-in-five (23.2%) respondents would not mind if non-personally identifiable information was collected if ads were better targeted.
Online privacy is a prevailing concern for web surfers. Advertisers must take concrete actions to mitigate consumer privacy concerns and at the same time continue to deliver their message as effectively as possible. One easy way to accomplish this is to layer content targeting on to behaviorally targeted campaigns. Adding content targeting allows advertisers to better target consumer segments with appropriate creative - and in content that is relevant to the viewer. This targeting method brings to the forefront messaging and context - factors essential for advertising success.
Additionally, web publishers must be fully transparent when it comes to the collection of web site visitors' information. They should have an easy-to-find, clear, and concise privacy policy that unambiguously states what visitor information they collect and how they use it.
Consumers are concerned about privacy, but welcome relevant recommendations. Be upfront with them, and they will reward you with their business.
Click here to read the full Online Insights report on Consumer Privacy
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Multi-Platform Targeting: Nokia Interactive Advertising and Burst Network
By Justin Robinson, Business Development Manager, Nokia Interactive
Burst Media has partnered with Nokia Interactive Advertising to provide advertisers with a seamless opportunity to combine an online campaign on Burst Network with a mobile campaign on the Nokia Media Network. As the mobile medium grows, innovative mechanics are being introduced that make mobile work harder as a part of the marketing mix. One such mechanism is Nokia Media Network, which is made up of a wide variety of top-quality publishers, mobile operators and Nokia mobile data services that provide mobile inventory in a brand-safe environment.
Since mobile web pages are uncluttered, each ad unit garners all of the consumer's attention, delivering a 100% share of voice - something that is near impossible in most traditional media today.
A recent example of the one-page, one-ad environment was Hyundai's mobile advertising campaign, which ran on Super Bowl Sunday to coincide with the auto manufacturer's television ads promoting its new luxury vehicle, the Genesis. Hyundai's mobile program included banner ads featuring the Genesis. The ads ran on a Nokia Media Network mobile portal and clicked through to the Genesis mobile website. The campaign received a 3.4% click through rate: and 11% of people who clicked through downloaded a ringtone featuring the Genesis engine's "rev." The one-page, one-ad environment guaranteed Hyundai a 100% share of voice. Hyundai was able to not only capitalize on Super Bowl Sunday, but - thanks to downloadable content - it continued to make an impact after the ads stopped running!
Burst Network and Nokia Interactive Advertising's partnership offers advertisers the opportunity to harness the power of both the World Wide Web and the mobile web. Together, they bring together a powerful one-to-one marketing channel on a wide variety of top quality web sites and mobile publisher partners.
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Publisher Spotlight: Homes.com and ModernMom.com
By Caitlin Quaranto, Business Development Associate, Burst Media
Magnificent ocean views, huge wrap around balcony, granite counter tops, marble floors, and a first class fitness center with an indoor/outdoor pool. Sound like your dream home? Homes.com is the place to find your dream home and make it a reality. As one of the nation's top online destinations for real estate listings, the Homes.com database contains nearly one-million homes for sale including new construction, foreclosures, and rental properties. The Homes.com real estate agent directory allows you to find realtors from more than just one brokerage firm. Homes.com is a new addition to the Burst Network, as of February 2009
Whipping up dinner for a family of six, driving the boys to soccer and your little princess to ballet lessons, and working a full time job? That is just another day in the life of the woman behind the mom. Since January 2004, ModernMom.com has been a Publisher within the Burst Network and a vital part of the Burst Family Builders and Moms Networks. ModernMom.com is a comprehensive guide and community featuring advice on parenting, finance, work, health, wellness, beauty, and more.
News@Burst Contacts & Credits
If you would like to learn more about Burst Media, please locate our inquiry forms from our contact page.
For submissions or feedback to the editor, please contact Noreen Hafez, at news@burstmedia.com.
Co-editor: Natasha Ahmed, Marketing Communications Specialist
Designer, Online Version: Suki Soltysik, Web Designer
Designer, Print Version: Pamela Sosnowski, Marketing Communications Specialist
© 2010 Burst Media All Rights Reserved
