Browse by title articles:

Rich Media- and Content-Relevant Advertising

by Ronni Rhodes    

Personally, I think that the wrong questions are being asked.  Instead of worrying about the size or occurrence of an ad, we should be worrying about its' relevance.We should be concerning ourselves with the fact that online advertising has become annoying to Web surfers.  We should be worried about clutter and overkill.

Consumers who come to the Web want helpful and pertinent information that addresses their specific needs and interests.  They see the Internet as a utility and expect targeted, niche relevant content.  Doesn't it just make good sense to serve ads that complement the content and give the visitor attractive choices?

I think we all agree that the Internet is not television.  It is not a passive medium and encourages users to actively engage in what is being presented at any given site.  The site owner and advertiser need to work together to maximize the customer experience and encourage the customer to buy.Rich media, in its' many different forms, enables advertisers and site owners to integrate ad messages without offending visitors.

As more traditional advertisers start to experiment with Internet advertising, rich media becomes a necessity to showcase the nuances of a brand.  It also allows the advertiser to create more emotional messages like those associated with television.  As the click-thru declines in importance as a measurement of advertising success, the opportunities afforded by rich media - interactivity, full motion, and sound - permit the complexities of a brand to be showcased.

Site owners who depend on advertising dollars a part of their revenue stream should be seeking out advertisers whose product messages enhance and add value to the core product being sold at the site.  (A site selling gourmet foodstuffs would be wise to serve ads for cookware, kitchen accessories, and fine wines, for example.) They also should look for advertisers who are thinking "beyond the banner" and want their brand message to be regarded as part of the content and not an annoyance to site visitors.

What kinds of things can be done with rich media ads? 

* Audio messages can be delivered from a banner offering special promotions.

* Slides and audio can be synchronized to do product demonstrations.

* Games and contests can be used to earn discounts.

* Purchases can be made directly from an ad.

* Sign-ups can be made for newsletters and other publications.

* Video can be imbedded into banners.

* Audio, video and text can be combined to create a television like experience.

  Keep in mind that rich media ads don't force the visitor to leave the site.  The advertiser's message is delivered without interrupting the user's experience - a big plus for the advertiser.  For the site owner, it's an advantage as well - the site traffic remains for a longer period of time giving more opportunity to make that sale!

Streaming audio, video, and graphics, key components of rich media, offer additional opportunities for content relevant messaging.  Selling those gourmet foodstuffs?  A winemaker could sponsor a section of the site that instructs visitors how to match wine with food.  A natural fit with streaming audio.  A cookware manufacturer might want to underwrite a series of cooking lessons.  Effectively done with streaming video.  Streaming slides would be a great way to show how to put together a barbecue grill, courtesy of the advertiser.

Content relevant advertising can also be entertaining as well as educational.  Cartoons, Flash animations, and 3-D imaging can all be used effectively by both site owners and advertisers to engage the visitor and make the buying process a pleasant experience.

Content relevant advertising presents a creative challenge to both site owner and advertiser.  It's far too tempting to limit brainstorming by defining what's technically possible "at this moment."  When this happens, people feel restricted and are unwilling to think beyond perceived limitations.  Advertisers and marketers need to focus on the things that will solve client problems.  Odds are that the technical people will find a way to make it happen. 

I know that a lot of you are thinking that none of this can happen without widespread consumer access to broadband connections.  And, in some ways, you're right.  But broadband is not coming as quickly as we'd like it to; less than 10% of consumers have it at home.  In the meantime, however, some rich media practitioners have developed methods that make the delivery of compelling interactive advertising very bandwidth friendly - good news for those who still surf and interact with dialup connections.

It's time for marketers and advertisers to stop whining and complaining about what isn't working and focus in on what satisfies the end user.  Too many of our expectations for the Internet were based on experiences with "traditional" media, and we would've liked the Internet to fall into one of the existing categories.We've learned with lots of pain and lots of lost dollars that it doesn't. 

Advertising on the Internet is a brand new discipline and requires new approaches for the ever more sophisticated consumer.  Content relevant advertising, delivered in a rich media framework, is a great place to start.


-----------------
Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, an Internet company that specializes in web site enhancement utilizing streaming media technology. With her husband, Don, a digital media engineer, they work with companies to incorporate streaming as part of succ