Each one of us is tormented by life's big mysteries: the chicken or the egg; the intransigence of the soul; Trump's successful comeback. I have enough trouble with the basics, like the difficult
matter of increasing response rates with rich media.
Thankfully, though, Unicast's general manager Larry Allen and its director of marketing, David Berkowitz helped me assemble a short list
of pointers to mind come next campaign:
Clearly define a target market, then execute a media plan to reach it spot-on. From contextual advertising, to behavioral targeting and
geo-targeting, techniques for reaching your target audience abound. But, a less practiced alternative is remarketing to your existing customers--preaching to the choir after retuning the sermon, in
other words. To increase response rates, present your rejiggered creative to consumers who have already expressed interest in, or have viewed, your product before. Know which RM format is
right for your campaign. Align your creative with your media plan, and make the use of what technology there is. While many advertisers run only one creative execution during an entire campaign, they
don't get the most out of the medium. Execute a campaign like a layered story, with a hook, substance, build-up and climax. Develop RM creative that suits your target audience. A basic
idea that some advertisers--presumably overeager to test their most high-impact, "dynamic" formats--tend to overlook Include elements that catch the eye at the beginning of creatives.
Engage target consumers, using host-initiated over-the-page elements like a car skidding across a screen towards your creative, or, maybe, a dollar bill that floats onto your logo. Include
host-initiated video that immediately engages the viewer. Just as important, remember, is the accompanying interactive component to solicit consumers' response, continue their experience, and drive
interaction. Leverage the click-to-full-screen experience. You're not taking consumers to another site, mind you; but just giving them the ability to further interact with the creative and
experience it in a bigger way, is huge. Who doesn't enjoy a bigger picture, or at least the option of viewing one? Give consumers different way to interact with the ad. Let the consumer
control the experience, as some will demand the full monty--whether it's a poll or sending the creative to a friend; other will want a taste; and still others would just like to be left alone. The
cardinal sin in this respect is to hide or, even worse, not provide consumers with a clear exit option. If the ad is executed correctly, you can appeal to several different tastes with one ad. Monitor creative throughout the campaign to be sure everything's going as planned. It never hurts to modify, retarget, or flat-out remove poor performing creative to avoid botched exposures.
There they are. Easy-peasy. Or not. Till next week.
