Often times I see advertising that's absolutely clever. Like the other day I saw a taxi cab. It was a small green hybrid economy car. On the back in large letters it said, Green Cars For Blue Skies! This is brilliant marketing. And often on the internet I see marketing that's superb. In a small picture or a brief sentence the advertiser was able to convey a powerful message that's irresistible.

On the other side of the coin I see ugly advertising. Not in the sense that it's unattractive. What I mean is the presentation is totally wrong for the internet. Or it captures your attention immediately. Then when you click and get to the landing page, it's not what you expect.


Why The Internet Is Different.

At any given time most of the people surfing the internet are looking for information only. They are not in the market to buy anything. You need to give them plenty of information first. Then show them how your product or service will benefit them. If you provide very little information and tons of advertising, you'll lose your visitors instantly. The trick is to create interest in what you're selling right away. There's no time for fancy or elaborate ads that are hard to understand. Then once people click your ad and start reading your advertising copy, it needs to keep them engaged from start to finish. If it's boring or hard to read they'll lose interest quick.

Does this mean internet marketing doesn't work? No. The internet is one of the best place to be for most businesses. All it means is that you need to present your information differently than you do with other media. With internet marketing you need to give your visitors what they want first. Then show them how your product or service will benefit them. Many advertisers do just the opposite.

Here Are Some Things That Work Online.

Attractive, colorful pictures that convey your message instantly.

A short sentence that's irresistible and can't be ignored.

Creating instant curiosity.

Placement. Ads that are placed on related web pages.

Placement. Optimal ad placement on each page.

Headlines that compel your visitors to read more.

Advertising copy that's light (short sentences) and easy to read.

Formatting. Writing for the internet is different than writing a book or magazine.

Plenty of links on your website for more information.

Information, information, information.



Here Are Some Things That Don't Work On The Internet.

Pictures that are not appropriate for your type of business.

Long winded presentations that say nothing.

Too much advertising on your pages.

Too many flashing lights on each page.

Videos, music, and presentations that start automatically.

Disabling the back button on your visitor's browser.

Pop up ads.

Messages that aren't instantly clear.

Selling features but no benefits to your customer.

No formatting to make your pages easier to read.

Colorful backgrounds, wall paper, ... that makes your pages hard to read.

Extremely small fonts and fancy fonts that are hard to read.

Not enough information.

Not enough reasons to buy.

Too many unanswered questions.

Asking for personal information, email address, etc. before building trust.


This was only a brief list of things that are effective and things that will turn your visitor's off. What works? Short paragraphs. Eye catching headlines. Bullets. Keep it simple and interesting. Always write from the perspective of your customer. Answer all their questions. Show them all the benefits of your product or service. Use pictures that say a thousand words. Make your pages easy and fun to read. If you've done your job, they'll buy from you rather than your competition.