Both newspaper and online-only Web sites can do much to help their revenue per thousand impressions (RPM) by focusing on classified ads in addition to their display ads.
Just to be clear, online classifieds are pure text ads presented in a directly-style format. In effect, they are a form of paid content.
A site that focuses mainly on display ads — say three to four ads per page — will have an RPM limited by those ad positions. But imagine what happens to the RPM when those three to four ads positions are on pages with classifieds.
Several tactics will boost a site’s classified ad volume and market share. Display categories prominently on the home page of your site. Some newspaper sites even display classifieds above the news categories. For a local media site, break out employment, automotive and real estate into separate top-level navigation items.
Promote heavily offline and online to increase awareness of the service. For a big site, distribute fliers to staff and provide training. Repeat the training quarterly to make sure that new hires are covered and existing hires are reminded about the offerings. Place the fliers on the Web site and include links to the classified section of the Web site within the email signatures of classified staff.
For any sitzed newspaper or online-only site, develop order entry pages. The first and most simple approach is a form that can be emailed from the site to whoever on the staff processes the ad. The second and more effective approach is an online order system that is integrated into the newspaper classified system or the online content management system. In addition to building your own interface, numerous vendors are available including TownNews and Kaango. Put “Place an Ad” in a prominent positions on the home page. A CMS such as WordPress has a classified plugin.
Develop integrated rate cards that deliver value. A print and online combination should have discounts for both products when bought together. Print alone should be more expensive than the print part of the combination, and likewise the same for online. If the prospect isn’t attracted to the combination, then the attraction of online’s low price and reach into new audiences has to be the pitch.
Pursue accounts that have never advertised in the paper or on the site or have been inactive for more than six months. In particular, pursue accounts that already advertise with other pure online competitors.
Volume drives more volume. Once the momentum starts to build and your site has more listings than the competitors, the sales effort becomes easier. Everyone likes to hang around the most popular kids in school.
One Response to “Online Classified Ads Build Site RPM”
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Promise Media provides online marketing strategy for content-rich Web sites. It also publishes a guide to best Caribbean vacations to test online tactics.
January 12th, 2011 at 5:43 am
It was very tricky for me to with adsense when I first started. In the beginning I just made sites then made money with Adsense ads, but I really did not ever see much money. I would highly recommend trying out affiliate marketing.