Marketing 360: Tracking Banner Ads

The Next Era of Digital Display Advertising

Before the Internet age… science marketers relied on printed ads, securing spots in newspapers, newsletters and journals. It was a hail Mary. We knew the average audience reach and had a vague idea about who the reader was. But we had no idea whether our target market viewed the ad. They might not have had time; they might have been away — heck, the dog could’ve destroyed the paper before they took it inside that morning.

Once again, the Internet has revolutionized the way advertisers do business, bringing new benefits to the table. Digital “display advertising” follows the same principles as its traditional printed counterpart. Online publishers offer real estate on their Websites, in their E-newsletters etc., for marketers seeking brand awareness and sales. Advertisers then buy those slots. The fundamental difference comes through the high-quality data we can now collect online, specifically by tracking banner ads.

It’s impossible to get data on each newspaper reader; to see who viewed what pages and for how long. But now, with digital display advertising you can unleash rich and exciting data by tracking banner ads. You can scientifically monitor and revise your online ad spend, directing your money towards the spaces and tactics that have proven valuable — the ones that drive conversions.

Advertisers are leveraging this technology to reach new, targeted people, in the best possible locations. These early branding efforts build out the top of the sales funnel. A variety of tactics (SEO, banner ads, content marketing etc.) are then used to coach the customer through the sales pipeline, with each engagement serving as a touch point.

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You may have noticed those ads that “follow” you? That is called retargeting, a somewhat creepy phenomenon! Yet for advertisers, it’s just the beginning when it comes to data collection. If you’re being retargeted, it means you probably showed interest: you clicked or watched the ad etc. which also means you have a higher probability of buying that product. The goal for advertisers is engagement (interest) leading to conversions (buying something). With an Internet connection we can use technology to leverage the benefits of banner ads in a highly effective and scalable way.

This post is part of Chempetitive Group’s Marketing 360 series. These articles offer a high-level analysis of a very specific science marketing area, delivering a smart overview in just 360 words.