There's a cost to reaching 1,000 people, and it makes sense in terms of interest level. For example, did they click into the ad, go deeper into more pages, look for information on a product, perhaps make a request for further information or an actual sale. And if a customer does make a request or complains via e-mail, an advertiser must be ready to answer, she says. If you don't answer promptly, you've lost them. Small websites have a role to play on the Internet, if they offer solid, credible information and have a reason for being, she says.
Content is king.
In terms of advertising, while banners are still the main form of advertising on the Internet, other forms such as sponsorships are becoming more important, says Muller. She expects certain advertisers to want to 'own' specific sections of websites, such as, eg. a pharmaceutical company wanting to 'own' the health section of a magazine's website content. Nevertheless, the banner is not dead, she says. In fact, the enhanced creative banner has really taken off, and Canadian advertisers are way ahead in terms of enhanced creative, most of which is coming out of the hot new interactive agencies. They will probably help rejuvenate banner advertising.