CPM method of advertising could have some gas left.

There is gotta be a way out for publishers...

[Artashes]

I've looked around and I found this forum to be one of the best around in terms of the number of interesting people involved, smart posts and ideas being discussed! I myself very interesting in e-advertising, thus I could not believe I was missing all this fun!

Anyways, just wanted to say HI to all of you. I hope to stay here for a while and share ideas/knowledge, whatever intelligent comes on my mind. :)

HERE IS MY QUESTION(S)

Let's talk CPM method of advertising. I personally think that web site owners could still make profits selling banner impressions (not click-throughs). For that, which is very risky, they simply have to lower the rate so that it comes into direct competition with click results.

In my case, I have over 100,000 unique visitors and about 350,000 page views per month. I have lowered the CPM rate to almost $1 CPM in hopes that advertisers would find it "interesting" to try because the number of clicks is unpredictable and even 3-5 clicks per CPM would cover the cost of what they would have spent on pay-per-click search engine (same 1 dollar or more).

And if you look at the results - you'll still make more money than what Advertising Networks would have paid you (I quit three large Networks because I suspect they cheat - well, that's another topic).

However, no contracts have been made so far... and I don't know whether its good or really really bad... I personally sense the idea is still good, but would like to hear your opinion. Whether publishers like ourselves could break that iced period of no banner impressions selling.

Best.

[scareduck]

The only people I can see with CPMs in excess of $1k are targeted gambling sites. But that's not to say that numbers over $1/CPM are impossible, but you do have to be very focused.

[bluelook]

It depends on the market you are on. The $25 CPM I had was from a Telecomunications/Portal Company (Vizzavi). As to the regular $3 CPM is a Learn English at home business :)
So it wouldnīt operate in the US/UK market, were it isnīt necessary.

Sincerely,

Nuno Oliveira

[bluelook]

Oh, and my site isnīt focused at all... is a general purpose portal... but I have a good agency. Casinos pay $1 CPM for Pop Unders, but I donīt use them on my main site.

Nuno

[powerstar]

"Usually, companies that buy ads, sponsor sections for $100 CPM usually are already known companies and their primary goal is to advertise their BRAND, not their web site. They need exposure, they certainly do not care about the number of clicks."

It is 1998....is it? Branding I didn't hear that word in a long time (about 4 years)

[bluelook]

Have you noticed that most affiliate banners have the url written? Whatīs the purpose: Branding?
People memorize the url, and can go to the site without even clicking on the banner.
So branding has never ended since 98.
And I give you a good example:
The Casino Pop Unders. In the beggining they werenīt just after clicks, but branding also.
They do those massive campaigns to stay above the other casinos...

So branding didnīt died... it just evolved...
to better or worst itīs an opinion, but evolved...

Nuno Oliveira

[jaydash]

What would advertisers rather have: 1 of their ads shown in every 200/300 banners shown on a site that serves millions per day, or thousands of ads shown per day on a site that serves a few Millions pages a month and only has 10 different advertisers?

Not sure if I've made my point, but sites like mine can offer great brand awareness for a couple of months of the year, even if click through rates are lowish at 0.3-0.5%.

A recent report from the UK's main media site was suggesting that in fact cpc/ cpa is dead; that we (publishers) should insist on offering cpm and also, that we should hammer home the ROI of 'brand awareness'.

The standard uk rate is Ģ25 cpm however, in the summer I found that you could buy space on major sites like MSN or whatever for just Ģ1 ROS.

I have recently sold at about Ģ3.25 cpm for 4 Million ads on a deal with a big company, but the problem was that the agency took virtually half my money.

Also, I felt slightly guilty at letting other agencies then 'buy my unused inventory 'at just 65p cpm or whatever. Is that really fair on the advertisers who've signed-up? I would almost rather forego the money from the latter, on principle.

I believe that our site should be able to earn Ģ10 cpm upwards with the right agency, but it's finding an agency that can be bothered to deal with the indy site and promote your site to advertisers - something that we have tried before, but have only really had success in negotiating 'contra' deals (product in return for ads).

Can anyone recommend a good agency in the UK? (not valueclick etc, I'm thinking independant agencies that deal with major clients). We should, by rights, be on Doublclick but our site is only busy for a few months so it's not worth their while.

JD