Generate Lot's of Advertising Leads From Your Website
by Eric Corwin
Get Your Station’s Website Fitted to Attract New Advertisers
Over the last 5 to 10 years radio has used the internet primarily to extend the station’s brand. In most cases news talk and sports stations have the most compelling websites because they are able to offer the most compelling content tied directly to the station’s programming. Most stations use their websites to offer streaming to listeners, to promote the station and to offer various types of loyal listener clubs. In almost every case stations do not use their websites to reach and market to potential advertisers.
Very few broadcasters that we work with until recently, due to our efforts, have embraced the information age for all of its benefits and advantages. The truth is that 85 percent of B2B purchase decisions begin with an online search. So it’s reasonable to conclude that radio and television stations are no where to be found online when a business is researching potential advertising options. Sure they’ll come up under their keyword—radio or television stations, or if you type in the name of the station but that’s not what we’re talking about.
Most broadcasters still rely on a salesperson to generate his or her leads as well as using their own airwaves to promote interest in their medium as an advertising solution. Broadcasters are slow to adopt new methods of attracting advertisers and for this reason they will continue to struggle in their efforts to regain rate integrity and to expand their advertiser base. Our experience shows us that 5 percent of broadcasters are of a mindset to try to generate leads off of the Internet. The entire broadcast industry is years behind the rest of the advertising world.
Generate Sales Leads via the Internet
In order to generate leads through the Internet a broadcaster must find a resource that has a track record for generating advertising leads; a resource that has a clearly defined plan to reach and cultivate potential broadcaster advertisers on the web. It is not necessary to make a major investment in this type of effort. It is necessary however; to understand that you’re stations are losing thousands of dollars in revenue daily by not utilizing your website to generate qualified leads.
Your online presence needs to be integrated into your present website. We’re not talking about an online media kit or a contact page to reach one of your sales representatives. We’re talking about a specialized area that resides on your website that targets business owners. A business marketing section that doesn’t just promote the benefits of your advertising vehicle but offers solutions and information to help the business owner be better prepared to succeed. Once you identify a company to help you create this section on your website you can then begin the process of using social media to promote and push information throughout the internet. Make sense?
Don’t Try it Yourself
This is not something you should try yourself. Broadcasters are already over taxed and undermanned when it comes to undertaking this type of online strategy. A partnership needs to be built with a lead generation company. Identify a company that has experience with lead generation. Try to create a relationship with an organization that will offer a minimal project start up fee that includes some form of revenue share model that will reduce your broadcast group’s overall risk. Most importantly get started because for every day you wait you’re losing the ability to show up within organic searches on major search engines like Google. Every day you wait you’re missing out on the chance to utilize social media to promote your B2B website efforts and to attract new advertisers. What are you waiting for?
Keeping It Fresh
Creating a business resource section on your website is only the beginning albeit a very important beginning. Once you have created this area you must allocate the resources necessary to maintain and update this area for marketing purposes. In much the same ways as you program your station.
Use this section to attract business owners and marketers. Your station will accomplish this by posting training sessions and seminar announcements, blog items, as well as providing videos pertaining to your solution. All of these tools make the section a destination for potential advertisers and creates a “sticky” area within your website
Your station has the ability to become the local media thought leader, a resource to help local businesses become better marketers. If your station and website provide valuable information that help area businesses then they are more likely to view your station as part of the solution and not just another advertising organization trying to sell them a solution they may not need. Click here for more information.
