Ask the Doctor: Q&A Update
Apr 15, 2009 Tom Davis asks: “We have two radio stations in Williamsburg, VA – a Triple A and a Classical. Both well loved. We launched an online daily newspaper – wydaily.com. It is already being read by more people than the twice weekly print paper. How do you get advertisers to take the sample plunge? We’re making progress, but all habits die hard.”
Dr. Ted’s reply: First, congratulations on creating an online daily newspaper. Local is what it is all about and you guys seem to get the joke. Getting advertisers to jump into the web is difficult because even though you exceed print metrics, the metrics required for Internet ads are extraordinarily high. Big city newspapers have millions of weekly page views and they can’t seem to find a way to monitize their efforts. You are finding the same problem.
Why not instead use the multi-platform sell to value ad your radio spots? Try using Internet ads that create value with coupons or specials available only via the web? That will help convince advertisers that Internet ads actually do work.
Isn’t it strange that a print ad may get half the readership but 10 times the ad cost? Advertisers like to see and feel what they are buying. As a fan of traditional media…thank God. Don’t give up. You are a step ahead of the competition and building brand strength for your media products.
