Webserts are emerging as a digital version of traditional insert programs, where advertisers pay for a link or banner on, for example, a host's post-transaction page. The beauty of the websert is that it attracts confirmed Internet buyers during the purchase process - a time when they are most likely to respond to additional offers.
Fully trackable, webserts generate traffic to the advertiser's own site, and payment is usually made to the host or program owner, on a cost-per-thousand or cost-per-acquisition basis. Using a third-party vendor to host the ads on an intermediate server, negotiate placement and costs, and advise on partnerships can make the entire process operate seamlessly. Two websert vendors explain the benefits of testing into this online channel.
1. Webserts Are for Everyone
"Webserts are a good option for any advertiser, whether it participates in insert media already or not," says Jeff Savastano, sales executive for the Online Marketing Services Group at Millard Group, a Peterborough, N.H.-based direct marketing service provider. Advertisers can profit both from using webserts as stand-alone channel and as an add-on to a print insert program. "We've had people test the websert that haven't tested the insert component," says Robert Stanton, VP of business development for Stanton Direct Marketing in Elmira, N.Y. - which recently launched eSert Network, a turnkey solution for websert advertising.
"When used in conjunction with a package insert, it can be used to reinforce or point out a forthcoming offer or sample," Savastano adds. Stanton points out that smaller marketers can find a good online opportunity in webserts, bypassing the bigger online ad networks which often limit advertisers' control.
2. Achieve Quick Results With No Cost Barriers
Traditional insert programs involve a lot of time and costs to design, print, ship and track the promotion. The turnaround time, Stanton says, for a package insert program may be up to five months or more. By comparison, digital inserts are quick and inexpensive. "The advertiser is immediately able to see the traffic from the source of the ad to their Web site, and the design work required for these ads is minimal ... there are no costs for printing, paper, ink [and] freight as with traditional insert media," Savastano explains. "This offers an opportunity to do something very quickly with results that could be pretty immediate," Stanton says. Savastano warns that traditional package inserts still have a higher response rate and suggests marketers weigh the rising cost of printing inserts against the webserts' lower response rates.
