Ten Myths of Online Advertising

Ten Myths of Online Advertising

October 26, 2010 Michael Bickerton

Ten Myths of Online Advertising

Interestingly enough, we keep coming across the same objections about the Internet, notably among medium-sized business owners. I’m not sure what’s driving the thought process … is it fear, is it lack of online education, is it lack of online experience, or just plain denial?

As your digital agency representative, I can’t stress enough the need for you, your company and your brand to get your online marketing program underway. Email blasts are easy and inexpensive to get started. Social Marketing channels can be setup fairly inexpensively, and your website’s organic ranking likely needs to be improved. Do you have a blog? If not why not?

In any event, I believe you appreciate my sentiments here, time is of the essence.

If you need a few more reasons, here are ten myths of Online Advertising as provided from iab Canada.

  • Online is not a mass reach vehicle – seriously?
  • Our target audience is not online – everyone is online!
  • Online is not a branding medium – hmmm
  • Traditional media is more effective – and I suppose less costly?
  • Online does not generate offline sales – contrary to all evidence.
  • Online is less efficient than TV – TV now drives views to the net.
  • We have a website, don’t need to advertise – ever heard of the better mousetrap?
  • We don’t know how to compare offline versus online campaigns – call me!
  • Offline sales don’t like/understand online – apparently, they only use Facebook.
  • Clients don’t like/understand online – 15 million active Facebook users must be wrong.

Sorry about the sarcasm, yet I hope you get my point. It’s time you embraced your online advertising programs. Your customers are online, online is effective, it’s measurable, it’s affordable and the fact remains, if you don’t get started you’ll be left behind.

These myths are exactly the reason to get started; ahead of your competition. Like the ostrich, small business needs to get its head out of the sand before it’s too late.

Michael Bickerton, Raven5 Ltd, October 2010


Michael Bickerton, Oakville, ON, October 2010