BIG
Monetizing Digital
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
BOOK OF
Table of ConTenTs
Introduction Page 2
Digital Benchmark Survey Page 3
Types of Digital Marketing Page 4Advertising Page 4
Banner advertising Page 4
Email advertising Page 5
Native advertising Page 6
Programmatic advertising Page 7
Video advertising Page 8
Digital contests Page 9
Online surveys Page 9
Search Page 10
Social media Page 11
Selling Digital Advertising Page 12 Survey Results Digital sales training Page 12
Article Tips to help you sell digital advertising Page 13
List Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising Page 15
Article Four important things every digital advertisingsales rep should know Page 16
PNA Resources Creating effective digital ads Page 17
Lists Common objections and ways to overcome them Page 18
Article Selling against programmatic Page 19
List Tips to successfully general revenue fromdigital advertising Page 20
Survey Results Revenue-sharing partners Page 20
Digital Advertising White Papers Page 21BENN Marketing Solutions Page 22Lineup Systems Page 23Metro Creative Graphics Inc Page 26ppi Media Page 27
Vendor Guide Page 24
Glossary of Terminology Page 28
Click on the section title to link to that page
InTroduCTIon
As news media organizations in Pennsylvania continue to offer more digital options to both readers and advertisers generating revenue from these platforms remains a top priority
In the pages of this book you will find a summary of valuable information shared by PNA members about their digital initiatives a series of articles and white papers written by industry partners the results of a recent PNA digital metrics benchmark study a glossary of interactive terms and a vendor guide We genuinely hope this content provides inspiration and guidance as your organization continues to grow revenue from monetizing digital
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following PNA members for sharing the details of their digital initiatives with us
bull Altoona Mirror
bull Bucks County Herald (Lahaska)
bull Chester County Press (Oxford)
bull Daily American (Somerset)
bull Daily Local News (West Chester)
bull Delaware Co Daily amp Sunday Times
(Primos)
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Berks-Mont Newspapers
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Main Line Media News Group
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Montgomery Media Network
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Southern Chester Weeklies
bull Duncannon Record Juniata Sentinel
(Mifflintown) Perry County Times (New
Bloomfield) The News-Sun (Newport)
bull Erie Times-News
bull GantDailycom (Clearfield)
bull Gettysburg Times
bull Hazleton Standard-Speaker
bull LNP (Lancaster)
bull Observer-Reporter (Washington)
bull PennLiveThe Patriot-News (Harrisburg)
bull Philadelphia Media Network
bull Pittsburgh Catholic
bull Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
bull Pocono Record (Stroudsburg)
bull Press And Journal (Middletown)
bull Reading Eagle
bull The Citizensrsquo Voice (Wilkes-Barre)
bull The Daily Item (Sunbury)
bull The Indiana Gazette
bull The Mercury (Pottstown)
bull The Reporter (Lansdale)
bull The Republican-Herald (Pottsville)
bull The Times Herald (Norristown)
bull The Times-Tribune (Scranton)
bull The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 3
Digital Benchmark SurveyIn February 2017 the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association reached out to members to learn more about
basic digital benchmarks These are the findings
5frac12 minutes
The average session time for news media companies in Pennsylvania is 5frac12 minutes
In Pennsylvania the average ratio of pageviews to unique users is 19 For example for every 10000 pageviews the average news media property in Pennsylvania has 1900 users
In Pennsylvania the average percentage of mobile traffic is 50
Around the country the average news media digital audiences are 53 mobile exclusive 33 mobile and desktop and 14 desktop
exclusive (NewMediaAllianceorg)
53
14
33
On average 31 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic comes from search engines (Google Yahoo Bing) 31
29 On average 29 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic is from social sources (Facebook Instagram Twitter)
49The average
bounce rate for news media
companies in Pennsylvania is
49
The average percentage of ads sold locally is 49
4 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Types of Digital Marketing
Banner advertisingThe standard units utilized in desktop and mobile advertising
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Broadstreetbull DoubleClick for Publishersbull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from display advertising on your owned and operated digital property
bull Each year we run a contract blitz at each of our four daily newspaper properties During the established week we offer three highly discounted packages that include a mix of impressions and premium positions Clients must sign a 12-month agreement to qualify for these rates Because the packages are offered at a 50-65 discount we keep it limited to 15 - 20 advertisers per newspaper property
bull We offer combinations of traditional print ads plus digital ads to clients ndash a one-two knockout punch to clients who believe they have a digitial presence but admit they donrsquot understand data they may have from social media or their websites We promote our healthy digital data and add that with our print information for a total market campaign
bull Our revenue jumped when we began selling one three and seven day packages in conjunction with print advertising
Banners DefinedAlso known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertise-
ments are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combi-nation of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Offer Banner Advertising
Yes ndash 97No ndash 3
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Table of ConTenTs
Introduction Page 2
Digital Benchmark Survey Page 3
Types of Digital Marketing Page 4Advertising Page 4
Banner advertising Page 4
Email advertising Page 5
Native advertising Page 6
Programmatic advertising Page 7
Video advertising Page 8
Digital contests Page 9
Online surveys Page 9
Search Page 10
Social media Page 11
Selling Digital Advertising Page 12 Survey Results Digital sales training Page 12
Article Tips to help you sell digital advertising Page 13
List Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising Page 15
Article Four important things every digital advertisingsales rep should know Page 16
PNA Resources Creating effective digital ads Page 17
Lists Common objections and ways to overcome them Page 18
Article Selling against programmatic Page 19
List Tips to successfully general revenue fromdigital advertising Page 20
Survey Results Revenue-sharing partners Page 20
Digital Advertising White Papers Page 21BENN Marketing Solutions Page 22Lineup Systems Page 23Metro Creative Graphics Inc Page 26ppi Media Page 27
Vendor Guide Page 24
Glossary of Terminology Page 28
Click on the section title to link to that page
InTroduCTIon
As news media organizations in Pennsylvania continue to offer more digital options to both readers and advertisers generating revenue from these platforms remains a top priority
In the pages of this book you will find a summary of valuable information shared by PNA members about their digital initiatives a series of articles and white papers written by industry partners the results of a recent PNA digital metrics benchmark study a glossary of interactive terms and a vendor guide We genuinely hope this content provides inspiration and guidance as your organization continues to grow revenue from monetizing digital
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following PNA members for sharing the details of their digital initiatives with us
bull Altoona Mirror
bull Bucks County Herald (Lahaska)
bull Chester County Press (Oxford)
bull Daily American (Somerset)
bull Daily Local News (West Chester)
bull Delaware Co Daily amp Sunday Times
(Primos)
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Berks-Mont Newspapers
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Main Line Media News Group
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Montgomery Media Network
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Southern Chester Weeklies
bull Duncannon Record Juniata Sentinel
(Mifflintown) Perry County Times (New
Bloomfield) The News-Sun (Newport)
bull Erie Times-News
bull GantDailycom (Clearfield)
bull Gettysburg Times
bull Hazleton Standard-Speaker
bull LNP (Lancaster)
bull Observer-Reporter (Washington)
bull PennLiveThe Patriot-News (Harrisburg)
bull Philadelphia Media Network
bull Pittsburgh Catholic
bull Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
bull Pocono Record (Stroudsburg)
bull Press And Journal (Middletown)
bull Reading Eagle
bull The Citizensrsquo Voice (Wilkes-Barre)
bull The Daily Item (Sunbury)
bull The Indiana Gazette
bull The Mercury (Pottstown)
bull The Reporter (Lansdale)
bull The Republican-Herald (Pottsville)
bull The Times Herald (Norristown)
bull The Times-Tribune (Scranton)
bull The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 3
Digital Benchmark SurveyIn February 2017 the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association reached out to members to learn more about
basic digital benchmarks These are the findings
5frac12 minutes
The average session time for news media companies in Pennsylvania is 5frac12 minutes
In Pennsylvania the average ratio of pageviews to unique users is 19 For example for every 10000 pageviews the average news media property in Pennsylvania has 1900 users
In Pennsylvania the average percentage of mobile traffic is 50
Around the country the average news media digital audiences are 53 mobile exclusive 33 mobile and desktop and 14 desktop
exclusive (NewMediaAllianceorg)
53
14
33
On average 31 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic comes from search engines (Google Yahoo Bing) 31
29 On average 29 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic is from social sources (Facebook Instagram Twitter)
49The average
bounce rate for news media
companies in Pennsylvania is
49
The average percentage of ads sold locally is 49
4 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Types of Digital Marketing
Banner advertisingThe standard units utilized in desktop and mobile advertising
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Broadstreetbull DoubleClick for Publishersbull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from display advertising on your owned and operated digital property
bull Each year we run a contract blitz at each of our four daily newspaper properties During the established week we offer three highly discounted packages that include a mix of impressions and premium positions Clients must sign a 12-month agreement to qualify for these rates Because the packages are offered at a 50-65 discount we keep it limited to 15 - 20 advertisers per newspaper property
bull We offer combinations of traditional print ads plus digital ads to clients ndash a one-two knockout punch to clients who believe they have a digitial presence but admit they donrsquot understand data they may have from social media or their websites We promote our healthy digital data and add that with our print information for a total market campaign
bull Our revenue jumped when we began selling one three and seven day packages in conjunction with print advertising
Banners DefinedAlso known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertise-
ments are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combi-nation of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Offer Banner Advertising
Yes ndash 97No ndash 3
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
InTroduCTIon
As news media organizations in Pennsylvania continue to offer more digital options to both readers and advertisers generating revenue from these platforms remains a top priority
In the pages of this book you will find a summary of valuable information shared by PNA members about their digital initiatives a series of articles and white papers written by industry partners the results of a recent PNA digital metrics benchmark study a glossary of interactive terms and a vendor guide We genuinely hope this content provides inspiration and guidance as your organization continues to grow revenue from monetizing digital
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following PNA members for sharing the details of their digital initiatives with us
bull Altoona Mirror
bull Bucks County Herald (Lahaska)
bull Chester County Press (Oxford)
bull Daily American (Somerset)
bull Daily Local News (West Chester)
bull Delaware Co Daily amp Sunday Times
(Primos)
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Berks-Mont Newspapers
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Main Line Media News Group
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Montgomery Media Network
bull Digital First Media21st Century Media
Southern Chester Weeklies
bull Duncannon Record Juniata Sentinel
(Mifflintown) Perry County Times (New
Bloomfield) The News-Sun (Newport)
bull Erie Times-News
bull GantDailycom (Clearfield)
bull Gettysburg Times
bull Hazleton Standard-Speaker
bull LNP (Lancaster)
bull Observer-Reporter (Washington)
bull PennLiveThe Patriot-News (Harrisburg)
bull Philadelphia Media Network
bull Pittsburgh Catholic
bull Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
bull Pocono Record (Stroudsburg)
bull Press And Journal (Middletown)
bull Reading Eagle
bull The Citizensrsquo Voice (Wilkes-Barre)
bull The Daily Item (Sunbury)
bull The Indiana Gazette
bull The Mercury (Pottstown)
bull The Reporter (Lansdale)
bull The Republican-Herald (Pottsville)
bull The Times Herald (Norristown)
bull The Times-Tribune (Scranton)
bull The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 3
Digital Benchmark SurveyIn February 2017 the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association reached out to members to learn more about
basic digital benchmarks These are the findings
5frac12 minutes
The average session time for news media companies in Pennsylvania is 5frac12 minutes
In Pennsylvania the average ratio of pageviews to unique users is 19 For example for every 10000 pageviews the average news media property in Pennsylvania has 1900 users
In Pennsylvania the average percentage of mobile traffic is 50
Around the country the average news media digital audiences are 53 mobile exclusive 33 mobile and desktop and 14 desktop
exclusive (NewMediaAllianceorg)
53
14
33
On average 31 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic comes from search engines (Google Yahoo Bing) 31
29 On average 29 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic is from social sources (Facebook Instagram Twitter)
49The average
bounce rate for news media
companies in Pennsylvania is
49
The average percentage of ads sold locally is 49
4 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Types of Digital Marketing
Banner advertisingThe standard units utilized in desktop and mobile advertising
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Broadstreetbull DoubleClick for Publishersbull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from display advertising on your owned and operated digital property
bull Each year we run a contract blitz at each of our four daily newspaper properties During the established week we offer three highly discounted packages that include a mix of impressions and premium positions Clients must sign a 12-month agreement to qualify for these rates Because the packages are offered at a 50-65 discount we keep it limited to 15 - 20 advertisers per newspaper property
bull We offer combinations of traditional print ads plus digital ads to clients ndash a one-two knockout punch to clients who believe they have a digitial presence but admit they donrsquot understand data they may have from social media or their websites We promote our healthy digital data and add that with our print information for a total market campaign
bull Our revenue jumped when we began selling one three and seven day packages in conjunction with print advertising
Banners DefinedAlso known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertise-
ments are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combi-nation of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Offer Banner Advertising
Yes ndash 97No ndash 3
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 3
Digital Benchmark SurveyIn February 2017 the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association reached out to members to learn more about
basic digital benchmarks These are the findings
5frac12 minutes
The average session time for news media companies in Pennsylvania is 5frac12 minutes
In Pennsylvania the average ratio of pageviews to unique users is 19 For example for every 10000 pageviews the average news media property in Pennsylvania has 1900 users
In Pennsylvania the average percentage of mobile traffic is 50
Around the country the average news media digital audiences are 53 mobile exclusive 33 mobile and desktop and 14 desktop
exclusive (NewMediaAllianceorg)
53
14
33
On average 31 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic comes from search engines (Google Yahoo Bing) 31
29 On average 29 of a Pennsylvania news mediarsquos site traffic is from social sources (Facebook Instagram Twitter)
49The average
bounce rate for news media
companies in Pennsylvania is
49
The average percentage of ads sold locally is 49
4 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Types of Digital Marketing
Banner advertisingThe standard units utilized in desktop and mobile advertising
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Broadstreetbull DoubleClick for Publishersbull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from display advertising on your owned and operated digital property
bull Each year we run a contract blitz at each of our four daily newspaper properties During the established week we offer three highly discounted packages that include a mix of impressions and premium positions Clients must sign a 12-month agreement to qualify for these rates Because the packages are offered at a 50-65 discount we keep it limited to 15 - 20 advertisers per newspaper property
bull We offer combinations of traditional print ads plus digital ads to clients ndash a one-two knockout punch to clients who believe they have a digitial presence but admit they donrsquot understand data they may have from social media or their websites We promote our healthy digital data and add that with our print information for a total market campaign
bull Our revenue jumped when we began selling one three and seven day packages in conjunction with print advertising
Banners DefinedAlso known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertise-
ments are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combi-nation of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Offer Banner Advertising
Yes ndash 97No ndash 3
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
4 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Types of Digital Marketing
Banner advertisingThe standard units utilized in desktop and mobile advertising
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Broadstreetbull DoubleClick for Publishersbull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from display advertising on your owned and operated digital property
bull Each year we run a contract blitz at each of our four daily newspaper properties During the established week we offer three highly discounted packages that include a mix of impressions and premium positions Clients must sign a 12-month agreement to qualify for these rates Because the packages are offered at a 50-65 discount we keep it limited to 15 - 20 advertisers per newspaper property
bull We offer combinations of traditional print ads plus digital ads to clients ndash a one-two knockout punch to clients who believe they have a digitial presence but admit they donrsquot understand data they may have from social media or their websites We promote our healthy digital data and add that with our print information for a total market campaign
bull Our revenue jumped when we began selling one three and seven day packages in conjunction with print advertising
Banners DefinedAlso known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertise-
ments are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combi-nation of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Offer Banner Advertising
Yes ndash 97No ndash 3
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 5
Types of Email Offered
bull Dedicated owned and operated eblast allowing advertisers to reach subscribers (print digital or a combi-nation of both) who have opted-in to receive messaging from a newspaperrsquos partners
bull 3rd party eblast tapping into third party lists and big data to reach consumers who have opted-in to receive email advertising from unknown entities
bull eNewsletter sponsorship placing client advertising around news sports or lifestyle content being emailed to subscribers on a scheduled basis
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull AWeber
bull Data Dynamics
bull Infogroup
bull MailChimp
bull PhDesigned
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ThriveHive
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from email advertising
bull We have successfully generated over $100000 in new business with this program However we struggle with the growth of our database
bull We charge for ads within our own weekly email blast
bull This is an easy add-on to print sales
bull We have had decent success bundling print + social boost + eblast for event advertisers
Email AdvertisingReaching consumers through email with paid advertising
Email DefinedIn its broadest sense every email sent to a potential or
current customer could be considered email marketing How-ever the term is usually used to refer to emails sent with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately
Offer Email Advertising
Yes ndash 79
No ndash 21
Which forms of email marketing does your organization offer
10 20 30 40 500
Dedicated owned and operated eblast 237
3rd party eblast 316
e-newsletter sponsorship 421
Other 26
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
6 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Native advertisingBringing the advertorial model from print to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull BrandForge
bull Content That Works
bull Nativo
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from native advertising
bull Native is one of our fastest growing online programs We have a client that does native every week We have also started implementing a niche publication native program that brings in more native advertisements on a monthly basis
bull Include sponsored content in larger packages that includes traditional types of advertising
Native DefinedWhen publishers aspire to deliver paid ads that are so
cohesive with the page content assimilated into the design and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong
Offer Native Advertising
Yes625
No375
Do you create native content in-house or through a vendor
In-house 60
Vendor40
Source eMarketer
842 of all US native ad spending is on social media
did you know
Non-Social Native Spend(in billions)
2016 2017 2018
$1
$35
$2
$3
$4
$5
$221
$502
30 Year-Over-Year Growth projected
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 7
Programmatic AdvertisingTapping into technological solutions and big data to deliver
digital advertising to users wherever they are across the Internet
Programmatic Advertising Defined ldquoProgrammaticrdquo ad buying typically refers to the use of
software to purchase digital advertising as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs human negotiations and manual insertion orders Itrsquos using machines to buy ads basically
Offer Programmatic Advertising
Yes625
No375
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Adblade
bull PhDesigned
bull Simplifi
bull Sovrn
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital surveysbull We launched this program approximately 90 days ago To date we have generated nearly $100000 in new busi-
ness
bull We have had great success in capturing programmatic buys with our local small businesses and our major local businesses A few of our larger print sectionsmagazines have digital dollars built into the packages so we capture a lot of new clients that then extend their buys due to the analytics and reporting we can share with them
bull Utilizing target display and geo-fencing we have been able to help some apartment communities increase their occupancy rate and have the rate be more consistent We geo-fenced some competitors and have seen it result in potential clients reserving their community instead of the one they first visited
Standard Banner The IAB standard size ad units delivered across both desktop and mobile ndash often targeted by behavior demographics or other data available through advertising exchanges and networks
Video Using premidpost-roll in-feed or other forms of video advertising to reach consumers across the Internet
Geo-fencing The delivery of ads predicated on a userrsquos location within an invisible digital fence drawn around particular locations
offer standard banner advertising42
offer video advertising28offer Geo-fencing31
Types of Programmatic Advertising Offered
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
8 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Video DefinedIn online advertising the digital recording of a physical event
or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Types of Videobull Pre mid or post-roll video advertising is the video that
runs before during or after a video is played
bull Infeed video is video inserted onto a page that plays when coming into view
bull Sponsored video is a show or video presented by an advertiser
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Brightcove
bull Fresh Media Group
bull JW Player
bull Locable
bull PhDesigned
bull TownNews
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital video advertising
bull We tell ldquolocal business storiesrdquo through brief 30 second informational videos on our website
bull Bundling video sponsorships with print buys
Video AdvertisingOnline display advertisements that occur
before during andor after a video stream on the Internet
Types of Video Advertising Offered
10 20 30 40 500
Pre mid or post-roll video advertising 37
Infeed video 16
Sponsored video 39
Other 8
Offer Video Advertising
Yes ndash 92No ndash 8
Source eMarketer
did you knowDigital Video Advertising
Spending (in millions)
2016 2017 2018
$2
$68
$4
$6
$8
$10
$56
$94
67 Growth since 2015 75 of video advertisers agree that on-demand video bull Reaches an audience that canrsquot be reached on television
bull Will become as important as original television programming within three years
Source IAB Video Ad Spend Study
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 9
Digital ContestsAppeal to your readersrsquo desire to compete and win
while also collecting valuable lead data
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from digital contests
bull We sell tons of contests Wersquore launching Best of the Best this year which will certainly be our biggest revenue generator to date
bull We have used contests to supplement substantial print ad purchases
bull Wersquore still struggling with a year-long slate of such promotions but the revenue from our ldquoBest of the Bestrdquo promotion doubled (+20k in revenue) with the switch to digital
Digital Contests DefinedContests moved from ROP to the digital world
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull ShortStack
bull TownNews
Offer Digital Contests
Yes625
No375
How has your organization been successful generating revenue from online surveysbull We offer our clients industry-specific survey sponsorship opportunities For example a local auto dealer could
sponsor a general automotive survey
bull Traffic and stickiness provided by the surveys are quantifiable and enhance our sitesrsquo traffic The surveys also provide a general topic appeal even though our websites are hyperlocal
Online SurveysTapping into the opinions of readership
for market research opinion-gathering and profit
Online Surveys Defined A survey conducted through a publicationrsquos
website or application
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull CivicScience
bull Google Opinion Rewards
bull Presslaff
bull Second Street
bull Survey Monkey
bull TownNews
Offer Opinion Surveys
Yes50
No50
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
10 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine marketing (SEM)
bull Advertisers like that they can see phone calls and direction requests from mobile searches
bull We incorporated this service into ALL print sales Only a handful of customers have opted out
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from search engine optimization (SEO)
bull This is a challenge as the success comes when it is a six month or year agreement for SEO Most advertisers have unrealistic expectations so after four months they question the monthly investment as they are usually focused on short term results
bull Search is becoming more and more important as consumers are expecting results faster and faster Although it is a hard-er concept for clients to understand we try to work it into every proposal we can as it is more of a long-term investment to see and understand results
SearchSearch provides the springboard for online research
from finding the latest news to finding a new place to eat
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Defined A form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of
websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Defined The process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web
page in a web search enginersquos unpaid resultsmdashoften referred to as ldquonaturalrdquo ldquoorganicrdquo or ldquoearnedrdquo results
Vendors Used by PNA Membersbull 199Creative
bull AdCellerant
bull EZ To Use
bull OrangeSoda
bull OwnLocal
bull PhDesigned
bull ThriveHive
Offer Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Yes625
No375
Offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes67
No33
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 11
Social MediaRanging from Facebook to LinkedIn the online tools users interact
with daily to stay abreast of news friends and activities
Social Media Defined Social media are computer-mediated technologies that
facilitate the creation and sharing of information ideas career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communi-ties and networks
Yes ndash 833
No ndash 167
Vendors Used by PNA Members
bull EZ To Use
bull Guarantee Digital
bull OrangeSoda
bull PhDesigned
bull Social News Desk
bull ThriveHive
Social media management provides advertisers with assistance with the management of their day-to-day social activity posting content responding to messages etc
Social media advertising enables advertisers to promote their message to an extended audience through social media properties
Promoted posts on newspaper channels allows advertisers to tap into the audience built by local news media companies to reach their audience with their message
offer social media management319
offer social media advertising340
offer promoted posts on newspaper channels
340
Types of Social Media Tools Offered to Advertisers
Which social media channels does your organization utilize for clients
Facebook100 LinkedIn50
Twitter75 Pinterest40
Instagram70 Snapchat25
offer other social media5
Describe how your organization has been successful generating revenue from social media
bull Using social media is a value added extra that often enables us to close a sale with a potential client The reach and ldquolikerdquo etc for our social media feeds far outmuscles anything our clients may have Often clientsrsquo social medial feeds are launch-and-forget-em endeavors Clients quickly find that it takes time and money to make money using Facebook We take that burden off their shoulders by quantitatively comparing our feeds to theirs - in a respectful manner of course
bull Modest success - wersquove generated several thousand dollars per year adding this ser-vice to print ad sales
bull For social media concentrate on traditional newspaper stalwarts (real estate and auto)
Offer Social Media Tools
to Advertisers
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
12 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
13do not provide digital
sales training to advertising sales reps
SellingDigital Advertising
Digital Sales Training
96believe digital sales training is necessary
83provide digital sales training
to advertising sales reps
use internal trainers81bring in external trainers52send reps to outside training43
Recommended training topicsbull Targeted display advertisingbull Programmatic advertisingbull Digital advertising sales techniquesbull Overcoming objections to digital advertisingbull The importance of cross-sellingbull Understanding digital metrics
Recommended trainingtrainersbull PhDesigned
bull LMArsquos Chief Digital Club
bull Simplifirsquos Bullseye along with trainer David McBee
bull PNA
When asked about digital sales training PNA members replied
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 13
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising
Ask any media sales person and they will agree the sales process has become increasingly complex and more difficult over the past 15 years but the goal remains to sell more while maintaining valuable relationships
As the sales process has evolved beyond our traditional products our front line sales representatives are now tasked with selling a wider variety of solutions than ever before An average sales personrsquos products range from our bread and butter products (ROP Inserts etc ) to niche print publications (special sections community magazines etc ) to the newest digital products (desktopmobile display search email etc )
Beyond the rapid expansion of the product portfolio sales teams are also impacted by the continued fragmentation of the media and the disruption caused by the inclusion of digital into a consumerrsquos daily life With less time being spent with traditional media outlets an inclusion of additional elements must be utilized to reach the same saturation levels as were achieved in the past For example a half-page ROP ad does not capture the same share of the consumerrsquos attention as in the past and needs to be supplemented with additional elements (online display on the local news media property is a great option)
In the current environment with increased pressures on sales and a more diverse portfolio it is important for sales people to look at ways to keep their entire product portfolio relevant to the sales process
Pre-Call PlanningBefore the first interaction with the client it is
important to have an understanding of their current situation As with all sales this research helps to build trust with the client and to provide valuable insight to the sales person
With the inclusion of digital the sales person will need to include a few additional elements into their process
bull Does the advertiser currently have a website What is the quality of that websiteWhat is the objective of that website
(Informative or Direct Sales) Is the site optimized for mobile (Test your own
site with Google)
bull Are there online reviews of the advertiser Are they good or bad
bull Does the advertiser have a social presence Are they updating frequently
bull Where does the advertiser appear in a searchEach of these elements can be accomplished quickly
but each of the elements provides valuable information before a sales personrsquos first interaction
For example the availability of a website and its quality will dictate where to direct a digital advertising campaign If the property is of poor quality then alternative (e g linking to their social media presence) options need to be sought Also if the site is not mobile-friendly then mobile advertising elements should not be proposed as part of the campaign
At first a sales person might believe this information will be difficult to uncover but a simple search through a search engine (Google Yahoo Bing) will uncover the above information within five minutes time well spent to uncover important information about a client and to reveal potential pain points
DiscoveryWith pre-call planning complete the next step is the
discovery process This portion of the sales cycle is where a sales person is looking to investigate the advertiserrsquos current situation and uncover potential for
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Continued on Page 14
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
14 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
advertising solutions With the inclusion of digital into the process we are presented with some additional questions to uncover opportunities or threats
For example the following three questions can help uncover advertising needs
If the client has poor reviews online
ldquoI noticed you have a number of negative reviews online Do you think those could negatively impact your businessrdquo
This type of question provides a springboard in the pitch process to propose local digital tools to counter those negative reviews
If the client has an active social media presence
ldquoYou are sharing a lot of information through social media What are you looking to accomplish through your time spent sharingrdquo
This type of question positions the sales person to speak to the restricted reach through social media that brands have only reaching a small percentage of their audience with each post and how they can provide a paid outlet that can better meet the goals they would like to achieve through social sharing
If the client is looking to push sales through their website
ldquoI saw on your website that people can purchase (items services etc) right through your website Are you meeting your goals for online salesrdquo
This type of question can reveal either a positive or negative but with either response an opportunity for sales If online sales are below the goal then new digital advertising can solve that issue If online sales are already above goal the advertiser can capitalize on that success to drive more sales with advertising through their local news media property
The inclusion of digital does not change the function of this step but it does provide additional opportunities to deliver a positive solution to the client
PitchAfter determining the advertisers needs the next
step is to present them with solutions In the pitch phase the sales person is utilizing what they learned through pre-call planning and the discovery process to present a solution
The inclusion of digital does not change this process but there are three points that should be considered while building the pitch
1) The long legacy of print has left many SMB advertisers comfortable with the newspaper as an
option but less so with digital It is important to remember that is highly likely that the local advertiser is less knowledgeable about digital advertising and will require additional education
2) With less knowledge of digital SMBrsquos may doubt its value or be afraid to invest their dollars in an untested product A sales person should remember to share examples or testimonials during the process to help alleviate this fear
3) Small- and medium-sized businesses are contacted regularly by digital advertising providers It is important for a local sales person to highlight the positive differences between their offering (local presence ability to provide a multi-media campaign etc ) over those reaching the SMB through phone or email outreach
With the sale finalized (ideally ending with a strong close) the process continues to the next step
Follow-UpAfter the sale the process is not yet complete With
digital the advertiser does not receive a tangible product as a result (i e tear sheet or physical copy) This lack of tangibility can lead to doubt of the productrsquos
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
Continued on Page 15
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 15
Tips to Help You Sell Digital Advertising (cont)
effectiveness To alleviate these doubts and drive repeat sales the sales person should be prepared to provide two items
1) A screenshot showcasing the copy delivered2) A traffic report that tells the story of successThe final traffic report should adapt to the knowledge level
of the client While more sophisticated clients will be satisfied with a straight forward reporting of impressions and clicks the average SMB needs to have the report explained The sales person should be prepared to explain impressions in terminology the client will understand as well
as explaining the benefit of the campaign beyond the click (driving engagement in the same way traditional advertising does)
At first glance the addition of digital may appear to be difficult to accomplish but with a small amount of practice and short investment of time per client it can be accomplished with beneficial results Bringing digital to a client helps to cement the sales person as a valuable marketing source and raises a barrier to entry from other advertisers looking to capture a portion of the clientrsquos dollars
Tips to help traditional print reps overcome their apprehension about selling digital advertising
bull KISS ndash Keep it Simple Stupid Encourage sales reps to provide advertisers with a set of offers and make them very simple
bull Conduct four-legged sales calls with a digital specialist or sales manager to help gain knowledge and confidence
bull Emphasize the benefit of capturing your publicationrsquos ldquototal audience rdquo Print customers are important but so are readers who only use their phone for news and information ndash and itrsquos in the advertiserrsquos best interest to capture both
bull Implement a very competitive commission plan that rewards digital sales efforts As reps see more advertisers gravitate to digital it will become less of a concern
bull Create pre-built multimedia packages to see total audience across print radio digital events etc
bull Focus on the number of users and impressions available from all forms of media in combination
bull Provide extensive training and daily reminders
bull Remove the communication barriers ndash make sure print reps have the help and support necessary and make it financially worthwhile
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
16 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Why is exchange pricing important
While many advertisers prefer to work directly with a publication to receive premium inventory if the price is 4x-5x more than what is available through ad exchanges it becomes difficult to justify the difference
What is above the fold The digital industry has made a
habit of ldquoborrowingrdquo from traditional media and in this case they are using a print term In newspapers an above the fold ad appears above the crease On a website an above the fold ad appears before a user scrolls down Above the fold ads are more viewable and tend to drive higher interactivity
Four Important Things Every Digital Advertising Sales Rep Should Know
Working with advertisers advertising agencies and media placement firms on digital advertising placement can be difficult From quick turnaround requests and limited information provided to multiple revisions the task of responding to their needs can be arduous To simplify the process here are some suggestions
Have site information easily availableMost advertisers are not interested in your pageviews session times or other
metrics (maybe they should be but it doesnrsquot come up often) They are interested in some other core information
bull Which is the most highly trafficked day on your site Is it the same for both desktop and mobile
bull What are the most highly trafficked sections on your site We can generally assume this will include news and homepage but what about your entertainment business or lifestyle content
bull Which ad units do you have available on your site and where are they located Which are above the fold (which every premium advertiser is interested in)
bull How much of your traffic is in-market and how much is out-of-market This is particularly important for sites that do not offer geo-targeting or have an upcharge for that targeting
Know the basicsAlthough print is still king in our industry it does not inspire confidence when an
advertising sales representative for the publication doesnrsquot know standard digital information Having this information readily available both shortens the time to respond and helps to build confidence in the propertyrsquos digital abilities
bull What are your ad specs More than just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date information on the types of files that are accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file size limitations and other similar information
bull Be prepared to present your ad units both desktop and mobile as a blended CPM With the volume of traffic coming in from mobile most advertisers would like to include it - but having separate rates by size or medium makes it more difficult and hampers optimization efforts
bull Know what your floor rate is and be aware of what rate your site is being sold for through online exchanges
bull Be aware of the targeting options that exist on your owned and operated property and understand how they are different from any extended networks you may have In general when a request is sent through to your site advertisers are looking for your owned and operated inventory not a network option
bull Know the difference between standard ad copy and 3rd party ad tags Remember when receiving 3rd party tags billing will most likely be based on the reported numbers from the 3rd party
Continued on Page 17
By Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 17
Providing traffic reports
A traffic report alone is just a series of data It is important for reps to provide context on reports in a timely fashion Explaining value highlighting any under-delivery and telling the overall story are essential functions of reporting
The rich media option With news media propertiesrsquo
digital traffic being on average over 50 mobile it is important to not exclude that traffic from your rich media packages If animated options are not available on your mobile platform consider offering a mobile roadblock as a supplement
Four Important Things (cont)
Be prepared for rich media requestsRich media options help distinguish a property from the general banners
available through programmatic advertising When rich media options are requested be sure to include the following information
bull Estimated impressions bull Ad specs - not just the sizes but be sure to have the most up-to-date
information on the types of files accepted (does your site accept HTML5) animation limits file sizes accepted and other pertinent information
bull Include any templates or examples bull Detail whether the rich media option (homepage sliding billboard or news
section front takeover) covers desktop mobile or both bull If you are offering rich media on news sports or other popular channels be
sure to clarify whether you are offering the entire channel or just the section front
Common questionsAlthough every advertiser is different here are some frequently asked digital
advertising-related questions bull What is the available inventory For each campaign an advertiser needs to
know the targeting the cost per thousand (CPM) and the forecast of available inventory While you may not have this information at your fingertips a rep should know how to get the answers quickly and easily
bull What is the share of voice When an advertiser requests this information they are asking for the volume percentage their campaign will achieve For example if 100000 impressions are available overall on your news channel and the advertiser purchases 10000 during that timeframe they are achieving an estimated 10 share of voice
bull What delivered With the intangible nature of the digital product delivery reports are more important than ever before Reps should be prepared to provide timely screenshots to confirm that the campaign has gone live along with monthly traffic reports
With the changing nature of the digital landscape what is true in 2017 probably wonrsquot be true in 2020 but the above points will help prepare any sales representative to effectively respond to their clientsrsquo requests for digital solutions
Please share your ideas about other important digitally-focused things to know or suggestions about how to better work with advertisers by emailing Matt Caylor at matthewcmansimediacom
resources from PNA
Create Effective Digital AdsHelp your advertisers develop more effective digital ads by sharing
important tips with them Download this marketing flyer at httppanewsmedia orgwhy-newspapersmarketresearchmarketing-sheets
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
18 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Common Objections and Ways to Overcome Them
Most common objections to digital advertising
bull We have a bad website
bull The sales cycle is too long with digital
bull My teenager does my digital marketing
bull I donrsquot understand digital
bull It costs too much ndash it should be free with a print advertising purchase
bull Digital CPMs are too high
bull I havenrsquot seen any results from digital
bull Facebook is all that I need
bull Digital advertising is too confusing
bull Irsquom already working with another media company that offers the same digital services
bull Irsquom unable to find my ad online
bull How do I know that itrsquos working
bull Website metrics are too confusing
bull The Internet has credibility issues
bull Why rob Peter to pay Paul ndash Irsquom already spending with you
bull We have enough business
bull We only believe in traditional media
bull Itrsquos too new ndash Irsquom not ready to take a leap of faith
bull Irsquom already buying your site through programmatic
bull Irsquoll do it in the future
bull Irsquom doing it internally
Keys to overcoming advertisersrsquo objectionsbull A client was managing Google AdWordstrade on their own for years
and felt it didnrsquot result in an increase in sales We asked them several questions ndash how do you measure success How do you track your campaigns Is your website designed to get the results yoursquore looking for They said that making a sale equals success they had Google Analytics set up but barely tracked anything and their website wasnrsquot designed to effectively collect leads We reviewed our process and discussed how we can alleviate the stress of them managing the campaign in-house We also discussed setting up goals and reviewing their analytics regularly We also noted that their website wasnrsquot mobile friendly and it didnrsquot promote any actions that led to a sale At the end of the meeting the client agreed to work with us because we showed the value in our service and we gained their trust because we were able to show our expertise and make suggestions that they felt would benefit their business
bull Many advertisers say theyrsquore already doing Facebook and donrsquot have a need for our other digital services Our reps are trained to educate the advertiser about the importance of using impression-based or targeted campaigns to enhance their digital reach
bull When a client indicates that they are already working with another media company that offers the same products we look for other solutions based on their needs ndash it might be print options or we might be able to offer digital solutions that other media companies donrsquot offer
bull Advertisers generally donrsquot understand digital They know that they need it so once we can explain things and assure people we have no contracts they are more open-minded to trying things
bull Our SMBs are confused by digital Wersquove had the most success with social media upsells Our sales reps are comfortable explaining how social media networking works by using our companyrsquos network to expand reach
bull When advertisers express concern about our website metrics being too low in comparison with other media outlets we respond by saying that our website is a work in progress and wersquore a niche publication that attracts a unique audience that other websites donrsquot deliver
bull For advertisers who arenrsquot interested in digital because therersquos no hard deadline for advertising we educate them about the importance of including digital in their media mix and try to create a sense of urgency to get started
PNA asked its members to describe the objections to digital advertising their sales reps encountered and share tips on how to overcome them This is what they said
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 19
For sales people operating in the local space a common rejection heard from advertisers is the lure of the low cost of programmatic advertising Be it directly through Facebookrsquos highly-targeted ad engine or through services available to SMBs such as Google Ad Sense it is often the discussion of rate (generally lower than news media propertiesrsquo digital offerings) and reach (generally wider than what a local media site can offer) that raises questions
Whether it is ldquoI already advertise through Googlerdquo or ldquoyou are too expensiverdquo these words may be painful to hear but like any objection are not insurmountable
To begin letrsquos consider the strengths of print and digital newspapers
Authentic Local ContentJournalists work tirelessly to fill the pages of both print and
digital with quality content This content is not available through aggregation services like Facebook and is not guaranteed by digital advertising networks Only you a representative of a local news media company can guarantee placement into your publication and offer the opportunity to pair an advertiserrsquos message with quality local content
Does authentic local content matter Yes it absolutely does A recent study from comScore ldquoThe Halo Effect How Advertising on Premium Publishers Drives Higher Ad Effectivenessrdquo confirmed that advertising on premium content sites drives a 3x boost in brand favorability as compared to advertising on general (blogs social media gaming etc ) digital properties
Quality PlatformsWhile local content is a powerful
tool it is not the only aspect that drives higher brand favorability and engagement
Looking to the same comScore study research shows that ads on news media properties are more likely to be seen by an actual human being
Ads on news media properties are more likely to be ldquoviewablerdquo (not below the fold or hidden in some other fashion) than other properties
Ads on news media properties are less likely to be consumed by automated programming (bots = invalid traffic)
No one wants to buy ads that are not being seen or are being consumed by computer programs They want to buy
ads that will help drive sales push foot traffic to an event or build awareness of a brand These activities are ones where news media properties through both digital and print excel
Local Sales TeamYou have probably never heard a small or medium-sized
business say ldquoI was on the phone with GoogleFacebook yesterdayhelliprdquo and itrsquos unlikely that this will occur anytime soon These mammoth companies and others in the digital space push consumers to use automation and dashboards in stark contrast to the white glove service offered by local sales representatives
Local news media sales teams have boots on the ground in their market and this provides distinct advantages to the advertiser including
bull Intimate and historic knowledge of the local market bull The ability to build a one-to-one relationship with clients
and to fully understand their needs bull The willingness to call them back when something isnrsquot
going as planned
Struggles in the World of ProgrammaticThe strengths of programmatic advertising cannot be
ignored ranging from in-depth targeting to the massive reach that can be achieved But like any other media in todayrsquos disrupted advertising ecosystem they face their own challenges
Anyone who is buying advertising programmatically should consider the following
YouTube is currently facing a very prominent struggle with placing advertising around objectionable material This fight could cost YouTube over $750 million in advertising revenue according to the Advertising Age article titled ldquoWho wins and who loses in YouTubersquos falling out with brands rdquo Therefore advertisers are encouraged to reevaluate their programmatic campaigns
In an article titled ldquoWhat is an untrustworthy supply chain costing the U S digital advertising industryrdquo the Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that ad fraud the delivery of ads to non-entities accounts for a loss of $8 2 billion annually This issue primarily impacts digital networks exchanges and trade desks
While a good sales person will focus on the strengths of their products it is important to keep advertisers informed about the risks involved with other options
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter advertisers who are utilizing programmatic advertising but by focusing on the strengths of news media sales reps can secure new ad dollars from these advertisers
1
2
3
4
5
0
Invalid Traffic
News Media
22
35
General
10
20
30
40
50
0
Viewable
News Media
5045
General
Selling Against ProgrammaticBy Matt CaylorPNAMANSI Media
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
20 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Generating Revenue
Revenue-sharing partnersRevenue-sharing partnerships provide news media organizations with the opportunity to generate
revenue through various arrangements and agreements with a variety of companies
PNA members have worked with the following revenue-share partnersAdblade bull Bankrate bull BENN bull Carambola bull CitySpark bull CivicScience bull Crowdynews
DoApp bull Flipp bull Google surveys bull Legacy bull SendtoNews bull TheStreet bull Taboola
Participate in Revenue-Share Agreements
Yes 54
No 21
Not now but are interested in doing so
25
10 20 30 40 500 60
PNA members share tips on ways to successfully generate revenue from digital advertising
bull You really must believe in digital to sell it bull Create a digitally-focused culture Be sure newsrooms are
posting breaking news videos updating social media pages etc
bull Find the right mix of chasing the lsquoshiny new toyrsquo while continuing to monetize the products you already have
bull Explore platforms that will engage your readers bull Integrate digital into the daily practices of ad sales reps
and keep it easy for them to sell bull Bundle digital advertising with print advertising bull Start small ndash attach one or two digital ideas to a print
campaign and allow it to grow organically from there bull Be sure your pricing model and product catalog is a fit for
the advertiser ndash have something available for clients large and small
bull Provide metrics for potential advertisers on anyall digital platforms available
bull Set client expectations upfront ndash itrsquos a mix of science and art
bull Donrsquot accept advertising clients who will lsquotryrsquo digital for 30 days ndash they need to buy in for a longer term to see results
bull Know your limits with digital knowledge ndash and be transparent about it
bull Have patience with clients ndash be prepared to overexplain the details
bull Share testimonials from satisfied advertisers bull Focus on unsold inventory and work to maximize the
revenue from networks and programmatic bull Stay educated bull Provide sufficient digital training to ad sales reps bull Use pure digital experts to train print reps bull Incorporate four-legged sales calls into the ad sales
process bull Hire a digital sales manager bull Overpay for quality people bull Support everyone involved in digital ad sales bull Partner with lsquobest in classrsquo vendors and donrsquot be afraid to
introduce them to your customers bull Never stop innovating ndash brainstorm new ideas and go sell
them
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
DigitalAdvertising
WHITE PAPERS
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
22 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Building a Digital Agency 101White Paper
By Jill Kirsch Senior Manager of BENN Marketing Solutions
THE WHATS
What digital services will your team be selling
From website design to AdWords to programmatic display to Facebook to reputation management to LinkedIn to SEO to native to video It is great to have a vast portfolio of products and be a ldquoone stop shoprdquo where your client can get anything The problem is unless you have significant financial backing you are going to spread your resources too thin trying to sell and then deliver all of these different services Sometimes it is best to start with one product and grow from there
What are your financial goals
You need to have an extreme amount of clarity around what you want and what itrsquos going to take to get it While you arenrsquot going to see the entire path to your goal you do need to know exactly how much of your product or service you need to sell what itrsquos going to cost you to sell the necessary amount and exactly what itrsquos going to cost to deliver
What is your projectedideal profit margin
In my opinion more agencies need to focus on the profit margin Profit margins vary for each of the digital solutions The following range of profit margins are based on my experience with other traditional medias as well as with agencies
Digital Solution Estimated Profit Margin
Programmatic Display 30 to 50
AdWords 18 to 35
Paid Social 18 to 40
SEO 40 to 50
Reputation Management 50 to 60
THE WHOS
Who is going to be selling the digital services
Your traditional reps This has worked in other markets and it seems the critical pieces are motivating sales reps to learn the products and then go out and sell them The big ldquowhordquo is who will be training the reps as itrsquos not just a one-time training Some platforms like Simpli fi offer training videos and webinars which can be helpful in increasing the digital knowledge of your sales folks You also need specific policies and procedures in place for them to follow on a daily basis This isnrsquot micromanagement This is about equipping your team with best practices and a solid framework for how to execute their jobs One of the most common
reasons people quit is because of a lack of support and infrastructure You canrsquot just hand people a phone and computer and expect them to make things happen Every once in a while a superstar comes along but nonetheless all teams need specific guidance and expectations to be set OrHire digital sales folks This has also worked in other markets Some concerns were how they were structured with traditional reps -- are they assigned to a team do they do four-legged calls who is responsible for collecting keywordsads etc for their digital marketing
THE HOWS
How will the campaigns be fulfilled
There are three options (1) Self-fulfillment with campaign managers or (2) Managed services by outsourcing or (3) A combination of the two
Here are some pros and cons for self-fulfillment and managed services
SELF-FULFILLMENT
Pros
bull Campaign managers can join sales folks on callbull Hands on optimization which is helpful because
they understand the communities and geographic areas
bull Full transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
Cons
bull Finding qualified campaign managers bull Sales reps being too dependent on the campaign
managers to help them sellbull Salary and benefit costs
MANAGED SERVICES
Pros
bull Less overhead costCons
bull Less transparency of where and how your clientsrsquo digital dollars are being spent
bull Communication turnaround timebull Usually unable to help on direct sales callsbull Challenge to find one vendor that has fulfillment
for all digital solutions
BENN Marketing Solutions is a digitally-focused marketing company wwwbennsolutionscom bull (888) 576-4537
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 23
Ask anyone working in the media industry and they will tell you the times have changed In fact the modern media landscape has been altered so dramatically and been written about so profusely that nearly anyone you ask will have an opinion on the downfall of traditional news organizations Yet whatrsquos not talked about enough are the success stories The
new approaches and initiatives that are turning the tide for media companies who have not only understood the new media world but have put progressive strategies in place and invested in technology to exploit new revenue opportunities Letrsquos look at three key trends and the tools that are making the difference between failing and thriving
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPEHow media companies are using technology
BY LOU CICIO LINEUP SYSTEMS
Louis Cicio brings more
than 25 years of leadership
experience to his role
as president of Lineup
Systems Often described
as a pragmatic leader Louis
employs an entrepreneurial
approach in translating ideas
into actionable solutions
while building and sustaining
top-performing enterprise
software teams
1
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
24 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
The age of digitization has delivered some tough blows to print media Acknowledging that ldquomoney follows eyeballsrdquo and in an attempt to grow both bigger print and digital audiences media companies have turned to mergers and acquisitions for growth and scalability This consolidation has led to the desired portfolio capabilities
and larger audiences but it has also introduced a new level of complexity to the business Companies that have combined several if not hundreds of media brands into one operation have
Pureplay digital companies continue to grow at a staggering pace and this poses another great challenge for traditional news organizations Letrsquos take Google and Facebook for example together these two players receive one-fifth of total global ad revenue This small number of players capturing a large portion of available ad spend has rapidly diminished market share for traditional news outlets However while we all agree that Google and Facebook arenrsquot going anywhere soon there are opportunities for traditional media companies to begin recapturing some of the revenue lost to these pure-play digital competitors
been left with the headache of how to effectively integrate portfolios and channels effectively to maximize their investment The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the
importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
One such company is Gannett which after a long series of wisely chosen acquisitions is today considered one of
Many media customers are seeing an increasing number of advertisers return-ing after trying local advertising programs with companies like Groupon and Yelp and finding those sources failed to help them connect with consumers in profit-able ways At its peak Groupon had op-erations in nearly 50 countries Today it has cut its operations back to 15 markets shedding 11 in the last quarter alone This is because single channel audience solutions are increasingly being replaced with multi-media ad lsquopackagesrsquo offering greater engagement performance and relevancy for marketers
This bundle approach is not new
the largest media organizations in the world The company owns 128 local media organizations across the country as well as USA Today and has relied heavily on technology to tackle the challenge of how best to integrate new titles into its portfolio and optimize disparate ordering systems complex workflows and redundant processes their acquisition strategy has created
The implementation of a media sales solution enabled Gannett to rollout a plan to retire 52 legacy systems and associated maintenance costs The system also established a single customer view across its multiple operations and media channels for the first time in the companyrsquos history which provides a vital foundation for more aligned customer relationship manage-ment strategies and sales approaches And the flexible web-based platform infrastructure of the solution ensures faster integration and reduced IT costs for any future business acquisitions
but media companies are becoming increasingly smarter in how they create packages to achieve diversified revenue growth By leveraging technology innovations media companies now have a single holistic view of their audience offerings combined with the ability to create and manage complex multi-channel ad campaigns
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION
A CHANGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
trend 1
trend 2
The companies that have succeeded have understood that it is not just a merger of people but a new way of thinking and operating across the entire business They have also understood the importance of simplifying their technology solution to enable this change
Combined Google and Facebook net one-fifth of the total global ad revenue
2
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Todayrsquos advertisers have more choices than they can count In the past traditional media companies saw a large percentage of their revenue come from agencies responsible for arranging advertising on behalf of their clients Today that revenue stream is dwindling as media organizations begin to dive deeper into offering agency-like services such as the development of branded content and creative services This shift means media sales organizations need to rely on their direct sales channel more than ever before
However at a time when media organizations have a great need for top talent therersquos a shortage of it available in the market Declining advertising revenue forced many stars out of the business Developing new talent takes time most of us donrsquot have but that time can be
cut in half with technology solutions that delivers the insight a salesperson needs to understand which customers are most likely to buy which product where the best revenue opportunities are and guides them through the process of building the multichannel packages that todayrsquos advertisers seek Technology and CRM advances have automated the previously laborious multi-channel order management process and provided actionable business intelligence for enhanced sales strategies
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be
lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones The old model where sales reps spent most of their time in the office coordinating orders and campaign pitches isnrsquot sustainable or cost-effective True cloud-based technology has answered this call providing sales with mobile tools that offer access to customer information real-time inventory availability and the ability to conduct business from anywhere The best media organizations are exploiting this capability to enhance sales performance
THRIVE IN A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Todayrsquos sales people also need to be lsquohuntersrsquo actively in the field building relationships with existing customers and developing new ones
In a tremendous time of transformation growing advertising revenue isnrsquot easy but as many progressive media companies are already proving itrsquos certainly not impossible The difference between surviving and thriving boils down to creating efficiencies that enable your organization to manage consolidation keep ahead of the competition and provide sales with the tools they need to exploit opportunities Technology as you can see is a true enabler
IN SUMMARY
WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO CUSTOMERS THAN EVER BEFOREtrend 3
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology with headquarters in Broomfield Colorado Our cloud-based solution Adpoint is the worldrsquos 1 media sales system Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Find out how Lineup can transform your media business
Email saleslineupcom Visit wwwlineupcom
25
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
26 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
metrocreativeconnectioncom bull 800-223-1600 bull servicemetro-emailcom
Creative ideas and inspiration utilizing content from your Metro services
By using similarlayouts and thesame typechoices thisloungecampaignbecomesimmediatelyidentifiable aspart of a seriesWhile individualads containdifferent offerstogether theydeliver a moreexpansivemessage andgoal from theadvertiser thatthe readershould visitthem daily
Each issue of Campaigns amp Classified deliversmultiple campaign opportunities including a 13-timecampaign Sell it for a quarter-year weekly campaignor schedule multiple runs in any given week thechoice is yours Similar colors and layout makes iteasy to continue the campaign with additional ads
Successfulcampaigns caninclude multiplead sizes plusprint and digitalcomponentsMetro offersready-to-presentcampaigns thatcan get youstarted
P1609B07001C
Good vs Bad AdsWinning Strategies for Campaign SellingPublishers who speak to Metro often note their desire to sell more ad campaigns While publishers know that more linage equals morerevenue theyrsquore often frustrated that their staffs donrsquot sell ad campaigns as often as they would like Publishers cite various reasons for thelack of sales including the usual suspects time knowledge and resources In this installment of our series wersquoll define what constitutes acampaign and address some strategies for making successful campaignsWhat Is a CampaignAn ad campaign is a series of ads designed toaccomplish a specific goal Itrsquos campaign season inthe political world and ad campaigns can bethought of in the same way that political candidatesapproach their campaigns For example politicalcandidates make multiple stops around a giventerritory often repeating the same or similarinformation with a goal of convincing people to votefor them On that same note ad campaigns typicallyappear multiple times and through the power ofrepetition deliver the advertiserrsquos message with agoal of compelling consumers to choose their goodsor servicesToward that goal a campaign can be a series of same-size ads differently sized ads print and digital ads orany combination thereof Campaigns may include smallteaser ads that point to a larger ad in one edition orspan multiple weeks across various platformsWhy CampaignsThe justifications for campaign selling are clearbull Advertisers gain more exposure and recognitionbull Consumers gain a better understanding of what
the advertiser is offeringbull Campaigns generallly deliver better results than
one-time adsbull Campaigns offer more linage and revenue for you
Elements of Good CampaignsWhen it comes to campaigns same is goodCampaigns work because of the power of repetitionTherefore the design of ads within a campaignshould always be similar if not the same This includesbull Same typographic choicesbull Same type of ad bordersbull Same style imagery
Ads within a campaign that appear similar connectwithin the minds of consumers The similar look alsoopens possibilities to change colors sizes or copyheadlines and messages as well as move from printto digital platformsPrint vs DigitalMany publications are attempting to sell campaignsby bundling digital Web and mobile ads with printThis approach can be effective at getting advertisersthe exposure they desire among the widest range ofconsumers However there are innate differencesbetween print and digital that need to be consideredwhen creating multiple platform campaignsThe first difference is the call to action Whereas printads traditionally ask consumers to come into the brickand mortar site or call a number to make a purchasethe call to action in digital Web and mobile ads is oftena ldquoclick hererdquo suggestion That click may deliver theviewer to more information or directly connect them tobuy the goods or services at that time Since the vastmajority of small retail businesses are not currently setup to sell online these businesses must considerincluding a succinct call to action in the limited space ofthe digital realm Another difference is space Digital ads are more like billboards than print ads That is why digital adsgenerally limit the message to no more than seven to10 words These limitations make it virtuallyimpossible to create the exact same ad for digital andprint campaigns That makes the link within the digitalad mdash where you send your viewer mdash very importantMaybe you want to refer your digital viewers to the print ad by delivering a coupon to them whenthey click or use the link to direct viewers to theinformation contained in the more expansive print adConversely maybe your print ads want to refer to thedigital ads for more information or discount specials
No mater the situation consider the strengths andlimitations of each platform to best reinforce theadvertiserrsquos messageSelling CampaignsAdvertisers are different so each campaign needs tobe developed individually The knowledge you gainabout your prospect through your initial meetings willhelp you develop a campaign that works for them
Regardless of which way you decide to go with acampaign having presentation-ready spec ads arevital to the process An entire campaign mdash or at leastthe start of one mdash will have a much greater impactthan a conversation about a prospective campaign
Metro CampaignsIn our time-crunched world anything that helpsfacilitate the process can only be a good thingMetro delivers developed campaign spec ads forprint and digital in every issue To view a selectionselect Campaigns under the Ad Type menu in theMCC Creative Library along with relevant keywordsSee ads that have complementary digital spec adsby clicking the Print with WebMobile box under theSpec Ad FiltersIf you routinely need more campaigns explore thepossibilities MiADreg Wizard and MiAD Desktop can offerPlus the Campaigns and Classified service includesready-to-go multiple-ad campaigns up to 13 weeksCall our Client Services Team at 800-223-1600 for moreinformation or e-mail servicemetro-emailcomSell more campaigns and get more results for youradvertisers while increasing your revenue You maysave additional time by preparing a campaign inadvance too M
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 27
Innovative digital solutions tap into new sources of revenue
White PaperBy ppi Media
The ongoing disruption of the newspaper market means that the U S publishing industry continues to find itself faced with many challenges While readership numbers of digital news services continued to rise last year at the 50 largest daily newspapers additional new revenue models are required to successfully tackle the on-going digital transformation
Creative methods make innovative productsThe media landscape and consumersrsquo usage habits have
never been as differentiated as they are now As a result both print outlets and numerous digital content channels must be covered quickly and efficiently by journalists Publishers are tasked with increasing the still relatively small revenue stream that comes from digital channels
This challenge requires news media companies to transition from being traditional publishers to more diverse media houses It is not enough to offer your own journalistic products as an e-paper or an app or to use standard digital outlets such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram to promote your product portfolio Instead you must create entirely new digital solutions test them and make use of them quickly and efficiently
One such method known as ldquodesign thinkingrdquo focuses on the development of user-oriented solutions to build new ideas and revenue models The central question underlying this approach is ldquowhat are the problems that exist that we can help solverdquo
To apply this process people from different company departments gather to brainstorm new ideas in a creative atmosphere Concepts that show promise are further explored through both a market analysis and needs analysis Relevant solution approaches can then be derived and evaluated based on the feedback received The resulting innovative ideas and new products should be implemented swiftly in order to ldquofail fast to succeed faster rdquo
Taking a new approachWhat then could a new digital offer look like that generates
medium-term additional revenue for a publisher
One way to increase brand loyalty would be through the development of a location-based community app that provides relevant information about local news events and retailers to the end user This presents merchants in the area with an additional channel to advertise their products services or discounts at any time on the platform and do so independently from the publisher The additional news and events functions help publishers reach a target audience that may not necessarily read the newspaper - therefore strengthening its brand and visibility This is just one example of a user-oriented approach to digital revenue generation
Begin your own design thinking exploration by hosting an innovation workshop at your publication This is a critical time that requires news media organizations to do more than simply offer editorial content online and in digital form Creative approaches and new ideas are needed
ppi Media offers a location-based online service called ldquothanksrdquo that generates new sources of revenue for publishers Publishers can provide a new digital network to local retailers in their region to promote their business through special offers services or discounts End users access this platform via a mobile app which includes local news and event information along with offers from local retailers For more information on ldquothanksrdquo as well as a case study on how this solution is already in use please contact Thomas Reinacher at thomasreinacherppimedia-uscom
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
28 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
VendorGuide
199Creative httpwww 199creative com
199Creative is a creative agency which specializes in web design mobile apps and search engine optimization (SEO) 199Creative has helped business owners small and large to design custom easy to operate websites as well as state-of-the-art mobile apps to enhance business and please customers Other services offered include marketing re-branding reputation management social media marketing and custom web design
AWeberhttpwww aweber com
AWeber is an email marketing platform that allows 100000+ small businesses and entrepreneurs to create and send emails people love lt3
Adbladehttpwww adblade com
Adblade is the most innovative content-style ad platform enabling advertisers to reach over 300 million monthly unique users across hundreds of top branded sites with the absolute assurance of brand-safety Adblade offers a winning combination of innovative proprietary ad units massive scale distribution through select top-tier publishers as well as unique features that give advertisers the confidence they need to launch their brand and direct response campaigns
AdCelleranthttpwww adcellerant com
AdCellerant is a digital advertising and technology company focused on making quality digital marketing accessible to every business AdCellerant achieves this goal by partnering with local marketers media companies agencies and channel sales organizations helping them leverage AdCellerantrsquos proprietary advertising software platform UI Marketing
Bankratehttpwww bankrate com
Bankrate com offers the expert advice and tools you need to make financial decisions with confidence Bankrate com also publishes original and objective content to help you make smarter financial decisions Publications such as The Wall Street Journal USA Today The New York Times CNBC and Bloomberg depend on Bankrate as the trusted source of financial rates and information
BENNhttpbennsolutions com
BENN is a digital service agency specializing in targeted online marketing and advertising with a strong emphasis on research services The mission is to provide clients with thorough assessments products catered to help achieve their specific goals and transparent analytics to measure success Services are set up to accommodate anyone from local or national advertisers to publishers who want to offer digital solutions to their current and prospective clients
BrandForgehttpsbrandforge deseretdigital com
BrandForge is Deseret Digital Mediarsquos end-to-end content studio designed to help digital publishers grow audience amp revenue opportunities through engaging carefully crafted articles video and more BrandForge specializes in native advertising highly curated newsfeeds and custom content Services are available in English Spanish and Portuguese
The following is a complete list of vendors referenced by participating PNA members
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 29
Vendor Guide (cont)
Brightcovehttpswww brightcove comen
Brightcove is passionate about online video Day in and day out they help their customers focus on using video to move their business in meaningful ways whether thatrsquos in broadcasting or publishing marketing or enterprise communications Brightcove does this through continuous technical innovation nurturing a broad video-centric ecosystem and by being a true partner to their customers Video moves Brightcove and its customers thousands of them in 70 countries
Broadstreethttpsbroadstreetads com
Broadstreet was launched in 2012 to help niche media organizations make the most of their ad sales efforts in an increasingly competitive online space It serves Fortune 500 clients as well as small independent media companies The flagship product the XPRESS adserver was launched in 2016
Carambolahttpwww carambola com
Carambola is a unique publisher focused platform that creates new revenue streams for premium publishers while enhancing the experience on their pages ndash rather than damaging it The combination between Carambolarsquos ability to deeply understand publishersrsquo pages and our premium original content library (artfully crafted by professional writers and editors) enables them to set a new bar when it comes to usersrsquo engagement and satisfaction Backed by Tier-1 VC their goal is to become publishersrsquo preferred and trusted choice
CitySparkhttpwww cityspark com
The most complete calendar solution for your audience CitySpark proprietary technology ensures that your calendar always has a critical mass of local events and a healthy flow of user submissions without you spending hours fielding calls and chasing down emails
CivicSciencehttpscivicscience com
The fastest most sophisticated and most democratic polling solution ever invented Today CivicScience provides software and services to the worldrsquos leading brands media companies and investors while giving a trusted and powerful voice to all people
Content That Workshttpwww contentthatworks com
Established in 2001 Content That Works was one of the first players in native advertising The company has become an innovator in custom and syndicated content creation utilizing technology platforms from VR web social and beyond
Crowdynewshttpswww crowdynews com
Crowdynews is the worldrsquos largest social media curation platform delivering social content to the news media market worldwide
Data Dynamicshttpswww datadynamicsinc com
Data Dynamics empowers enterprises to seamlessly analyze move manage and modernize their critical data assets ndash from creation to archival ndash while maximizing the value of their current and future infrastructure investments on-premises and in the cloud
DoApphttpwww doapps com
DoApp is obsessed with mobile continually developing new ideas user experiences and methods of engagement This is what they love to do
DoubleClick for Publishershttpswww google comdfp
Manage your digital ad revenue across all screens formats and sales channels
EZ ToUsecomhttpwww eztouse com
EZToUse com is one of the leading Independent Yellow Page directory publishers in the U S and a member of the Association of Directory Publishers EZToUse com offers 66 different directories printing nearly 4 million books delivered to households by the U S Postal Service
Flipphttpscorp flipp com
Helping retailers transform circulars for the personalized digital future
Fresh Media Grouphttpsfreshmediagroup us
Fresh Media Group is a creative agency based out of Pennsylvania where they EAT SLEEP CREATE amp REPEAT
Google Opinion Rewardshttpssurveys google comgoogle-opinion-rewards
Use Google Surveys to create your own questionnaire then set up custom audience panels to target Google Opinion Rewards users yoursquod like to reach
Google Surveyshttpswww google comanalyticssurveysmodal_active=none
Google Surveys makes it easy to get fast reliable insights ndash from consumers across the internet and on mobile devices ndash allowing you to make more informed business decisions understand your marketing impact and keep a pulse on the health of your brand
Guarantee Digitalhttpguaranteedigital com
Leverage social media and content marketing to tell your story online ndash Guarantee Digitalrsquos team of professional writers will craft engaging posts that leverage the viral nature of social media (digital world of mouth) helping you stay top of mind with existing fans while connecting with new customers They also write SEO blog articles and press releases and can manage your monthly email newsletter
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
30 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Vendor Guide (cont)
Infogrouphttpwww infogroup com
Infogroup is a big data analytics and marketing services provider that delivers best in class data-driven customer-centric technology solutions Thier data and software-as-a-service (DaaS amp SaaS) offerings help clients of all sizes from small companies to FORTUNE 100TM enterprises increase their sales and customer loyalty Infogroup provides both digital and traditional marketing channel expertise that is enhanced by access to our proprietary data on 245MM individuals and 25MM businesses which is distributed real-time to thier clients
JW Playerhttpswww jwplayer com
JW Player provides media professionals with powerful and flexible technology to deliver video grow their audience and monetize with ads A venture-backed company based in New York City since 2008 JW offers a unique set of business solutions that integrate with any workflow and prioritize speed API control and audience growth across all viewing platforms JW Player solutions are trusted by broadcasters and digital publishers including WWE Univision VICE Media Hearst LittleThings and Mashable and developers around the world have deployed JW Player on domains collectively reaching over one billion monthly unique viewers
Legacyhttpwww legacy com
Legacy com is the place where the world pauses to embrace the power of a life well-lived They believe that a single life story can provide extraordinary inspiration even after that person has died Legacy champions every life knowing it can connect us in unexpected powerful ways Today Legacy com is the global leader in online obituaries a top-50 website in the United States and a destination for over 40 million unique visitors each month around the world
Lineup Systemswww lineup com
Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology Our cloud-based solution Adpoint optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue
Locablehttpwww locable com
Reimagine local marketing with a marketing platform for authentically local businesses who want to grow their business without headaches Locable provides all the tools you need to get found online - all in one place - and make it super easy for you to collect customer reviews keep track of your leads customers and contacts create and share content setupupdate your website and promote your business to the community from any device with our paint-by-numbers approach
MailChimphttpsmailchimp com
MailChimp is the worldrsquos largest marketing automation platform Itrsquos like a second brain that helps millions of customers ndash from small e-commerce shops to big online retailers ndash find their audience engage their customers and build their brand
Metro Creative Graphics Inchttpmcg metrocreativeconnection compublishnewmcc
Metro Creative Graphics Inc is a leading provider of advertising creative and editorial resources designed to help media companies make money with their print web and mobile products With an unparalleled dedication to providing the finest resources available for ready-to-use images spec ads ideas stock-quality photos logostrademarks auto manufacturer photos marketingsales materials copyright-free editorial features print templated sections state-of-the-art online e-sections and groundbreaking digital ad development toolsmdashplus custom image ad design and editorial servicesmdashMetro remains unmatched in serving the creative needs of todayrsquos media companies
Nativohttpswww nativo com
Nativo delivers meaningful content experiences to consumers automates the way marketers distribute and analyze the impact of branded content and enables media companies to sell deploy and optimize paid native content across their properties
OrangeSodahttpswww orangesoda com
OrangeSoda helps you grow your business online by leveraging market data and years of industry insights into actionable online marketing strategies that will help you acquire new customers and engage existing and referral customers From SEO inbound marketing to SEM social media marketing reputation management content marketing PPC and so much more our breadth of products and services are designed to help you establish a strong online presence drive awareness and conversions and development long-term growth and engagement with your customers
OwnLocalhttpswww ownlocal com
OwnLocalrsquos technology extracts content from traditional print radio and TV ads and automatically converts that information into powerful online marketing campaigns
PhDesignedhttpphdesigned com
PHDesigned offers advertising solutions and digital services like website design social media management texting blogging and more to help increase revenue for your organization
ppi Mediahttpswww ppimedia deppien
ppi Mediarsquos integrated publishing solutions enable the delivery of automatic content for all channels Daily newspapers and magazines can create both their print products as well as their digital services using ppi Mediarsquos software
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 31
Vendor Guide (cont)
Presslaffhttppresslaff com
Presslaff Interactive Revenue is the leading provider of database and email marketing services for media companies worldwide PIR delivers a range of data-driven products from stand-alone full-service turnkey campaigns where you sell and they build to a comprehensive self-service model rich with features like a client-customized strategy powerful platform for engagement and extensive marketing support
Second Streethttpssecondstreet com
Second Street is an audience engagement software platform that is used by over 3000 media companies and marketers Thier partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive content ndash such as personality quizzes sweepstakes photo contests and more ndash on their website to generate digital revenue grow their email database and engage their audience
SendtoNewshttpwww sendtonews com
SendtoNews Video Inc (ldquoSendtoNewsrdquo) distributes and monetizes exclusive sports video content via over 1400 broadcast ldquonewspaper comrdquo ldquoradio comrdquo and pure digital publishing properties across North America
ShortStackhttpswww shortstack com
ShortStack makes it easy to create social contests giveaways and landing pages your customers will love
Simplifihttpswww simpli fi
Simpli fi is an advertising technology company that simplifies digital advertising through the use of unstructured data Thier programmatic marketing platform enables marketers to use unstructured data to extract unlimited value from real-time bidding (RTB) advertising exchanges With Simpli fi advertisers can target bid optimize and report at the data element level
Social News Deskhttpswww web socialnewsdesk com
Social News Desk makes it easy for everyone in your newsroom to get the most out of social media Manage all your social media efforts from one place and get an edge over the competition with powerful curation tools and actionable analytics Social News Desk makes it simple to discover news and engage your audience with great content Creative sponsorship opportunities help you attract advertisers to monetize your social reach And every Social News Desk client is matched with a dedicated social media expert for ongoing support training and strategy
Sovrnhttpswww sovrn com
Meridian provides a complete suite of advertising tools for display mobile and video From header bidding to VPAID and VAST video OnScroll InView ads and cross-platform content distribution that is integrated with every major advertising buyer on the planet
Survey Monkeyhttpswww surveymonkey com
Survey software that allows you to get access to people powered data at scale and in real time Discover insights and new ideas to drive your business forward
Taboolahttpswww taboola com
Taboolarsquos team has been building the worldrsquos largest and most advanced discovery platform -- or ldquosearch engine in reverserdquo -- delivering personalized recommendations to over one billion users every month on many of the webrsquos most innovative and highly-visited websites Thousands of leading publishers marketers and agencies utilize Taboolarsquos predictive technology to increase user engagement monetize their traffic and distribute their content to engaged audiences across the web Together Taboola teams have pioneered a major new marketing channel alongside ldquosearchrdquo and ldquosocialrdquo proving that ldquodiscoveryrdquo can power successful campaigns for companies of all sizes throughout the customer journey
TheStreethttpcorporate thestreet com
TheStreet Inc provides timely unbiased news powerful data and strong analysis to help the world make informed investment decisions and discover new business opportunities Executives and their advisors retail and institutional investors and leading academics turn to TheStreet for information and tools to navigate the financial markets corporate governance and deal making Thier services are available 247 across every platform
ThriveHivehttpsthrivehive com
ThriveHive helps businesses take charge of their growth by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing your business easy effective and affordable With ThriveHiversquos Guided Marketing Platform and digital marketing services you can eliminate the guesswork maximize your time and get back to whatrsquos really important ndash running your business
TownNewshttpswww townnews365 com
Integrated digital publishing and content management solutions power some of the most distinguished media organizations in the industry More than 1700 newspaper broadcast magazine and web-native publications rely on TownNews for their web print mobile and social media products Thier complete solutions suite includes add-ons for data management content exchange business directory and more helping you boost revenue improve efficiency and grow your audience
For more information on becoming a member of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association contact Kate Landis at kathleenlpa-newsorg or 717-703-3069
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
32 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Note The following definitions describe terminology as it specifically relates to interactive advertising designed for websites
Animation ndash A programmatically generated display of sequential images creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving Not digital video as it relates to this document (see the definition for ldquovideordquo)
Audio ndash The audible file that may accompany ads Advertising audio should not play without user-initiation in general See detailed IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance for when it can be played without user initiation
Banner ndash Also known as ldquodisplay adsrdquo banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage typically including a combination of staticanimated images text andor video designed to convey a marketing message andor cause the user to take an action Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height represented in pixels
Between-the-page ndash Also known as ldquointerstitialrdquo ads between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page but before the target page displays on the userrsquos screen The ad is self-contained within its own browser window and may not appear as an overlay on the target page content
Billboard ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template designed with options for rich interactivity to display prominently inline with Publishersrsquo webpage content A distinct feature of the billboard is a close button that a user may click to collapse the ad completely if the user doesnrsquot want to see the ad
Bitrate ndash The rate of bits processed per unit of time commonly measured in bits per second (bps) kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality
Button 2 ndash A small rectangular standard ad unit with the size 120times60 pixels
Byte ndash A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits Historically a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer architectures
Caching ndash The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance
Campaign ndash The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed
CDN ndash An acronym for Content Distribution Network a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user the requesting server and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance
CLEAR ad notice ndash CLEAR is an acronym for ldquoControl Links for Education and Advertising Responsiblyrdquo a set of technical guidelines developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) to empower members of the online advertising community to communicate their presence and behavioral advertising targeting practices (if any) to consumers in a simple and direct manner
Glossaryof Terminology
Source the iab
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 33
Click ndash An interaction between a website visitor and the browser in which the website visitor uses a device such as a mouse to move the cursor (or pointer) to an active area of the screen and then deliberately interacts with that area by clicking a button on their device triggering an event In the case of touch-screen devices the user ldquoclicksrdquo by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus
Close X ndash A creative control that enables a user to close an ad (remove it from view) or to reduce an expanded panel back to its original size
Collapse ndash An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely
Compression ndash The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space
Controls ndash Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience Examples of common controls include the ldquoClose Xrdquo button in an expandable ad or the PlayPauseMute buttons in a video player
CPU ndash CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit the key component of a computer system which contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions
CPU usage ndash A guideline for the amount of central processing power used to display advertising content compared to whatrsquos available on an individualrsquos computer CPU usage percentage can be measured directly during the execution of an online ad In addition to file size the complexity of drawings gradients slow moving animations and detailed moving elements can affect the number of calculations the CPU must make for each frame
CPU spike ndash A brief increase in central processing power sustained for no more than a few seconds experienced while ldquoheavyrdquo content is loadedexecuted
Creative ndash An advertising unit created by an ad designer in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisherrsquos audience One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats such as standard images animation video execution files ( html js etc ) and other files that work together for an interactive experience
Creative dimensions ndash Measured in pixels the width and height of an ad unit (WxH) The width is always the first dimension listed followed by the height dimension (i e an ad that is 300times250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high)
Cursor ndash The graphical representation of a ldquopointerrdquo on a user screen controlled by the userrsquos interaction with controlling devices such as a mouse mouse pad stylus or other input hardware
Expandable ads ndash Rich media ads that can be enlarged to dimensions beyond the initial dimensions of the placement they fill on the webpage The user initiates expanding events sometimes after the ad initially expands briefly on its own to catch the userrsquos attention
Expanded dimensions ndash The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded) Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement Then either by auto-play or by user interaction the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension
File requests ndash In the context of displaying digital content the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text images videos and any other components that contribute to the display experience Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server a file request is made Too many file request may reduce page load performance
Filmstrip ndash An IAB Universal Brand Package ad unit template that is 350times3000 pixels divided into five 350times600 pixel segments that scroll by user interaction though a 350times600 pixel placement ldquowindow rdquo
Flashtrade ndash Software and tools developed by Adobe used to build generate and play animated files Also used to define the creative files generated by the program In order for Flash files to execute in a browser the Flash player plug-in must be installed However Flash development tools can also generate files in HTML5 format so that no plug-in is required for execution
FPS ndash FPS is an acronym for Frames Per Second the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content
Frame rate ndash The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes measured as the number of frames per second (fps)
GPU ndash GPU is an acronym for Graphics Processing Unit In modern computers the GPU handles graphical processing decreasing the processing burden handled by the CPU
Gzip ndash Automatic compression of creative assets for an ad when delivering from an ad server to a web page or application The key difference between zip files and gzip is that zip is used for storing files and gzip is used for compressing files that are in transmission from one server to another
H264 ndash A video coding format that uses a block-oriented motion-compensation-based video compression standard H 264MPEG-4 AVC is one of the most common formats used for recording compressing and distributing video content
HLS ndash An acronym for HTTP Live Streaming is an HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol implemented by Apple Inc It works by breaking the overall stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads each download loading one short chunk of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream As the stream is played the client may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate At the start of the streaming session it downloads an extended M3U playlist containing the metadata for the various sub-streams [that] are available
Host-initiated ndash Any activity that is auto-initiated
glossary of terminology (cont)
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
34 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
Host-initiated sub-load ndash The additional file limit allowed that is auto-initiated after the load event is fired by the window object of the publisher page (intial web page content has been loaded) on the host computer or device In absence of access to publisher page window object the window object of the ad iframe can be used
Hot spot ndash A ldquohot spotrdquo is an area of an ad unit which when rolled-overrolled-on by the userrsquos cursor such rollover triggers an event (i e expand ad) The hotspot should never be larger than 14th the size of the original (collapsed) ad unit The trigger event should not occur unless the userrsquos cursor rests in the hotspot zone for at least 1-second Hotspots should never initiate audio (audio should only be initiated by a click) When hotspots are used the trigger event should stop immediately upon the userrsquos cursor leaving the hotspot zone (i e ad collapses) and the ad unit should return to its original state
HTML5 ndash An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language version 5 HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video audio canvas an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology
IBA ndash Interest-based advertising mdash which is also sometimes called ldquoonline behavioral advertisingrdquo mdash uses information gathered about a site userrsquos visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you For example a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps
In-banner video ndash A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player
Initial dimension ndash The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions
Initial file load ndash Includes all assets and files necessary ( html js css woff images ets ) for completing first visual display of the ad The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the userrsquos web browsing experience For non-rich media ads the initial file load size limit is all thatrsquos allowed for the ad
Interstitial ndash See lsquoBetween-the-Pagersquo
JavaScript libraries ndash A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications
Kilobyte (KB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1000 bytes (or technically 2^10 = 1024 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Labeling requirements ndash The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content
Megabyte (MB) ndash A multiple of the unit lsquobytersquo for digital information used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1000 kilobytes (or technically 2^20 = 1048576 bytes) For the purposes of this document this measure relates to creative file size (See definition for Byte)
Minification ndash The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size removing unnecessary spacing and optimizing the CSS code thus improving load times
Moov atom ndash A video data object in a media file used to execute the video The moov (or movie) atom should be placed at the beginning of a video file to ensure proper execution
Mouse-off ndash The act of a user moving the cursor away (off) from the hot spot of an ad Mouse-off by a user may trigger an event such as collapsing an expanding panel or stopping any animation in progress
Mouse-over ndash The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play
MP4 ndash A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio but may also include features such as subtitles chapter details and other data related to the video or audio file The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is mp4
MPEG ndash A set of standards for audio and video compression and transmission established by the moving picture experts group
MPEG-DASH ndash An acronym for MPEG Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP This adaptive streaming technique allows for a streaming experience using progressive download of several small chunks of video at different bitrates An HTTP-connected video player (the client) detects the bandwidth at each chunk of time (about 3-5 seconds) and determines which quality level to download and play for the small duration allotted
MRAID ndash An acronym for Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definition MRAID is a protocol that enables communication between an ad and a mobile application in order to execute interactions such as geolocation ad resizing and accelerometer functions among others
OBA ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
OBA self-regulation ndash See ldquoIBArdquo
glossary of terminology (cont)
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
Big Book of Monetizing Digital 35
Overlay ndash An ad unit that displays over the webpage content briefly when initiated
Pause ndash A video animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video animation or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play
Pixel (as a unit of measure) ndash The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i e 300times250 pixels) Pixels may also represent xy coordinates relevant to a given space such as the browser window an application workspace or the userrsquos computer screen (See also ldquoTracking Pixelrdquo)
Pixel density ndash The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM) Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 ndash 130 PPI Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document
Play ndash A video animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video animation or audio of an ad
Polite file load ndash Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015 polite file load has been replaced ldquohost-initiated subload rdquo
Pop-up ad ndash Any advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window
Portrait ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template that uses up to three interactive modules chosen (by the ad designer) from a variety of modular application options in a 350times1050 pixel space
Progress bar ndash A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration
Progressive load video ndash A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a userrsquos computer much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded HTML5 files use progressive download for video files but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Pushdown ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template designed for rich interaction in a space similar to but larger than an expanding leaderboard with initial dimensions of 970times90 pixels and expanded dimensions of 970times415 pixels When the ad is expanded it ldquopushesrdquo page content down rather than displaying over the top of page content as most expandable ads do
Resolution ndash The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension However resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio pixel density and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file
Retraction ndash An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i e the expanded portion of the ad retracts)
Rising Stars display ad units ndash IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market Universal Brand Package Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page Their file load limits are larger than for other ads so not only would a Universal Brand Package Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously The Rising Stars are in transition They are under evaluation and will be delisted soon Publishers should transition to the aspect ratio ad units with flexible ad sizing listed in the new ad portfolio
Rollover ndash The willful pause of the userrsquos cursor on the target portion of the creative (the ldquohot spotrdquo) such pause lasting at least one second in duration before an action may be initiated by the ad (i e trigger an expand event etc ) This one-second pausedelay requirement prevents unwanted user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement Rollover may NOT initiate audio
Shared libraries ndash In digital advertising shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server like a CDN are cached on the browser Once cached shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server
Sidekick ndash An IAB Rising Star ad unit template initially displayed as one of three standard ad unit dimensions but upon user initiation ldquopushesrdquo publisher content to the left to display a canvas of up to 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction
Skyscraper ndash A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160times600 pixels
Slider ndash An IAB Rising Star Ad Unit template designed with an overlay ldquosliderrdquo (90 pixels high) that rests at the bottom of a publisherrsquos page and when prompted by user interaction slides page content to the left for a canvas of 970times550 pixels full of rich interaction possibilities for user engagement
Standard ad units ndash A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design
glossary of terminology (cont)
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
36 Big Book of Monetizing Digital
glossary of terminology (cont)
Streaming video ndash A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on detection of the userrsquos Internet bandwidth HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH
Submission lead time ndash The number of business days (non-weekendnon-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign
Supporting files ndash In the context of HTML file loads supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries font libraries CSS files and others
SWF ndash Acronym for Shockwave Flashtrade ldquo swfrdquo is the file naming extension used for animated files complied using Adobe Flashtrade software HTML cannot execute swf files without the browser-installed Flash player plug-in For this reason many content and ad providers are moving to the HTML5 format for more efficient execution of interactive media files
Tracking pixel ndash A 1times1 pixel-sized transparent image that provides information about an adrsquos placement In many cases a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed Also known as beacon web beacon action tag redirect etc
Universal ad package (UAP) ndash A set of four ad units (728times90 300times250 160times600 and 180times150 pixels) offered by UAP-compliant publishers as a lsquopackagersquo where ads in these four formats are used collectively across the publisherrsquos site enabling advertisers to reach more of the publisherrsquos audience Those UAP ad units are no longer recommended nor supported by IAB They are now replaced by the IAB New Ad Portfolio Universal Brand Package (UBP) display ad units
User ndash An anonymous person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content
User initiation ndash The willful act of a user to engage with an ad Detailed guidance is provided in the IAB New Ad Portfolio document Users may interact by a discrete device action like clicking on the ad andor tapping over an ad (or a portion of an ad) Rollover is not a valid user initiation action
Video (aka ldquodigital videordquo) ndash In online advertising the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format
Volume ndash A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output
VP8 ndash A video compression format owned by Google and created by ON2 Technologies Latest version is VP9
WebM ndash WebM is a video file format It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video tag The development of the format is sponsored by Google and the corresponding software is distributed under a BSD license
Z-index ndash Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisherrsquos webpage Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation imagery and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i e an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad)
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg
A S S O C I A T I O N
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association3899 North Front St Harrisburg PA 17110
phone 7177033000 bull fax 7177033001
wwwpanewsmediaorg