As a publisher, you continually test and adjust promotions, shifting strategy to best adapt to audience response. This on-going practice is one reason why you know your audience best.

Unfortunately, this practice is also one of the more time-consuming aspects of your job. And, trying to simplify the process introduces a number of potential risks - from stale creative to audience preference changes going unnoticed. Effective ad campaigns give audiences a blend of proven and innovative offers. Understanding the features and benefits of different ad formats is an important step toward placing the right creative to get your audience to take action.

Banners & Text Links

This banner format best meets the needs of brand marketers, but can be effective with performance marketers, too. Click-through and conversion rates will increase when the banners are offer-driven and have a specific call-to-action. Test button, skyscraper, and logo placements within your inventory, since the alternative sizes often perform better than the traditional 468 x 60 horizontal banners.

Text links, the most common and effective creative used in the CJ Marketplace, provide publishers with the greatest flexibility in ad promotion. Many publishers deep link to product or service specific pages on advertisers’ sites with text links. Text links also appear in or near contextually relevant content. Publishers also feature text based ads in email and search marketing campaigns. Commission Junction network data consistently shows that text links are the highest performing ad type - delivering the strongest click-through rates and solid conversion rates.

Advanced Links & Content Links

Interactive links, an advanced link type, enable user interaction beyond a simple click. These links are particularly useful to publishers with product-centric sites. Search boxes or ads with drop-down menus that direct to specific category pages on the advertiser site send consumers closer to the point of purchase.

Content links have the same core technical functionality as interactive links, but are unique in how they present content to audiences. Content links provide compelling, up-to-date content in e-zine article formats. When advertisers change the content, it dynamically updates on your site. High visibility placement with ads from strong performing advertiser partners will often make your best offers visible with less maintenance than standard banners. Publishers sending email campaigns commonly use this link type with the knowledge that the content is current and approved by the advertiser.

Specialized Link Types

Keyword links are used by publishers who are interested in using paid placement to promote offers. Publishers can use the information in the keyword link to get data on their advertisers’ preferred marketing message, recommended keywords and guidelines for those keywords.

Product links allow publishers with different distribution methods (search, content, comparison shopping) to create impulse buying opportunities for consumers. Product catalogs are currently in use by many top rewards sites, comparison shopping sites and shopping mall sites within the network.

Introducing offers using a combination of ad formats and promotional techniques allows you to continually meet the changing interests of your audience. Seek advertiser partners that are both communicative and responsive to your needs. Advertisers should offer important product and service information, and message the availability and performance of special or custom creative. And, if an advertiser partner that you are working with doesn’t have the creative you need don’t be afraid to ask for it. Leverage your knowledge about what you know best - your audience, and place the creative that is going to drive the best results.