The Ezine Ad Co-ops are teams of ezine publishers gathered together by an ad co-op owner for the purpose of offering bulk advertising in their opt-in newsletters.
The purpose of this article is to offer you the answer to an apparently simple question:
How do we choose the ad co-op that is best for our advertising needs and budget?
Some of you will say that we have to look at the cheapest price and then we order. Wrong answer!
Some of you will say that we have to look at the highest number of subscribers and then we order. Wrong answer!
Some experienced advertisers will say that we have to calculate the medium price for a thousand of subscribers and then we choose the lowest price. Apparently correct, but wrong answer again!
Have you ever wondered why some people say that ezine advertising is no longer what it used to be? Have you ever wondered why your results were quite bad despite the fact that the advertised program was not so bad and the ad the same?
As an ad co-op owner, the secret I'm going to reveal now is quite unpleasant because I am forced to talk about my competition. I will simply not name the ad co-ops I am referring to. The purpose of this article is to help advertisers to no longer pay for what they unfortunately will never get.
Another purpose is to wake up some ad co-ops owners. Yes, I could contact them directly, but what am I supposed to say? "Hey, X, you haven't updated your figures since one year and a half ago! I think that you've
forgotten to do such an insignificant action, but maybe you'll do it this year, or at least the next one!"
Here are some simple checkings you have to perform before looking at prices and subscribers count.
***********************************
1. Search for the Ezines' Names
***********************************
Don't take the information as provided. If you are told that your ad is sent to millions of ezine subscribers but you don't
see any ezine name, first ask yourself why this information is not provided and then close your Internet browser. You'll find a possible answer below!
***********************************
2. Look for the Links to the Ezines' Websites
***********************************
If you see the ezines' names but you don't see any link to the ezines' websites, then ask yourself why and close your
browser again. How do you know that all the ezines listed there exist or are still alive? You don't! You'll find the truth some weeks after the payment.
***********************************
3. Visit Some Ezines' Websites
***********************************
If you find links to the ezines' websites, then you're very close to find a good ad co-op. However, one step is still required.
Visit some ezines' websites. If an unavailable page is loaded, you already know what you have to do.
If a page is finally loading, here you are: look first if it's not a parked domain. What is that? A website that
now is just full of links inserted there by the NEW owner in order to benefit of the traffic of the previous owner - the ezine
publisher who no longer publishes the ezine.
***********************************
4. Let Me Save Some of Your Time
***********************************
Now to save your time, let me name some ezines that haven't been published for years (!) but are still listed by some ad co-ops:
The Pebble
Small World Ezine
Curiosity Shop
Business Resources Ezine
The Upper Hand Ezine
Food and Ads Ezine
and many others ...
Another example is Morning CoFree Newsletter. This newsletter is still published, but ... under a new name given long time ago.
***********************************
5. Conclusions
***********************************
Why such ezines are still listed by ad co-ops?
A possible answer is that the ad co-op owner is so successful that he or she doesn't have the time to check what she/he is selling. She
or he is busy processing your orders for advertisements in ezines that are no longer published!
I even know an ad co-op that shows exactly the same number of subscribers since more than one year ago: 1,119,686
(Hint: search for this number using Google and you'll find the answer somewhere in the first pages). No, it is not a dead
ad co-op. I can still see their ads in some ezines ...
Another possible answer is that the ad co-op owner is aware of the truth but she or he doesn't dare to say it: it would only
drastically reduce the subscribers count she or he is so proud of and consequently the profits will go on the same way.
No, this article is not a joke. Unfortunately it contains the truth and only the truth.
You don't have to take my words as they are! Check yourself and take care.
No, ezine advertising is not dead, but only some people from inside are giving it a bad name.
Open your eyes before opening your wallet! It's easier now that you have the information and you'll see how your conversion
rates will suddenly increase as you if you used a magic spell.
Anne Marie is the publisher of Jokes Journal and the CEO of AdsHome Ezine Advertising Co-op.
**********************************************
Anne Marie is an ad co-op owner that runs a small ad co-op
having a total readership base of only 500,000 subscribers,
but at least she is proud that she can look into your eyes
without blushing ...
ADSHOME Ezine Advertising Co-op
**********************************************
