What Response Should You Expect From An Ezine Ad?

By Steve O'Connor
Posted Wednesday, August 18, 2004

You've all heard it before, countless times no doubt - "Ezines are by far the best place to advertise online" - and it's true. There is no better place to reach a targeted audience and the proof is in the results - visitors from eZine ads are more likely to convert to sales at your website. That is fact.

But what sort of response should you expect from an eZine ad? How do you know whether your advertising results are good, bad or indifferent?

These are basic questions that very few people actually know the answer to. In fact, because of all the hype aimed at prospective advertisers, I would guess that most advertisers expect far too much from an eZine ad.

Ezine advertising is not quite as powerful as it used to be because of the natural effects of email overload etc., but it's still good. But just how good?....

Well, I'm gonna tell you.

I advertise in eZines, a lot! That's basically what I do. I advertise in hundreds of eZines on a regular basis and as such, that allows me to compile some good statistics.

Here's the kind of response that I believe you should expect from eZine advertising today...

Regular Classified Ad:-
Average response rate (0.05% - 1 in every 2,000)
Response range (0.01% - 0.5%)

Middle Sponsor Ad:-
Average response rate (0.25% - 1 in every 400)
Response range (0.1% - 0.5%)

Top Sponsor Ad:-
Average response rate (0.5% - 1 in every 200)
Response range (0.25% - 1%)

Solo Ad
Average response rate (1.25% - 1 in every 80)
Response range (1% - 3%)

I bet that's less than you were expecting, right? Well, they are pure facts from our endless stream of advertising results. Sure, there are a lot of variables that can affect these results but I'm trying to provide you with a benchmark on which to base your own results.

If you're achieving results at the bottom of these response ranges then I can assure you that you can do better. Sure, it may be due to your ad and not the eZine that you're advertising in but once you hit an eZine that gives you the results near the top of these ranges, then you know that it's time to get choosy.

I've advertised in eZines and gotten absolutely zero response, plenty of times. There are a lot of eZines out there with poor subscribers - subscribers that simply don't react to advertising. But there are still plenty of good eZines out there - eZines that will bring you results.

Don't give up on what is still the best advertising medium on the web but be realistic. There really is no better place to invest your advertising dollar.

About the Author
Steve is the founder of World Wide Ezines - a unique online resource providing advertisers with a continuous stream of Ezine Advertising Results every month. Check it out at: (http://www.world-wide-money.com/ezine-results100.htm)