Local Fox sites to offer self-serve ads
Cory Bergman May 5th, 2008
TV sites in the MyFox network will soon offer self-serve display and video ads for small and mid-sized advertisers. Called the FIM AdStore, advertisers will place ads through an auction system, but on a CPM basis. The ad platform will also “connect advertisers to a pool of video producers, writers, and others who will create ad elements and templates for the do-it-yourself Web spots and banners,” explains ClickZ.
14 Comments Add your own
1. Aaron | May 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am
And the question remains — why not extend this model to broadcast ads?
2. Anonymous | May 5th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Doesn’t this completely defy all web initiatives put forth by local TV stations to sell their web?
3. Cory | May 5th, 2008 at 10:37 am
The advantage of self-serve ads is reaching smaller advertisers who are too expensive to pursue with an account executive.
So no, it doesn’t cannabalize existing sales initiatives, but expands the client base.
The trick here is providing what I call “context.” You buy search ads because people are looking for that keyword combination — a high level of context which drives a decent number of clicks. But some random page on a TV website has low context and therefore low value for smaller advertisers who are looking for clicks (instead of branding.)
That’s why local media has to create products that increase context for advertisers.
4. Rocker | May 5th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Good point Cory. I recently read the following quote…unfortunately don’t remember the source so can’t attribute properly:
“Content may be King, but Context is Queen”.
5. tdc | May 5th, 2008 at 11:36 am
liberace?
6. Anonymous | May 5th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
But isn’t the context of advertising on a local TV station’s web just that - local? If you target search keywords, isn’t that on a global level?
It just seems that this will potentially hurt the job security of some AE’s in smaller markets. If advertisers can use this model cheaper instead of dealing with an AE, I’m sure they will… Especially those greedy agencies that will do anything to cut their overhead cost.
Also, I have been in contact with someone at FIM that said bypassing the salesperson is false; the article is wrong. There is a month or two rollout schedule following a single (to-be-determined) station beta period (probably one of the O&O’s).
7. tdc | May 5th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
“If you target search keywords…”
not if the keywords include YOUR hometown… then it can be contextually correct on ANY property, even a global one.
within the last hour i was served a bank of america display ad on BOTH huffingtonpost AND a certain news outlet in denver. in case you didn’t know, bank of america just took over all the lasalle bank branches in michigan TODAY. the display ad BOLDLY pointed this out to me, too.
evidently some guys still need to make the disconnect between local ads & local content.
8. tdc | May 5th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
AND i just got served a BlueCare Network (blue cross/blue shield of michigan) tile on the homescreen of cnn.
why couldn’t a local car dealer/ furniture company/ window and siding contractor/ law firm/ and countless other businesses do this on a smaller scale? even at the affiliate level?
no reason i can think of.
9. discreet_chaos | May 6th, 2008 at 2:38 am
Anon (#6): It’s been a couple of months since I’ve bought any search terms, but I’m pretty sure that both Google and Yahoo! allow you to geographically target your ads.
And, as tdc has pointed-out, I’m all the time seeing display ads which are obviously using my IP address to “personalize” the copy by naming the closest big city.
10. p | May 6th, 2008 at 7:35 am
IMHO, it won’t matter….as Anonymous #6 points out…
“…There is a month or two rollout schedule following a single (to-be-determined) station beta period (probably one of the O&O’s).”
FIM is notoriously late and/or absent on most projects they set out to launch for the O&Os. Send the press release out when it’s live and can be demo’d.
To the main string here…wholeheartedly agree with the context question. Small advertisers are just that, and they need to be as efficient as possible- small mistakes cost them dearly. “Locally” targeted ads are relevant for advertisers with a large local trading area, but I suspect these programs will all be subject to the same questions that stump local digital sellers calling on small local advertisers: “Why would I buy this instead of Google key words?”
11. Hank | May 6th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
FIM has been a joke for years….anyone having worked at a local Fox affiliate knows that..ideas with poor execution/mometization..
12. Anonymous | May 6th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Hank - You’re 100% right… The fact that their new “re-architecture” of their content management system has been delayed until at least September (was due for Feb. launch) sucks! It’s because of their stupidity with outsourcing the entire project, and the company screwing them over. They are now bringing the entire project in house and hiring over 50 developers (yes, 50!), and it’s taking them an additional 7+ months to redevelop it… WITH 50 DEVELOPERS!! Hopefully one of them is a decent UI Designer… Their CMS’ back-end is about as bad as it gets.
Stupidity is being polite.
13. WOW | May 6th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
This thread has taken an unfortunate turn. Seems like the most bitter of you got lost on your way to http://www.newsblues.com. Ah, the joys of a social marketplace.
14. TrendTheBuck | May 8th, 2008 at 3:54 am
The affiliate MyFox sites are mediocre at best.
The TV stations may not have a choice when it comes to what FIM can do, but ad clients can take business somewhere else if this turns out badly.
I want to know more about it. If I live in one city and visit another’s site, which one’s ads will I get? Does this geo-target IP addresses or is it based on site content only?
Leave a Comment
(Please keep URLs out of the comment body or the spam filter will block you.)Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed