Frequently Asked Questions
What are the specifications used for online ads?
Online ads are measured in "pixels" - the elements which fill a computer screen. The three most popular banner ad sizes, meeting specifications set by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) are:
Leaderboard: 728x90 pixels. These ads are placed at the top of a web page
Narrow Skyscraper: 120x600 pixels. These ads run on the sides of a web page
Boxes/Rectangles: These ads often get prominent position. They measure 300x250 pixels and are frequently used for rich media, particularly video.
Technical specifications can vary from site to site but there are a few general rules to follow to get your ad placed as quickly as possible.
Static banner ads can be no more than 20kb in size.
Files with Flash animation should be .gif or jpeg and be no larger than 40 kb on initial ("polite") load. No formats above Flash 6.0 will be accepted. Animation should be no more than 15 seconds and can not repeat ("no looping"). Static jpegs must be submitted with flash ads and clickTAGs must also be embedded.
Ad with audio can not begin playing automatically. The user must click on the ad to hear the sound.
How long does it take to get an ad online?
Allow at least 72 hours from when you submit creative to us until first display. Ads that immediately meet technical specifications (see above) will get approved more quickly. And some outlets also have standards and practices approval process that can add time to the approval process.
How is the cost of an online ad measured? What is a "CPM?"
Online ad costs are measured in "cost per thousand" or CPM (M is the Roman Numeral for 1000). CPMs vary based on the site you're advertising on and when you place your ad buy.
However, compare costs with direct mail, and you'll see why online advertising can be a benefit to your campaign - and your bottom line. A rough estimate for the cost of direct mail is about $600 per 1000 voters. By comparison, with $600 you could easily reach 10,000 voters online. And unlike with direct mail, you're not paying for postage, or the overhead needed to print the ad.
How do you determine where to place my ad? How do you know who reads these websites?
Pinpoint Persuasion has built up a database of demographic data. Our information comes from our publishing partners who release data to potential advertisers, and third-party data providers who have spent considerable time analyzing website traffic.
Based on this data, and the targeting you provide, we are able to produce an online ad buy that meets your needs.
What is "Geo-Targeting" and how can I use it for my ad buy?
Online websites can often show ads to viewers based on their geographic location. That's why a site based in New York City can show ads for a California campaign - but only to readers from California. Readers from New York City - or from Dallas or anywhere else - won't see the ad, and you only pay for the viewers you want.
Not every site has this capability, and in some cases it may not be the best choice. Spot-on's team of experts can help you make that decision so you always spend your money wisely and reach the voters you need.
Why can't I see my ad online?
Internet advertising is dynamic, and ads change from reader to reader. Don't think of online advertising as "print" (as with a static print newspaper) but instead as "time" (like buying time on television). Ads usually rotate through a site on a schedule determined by the amount of traffic and viewers.
We track the statistics of the ad and can tell you how many times it has been displayed on a particular site, based on data we get back from publisher.
How do I make money as a consultant with online advertising?
All Spot-on schedules are agency commissionable.
What standards does content for Internet ads need to follow?
Online ads must follow the technical specifications listed above. You are responsible for placing any required disclosure notifications as required by the jurisdiction where you are running your campaign and of course, no nudity or offensive language is allowed.
Your ads cannot libel anyone, and if asked by any outlet, you must be able to provide verification of any statements of fact. Pinpoint Persuasion reserves the right to reject any ad that does not meet our standards.
What is your privacy policy? How do I know my ad buy is safe?
We will never share any specific information about you, your clients' ad buys, client lists, or any other information about you without your specific permission.
Spot-On may aggregate some information from time to time to discuss the general trends of the political online advertising business, but no specific details about you or your clients will be shared with anyone without your permission.
Spot-On may contact you via email with special offers, site information, and industry news, but we will never sell or give away your email address or other information to any third party.
Can you tell me what a "click-through rate" is?
A click-through rate (often called a CTR) is the number of times an ad generated an action from a viewer. When you click on an ad and are taken to a new web page - from a news outlet to a campaign website, for instance - you have clicked through.
Click-through rates can vary with the look ad feel of the creative that's displayed, with the ad's placement and size or the number of ads displayed on a site. Generally speaking, the more an ad is seen, the higher the click-through rate. Ads with text - calls to action - also generate higher click-through rates.
What is "share of voice" and how is it measured?
"Share of voice" is the percentage of time your ad appears on a site. This is usually measured by taking the number of impressions you’ve purchased and dividing by the number the site usually serves in the period when your ad is running.
Let's say a site serves a banner ad 2 million times in the course of a week. To get 25 percent share of voice, you'd need to buy 500,000 impressions during that week for that ad size. If you wanted to dominate a site with your message, you would perhaps buy 1.5 million impressions for that same week-long period.
Can I buy ads for an entire section, for a specific columnist or specific pages?
Sometimes. Many newspapers and websites have sponsorship opportunities for specific writers or sections, Others decline to sell by specific pages or writers. Pricing varies so you need to call or email your sales rep for details. One type of large ad buy - known as a "roadblock" because it does not rotate through, but instead dominate a page for a specific period of time - can be an effective ways to get your message out.
You can also buy sponsorships for Spot-on's editorial offerings. You ad will appear with our quality editorial at the outlets we serve around the web. This is a great way to target your advertising with editorial that complements you message.
What makes Spot-on's recommendations so special?
Our team has more than 20 years experience covering politics and policy all around the country. We've worked for or with most major outlets - on and off-line and we're passing our information and insights on to you. In addition, our observations are backed-up by data we collect from publishers about their readers.
Why are you showing me results for media outlets not in my geographic area?
Websites compete national and internationally for viewers. And you don't always know where the voters you want to reach are going. It may be to your local news outlet. It may be to a trade journal or national magazine that you never read. Regardless, Spot-on's Pinpoint Persuasion finds these voters for you - in your city, your county or your state - and gets your message to them.