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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Web Banner Advertising

Analyze Your Business: first answer these questions:

1. Why your business need web banner?

2. Is it just because your competitor promoting online?

3. Does it effective medium of advertisement for your business?

To answer these questions find what type of products people buy online. If these products are similar to your product or services then online advertisement is beneficial for your business.

Purpose: First determine the exact reason of your web banner camping. What will your web banner promote? Pigeonhole your web banner design according to your purpose. Most common reasons to have web banner ads are:

· To sell products or services.

· To promote a brand.

· To increase no of hits on website.

Target Audience: Identify your target audience. The audience can be from same industry or from different industry. It is important to create rewarding banner design. To increase more audience contact the big sites. Placing web banner ads on big sites like Yahoo and MSN will increase number (number of clicks) of visitor on your site.

Include URL: Don’t forget to include your website address in your banner. If the intention of your ad camping is just to promote your brand name, then include logo of your company/brand in the web banner and also include your website address. Thing that you should keep in mind is the logo should be small in size otherwise it will disturb the look of entire web banner.

Identify your competitor: see your competitor web banner design, their websites and web sites on which they promote their banner. This will helpful to create banner design which stands out from the crowed.

Several banners: Every visitor has different taste and choice. It’s not feasible which banner design will attract more viewers. So the better option to use several banners for single ad camping. By this you can recognize which web banner design attracts most visitors.

Style Guide: if you are using services of banner design companies for your banner deign, they will provide you banner style guide. This guide covers the all phases of banner design like banner size, number of loops, colors etc. Your job is just to send your requirement to designer.

Type: banners can be categorized into three categories:

· Flash banner.

· Gif banner

· Static banner

Selection is totally depend upon target audience, place, purpose of your ad camping etc. But according to some study flash banner get more click through ratio than static banner.

Banner File Size: File size of banner is depend upon multiple factors like colors used, no. of frames, type of images(jpeg or gif) and kind of animation used for banner design. Unnecessary use of these rudiments may affect the loading speed of banner. It is worthwhile to reduce the file size of banner to decrease the load time.

Colors: Color selection is depends upon following factors:

1. Your website colors

2. Colors of website on which you’re going to advertise your banner.

Use some color of your website/business/corporate color in your banner design and also keep this thing in mind that these colors should make good combination on advertised website.

Animation time: Animation time of banner is depends upon looping. Looping is number of time animation repeat itself. Animations with infinite loop distract viewer attention. Use loop 3-4 time and each loop should end within 10 second, leaving the message on last frame.

Images: Use images that express your products and services. Like of your website is all about cell phones use the images of cell phones instead of girl in bikini.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

How to be a good logo designer?

What Client Want: It is important to understand the requirements of clients. Don’t feel shy to ask questions. It is good if client also take part in designing process. Try to know that the client belongs to which type of industry and design logo to that industry specific.Example: if client belongs to Sports industry then his preference will be Sports Logo Design.

Do some Research: Before making any decision do deep analyses about of the company or product for which you are going to design logo. You can refer other logos designs of similar industry. This search will surely helpful in next steps and tell you about current trend of that industry

Look at competitor: See your competitor logo this will tell you about current trend and give you an idea to make different logo form competitor one, so that viewer can easily differentiate between you’re and competitor logo.

Look for expert help: Attractive logo designing required great designing skills and good business knowledge. It is advisable to look for expert help form logo design companies. A good designed logo created by professional will surely grab the attention of viewer and boost its brand image.

Simple Design: Always go for simple logo design. Simple logo design is easy to remember and convey the message of advertiser/company/organization in short possible time. Where complex designs are time consuming and divert viewer attention.

Fonts and colors: Most of the logo uses single or two colors. Colors reflect attitude and perception. Use good combination of colors which represent your company. Use simple fonts which are easy to read. If you select complex fonts be sure that it is easy to read.

Future Oriented: Consumer demand change everyday. They always demand for best which result continues up gradation of product. So it is beneficial to keep these things mind while designing your logo so that you can prevent it from being out of dated.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Keys to effective Logo Design

Most of the small companies not pay much attention to logo design. But Logo with right characteristics will boost your visibility and integrity which means more sales for you. To design effective logo first you need to understand the types of logo. These are some most commonly used logo types:

Text Logo Design: The text design focus on text and style. Text Logo is best choice for corporations whose name describes what they do like TCS (Tata Consultancy Services). To make text logo more effective you can use different fonts and colors. Use text based design when you have insufficient funds and your name is logically distinguishing but not a household word.

Symbol Design: This type of logo design includes only symbols, images and shapes but not letters or words.. These images convey complete or conceptual image of business or company. If you have high level of brand identification or unique symbol in your industry then symbol logo is best option for you. Symbol logo design in not recommended when your have started new company.

Text and Symbol logo design: This type of logo design contain both business name and symbol. Different types of approaches are used to integrate text and symbol. It may be side by side or one located above the other. Text and Symbol logo is best choice for medium size, small size company or new establish company. Text and Symbol logo is easy to copyright compare to symbol logo design because logo is used with business name.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

HTML Email Marketing Tips

Use receptor name to address: If you got an email which is not addresses to you what will you do? Well if you will ask this question to me I will simply delete that email and this is what most the people do with the emails that are not addressed to them. To avoid this type of misunderstanding for your HTML Email marketing, address individual receptor with their name.

Use your name in from field and Brand name is subject: People ignore the email which is sanded by stringers (mail@mail.ffff.com) and robots. Use your name in from field and brand name in subject field in all the email you send. This will increase the trust factor for you in viewer mind.

Avoid $$$ in your HTML Email: Most of the spam contains “$$$” symbol in the subject or in body part of email. So this crates a mental block in viewer mind that every email that contain “#$#$$$^T” symbols are spam and its better to delete them. This is the reason why you should not include “$$$” symbol in your HTML Email Marketing.

Send Your HTML Email Newsletter on Business days: During the holidays people like to watch T.V or move to another city. They not check their email. And when they came back from holiday they have lots of email to check. So they pay not much attention to each message and some time important email gets deleted. So its better to not send your HTML Email Newsletter on holidays or month which contains mostly holidays (December, January, July and August).

Incorrect Email Address: Most of the user who want to get your HTML Email Newsletter may not get it. Because during filling signup for HTML Email on your site they mistype their email address. Correcting these errors on your side is temporary solution. For permanent solution use two text box for email verification just like you use for password verification. This will reduce the number of errors in email address.

Clear Prospective: Some HTML Email Newsletters are eye catching they include everything that can grab viewer attention except on most important thigh that is “clear call to action”. Viewer doesn’t understand where to click and where to go. So design the message in such a way that makes the path clear for the recipient. Do not include too many links and offer in your HTML Email that distracts the viewer attention.

Emphasize on Content: Most of the people think that if you want to emphasize on particular line or wording just add exclamation mark with it. But actually they not put any importance in the word. Good idea is not to use exclamation marks. Use content in your HTML email in proper flow and rhythm.

Reply to Email: Last but not least reply to all your emails within 24 hours. It is important because if somebody sends you email that mean he is interested in your product or services and if not reply to his email you will loss the customer for life or even more worse.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

How to promote your logo design?

Most of the people don’t know how to promote their company using logo. Even they have no awareness how to promote their logo design. These are some promotional technique that helps you to promote your logo:

Good Logo Design: First step is you should have good logo design. Good logo design mean it should simple and eye catching. For this you can take part in designing process. Avoid logo design software and cheap logo design methods because you get as much you pay.
However you can go for logo Design Company. Once you have find right logo designer take part in each designing steps and discuss all issues with your designer. While designing your logo don’t forget about your company values and targeted audience. It should able to create positive image of your company in costumer Mind.

Stationary: After Creating a good logo design next step is to select similar business stationary design. Business stationary includes business cards, letterheads and envelops. Your logo design should adaptable to this stationary. Some factors that effect business stationary design are targeted audience, company values and type of industry. First impression is last impression so take care about printing of these stationary and use good quality printer instead of using cheap and bad quality printer.

Logo printed t-shirts: In this promotion technique all you need to do is print your logo design on t-shirts. Wear these t-shirts and distribute to your friends, relatives and collogues. It is little-bit costly but effective way of promotion. Once they walk around wearing these t-shirts you will get noticed. But this promotional technique is limited to particular area.

Sponsor Local Functions: Another technique is sponsor local school, college or youth functions. In these functions uses banners on which your logo design is printed and hang up it on wall. Take some pictures of these banners. In these functions you can give logo printed t-shirts to the people and take picture of people wearing these t-shirts. Use these pictures on your website, magazines and information brochure of your company.

Identify your customer: Last but not least identify your target audience. Your logo should designed according o your target market like if you are from corporate sector you should use Corporate Logo design. Spend some time to search about your target market and plan your advertising budget for this area of market. This is effective and you will get more return on your investment.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Best Practices – HTML Email

Provide administration center in your email: Admin center in your HTML Email connect your potential clients to you and helps to distinguish you from other mails. A unsubscribe link and link to your privacy policy should also include in HTML email HTML Email Template.

Provide search Function: Don’t forget to include search functionality in your HTML email. This allow subscriber to search for product, services, company information etc. directly from HTML Email instead of first move to your web site.

Forward to Friend link: Including forward to friend” link in your HTML email design is more practical then including message asking them to forward your message to others friend. This link send request through your server and helps you to track the person who forwarding your message.

Link to Web Version: Some client’s email environment blocks images or don’t read Html Email properly. It becomes difficult to client to read the HTML email. To solve this problem always create a web version of your HTML email Newsletter and provide link in your message.

Provide Email Address: Sometimes subscribers may have some query about your product or services in their mind. It’s important to clear their doubt else it will create bad impression about your company in their mind. To overcome these type of problems always include your email Id in your HTML email so that they can contact to you regarding their queries.

Add to sender recipient list: Today most of the internet users use spam filters to block the unwanted emails. These filters delete the emails that are not present in the receiver’s address book. This could also happen to your HTML email also. To avoid this add some line like” To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, please add the email address” at the top of your HTML Email. It is important step in getting your emails into the inbox.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Logo Design Myths

Time: There is myth that logo can be designed in a few hours or even within an hour. Log is name, symbol or trademark of company. It crates a memorable image of company in viewer mind. Before designing of any logo research is required. This Research is about company, its value, its market image and target market. So how can a designer say that he can create good logo design in a few hours?

It’s all about great graphics: Most of the people believe that logo design is about great looking graphics. This is totally wrong. What about customer priorities and target audience. If designer fail to understand target market and what kind of message company wants to convey to its customer, logo design is worthless. On other hand most of the multinational corporations use simple logo design. They have money and resources to come up with complicated graphics design but they prefer simple Logo design because simple designs are easy to memorize.

Illustrative logo is better choice: There is myth that the more illustrative logo design is better. This is right for some type of markets. But if we see broadly this decision should based on market research and not on client and designer assumptions.

Colors: Designer and customer think that excessive use of colors in logo design garb visitor attention. But if it doesn’t look good in black and white it would not look good in any other colors. Instead of using too may colors use single or combination of colors that represent your company well.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Web Banner Advertising Standards

Banner Size: 468X60 pixels banner size is very popular banner size. It is also included in the recent version of Photoshop. Before finalizing the size of your web banner , make sure that the website where you want to display it will accept a banner of that size. Following is the list of standard banner sizes:

Banners and Buttons:

234 x 60 pixels (Half Banner)
392 x 72 pixels (Full banner with vertical navigation bar)
120 x 240 pixels (Vertical Banner)
125 x 125 pixels (Square Button)
120 x 90 pixels (Button 1)
120 x 60 pixels (Button 2)
88 x 31 pixels (Micro Button)
728X90 pixels (Leader Board)

Rectangle and Pop-Ups:

300X250 pixels (Medium Rectangle)
205X250 pixels (Square Pop Up)
336X280 pixels (Large Rectangle)
180X150 pixels (Rectangle)

Skyscrapers:

160X600 pixels (Wide Skyscraper)
120X600 pixels (Skyscraper)
300X600 pixel (Half Page Ad)

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