iMedia Connection: Media Strategies

How do you explain your job to mom?

In honor of Mother's Day, iMedia asks marketers how they describe their jobs to their moms.

7 tips for higher conversion rates

A good call-to-action is worth its weight in gold. Interactivate's CEO offers tips to finesse your CTA.

Solve the media puzzle

Crossword lovers, test your interactive media knowledge with this custom-created puzzle.

A key to marketer empowerment

Find out how to collect and analyze the cross-company data needed for effective marketing programs without the struggle of working with IT.

How digital affects Kodak's big picture

Kodak's head of marketing sat down with iMedia to talk about his career, changes at Kodak and how the internet fits into it all.

Ad network trends to watch

Data from a Collective Media study reveals what the future of ad networks may hold, how the market's perception of this segment has changed and what adoption rates currently are.

Is it time to reconsider first-party cookies?

Consolidation in the industry and the increased importance of quality audience data is again raising privacy issues. Can first-party cookies help keep data private?

Agencies address the pressure to change

The old agency model is broken. Hear agency reps and others describe the agency of the future.

A low-cost plan to elevate your brand

As the economy weakens and your competitors cut budgets, you can get the leg up with a thought-out digital marketing strategy.

The X Factor: How to avoid pissing people off

Sick and tired of dealing with the American Airlines fiasco? What can a solid CRM system do to avoid this type of scenario, and are you prepared for when the wheels come off?

Dear Dawn: Please define ad networks

Our expert, Cory Treffiletti, breaks down the differentiating factors between five categories of networks.

3 factors that limit ad networks

Recent news stories have begged the question: Just how many ad networks should there be? Underscore Marketing's president explores the limits inherent in ad networks.

A solution for staffing woes

Take a look at the pros and cons of virtual talent networks, an innovative business model focused on flexibility and freelancers.

Tips for multi-media messaging

When a major TV event refers viewers online, the sponsors of that event need to be prepared. Find out how "Idol Gives Back" advertisers fared with their integrated efforts.

An ad network for every market

It's important for marketers to weigh all available ad network options. Check out this guide to vertical ad networks designed to reach specific audiences.

The X Factor: Who do consumers think they are?

Like most kings, the consumer can be greedy, selfish and out of touch with the world. So why are marketers still working with ad formats that offer our products for free?

Why Yahoo won't sell

Microsoft dropped its Yahoo bombshell almost three months ago, and since then the U.S. has seen an economic downturn. But hard times might be good for Yahoo -- and the rest of the web. Find out why.

The dirty little ad network secret that isn't

Are sweepstakes enthusiasts and low-income tire kickers the only people clicking on ad network banners these days? Underscore Marketing's president explores this idea.

What's a Yahoo to do?

Yahoo is being publicly courted again. This time, there is talk about a possible AOL merger. At the same time, Yahoo has announced it is going to test AdSense over 3 percent of its search. What is to become of Yahoo?

Balancing digital spending

VIDEO: Brands explain what would motivate them to allocate more budget to digital.

Reach fans of user-generated media

VIDEO: Agencies share lessons learned on user engagement.

Is display advertising dead?

Display advertising is about to undergo a revolution that will profoundly affect the industry as we know it. Here's why this needs to happen.

What the perfect agency looks like

VIDEO: Brands reveal how agencies can evolve to meet their needs.

How to break up without burning a bridge

It's important to end relationships with vendors, partners and publishers on a positive note. Sean Cheyney shows you how and why.

Get past the unsexy side of online media

Advances in making online advertising a potentially more profitable enterprise will be found in both standardization and in clients taking the process more seriously.

The X Factor: Wake up, media planners!

The halo of an offline brand may extend to the brand property online, but it does not fully extend to the value of that property for advertising. Here's why.

Will interactive survive a recession?

There have been recent predictions concerning advertising's future if a recession hits. Underscore Marketing's president offers some predictions of his own.

Ride the net's long tail through tough times

The key to ad buying in a recession is to spend efficiently. Here's how vertical ad networks can help make that happen.

Combat shrinking budgets with digital

Marketers looking for an increased edge during leaner times will discover that certain aspects of online advertising make taking the digital plunge much more practical when every penny counts.

iMedia survey results released

The results are in. iMedia breaks down the numbers behind its survey of leading marketers and agencies.

Reestablish broken consumer bonds

Third-party ad serving has distanced brands from their customers and their data, leading to consumer distrust. Here are some solutions for regaining consumer trust.

Agencies speak out about ad platforms

VIDEO: Agencies give their thoughts on ad platforms that leave them scratching their heads.

Get more relevant with niche media

Media buyers are facing an increasingly volatile online advertising market, making targeted niche media opportunities attractive alternatives to traditional buys. Explore the possibilities.

Does engagement need a common definition?

Is it really necessary for all marketers to settle on a common definition of engagement? Here's a breakdown of the issue.

Industry heavyweights take up a cause

See how companies across our industry came together to support children in war-torn Iraq.

How new media can shape politics

As advertisers learn to use social media and mobile in their media mixes, so must politicians. It could make all the difference.

3 reasons for agencies NOT to fear Google

Google keeps telling agencies and other members of the media community not to be afraid. Google's right, but not for the reasons everyone might think.

Can AOL get out of its own way?

With constant, disruptive change as the mantra of AOL's advertising sales organization, will AOL ever achieve its full potential?

Why I joined an ad network

Having recently made the move from an online publisher to an ad network, a sales VP provides his unique perspective on the state and relevance of networks.

Is digital ready to take the lead?

Forrester suggests that interactive agencies need to work harder to become lead agencies, but are they ready for the challenge?

8 ways to win the pitch

Just because your agency is the most qualified doesn't mean you'll necessarily get the bid. Follow these simple pointers to increase your odds of success.

How to survive the age of client discontent

Marketers dumped their agencies in record numbers last year and the mass exodus isn't letting up. Here's what agencies can do to stem the tide.

The new media evolution will be personalized

Planning to develop a made-to-order content strategy that can increase brand awareness, boost product trials and enhance overall marketing value? Enlighten's VP of interactive media shares some key insights on making it work.

Why the web still isn't right for politicians

The internet has largely been overlooked by many of the presidential candidates. Here's why the web's reach and influence has still not convinced political marketers.

4 factors stunting online growth

Marketers are still spending just 7.5 percent of their budgets on a medium consuming 30 percent of their audiences' time. Find out why and how to raise that ratio.

Digital leadership: the agenda emerges

New research from the Marketing & Media Ecosystem 2010 study reveals strategies and core competencies needed for marketers to drive industry growth and connect with the complex consumer landscape.

How to fix ad exchange challenges

The investment community makes a lot of fuss over ad exchanges, yet agency buyer reaction to them has been lukewarm at best. Here are some of the top problems exchanges need to address.

How $2,500 could have changed Yahoo's fate

Enabling small business owners to launch campaigns on large publishers' sites could be the next million dollar idea. The president of Goodway 2.0 explains.

4 traps to avoid with lead generation

Watch out for these pitfalls and you'll be well on your way to successful lead generation.

Jerry Yang on building a better Yahoo experience

Yahoo's CEO discusses reducing the friction between advertisers and publishers, and how his company plans to innovate on the audience experience.

Full results from iMedia survey released

The results are in. iMedia breaks down the numbers behind its survey of leading brand marketers.

Why AOL matters

AOL's new Platform-A packs a powerful punch for online advertisers and raises the company's profile in the industry. Hear directly from President Curt Viebranz what Platform-A has to offer.

Horton hears a Microhoo

If the acquisition goes through, it will alter the primal core of online advertising and elevate the value of CPA. Here's one VP's predictions.

The dating game: can marketers play?

Members may sign up for a chance at love, but marketers shouldn't dismiss dating sites for their campaigns. Dating gurus from two of the space's top sites share their advice.

The badly needed overhaul for Terms & Conditions

One of digital media buying's core standards needs significant updating. Underscore Marketing's president discusses issues with the IAB/AAAA Terms & Conditions.

Agencies react to Forrester report

Agencies aren't staying ahead of the digital curve, and no agency is "getting it right," according to Forrester Research. Here's what the agencies have to say in response.

Recession marketing: be brave or be gone

Here's a list of strategies marketers can employ to mine the golden opportunities economic downturns offer.

Notes from a true believer: the rise of online advertising

Online advertising makes up just 7.6 percent of all advertising, so we have nowhere to go but up, even if a recession hits.

5 insights into the Microsoft/Yahoo bid

Speculation about Microsoft's hostile bid for Yahoo is running rampant all over the news media and the blogosphere. Underscore Marketing's president tries to make sense of it all.

Get legal to bless your campaigns

Working with your attorneys doesn't have to be painful. Find out how to educate and integrate your legal department into marketing initiatives without the stress.

Get reach and have transparency, too

Open ad marketplaces are an attractive, low-cost option that give marketers more control over their ad network buys. See how this model works for brands and publishers alike.

Super Bowl winners and losers

Fox, the once-perfect Patriots and the underdog Giants combined to create one of the biggest media events ever. But many of this year's ads treated the web as an afterthought. Did brands fumble the digital handoff?

Marketer confessional: Sean Cheyney speaks

VIDEO: In our interview with this AccuQuote VP, we hear why mobile didn't work for his company, why he gets annoyed at websites, and his concerns for 2008.

Microsoft and Yahoo: the pros and cons

Our media strategies editor takes a look at Microsoft's bid for Yahoo and what this could mean for the online media industry.

Industry split on Microsoft's $44B ad play

Microsoft's $44.6 billion offer to buy Yahoo sent shockwaves through the interactive ad industry, but what does the mega-deal mean for marketers? Industry insiders read the tea leaves.

Trends to watch in 2008

VIDEO: What will be hot in 2008? Watch and find out.

Hormel's SPAM: keeping a legacy brand relevant

Take a look at how the spiced ham's new "Blue and Yellow World" multi-level campaign finds its way into the hearts (and stomachs) of users.

9 tips to unleash the power of local

Learn how to get the best results out of a local online advertising campaign.

Winning substitutes for Super Bowl commercials

The Super Bowl might be one of the last remaining shared media moments in broadcast, but it shouldn't command such premium pricing. Underscore Marketing's president explores online alternatives.

Time to give up on demographics

Demographic targeting represents an antiquated and inadequate method for targeting media. It's time we moved on. The president of Underscore Marketing explains why.

5 tips for do-it-yourself display marketing

Get lean and mean by leveraging self service display. Here are a few things to watch for.

The truth about ad network transparency

There are reasons why different tiers of ad network transparency are necessary. ValueClick Media's senior vice president walks you through them.

How to get the best leads at the right price

Customized predictive models provide a process that evaluates each new, incoming lead, and then automates important marketing decisions.

Make a direct connect with college kids

Find out how database marketing can improve your targeting success to this sought-after group.

Top 10 challenges interactive marketers face

Conversations with thousands of marketing folks revealed their greatest challenges going forward. Here are some tips for tackling them.

Confessions of an online ad buyer

Goodway 2.0's president explains why your fear of ad networks no longer applies and what to do to ensure your experience is painless -- and ROI-filled.

3 trends that will NOT happen in 2008

Media Strategies Editor Jim Meskauskas takes a look ahead at what the biggest trends will be for the online media and marketing industry in 2008, and how it won't matter.

Affiliate marketing demystified

The president of zanox answers some big questions on how affiliate marketing can benefit your company and your clients.

Are publisher ad networks doomed to fail?

Will the rise in publisher ad networks offer media buyers greater choice and targeting power, or will too many cooks spoil the quality inventory? Undertone Networks' CEO has the answer.

The fine art of the brainstorm meeting

Why can't a room filled with specialist marketers from different disciplines ever produce a great integrated idea? Underscore Marketing's president relates some wisdom.

Try a new course: 10 ideas for 2008

Get into the swing of marketing for 2008. Renegade's president and CEO shows you how.

How to justify more digital dollars

If you failed to get the kind of boost in your marketing budget you were hoping for, it might be time to take a long, hard look at how you're measuring marketing effectiveness.

Best & worst of 2007: experts weigh in

Our industry experts wax eloquent about this year's successes, duds and truly innovating stuff that will make you think, "I should have thought of that."

Stretch your ad budget with these metrics

If you're only measuring frequency and impressions, good luck in getting more online ad dollars. Red Door Interactive's president explains what metrics really matter.

Full results from iMedia survey released

The results are in. iMedia breaks down the numbers behind the results from its survey of leading agency executives.

How to avoid landmines on integrated campaigns

Working with integrated sales groups sounds easy in principle, but all sorts of issues rear their ugly heads when buyers work with sellers in a cross-media capacity.

Signs your ad network might be an "ad notwork"

Is your network giving your brand what it needs? Take a look at these telltale signs to find out.

Agencies: face change or relative chaos

Media Strategies Editor Jim Meskauskas discusses how the media RFP process is antithetical to creativity, and how there is nothing we can do about it.

Ad networks to complement site buys

Advertising.com explains why networks are heating up, but maintains that site buys are still key to your media mix.

Stay in control of the media mix

Immediacy of market feedback is a big selling point for digital media. But how long will it be before interactive-based research can deliver actionable feedback on integrated campaigns?

Publishers: increase revenue by 20%

Want to save 15 to 20 percent of revenue? Then make sure you have the right ad server. Here are two key factors.

Is the ad network dead?

A change is imminent in the ad network space, and for planners and buyers, the change will mean the end of sameness.

The buyer's guide to video ads

Navigate your clients through the fast-changing online video advertising world with some pricing advice from SpotXchange's CEO.

Ad networks: moving beyond reach and targeting

Real Girls Media's business development director reports on the latest ways interactive media executives are taking advantage of ad network benefits.

The cultural effect on ad serving

A trip to Beijing provided a longtime new media exec with perspective on ad serving operations, here and there.

What brands really think about ad networks

Revlon, Quiznos, Sony BMG, Kaiser Permanente and other brands reveal what they love and loathe about ad networks.

3 insights into direct response

Asking the right questions about your online direct marketing campaign can help manage risk, but not all questions can be answered without thorough testing.

Hear, hear for web fragmentation

Sapient's director of media discusses the marketing implications of aligning technology through key partnerships.

2 steps to ensure lead-generating success

Effective online lead generation is contingent on some low-tech elements. Active Response Group's CEO explains.

Keys to differentiating ad networks

What can an ad network do to make itself stand out in a sea of undifferentiated companies? Underscore Marketing's president has some ideas.

Click here! Buy now!

In the wake of last week's ad:tech conference, when all is said and done, the market still perceives online's strongest feature as its ability to deliver advertising treated as direct response.

Nissan and Dell: innovation pays off

T3's VP, group creative director shares examples of how the creative and media teams can break down their silos and work together.

Close interactive's hardest sell

Sean X Cummings reveals what it takes to get in front of brands and traditional agencies as early as possible.

Verizon's makeover for homes and marketing

To promote the benefits of FiOS, Verizon and Campfire created unique offline events, facilitated by online social media.

Take back control of the buy/sell process

Traffiq's CEO explains how the control and transparency available on open ad trading platforms can benefit all participants, including long tail and niche publishers.

Did Microsoft miscalculate Facebook?

Microsoft may have won the battle for Facebook, but it may not realize what that win means for the online marketing business.

When a bug is good for your campaign

Interactive marketing is an increasingly vital element to almost any advertising campaign, so it's best to start acclimating yourself with some of the incredible new branding opportunities out there.

How fewer ads can mean more dollars

Dynamic Logic offers up proof that frequency capping can improve the results of your campaign.

Marketing mistakes that matter

In keeping with the idea that you can learn more from the foolish than the wise, here are some egregious marketing errors to avoid.

A marketer's guide to the local web

Marchex' lead search architect shares the key takeaways for marketers from a new report on the local internet.

Anatomy of a well-integrated campaign

Four agency professionals describe what makes a cross-media campaign work and provide examples of those that are done right.

Key ingredients to multi-channel marketing

Advertising.com outlines how to run a successful multi-channel marketing program.

Create brand buzz in force

The strongest companies don't have brand police, they have an entire army of employees who understand what the brand means and how to communicate it.

5 smart ways to use ad networks

Boost campaign performance with these often overlooked campaign strategies. ValueClick Media explains.

Agency compensation hits dire straits

The time has come to figure out a better way of handling the business end of the agency business -- otherwise there won't be much of a business left.

One ad network is not the answer

ValueClick's VP of corporate strategy takes issue with the assertion that working with more than one network is a waste of time.

Double your buy's value in the mid-tail

Gorilla Nation's SVP/advertising sales explains how to get the biggest bang for your media-buying buck.

The secret weapon for Web 2.0 success

Delivery of information when, where and how consumers want it is the new name of the game. An Atlas SVP explores the future possibilities this opens up to marketers.

The 9 lives of media planning

Our media strategies editor points out some lessons about advertising that can be learned from our brethren in the animal kingdom: the house cat.

Are we paying too much for media?

The agency model may be based on buying and producing TV spots, but the consumer has been exiled from the equation and is paying the price.

4 signs you're choosing the wrong agency

Don't waste another minute in a mismatched client-agency relationship. Applegate Media Group's CEO explains the most common traps to avoid.

5 integration landmines to avoid

So many things tend to fall through the cracks when more than one agency is involved in a project. Here's how to avoid getting stuck at a disadvantage.

Local advertising made easy

Although consumers increasingly are going online for local information, many small businesses haven't been there. Yodle's CEO explains why that's changing.

Why AdSense alone makes no sense

When publishers expand their advertising options, everyone wins. Kontera's SVP, sales and business development explains how to choose the right mix of offerings.

How to make better use of meeting time

After our media strategies editor attended several meetings with publishers and media providers in the last few weeks, here is his review of some basic things that should be in every meeting.

Ad network shuffle changes the stakes

Amidst a flurry of ad network mergers and acquisitions, it's easy to get confused. Radar Research's co-founder explains what exactly this means for planners and buyers.

Boost conversions with just one ad network

If the hunt for conversions has led you to consider behavioral retargeting, don't waste time working with more than one ad network.

Local media online: what's the holdup?

A new eMarketer study reveals a slow-growing market segment, but provides hope for the future.

Will online kill the annual plan?

As it turns out, planning ahead may be counter-intuitive to your brand's ultimate strategy and efficiency goals. Goodway 2.0's president explains how to work around these potential pitfalls.

How "Halo" continues to shine for Microsoft

"Halo 3" is the latest installment in one of the biggest worldwide entertainment properties in history. Read how Microsoft is stoking the flames of excitement for what is already a hotly anticipated product.

How to win with the gay community

The founder of the newly launched Gay Ad Network tells us why reaching this lucrative audience within its chosen media is vital for success.

Where to put your local ad dollars

A recent study conducted by TMP Directional Marketing and comScore sheds light on how consumers use local media.

Marketers vs. gamers: the real score revealed

Not all in-game ad strategies are created equally. While this emerging platform promises stellar returns, only the savvy will survive.

What was Yahoo! thinking?

M&A fever has infected the online advertising industry once again, but do the latest acquisitions make sense? Underscore Marketing's president sheds some light on the situation.

Stop feeding the barriers to optimization

Marketers constantly encounter obstacles that keep them from experimenting with campaign improvements. Offermatica's president reveals these barriers, and some quick fixes.

Coors' campaign brews new local fans

Find out how a major CPG company leveraged local online media and supported both its distributors and national promotions.

"No" sometimes means no, even in advertising

Our media strategies editor finishes off his three-part series on the three truths of advertising.

Yahoo! lands BlueLithium for $300M

Building on its acquisition of Right Media, Yahoo increases its investment in areas that fortify the portal's long-term success.

Don't let the last cookie crumble your campaign

Sean X Cummings shows you how to tame the cookie monster and go beyond standard metrics to get the most from your online campaigns.

Make ad networks your concern

The president and CEO of Undertone Networks describes how having a good understanding of the network marketplace can make a significant difference for a brand marketer.

Porn's prince of pop-ups speaks

From porn to pop-ups to virtual worlds, Brian Shuster has done it all. What he hasn't done is share his hard-won knowledge with mainstream marketers...until now.

7 steps to reduce customer churn

Unlock the mystery behind your customers' actions and increase product loyalty. Zango's director of marketing explains.

5 brand blunders to avoid

The online experience is an important extension of a brand's cornerstone values. But some brands are still not projecting the image they need to.

The internet's dirty secret: free will cost you

As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for," suggesting that paying for services may actually be better for the bottom line than using free ones. Squarespace's CEO explains.

Improve lead quality in 4 easy steps

Not all leads generated online are of the highest quality. eBureau's VP of marketing and business development describes the process for pulling out the meatiest morsels.

The second truth of advertising: conversation

Our media strategies editor follows up last week's column with a review of possible methods for integrating the three truths of advertising.

Newspapers find gold in "we" media

Hyper local and niche communities give newspapers a potent and targeted consumer pool for attracting local businesses, goods and services.

Don't buy the same customer twice

Check out these tips from Geary Interactive's CEO to make sure you aren't wasting precious online ad budget.

Ditch prospect weeds for killer leads

How hot are your prospects? Eloqua's SVP says lead scoring solves the direct marketing riddle.

Get the attention you're already paying for

Whisper to be seen, wave your hands to be heard. Joseph Carrabis explains.

Putting local to the test

How local is local? There are big differences between DMA heavy-ups for national or regional advertisers and campaigns for local retailers. Here's why.

The first truth of advertising: selling

Just as important as being clear about what you have to offer is being clear about what you want your audience to do with it.

What online shoppers want: More local

Kelly Blue Book reports that consumers want more local information when they're purchasing a car; here's the data and how to apply it.

Why online engagement beats TV

Everywhere media professionals turn, research companies are publishing studies overstating American consumption of offline media. How long will this continue?

3 ways to maximize scarce inventory

CheckM8's CEO explains how big media brands can make more money with less inventory, while still providing advertisers premium positions.

3 things every marketer should know

iMedia's media strategies editor offers the three truths of advertising that he finds are the most fundamental and yet the most often overlooked.

Follow Coke's loyalty-building lead

My Coke Rewards enables Coca-Cola to gather and leverage data for marketing one-to-one. Learn from OnCard Marketing's COO how you can do it too.

The rise of vertical branded networks

The CEO of Burst Media takes a look at how some brands are winning the online vertical marketing game.

Catch your audience's attention

Measuring an ad's impact with the share-of-voice metric hasn't translated well into online media, but with these pointers, you can boost and measure SOV.

Agencies: it's time to prove your value

The time has come for agencies to start acting like agents and clients to start treating them with the respect they deserve.

8 things that terrify account execs

Sean X Cummings examines frustrating scenarios for online agency execs and how a great AE stays calm under pressure.

Why choosing ad networks just got easier

Some people are questioning the impact of consolidation in the ad network industry, but Undertone Network's president claims it's a good thing for both buyers and sellers.

Make multi-channel marketing a breeze

With consumers using multiple channels to view and interact with media, marketers are challenged to keep up. Responsys' director of product marketing has a solution.

Anatomy of a project plan

Creating a project plan helps keep things organized. Without it, any type of internal transition would seem daunting and overwhelming.

Will Media Nomads Doom Marketing?

Our media strategies editor offers up two potential marketing worlds that could evolve from the public consumption of private media.

The True Value of Media Buying Currency

Delivery of basic online campaigns can be evaluated against simple demographic audiences, but we're a long way off from an audience-based currency in online media.

The Mass Hysteria from Mass Acquisitions

Current high profile acquisitions in our industry may not have much immediate impact, but long term, it could be another story.

Understanding Mass Media Consumption

Online or digital media planners don't just have to be experts in the internet, they need to become experts of media consumption behavior.

Ad Exchanges at a Glance: UPDATED

Find out more about the top players in this space with this head-to-head comparison.

Raising the Value of Ad Serving

Exponential's CEO and founder explains how basic ad serving will become a no-cost enabler of more valuable offerings, benefiting users, advertisers and publishers.

Media Device Convergence: How It Sets Us Free

Our media strategies editor contemplates the unfettering of media from time and space and how technology has made it possible.

The Key to Better Online Leads: Quality

Prospectiv's president and CEO offers tips to deliver a high volume of quality leads without hurting your brand.

5 Media Planning "Anti-Laws"

Underscore Marketing's president flips many of the tested axioms of media planning upside down.

Marketing Tips from Apple's Guy in the Tie

As Apple proved with its Mac vs. PC ads, whether to use a brand or a direct-response approach depends on your customer. A Range Online Media director tells you more.

Turn to Ad Networks for Innovation

Undertone Network's president and CEO explains why ad networks are essential partners in the media planning and buying process.

Memo to Brands: Fear the Wiki

Wikipedia pages have the potential to tarnish your brand image, so don't turn a blind eye to this growing community.

Protect Your Business By Securing Workflow

Documenting knowledge about how your business is run can be likened to an insurance policy against damage.

5 Ways to Drive a Media Professional Crazy

Our iMedia strategies editor reviews the top five activities from the media buying and planning side that need to be corrected.

What Keeps a Media Planner Up At Night?

Sleepless nights are part of any media planner's regimen during planning cycles, but what about the stuff that keeps us up the rest of the time?

Seek Less Sites, Higher Returns

MIVA's SVP/group MD takes a look at the likely future of pay-per-click advertising beyond the majors.

Top 5 Pet Peeves for Sellers

Our media strategies editor reviews the top five things on the sales side that drive media planners and buyers absolutely nuts!

An Integrated Agency "Pulp Fiction" Style?

Separating agencies by specialties can work, but it's time to stop passing the buck. Here's a better approach.

Where You Should Stick Your Ad and Why

The NextStage CRO debuts exciting new research about ad placement and warns that what media planners don't know may be killing them!

Keep Industry Standards Intact: Why It Matters

Without certain standards, online advertising would return to its Wild West roots. Underscore Marketing's president explains the danger.

What to Look for in a Publisher

An Atlas VP outlines five key ad-serving components publishers should be offering advertisers and agencies.

The Big Deal About Getting Small

Marketers have an opportunity to find their niche and own it. See who's doing it right online.

Remember Dayparting? Put Time on Your Side

When putting together a media plan, it is important to think about using the best possible time slot to advertise that message.

Drive Conversions with Online Branding

Need to up your campaign's conversions? Online branding could boost your conversions by 28 percent.

Your 10-Minute Guide to Emerging Ad Networks

Cut through the complexity of today's niche ad networks with this at-a-glance review.

Publishers vs. Ad Networks: Who Will Win?

In top verticals like sports, automotive and entertainment, the big ad networks consistently beat out top web publishers in terms of online traffic.

Understanding the Language of Marketing

By letting the business lingo we currently use do the thinking for us, we get further away from being able to accomplish our jobs successfully.

How a Diet Brand Grew its Audience

Learn from the South Beach Diet's agency how it combined the best of creative and response-driven advertising strategies to enhance brand while increasing sales.

Will Advertising Become a Commodity?

Is the expert advice of advertising agencies as irreplaceable as they believe? Underscore Marketing's president explores a dark potential future for the ad business.

Strategies to Beat Online Price Hikes

Consumer behavior and advertiser reaction are causing rate inflation. An Avenue A | Razorfish president describes how to avoid overpaying for online media.

Contextualizing Your Consumers

Our media strategies editor suggests that looking at the entirety of a target audience's daily life will lead to more effective media plans.

Why Video Publishers Have More Inventory Than They Think

Think we're at our video inventory limit? Think again. Advertising.com's VP of video networks gives pointers.

Please Call Back

Media planners and buyers are notorious for never answering their phone. Our media strategies editor has some suggestions for basic phone protocol.

Chaos or Order: Google's Next Move

Recent mergers and acquisitions in the media buying industry over the past month have the potential to shake the very ground on which we stand.

Buying People's Emotions: Online vs. TV

During this upfront season, some marketers are still doubtful about online's role in the overall marketing mix.

Optimize Your Next Big Marketing Play

Optimization is a powerful tool for improving the performance of your marketing programs. The good news is it really works.

You Call Your Ad Network Premium?

With countless ad networks claiming to be "premium," Undertone Networks' president/CEO defines what the term should stand for.

Turn the Net into a Lead Machine

Prospectiv's president and CEO separates myth from reality and defines best practices in online lead generation.

Ad Exchanges: Hype or True Value?

If an advertiser needs an efficient sales experience on a small number of sites, then exchanges can offer an effective solution.

Who Gets the Local Media Dollar?

Doing business has reached critical mass, and while the media universe is expanding, budgets, unfortunately, are not.

Frontin' the Upfront

Our media strategies editor wonders what ever happened to the cable networks' previously stated interest in cross-platform, online media?

6 Ways to Blow a Pitch

Ask.com's Sean X Cummings reveals the most common pitch killers and how to avoid them in your next bid for new business.

The Pros and Cons of Ad Networks

A Collective Media study reveals why advertisers buy, or don't buy, into ad networks, and how they incorporate them into a media plan.

DVRs: The Threat That Never Was

Our media strategies guru explains that content “time-shifting” and its impact on advertising should be minimal, if anything at all.

Boost Search ROI by Adding Ad Networks

More ad dollars are now spent online than ever before, but ROI is decreasing because those dollars are chasing too few options. ABCSearch's CEO proposes a solution.

Expert Tips for Publishers and Planners

Organic's associate media director reviews why we all need to work better at working together.

How to Be a Rock Star Media Planner

Seven things you can do to make your peers jealous and get famous while doing it.

Have Cookies Lost Their Flavor?

Our media strategies editor discusses the ramifications of planning without reliable cookie data; and he asks just how much such data matters any way.

Why Agencies Should Be Terrified

Consumers are the new medium, and few agencies have figured out how to harness that power.

Build the Perfect Ad Network

Find out what media buyers want and get a picture of what makes a perfect ad network.

The Proactive Ad Network Solution

Geary Interactive's CEO explains how being in a proactive relationship with an ad network can eliminate future issues.

5 Tactics for Finding Your Niche

Our media strategies editor lays out five tactics that can help you find small, hidden website gems for your online media plan.

5 Essential Video Marketing Tips

Advertising.com gives background on the true video audience and how best to reach it.

"The Matrix" Guide to Brand-Building: Neomarketing & Transmedia Engagement

Going beyond multidimensional or media neutral marketing, transmedia storytelling opens up new ways for brands to bond with consumers.

4 Ways to Turn Prospects into Customers

Make your online customer acquisition strategies engaging and you'll turn prospects into loyal customers. Prospectiv's president & CEO explains.

Network Reach: Composition vs. Coverage

iMedia's media strategies editor explains why it often makes the most sense to opt for quality over quantity.

Google/DoubleClick Deal Divides Industry

Will the mega-merger damage or improve the industry landscape? Experts differ on the consequences of this surprising deal.

News Analysis: The Google/DoubleClick Marriage

Our senior editor recaps what's in the news about the Google snap up of DoubleClick.

GoogleClick: 10 Things to Keep an Eye On

The deal gives Google one centralized system for advertisers and publishers to buy/sell, serve and track all media campaigns.

Googling Up a Whole New Empire

What does this acquisition mean for marketers, their agencies and publishers?

The Double-Goo Monster: Are We Jumping at Shadows?

Google's acquisition of Doubleclick has already spawned widespread fear and loathing of the undisputed master of CPC.

Google/DoubleClick, You Must Be Kidding

Has the Google/DoubleClick acquisition left you with a flurry of questions? Here are some important issues and variables to consider.

Find Balance and Value in Vertical Networks

Ad networks are not getting a fair share of the overall spend. Will vertical media networks change that?

Ad Exchanges… Is Now the Time?

Underscore Marketing's president shows how bid-driven exchanges for online inventory are more relevant today than they've ever been.

Generic Advertising: The New Media Buy?

Spotzer Media's CEO reveals how stock ads at low prices could democratize the media landscape.

Planning Beyond the Top 20 Sites

As online advertising grows by leaps and bounds, can the industry scale? Our media strategies editor looks at what has to happen.

How True.com Boosted Advertising ROI

MIVA's VP of global marketing and communications shares the secrets of how one client optimized pay-per-click within the MIVA network to grow online membership.