Most people know advertising in ezines really can be profitable. But what should you be aware of before you spend your money? Here are some guidelines to help you.

1. Subscribe or make sure you did

This may sound silly but if you are on their list and didn't subscribe how did you get on it? Some people build their lists from FFA pages and other means. Look for an ezine that is 100% opt in. This is important because the people on the list actually want to receive it.

2. Are Back Issues available or do they have a Website?

Look at back issues or the website. See if they promote the same program as yours or ran ads for the same one. These 2 things might hurt your response. People on the internet like "New" things.

3. Look at the Content and the Format

Do they write their own articles? I always like reading something original. Reading their work gives you some insight to the type of person you are dealing with.

Does the Format look nice and neat or is it sloppy? A nice format is easier to read and follow. It shows an attention to detail.

4. Subscription Size versus Ad Cost

Prices vary greatly in this area. Shop around, more expensive does not necessarily mean you'll get better responses.

5. How many ads per issue?

If they use too many ads your might get lost. People many times will just skip over the classified ad section. I usually opt for either solo mailings or my favorite is Top Spot ads. These work the best for me.

6. Track your ads

A very important element is to track your responses. 2 easy ways to do this are: You can use an autoresponder and key the subject -- mailto:randyz@xyz.net?subject=myad. You'll know by the responses that have "myad" as a subject how it pulled.

Another way is to set up a web page with a counter and redirection script. These are some basic things you can do very easily.

I can't emphasize how important tracking is. Without it you are just shooting in the dark.

7. Contact with the publisher

I like to make contact with the author. I usually ask when the next sponsor spot is available. Can I save by buying multiple ads? How many lines can the sponsor ad be?

What I am looking for is what type of response I get. Did they try to answer all my questions? Did I have to wait more than a few days for a response?

You'll come to appreciate publishers that respond quickly. They usually deal with problems that arise in the same manner.

These are some things to get you started. Good luck in promoting your programs.

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Randy Zakowski is the publisher of Ezine Ad Specials.
Discover How To S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your Ezine Advertising Dollar! Subscribe Now. Ezineadspecials-subscribe@onelist.com