Introduction
Offsite media refers to advertising placements on websites, platforms and networks that are not owned by the advertiser. This allows brands to expand their reach and get in front of new audiences. However, with so many options available, having a strategic offsite media rotation plan is crucial for success. In this article, I will share my top tips for developing an effective offsite media rotation strategy as an online marketer.
Define Your Goals and KPIs
The first step is to clearly define your campaign goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). Common goals include:
- Increasing brand awareness
- Generating new leads
- Driving website traffic
- Improving conversions/sales
Once you’ve set your objectives, determine the KPIs you’ll use to track progress. KPIs for offsite media typically include:
- Impressions
- Click-through rate
- Cost per click
- Conversions
- Return on ad spend
Having clear goals and KPIs from the start allows you to optimize your campaigns and demonstrate ROI.
Research Your Audience
Conduct thorough audience research to understand where your target users are most active online. Look at demographic data like age, gender, location as well as their interests, pain points and behaviors.
Useful tools include:
- Google Analytics
- SimilarWeb
- Comscore
- Social listening tools like BuzzSumo
This information will help you identify relevant sites and platforms to include in your media plan.
Diversify Your Media Mix
Here are some top offsite channels to consider:
Social Media
- YouTube
Native Advertising
- Taboola
- Outbrain
- Revcontent
Affiliates
- Rakuten
- CJ Affiliate
- ShareASale
- Impact
Display Advertising
- Google Display Network
- Yahoo
- Various ad exchanges
Having a diverse mix allows you to reach users across different stages of the sales funnel. Start broad to drive awareness, then get more targeted further down the funnel.
Set Frequency Caps
To avoid ad fatigue, set appropriate frequency caps for each channel, which limit how often a user sees your ads within a given timeframe. Recommendations:
- Facebook/Instagram – 3 impressions per user per day
- Native ads – 2 impressions per user per day
- Display ads – 1-2 impressions per user per day
Adjust caps based on performance and user feedback over time.
Automate Media Buying
Leverage automation tools like MediaMath or The Trade Desk to streamline offsite media buying. Benefits include:
- Efficiently manage campaigns across many channels/vendors
- Dynamic optimization based on real-time data
- Improved performance and lower CPA
Just set your targeting parameters, KPIs and budgets – the platform handles the rest!
Regularly Review Performance
Designate time at least weekly to analyze campaign performance. Look at metrics like impressions, clicks, conversions, ROI. Compare channels to see what’s working best. This allows you to double down on high performers and optimize or pause underperforming placements.
Test, Learn And Refine
Continually test new channels, creatives and tactics. Experiment with different ad formats, calls to action and positioning. Use what you learn to refine your strategy. Agile optimization is key for success.
Conclusion
- Set clear campaign goals and KPIs
- Research your audience thoroughly
- Diversify your media mix across channels
- Implement frequency caps to avoid ad fatigue
- Leverage automation for efficiency
- Review performance regularly and optimize
- Employ constant testing and refinement
Following these offsite media best practices will help boost your reach, engagement and conversions over time. Let me know if you have any other questions!
