Sponsorship and the Web
Posted: 6/8/2009 5:59:27 PM by
Carrie Urban Kapraun | with 2 comments
Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about branding and sponsorship on the Web, social networking, Web content, monetizing Web exposure, etc. This was a hot topic during IEG’s annual conference and continues to be top of mind for me.
Generally, sponsor exposure on the Web is part of a larger sponsorship package and how the sponsor is recognized online is an afterthought, something like a sponsor logo next to a bunch of other sponsor logos. This is a mistake; a property’s Web site is often the first point of contact for your audience and where they develop their first impression of your sponsors. The Web provides a direct link to a sponsor’s products or services and in many cases it is the quickest way to a sale for the sponsor. To top it off, it can be measured and the measurement is fairly easy to obtain.
Much of the time when people are on the Web they are looking to accomplish something, gather information, etc. The Web is a very task-focused medium and as a property or sponsor, if you aren’t helping someone to accomplish their task, you are a distraction.
So how do you enhance users’ experiences instead of detract? A lot of the same principles that are applied to other types of sponsorship assets/benefits can be used. You want your user to understand what the sponsor brings to the party, what the benefit is to them. Is it free access to otherwise unobtainable content or an opportunity for a unique offline experience? As a property or sponsor, and hopefully you’ve heard this before, you want to connect with your audience and enhance your audience’s experience. This is the beauty of sponsorship, and this of course applies to the Web.
As a property, you need to make available relevant opportunities, and as a sponsor you really need to put some thought into what is going to be meaningful to your audience. Properties should consider hosting a brainstorming session: Invite sponsors, clearly state the objectives on all sides, and collaborate on what the sponsors can provide. Is it expertise in certain subject matters or access to a desirable product or service? Sometimes it is easiest to start with what you don’t want it to be and go from there.
If you give it some thought, can you think of an example of sponsor recognition on the Web that made an impact? If it did, was it because it was beneficial or annoying? If you can think of a positive example, it was probably because the sponsor was contributing something or providing content that was valuable. Keep that in mind and you are golden.
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Filed under: digital media, new media, activation