In Text Advertising Explained - Terminology, Technology, and Ideology
What is In Text Advertising?
Definition: In Text Advertising is a method of advertising where advertisements are placed as hyperlinks within existing text. It's a strong website monetization tool and an effective online advertising method.
Definition: In Text Advertising is a method of advertising where advertisements are placed as hyperlinks within existing text. It's a strong website monetization tool and an effective online advertising method.
What is In Text Advertising?
Definition: In Text Advertising is a method of advertising where advertisements are placed as hyperlinks within existing text.[see also the Wikipedia definition for In Text Advertising]
This short definition encapsulates the whole concept in just a few words, but as it usually happens with short explanations, each of the words count and some further clarifications are required.
First of all, it's a method of advertising. There are many reasons to include hyperlinks within text online - in fact, that's the essence of the Web - but here, we're discussing a form of advertising where commercial interests direct the selection of links - it's advertising. Second, the term "advertisements" - or ads for short - is important. There are other types of in-text placements that only add content and links to related content - these methods are not part of the advertising method, since they don't include the placement of ads (that lead to advertising content).
And third, the last part of the definition - "within existing text" - separates in-text advertising from other types of contextual advertising. While contextual ads can relate to the text but appear next to the text (like Google Adsense), and paid-for content can lead to writing text which is in fact an advertisement, in-text ads are placed inside content which was created independently and separately from the advertising.
In Text or In Line?
The market has spoken - In Text Advertising is the chosen term. However, in its early days, this method was also called In Line Advertising, and even in one word Inline. This name is less accurate and also, it simply didn't spread enough before "In Text" was coined and adopted.
There is still a question about the hyphen. Just as we all send emails to one another, and have stopped using e-mail, I believe In-Text will evolve into Intext (or at least InText to begin with), mainly because it's quite difficult to read it without the hyphen (the mind looks for other words to follow the word In). For now, capitalizing helps reading, so the choice is between in-text and In Text.
There is still a question about the hyphen. Just as we all send emails to one another, and have stopped using e-mail, I believe In-Text will evolve into Intext (or at least InText to begin with), mainly because it's quite difficult to read it without the hyphen (the mind looks for other words to follow the word In). For now, capitalizing helps reading, so the choice is between in-text and In Text.
Captain Hooks
Once an existing text is subject to in-text advertising, it is scanned, analyzed, and then hyperlinks are added within the text highlighting specific words or sentences. Each of these highlights is called a hook. Why? I prefer believing that hooks are like anchors for the most relevant advertising and have the potential of giving the reader the most valuable ads; and since the term Anchor already had a different use (anchors represent a target location for an internal hyperlink), another marine term was adopted. However, a more reasonable and easy to remember explanation could be that the links are there to try and lure readers to advertisements, just like hooks lure fish. You choose. As long as you call them hooks as well, so we're all on the same page.The number of hooks per a certain volume of text is an important factor, and so is the length of each hook; but before we go there, let's start with the fact that most hooks are formatted with double-underline... read on please.
Double Underline Links
The most common method of highlighting the links for in-text ads is with a double underline. This simple design was not in use as a symbol anywhere else online, and as such, it sent a clear message to any website's visitors - these links are special, not regular. At first, they may have attracted attention and therefore helped generate ad clicks. But soon thereafter, they became acknowledged as an accepted symbol, clearly stating to the world: this link leads to an advertisement.
As I wrote under Interruption Advertising vs. Permission Marketing, letting readers know that the hyperlinks are in fact a method of advertising is important for the success of the ads and for the overall website user experience. An informed reader is less interrupted by the double underline links while reading, and only chooses to check them out when he has genuine interest in the advertisement. This means that the visitor is giving active permission to be exposed to the advertiser's content, the best possible start for both sides. Using other underline formats, like single underline, which are also used for other types of hyperlinks, confuses readers. Although this can lead to short time increase in clicks, it will lead to longer term dissatisfaction of both the website's visitors and the advertisers. And then comes the hover%u2026
As I wrote under Interruption Advertising vs. Permission Marketing, letting readers know that the hyperlinks are in fact a method of advertising is important for the success of the ads and for the overall website user experience. An informed reader is less interrupted by the double underline links while reading, and only chooses to check them out when he has genuine interest in the advertisement. This means that the visitor is giving active permission to be exposed to the advertiser's content, the best possible start for both sides. Using other underline formats, like single underline, which are also used for other types of hyperlinks, confuses readers. Although this can lead to short time increase in clicks, it will lead to longer term dissatisfaction of both the website's visitors and the advertisers. And then comes the hover%u2026
Mouse Hover
Your website's visitor reads an article, recognizes a term with double underline as an ad about a term which he's interested in, and wants to know a little more - what can he do? He simply hovers with the mouse over the link - sometimes referred to as a mouseover - and a bubble appears with an advertisement inside. He looks at the ad%u2026 if he's interested, he can click on it and go directly to the advertiser's landing page. If he's not interested, he moves the mouse away and the bubble disappears.This active hover is a demonstration of interest by the reader - a very important aspect of this type of advertising, where permission is stronger than interruption, and all parties involved - the reader, the website's publisher, and the advertiser - should be happier with it. Despite the exposure to the ad's content, in most cases the business model is based on clicks, so the advertiser pays the website's publisher only upon a click on the ad (and not for the hover). I will discuss business models later on. For now, I wanted to linger just a little longer over the heart of it all, the bubble.
A Bubble, not a Popup
In Text Advertising uses bubbles. Informative little cartoon-like bubbles, in which the ads are placed with relevance to the highlighted term. There are different types of technology to create the bubbles, but in all cases, a bubble is not a "Popup". Why? Well, the bubbles are part of the existing web page and they do not send the user to a different location. Also, another strong proof, is that the all mighty popup filters don't block the bubbles. The most important differentiator is that they are user generated - through the mouse hover, and when the interest is gone, the user can easily make them disappear by moving the mouse away, no clicks required.
So, what is In Text Advertising?
In Text Advertising is a method of advertising where advertisements are placed as hyperlinks within existing text. In other words, it's those double underline links with the bubbles, that advertisers choose because the leads they get actually chose to get exposed to the ads before clicking, and website publishers love for making them a lot of money with minimal interruption to their user experience.I write more about the advantages of In Text, tips on improving the integration, secrets of getting it better and much more. You're invited to my blog about online marketing and in text advertising - Online Siesta.
